Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised May 26, 2026

Barnaby Thompson

Barnaby David Waterhouse Thompson is a British film director and producer. He is best known for producing Wayne's World, Spice World, Kevin & Perry Go Large and An Ideal Husband, as well as co-directing the St Trinians films. He founded Fragile Films and ran Ealing Studios for fourteen years.

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Barnaby Thompson
Born
Barnaby David Waterhouse Thompson

(1961-03-29) 29 March 19611
Alma materUniversity of Oxford
OccupationsFilm director and producer
RelativesJohn Thompson (father)

Barnaby David Waterhouse Thompson (born 29 March 1961) is a British film director and producer. He is best known for producing Wayne's World, Spice World, Kevin & Perry Go Large and An Ideal Husband, as well as co-directing the St Trinians films. He founded Fragile Films and ran Ealing Studios for fourteen years.2

Early life and education

Thompson was born in London to parents who both worked in radio. He went to St. Paul's School and graduated from Oxford University with a degree in theology and philosophy.3

Career

A graduate of Oxford University, Thompson began his career in documentary filmmaking including the 1990 short film Dear Rosie which received Academy Award and BAFTA nominations.4 In the early 1990s, he joined Lorne Michaels at Broadway Video in New York, where he co-produced several major American comedies, including Wayne’s World, Coneheads, and Tommy Boy.5

Upon returning to the United Kingdom, Thompson co-founded Fragile Films with Uri Fruchtmann in 1996 and produced the global commercial success Spice World. His subsequent work included adaptations such as the BAFTA-nominated An Ideal Husband and Kevin & Perry Go Large.

In 2000, he led a consortium to purchase the historic Ealing Studios, serving as its Head of Studios for 14 years and overseeing its modernization.6 During this tenure, he co-directed the rebooted St Trinian’s franchise, which became one of the highest-grossing independent British film series. His more recent credits include directing the 2020 feature Pixie as well as the 2024 documentary Mad About the Boy: The Noel Coward Story.

Personal life

Thompson has been married to American writer Christina Robert since 1991.7 They have two children.3

Selected Filmography

Title Year Producer Associate Producer Co-Producer Executive Producer Director Writer
Witness in the War Zone 1987 No Yes No No No No
Dear Rosie 1991 Yes No No No No No
Wayne's World 1992 No Yes No No No No
Wayne's World 2 1993 No No Yes No No No
Coneheads 1993 No No Yes No No No
Lassie 1994 No No Yes No No No
Tommy Boy 1995 No No Yes No No No
Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy 1996 No No Yes No No No
Spice World 1997 Yes No No No No No
An Ideal Husband 1999 Yes No No No No No
Kevin & Perry Go Large 2000 No No No Yes No No
Lucky Break 2001 Yes No No No No No
High Heels and Low Lifes 2001 Yes No No No No No
The Importance of Being Earnest 2002 Yes No No No No No
Hope Springs 2003 Yes No No No No No
Imagine Me & You 2005 Yes No No No No No
Valiant 2005 No No No Yes No No
Fade to Black 2006 Yes No No No No No
Alien Autopsy 2006 Yes No No No No No
St Trinian's 2007 Yes No No No Yes No
I Want Candy 2007 Yes No No No No No
Easy Virtue 2008 Yes No No No No No
St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold 2009 Yes No No No Yes No
From Time to Time 2009 No No No Yes No No
Dorian Gray 2009 Yes No No No No No
Burke & Hare 2010 Yes No No No No No
Bad Bromance 2015 Yes No No No No No
Kids in Love 2016 Yes No No No No No
Nina 2016 Yes No No No No No
Fisherman's Friends 2019 No No No Yes No No
Pixie 2020 Yes No No No Yes No
Mad About the Boy: The Noel Coward Story 2024 Yes No No No Yes Yes
References

References

  1. Sweeney, Mark (23 June 2025). "How historic Ealing Studios is hoping to regain ground with £20m revamp". The Guardian.
  2. "The London Comedy Writers Festival". Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  3. "Thompson, Barnaby David Waterhouse". Who's Who. A & C Black. 2025. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U278736. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  4. "The 63rd Academy Awards - 1991". Oscars.org. 1991.
  5. MacNab, Geoffrey (5 August 2020). "Ealing hands". Screen Daily.
  6. Rose, Ian (27 July 2007). "The revival of Ealing Studios". BBC News.
  7. "Christina Robert, Producer, Is Wed". The New York Times. 2 February 1991.
External links