David Dobkin

David Dobkin studied at New York University Tisch School of the Arts and Walt Whitman High School. The recorded working language is English. Works named in the authority record are Clay Pigeons, Shanghai Knights and Wedding Crashers. Work by David Dobkin is recorded in the collections of Museum of Modern Art.

• Name — David Dobkin • Born — 23 June 1969 • Birthplace — Washington D.C., U.S. • Occupation — * Film director • film producer • screenwriter • composer • Genre — Comedy • Notable Works — * Shanghai Knights • Wedding Crashers • The Judge • Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga • Spouse — Megan Wolpert • Children — 2 • Relatives — Jay Wolpert (Father in law) • Years Active — 1992–present

Dobkin was born on 23 June 1969 in Washington, D.C., where he attended Lafayette Elementary School, and later was raised in the suburb of Bethesda, Maryland, where he attended Walt Whitman High School.

Dobkin made his music-video debut with video clips for rapper Tupac Shakur. Fifteen more videos followed for such music groups as Extreme, Robin Zander, Sonic Youth, dada, Blues Traveler, and others. Dobkin's music-video credits include George Thorogood's "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer," Elton John's "You Can Make History", and Coolio's "1, 2, 3, 4". Dobkin also collaborated with band Maroon 5 in their music videos "Sugar", "Girls Like You", "Memories" and "Middle Ground" and an untitled documentary film. As of March 2026, no further announcement about the documentary film has been made. After shooting television commercials, Dobkin broke into feature films with Clay Pigeons, for Scott Free, the first film produced at Ridley and Tony Scott's production company that they did not direct. The black comedy about a series of small-town murders starred Vince Vaughn, Joaquin Phoenix and Janeane Garofalo, and was distributed by Gramercy Pictures. Dobkin next directed the comedies Shanghai Knights (2003), starring Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson, and Wedding Crashers (2005), with Wilson and Vaughn. Through his production company Big Kid Pictures, Dobkin both produced and directed Fred Claus (2007), starring Vaughn and Paul Giamatti, and The Change-Up (2011), starring Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman. He co-wrote and was an executive producer of the film adaptation of Dark Horse Comics' R.I.P.D. (2013), Dobkin directed 2014's The Judge, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall.

• Year(s) — Title — Director — Executive Producer — Notes • 1995 — Love Street — Episode: "Freudian Slip" • 2005 — 2005 MTV Movie Awards — Segment: "Crashers" • 2011 — Friends with Benefits — Director (episode "Pilot") / Producer (13 episodes) • 2013 — The Gabriels — TV movie • 2015–2019 — Into the Badlands — Director (3 episodes) / Executive Producer (32 episodes) • 2018 — Iron Fist — Episode: "The Fury of Iron Fist" • Sugar — Director (2 episodes) / Executive Producer (8 episodes) • 2019–2022 — Green Eggs and Ham — 23 episodes (also directing consultant) • 2021–2025 — Resident Alien — Director (episode: "Pilot") / Executive Producer • 2025 — Stick — Director (2 episodes)

• Title — Year — Artist(s) — Notes — Ref. Reference • 1993 — "Angry Youth" — Asphalt Ballet • "Keep Ya Head Up" — Tupac featuring Dave Hollister • "I Get Around" — Tupac featuring Shock G and Money-B • "Defense & Desire" — Blues Traveler • 1994 — "All I Am" — Dada • "I Don't Know Where It Came From" — Ride • "Street Life" — Intelligent Hoodlum • 1995 — "Hip Today" — Extreme • "Bus Stops" — The Nonce • "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" — John Lee Hooker • 1996 — "You Can Make History (Young Again)" — Elton John • "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" — Coolio • "Just the Two of Us" — Toshinobu Kubota featuring Caron Wheeler • "Like Marvin Gaye Said (What's Going On)" — Speech • "Banditos" — The Refreshments • 1998 — "Boogie King" — The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies • "I Got You Babe" — Merril Bainbridge featuring Shaggy • 2015 — "Sugar" — Maroon 5 • 2016 — "Don't Wanna Know" • 2018 — "Girls Like You" — Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B — Original, Volume 2 and Vertical Video versions • 2019 — "Memories" — Maroon 5 • 2020 — "Nobody's Love" • 2023 — "Middle Ground"

Dobkin has directed commercials for clients such as ESPN, Heineken (which earned him honors from SHOOT magazine), Carl's Jr., Coke, Honda, Coors Light and Sony PlayStation (which won a Bronze Lion at Cannes). His spots for the Utah Symphony were named "Spot of the Month" by Adweek Magazine and featured as the year's best in Communication Arts Magazine.