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John Burr is an award-winning filmmaker originally from Dallas, Texas, known for crafting elevated horror and psychological thrillers that blend genre tension with layered social perspective.
Born the day after Halloween, Burr has been drawn to suspense storytelling since first picking up a camera, building a body of work that explores fear not only as spectacle, but as a reflection of human psychology and culture.
Burr’s latest feature, The Gates, which he wrote and directed, was released nationwide in theaters through Lionsgate on March 13, 2026. A tense, socially charged thriller, the film follows three college friends whose road trip spirals into terror after they witness a murder inside a powerful gated community. Starring Mason Gooding, Algee Smith, and Keith Powers, alongside James Van Der Beek, The Gates represents a bold expansion of Burr’s cinematic voice onto the national stage. Early reactions were strong, with Collider calling it "an instant cult classic."
The film marks a major studio-backed evolution of Burr’s work and further solidifies his reputation for delivering elevated, character-driven genre storytelling that sparks conversation long after the credits roll.
His feature debut, Muse (2018), a psychological thriller inspired by Irish folklore, garnered international acclaim for its atmosphere, originality, and confident direction, establishing Burr as a bold new voice in genre filmmaking. The film received multiple honors at the Austin Revolution Film Festival, including nominations for Best Horror Feature, Best Cinematography, Best in Show - Feature, and Best Soundtrack/Score, and went on to win Best Horror and Best Feature Film at various international festivals.
Burr is of mixed heritage; on his mother’s side, he is related to Bankie Banx, the iconic reggae artist from Anguilla, and on his father’s side, he is related to Aaron Burr of Hamilton duel fame.
He holds a Master’s degree from the USC School of Cinematic Arts and a Bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College.
