Evan Louis Katz, professionally known as E.L. Katz, is an acclaimed American filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and producer recognized for his distinct contributions to horror, thriller, and dark comedy genres. Born on January 7, 1981, in New York City, New York, Katz has carved out a unique space in independent cinema and television, blending psychological tension with biting social commentary.
- Quick Facts & Profile Summary
- Early Life, Parents, and Background
- Education and Career Beginnings
- Directorial Breakthrough: Cheap Thrills
- Movies and Television Career
- Net Worth and Income Sources
- Personal Life, Relationships, and Height
- Awards and Recognitions
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is E.L. Katz’s full name?
- How old is E.L. Katz?
- What is E.L. Katz’s net worth?
- Who are E.L. Katz’s family members?
- What are E.L. Katz’s most famous movies?
- Was E.L. Katz ever married?
Quick Facts & Profile Summary
| Real Name | Evan Louis Katz |
| Stage Name | E.L. Katz |
| Date of Birth | January 7, 1981 |
| Age | 45 years old |
| Place of Birth | New York City, New York, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Jewish American |
| Religion | Judaism (Identifies as culturally Jewish) |
| Parents | Mr. and Mrs. Katz |
| Siblings | Peter Katz (Producer) |
| Marital Status | Divorced (Previously married to Mette-Marie Kongsved) |
| Occupation | Film Director, Screenwriter, Producer |
| Net Worth | $2 million |
| Instagram Handle | @e.l.katz |
Early Life, Parents, and Background
Evan Louis Katz was born in New York City and spent part of his youth in San Diego, California. Raised by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Katz, he grew up alongside his brother, Peter Katz, who also works in the entertainment industry as a film producer. The brothers later collaborated on several independent projects.
Katz’s early artistic interests leaned toward subcultures. As a teenager, he immersed himself in hip-hop, punk, metal music, and extreme horror cinema. He credits an early exposure to horror films-notably seeing footage from Dawn of the Dead displayed behind a punk band while attending a concert with his father around age 12-as a formative moment that sparked his creative trajectory.
Katz is of Jewish American descent. In interviews surrounding his creative projects, such as the horror film Azrael, he has openly discussed his religious background. He describes his philosophical relationship with faith with dry humor, occasionally referring to himself as a “bad Jew” while acknowledging how religious imagery influences psychological horror.
Education and Career Beginnings
Before stepping behind the camera, Katz worked as a music and horror journalist. He contributed reviews and articles to early online publications like Creature Corner, focusing on underground music and extreme international horror films.
Seeking formal training, Katz attended Full Sail Film School in Orlando, Florida. There, he formed close creative friendships with fellow emerging genre filmmakers, most notably director Adam Wingard. Together, they shared a deep admiration for Japanese horror, Asian extreme cinema, and gritty international crime thrillers. Katz later advanced his writing credentials by completing the professional screenwriting program at UCLA.
His early industry work involved writing and producing independent horror features alongside Wingard, including Home Sick, Pop Skull, Mortuary, and Autopsy. In 2011, he sold his spec script Zombie Pet Shop to The Animation Picture Company for development as an animated feature.
Directorial Breakthrough: Cheap Thrills
Katz’s major career breakthrough arrived when he directed his feature-length debut, the dark comedy thriller Cheap Thrills (2013). Starring Pat Healy, Ethan Embry, Sara Paxton, and David Koechner, the film follows a desperate family man who agrees to participate in increasingly depraved, escalating dares for money from a wealthy, eccentric couple.
Cheap Thrills premiered at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival, where it won the Midnighter Audience Award. The film received widespread critical acclaim for its razor-sharp tension, pitch-black humor, and unflinching examination of economic desperation and human greed. Its success sparked a competitive bidding war, ultimately securing distribution through Drafthouse Films and Snoot Entertainment.
Movies and Television Career
Following the critical triumph of Cheap Thrills, Katz expanded his portfolio across feature films and high-profile television series:
- ABCs of Death 2 (2014): Directed the “A Is for Amateur” segment of the acclaimed horror anthology.
- Small Crimes (2017): Directed and co-wrote this dark crime thriller starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, released globally by Netflix.
- Television Directing: Directed episodes of several popular genre shows, including MTV’s Scream, Syfy’s Channel Zero, DC Universe’s Swamp Thing, and Netflix’s gothic supernatural drama The Haunting of Bly Manor.
- Production Work: Served in production and writing capacities on series such as Hap and Leonard.
- Teacup (2024): Directed episodes and served as an executive producer on the tense horror-thriller series.
- Azrael (2024): Returned to feature filmmaking by directing this high-stakes action-horror film starring Samara Weaving, Vic Carmen Sonné, and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett. Distributed by IFC Films and Shudder, the film was noted for its rugged, dialogue-free survival storytelling shot under demanding conditions in Estonia.
Net Worth and Income Sources
E.L. Katz has an estimated net worth of $2 million. His primary financial streams stem from his multi-faceted career in the entertainment industry:
- Feature Film Directing & Writing: Compensation from production contracts, script sales, and box office or streaming distribution bonuses for titles like Cheap Thrills, Small Crimes, and Azrael.
- Television Production: Directing fees and executive producer retainers for serialized television projects across networks and streaming platforms like Netflix, Peacock, and Syfy.
- Early Journalism & Consulting: Early career writing and ongoing script consultation within the independent genre community.
Personal Life, Relationships, and Height
E.L. Katz maintains a private personal life, preferring public discussions to center around cinema, genre history, and filmmaking techniques.
He was previously married to Danish film producer Mette-Marie Kongsved. Public records indicate the couple married on May 15, 2011, and divorced in 2017. Following their separation, Kongsved entered a relationship with actor Elijah Wood, while Katz keeps his subsequent dating life private. Public records do not indicate that Katz has any children.
Throughout his life, Katz has lived and worked in major American creative hubs, including New York City, San Diego, Orlando, and Los Angeles, where he is currently based. While he has a personal interest in motorcycles-despite a family history involving his father’s past motorcycle accident-his primary passion remains deeply rooted in the curation, study, and creation of cinema.
Awards and Recognitions
- SXSW Film Festival (2013): Winner – Midnighter Audience Award for Cheap Thrills.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is E.L. Katz’s full name?
His full name is Evan Louis Katz, though he is professionally credited as E.L. Katz.
How old is E.L. Katz?
Born on January 7, 1981, E.L. Katz is 45 years old.
What is E.L. Katz’s net worth?
E.L. Katz has an estimated net worth of $2 million, earned through his work as a film director, screenwriter, and television producer.
Who are E.L. Katz’s family members?
He was raised by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Katz, and has a brother named Peter Katz, who works as a film producer.
What are E.L. Katz’s most famous movies?
He is best known for directing the dark comedy thriller Cheap Thrills (2013), the Netflix crime film Small Crimes (2017), and the survival horror film Azrael (2024).
Was E.L. Katz ever married?
Yes, he was previously married to Danish film producer Mette-Marie Kongsved from 2011 until their divorce in 2017.
