The Martian Screenwriter Drew Goddard Talks Originality

Drew Goddard, the Oscar-Nominated Screenwriter of The Martian, dishes out on how to persevere in a film industry that is full of ideas.

Drew Goddard entered this year’s Oscar race with a fascinating film. The Martian is a thrilling action/drama set in space, helmed by renowned director Ridley Scott. The set-pieces, ensemble cast and premise of the film would seem to spell a dark tale at first blush, or a peek into the potential missteps of interstellar colonization. Instead, or rather in addition to that, audiences received a film that was full of wonderment and humor. The feature film, starring Matt Damon as the best botanist on Mars, never misses a beat as it explores the things that can and will go wrong, and the ingenuity it takes to literally right the ship.

Before The Martian, Drew Goddard wrote films including World War Z, The Cabin in the Woods, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Lost and lost-footage monster romper Cloverfield. His future projects include Robopocalypse and The Sinister Six. His directorial debut was also the aforementioned The Cabin in the Woods, starring Chris Hemsworth and containing a merman.

Drew Goddard, screenwriter of ‘The Martian’

Director Ridley Scott has led a storied career filled with wonder, action, fear and comedy. His previous projects include classics such as Alien, Blade Runner and Gladiator, among countless others. Ridley isn’t resting on his laurels, either. His slate is packed, with projects including Alien: Covenant, and the television mini-series, The Hot Zone.

Interested in learning more about screenwriting and filmmaking from The Martian writer Drew Goddard? Check out our Oscar-Nominated Screenwriters Panel, co-hosted by Jeff Goldsmith, the producer of The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith.