Mimi Leder
Though her work has, in recent years, been more focused on the small screen, Mimi Leder has recently returned to the world of feature film – with On The Basis Of Sex currently in production. Before she made those moves, however, she had successfully transitioned from television to theatrically released movies – to the combined tune of $515.7 million in box office.
Her feature length theatrical debut was 1997’s The Peacemaker, which turned a budget of $50 million into a box office haul of $110.5 million. This was followed by 1998’s Deep Impact, generating $349.5 million in ticket sales with an $80 million budget – despite the fact that the thematically similar Armageddon was released in the same year. Even Leder’s least successful theatrically released movie – 2000’s Pay It Forward – earned more at the box office ($55.7 million) than was spent on its budget ($40 million).
The point, in the case of Mimi Leder, is that she’s especially skilled in the directing of action-based sequences – something that’s evident in both her cinematic and television work. Her episodes – particularly in the television series ER – are gold-standard small screen creations, with perfect pacing and dynamic camera work. The Peacemaker is the ideal showcase for these elements on a bigger scale, with lean and efficient storytelling using striking and emotive images and framing.
With her body of work proving her capabilities and strengths, Mimi Leder would be an ideal candidate for a core saga Star Wars movie – were Lucasfilm to plan any further such instalments beyond Episode IX.