David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick

David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (also credited as David Leslie Johnson, David Johnson, and Dave Johnson) is an American screenwriter and producer from Lexington, Ohio, known for shaping modern studio genre and franchise storytelling.

He broke through with the psychological thriller Orphan (2009), then moved into large-scale fantasy action with Wrath of the Titans (2012). Johnson-McGoldrick became a key voice in contemporary horror after writing The Conjuring 2 (2016) and later returning to the universe with The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021), helping define the series’ blend of character-driven scares and procedural tension.

His blockbuster reach extends to superhero cinema through the DC Extended Universe, where he penned Aquaman (2018) and its follow-up Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023). Across horror, action, and comic-book spectacle, his work is marked by clear myth-building, sharp pacing, and accessible emotional stakes.

In addition to writing, he has appeared as himself in documentary and talk-format credits such as Mama's Little Devils: Bad Seeds and Evil Children and The Thing Expanded, and is also associated with TV appearances including Talking Dead.