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From HBO and STARZ to MARVEL, award-winning writer, producer, and showrunner Daniel Knauf has become synonymous with excellence in creating the unusual, iconic, and unexpected. Now, Daniel makes his debut in family programming as Creator, Executive Producer, Writer, and Showrunner of Nickelodeon's new original live-action adventure series, "The Astronauts."
Produced in partnership with Imagine Kids+Family's Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, and Stephanie Sperber, "The Astronauts" ranks among Nickelodeon’s most ambitious and cinematic projects, following five middle-schoolers who embark on a life-changing journey after being mistakenly launched into space.
A Los Angeles native, Knauf developed a passion for storytelling early, writing fiction and poetry throughout high school and college. While earning his Bachelor's degree at California State University Los Angeles, he paused his writing ambitions to pursue a successful career as an employee benefits consultant. Despite achieving the "American Dream" by his late 20s—supporting his family and attaining corporate success—he struggled with severe clinical depression. Ultimately, Knauf admitted himself to a psychiatric hospital and, during recovery, recommitted to pursuing a career in the arts.
Nearly two decades later, Knauf made a major television debut as Creator and Executive Producer of the Depression-era series "Carnivàle," which set audience records for HBO upon its premiere and ran for two seasons. The show explored the epic saga of a traveling carnival in a bleak American landscape, showcasing one of Knauf’s signature themes: the eternal conflict between light and darkness. His debut earned five Primetime Emmy Awards, ten additional industry honors, and numerous nominations from festivals, guilds, and entertainment organizations.
After "Carnivàle," Knauf contributed as producer and writer on STARZ’s hit series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" and served as writer and showrunner for NBC’s "Dracula."
Among Knauf’s most prominent work is his role as Executive Producer and Writer on 66 episodes of NBC’s acclaimed series "The Blacklist" (2014–2017), starring James Spader. Joining in the second season, he developed storylines, wrote scripts, and produced episodes that received nominations from the People’s Choice Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards.
While television writing remains Knauf’s primary focus, he has also created and written for gaming and digital narratives. Collaborating with his son Charles, he has penned comic books including issues 7–18 and 21–28 of Iron Man for Marvel Comics, as well as reboots of The Eternals and Captain America.
Knauf reflects that although his breakthrough came later in life, his writing stems from first-hand observation, often bending traditional forms on an epic scale to take audiences on breathtaking journeys—sometimes dark, sometimes challenging, but always ultimately redemptive. Continually seeking new experiences, he listens and observes to discover moments rarely seen onscreen, striving to share these authentic slices of reality to move viewers.
An avid reader, art collector, and world traveler, Knauf and his wife Ilaria, an Italian national, spend considerable time abroad.
