Christopher McQuarrie to be honored with 2025 Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award at Austin Film Festival

Christopher McQuarrie will be honored with the 2025 Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award at the Austin Film Festival.

The acclaimed writer, director and producer, 57, is set to attend the festival’s Awards Luncheon on Saturday, 25 October, where he will receive the accolade alongside screenwriting awardee Rian Johnson, producing awardee Christine Vachon, and television writer awardee Yvette Lee Bowser.

He was quoted by Variety saying about the upcoming honour: “I’ve always held the AFF in the highest esteem. It’s a sincere privilege to return to Austin after so much time away and for such a distinguished honor.”

The festival, taking place from 23 to 30 October, also includes the world’s largest screenwriters conference, championing the art and craft of storytelling for more than three decades.

As part of the event, Chris will join a panel discussion exploring his creative process and celebrated career during the Writers Conference from 23–26 October, which will highlight the work of critically acclaimed titles such as Wicked, The Studio, Abbott Elementary, Big Mouth and Past Lives.

Chris first achieved acclaim with his 1995 screenplay for The Usual Suspects, which the Writers Guild of America named one of the greatest screenplays of all time.

He went on to co-write and produce Valkyrie in 2008, starring Tom Cruise, initiating a long-term collaboration with the actor.

Chris’ directorial debut, Jack Reacher in 2012 was followed by his work on the last four installments in the Mission: Impossible franchise – Rogue Nation, Fallout, Dead Reckoning and The Final Reckoning.

In addition, Chris has contributed as writer and producer to projects including Edge of Tomorrow and Top Gun: Maverick, and is known within the industry for uncredited roles as writer, editor, second-unit director and production consultant.

The Austin Film Festival Awards Luncheon will also recognise Script and Film competition winners and recipients of industry-sponsored fellowships.

Previous recipients of the Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award include Ron Howard, Danny Boyle, Frank Darabont and Jonathan Demme.

The Writers Conference will feature more than 150 panels on storytelling in film, television and new media, with contributors including WGA nominees Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, the screenwriters of Universal Pictures’ Academy Award-nominated Wicked and its upcoming conclusion Wicked: For Good.