Josh Cooley

Josh Cooley, born May 23, 1979 in Berkeley, California, is an American filmmaker whose career at Pixar Animation Studios began in 2003 after he was recruited by the legendary storyboard artist Joe Ranft. Initially an intern, Cooley quickly proved his storytelling talent, contributing storyboards to major releases such as The Incredibles (2004), Cars (2006), Ratatouille (2007), Up (2009) and Cars 2 (2011). In 2009 he expanded his creative repertoire by writing and directing the Pixar short George & A.J., showcasing his ability to blend humor with heart. Cooley’s breakthrough as a screenwriter arrived with the critically acclaimed Inside Out (2015), where he served as storyboard supervisor and co‑writer, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay alongside Pete Docter, Ronnie Del Carmen and Meg LeFauve. That same year he directed another short, Riley’s First Date?, further cementing his reputation for inventive storytelling. When John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton sought a co‑director for the ambitious Toy Story 4, Cooley was chosen and ultimately replaced Lasseter in 2016, making the project his directorial debut. The film’s release in 2019 garnered widespread acclaim and secured the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, marking Cooley’s first Oscar win. After leaving Pixar in March 2020, he joined Paramount Animation, where he directed the sci‑fi adventure Transformers One (2024), exploring the origins of Optimus Prime and Megatron on Cybertron. Looking ahead, Cooley is poised to helm a live‑action adaptation of Malamander for Sony, the monster‑filled feature Little Monsters for Universal, and a Disney‑Parks‑inspired Tower of Terror project with Scarlett Johansson, while negotiations continue for a quirky children’s book adaptation, I Eat Poop: A Dung Beetle Story, slated for Paramount Animation.