Paul W. S. Anderson

Paul William Scott Anderson (also known as Paul W.S. Anderson or Paul Anderson), (born 4 March 1965 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England) is a film director who regularly works in sci-fi movies and video game adaptations. Educated at Newcastle's Royal Grammar School, Anderson went on to graduate from the University of Warwick as the youngest student to achieve a BA in Film & Literature. He made his debut as the writer-director of Shopping, which starr... more

Paul William Scott Anderson (also known as Paul W.S. Anderson or Paul Anderson), (born 4 March 1965 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England) is a film director who regularly works in sci-fi movies and video game adaptations. Educated at Newcastle's Royal Grammar School, Anderson went on to graduate from the University of Warwick as the youngest student to achieve a BA in Film & Literature. He made his debut as the writer-director of Shopping, which starred Sean Pertwee, Jude Law and Sadie Frost as thieves who smashed cars into storefronts. When released in the United Kingdom it was banned in some cinemas, and only gained a release in the United States as an edited, direct to video release. After this, he directed the successful 1995 video game adaptation Mortal Kombat. While prior video game movies, like Street Fighter and Super Mario Bros., had been all-out disasters, Mortal Kombat was well received by fans, and some critics. He declined to direct the sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation... less