Scott Waugh

Scott Waugh (birthname: Scott M. Waugh) is a versatile filmmaker specializing in action movies, working as everything from director, writer, and producer to actor, editor, stunt performer/coordinator, and second unit director.

His career falls into two phases: First, from 1988 to 2005, as a stunt performer, stunt coordinator, actor, and second unit director on many Hollywood productions including Shoot to Kill (1988), Hook (1991), The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Last Action Hero (1993), Speed (1994), Batman Forever (1995), U-Turn (1997), The Princess Diaries (2001), Windtalkers (2002), xXx (2002), Bruce Almighty (2003), The Italian Job (2003), Bad Boys II (2003), Stuck on You (2003), Spartan (2004), and Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005).

Waugh shifted into behind-the-camera filmmaking in 2003, first as co-producer/editor of such films as the fine surfing film, Step Into Liquid (2003). Scott Waugh was producer/editor of the acclaimed documentary on the Baja 1000, Dust to Glory (2005), directed by Dana Brown, with Mario Andretti and Chad McQueen. Waugh continued to produce action-oriented non-fiction movies with Gearhead: The Legend of Mickey Thompson (2007). Waugh’s narrative feature debut as director/producer/editor was the financially successful action movie co-directed with Mouse McCoy, Act of Valor (2012), with Roselyn Sanchez and actual members of the Navy SEALs.

Scott Waugh was director/editor/executive producer of Need for Speed (2014), starring Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Imogen Poots, and Michael Keaton, receiving poor reviews but decent box office ($203 million), via distributor Touchstone Pictures. Waugh then served as director/producer/co-editor (with Vashi Nedomansky) of the survival drama, 6 Below: Miracle on the Mountain (2017), starring Josh Hartnett, Mira Sorvino, and Sarah Dumont. Branching out into international production, Waugh was director/editor of the China/U.S. co-production, Hidden Strike (2023), starring Jackie Chan (who was also a producer), John Cena, Pilou Asbaek, and Ma Chunrui, and released by XYZ Films before streaming on Netflix.

For his biggest movie to date, Scott Waugh was director only of the sequel, Expend4bles (2023), the fourth entry in Lionsgate’s Expendables franchise, with a sprawling cast including Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Curits “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Randy Couture, and Andy Garcia, and budgeted (according to Lundgren) at $100 million. Waugh joined forces with star Arnold Schwarzenegger for the thriller, Breakout (date to be announced), and then Waugh was the story writer and director of the action movie, Action Force (date to be announced), with Rachele Brooke Smith.