Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 1, 2026

Marcus Dunstan

Marcus Dunstan is an American screenwriter and director who, along with frequent collaborator Patrick Melton, wrote screenplay for the film Feast, which was the winner of Season Three of the filmmaking competition reality TV series Project Greenlight. Dunstan has since written the screenplays for Feast II: Sloppy Seconds, Feast III: The Happy Finish, and four films in the Saw franchise. Dunstan also directed and co-wrote the films The Collector, its sequel The Collection, and Unhuman.

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Marcus Dunstan
Marcus Dunstan at 2012 New York Comic Con
Born
Macomb, Illinois, United States
OccupationsScreenwriter, film director

Marcus Dunstan is an American screenwriter and director who, along with frequent collaborator Patrick Melton, wrote screenplay for the film Feast, which was the winner of Season Three of the filmmaking competition reality TV series Project Greenlight. Dunstan has since written the screenplays for Feast II: Sloppy Seconds, Feast III: The Happy Finish, and four films in the Saw franchise. Dunstan also directed and co-wrote the films The Collector, its sequel The Collection, and Unhuman.

Early life

Dunstan was born in Macomb, Illinois. He spent his formative years working in movie theaters and studying film at the University of Iowa.1

While in college Dunstan experimented with 16mm film often using himself as the guinea pig in poorly executed stunts that left him dragging behind a car, the target of flying knives, and thrice being set on fire. He holds the record for spilling the most fake blood ever in a student film.2 Since moving to Los Angeles in 1999, Dunstan toiled in several odd jobs including a retirement home, an Optometry clinic, and a video store while spending his nights writing on a computer borrowed from fellow screenwriter, Patrick Melton.

Career

In March 2005, Dunstan and Melton won Season Three of Project Greenlight with their screenplay, Feast, which was directed by John Gulager. The film starred Krista Allen and Eric Dane, and was produced by Dimension Films and Neo Art & Logic.3

Dunstan has written the screenplays for Feast, Feast II: Sloppy Seconds, Feast III: The Happy Finish, The Collector, Saw IV, Saw V, Saw VI, and Saw 3D.4 He is also in pre-production and post-production for several of his other screenplays.5 In addition to writing the screenplay for The Collector, he directed the film. He also directed the sequel to The Collector, titled The Collection. The film, produced by Liddell Entertainment and Fortress Features, was released in 2012.67

In addition to writing and directing, he and writing partner Patrick Melton have made cameo appearances in Saw V, Supergator, Feast, and The Collector, appearing in the later two through the same puppet show clip shown on TV screens.8 He, Melton, and Stephen Romano co-wrote the thriller novel Black Light - Don't Look Too Deep, which was published on October 5, 2011, over Mulholland Books as hardcover.9 The novel will adapt in a feature film written by Melton and Dunstan, under the direction of Romano, Michael De Luca will produce for Warner Bros.10 Dunstan co-wrote with Patrick Melton a screenplay for potential eleventh film of the Halloween franchise titled Halloween Returns.11

In 2013, Melton and Dunstan were enlisted to perform uncredited rewrites on Pacific Rim when their spec script Monstropolis caught Guillermo del Toro's attention, and then were attached to a film version of God of War.12 In October 2016, Dunstan, along with partner Melton, were selected to write for the adaptation of Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings.

Filmography

Year Title Director Writer Executive
Producer
2005 Feast No Yes No
2007 Saw IV No Yes No
2008 Feast II: Sloppy Seconds No Yes No
Saw V No Yes No
2009 Feast III: The Happy Finish No Yes No
The Collector Yes Yes No
Saw VI No Yes No
2010 Saw 3D No Yes No
2012 Piranha 3DD No Yes No
The Collection Yes Yes No
2016 The Neighbor Yes Yes Yes
2019 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark No Story No
2022 Unhuman Yes Yes No
2024 AMFAD All My Friends Are Dead Yes No No

Short film

Year Title Writer Producer
2010 The Candidate Yes Yes
2016 Rise Yes No
Crazy Baby Story No
2017 Naked Fury Yes No

Television

Year Title Director Writer Note
2019 Into the Dark Yes Yes Episode "Pilgrim"
References

References

  1. "Just Chilling - Spectator@IOWA - Monthly News for UI Alumni and Friends - The University of Iowa". spectator.uiowa.edu. Archived from the original on January 11, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  2. "Marcus Dunstan – Interview by Matt Horn". Demon FM. October 11, 2009. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011.
  3. "'The Collector' Writing/Directing Team Spill Details on Forthcoming Projects!". Bloody Disgusting.
  4. Marcus Dunstan at FEARnet
  5. 'The Collector 2' to Shoot This October!
  6. A Sequel to The Collector on the Way
  7. "The Collector 2, called The Collection, is shooting in October." Dread Central. April 29, 2010.
  8. "Behind-the-Scenes Image from the Set of 'Saw 3D'". Bloody Disgusting.
  9. Stephen Romano Talks Black Light; Exclusive Look at the UK Cover Art
  10. "Exclusive: Patrick Melton Talks a Black Light film, The Collection, Piranha 3DD and Rise!". Dread Central.
  11. ""COLLECTOR", "SAW" Sequel Duo to 'Recalibrate' "HALLOWEEN" Franchise". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  12. Kit, Boris (October 7, 2012). "Pacific Rim Writers Tapped for God of War Adaptation (Exclusive)". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
External links