Joachim Rønning is a prolific director, writer and producer from Sandefjord, Norway - a small coastal town south of Oslo. Growing up in the 1980s, he spent his teenage years making short films with his family's home video camera. In 1992, he attended Stockholm Film School in Sweden, graduating in 1994. Later that year he served his mandatory time in the military making educational films for the Royal Norwegian Army.
In 1995, Rønning began directing professionally with his childhood friend, Espen Sandberg. Working under the name of Roenberg, their extensive and award-winning commercial work in Scandinavia led to major international commissions. Roenberg established themselves in the American commercial film market with spots for Capital One, Labatt's and most notably with the USA Today Superbowl Viewer's Poll-winning spot "Rex" for Budweiser. In 2007 they won the Gold Lion in Cannes for Hydro’s “Train Loop”.
Rønning’s first Norwegian feature film MAX MANUS premiered in December 2008. The critically acclaimed WWII drama tells the true story of the infamous saboteur and war hero. The film soared to become the highest grossing Norwegian movie of all time.
KON-TIKI became the director’s next epos. The true story about legendary explorer Thor Heyerdahl and his epic crossing of the Pacific on a balsa wood raft, KON-TIKI made history in 2013 as the first Norwegian film ever to be nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award.
The critical success of KON-TIKI led to Rønning directing the latest installment in the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise starring Johnny Depp, which debuted theatrically in 2017. He followed with his next feature, MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL, starring Angelina Jolie as the titular Disney character, which debuted theatrically in 2019. Combined, these films went on to earn 1.3 billion dollars at the global box office.
Rønning continues to redefine cinematic storytelling with his next feature, YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEA starring Daisy Ridley, bringing to life Trudy Ederle's awe-inspiring swim across the English Channel. The film premiered in 2024 to great critical acclaim. Rønning’s latest film, TRON: ARES (2025), stars Jared Leto and Jeff Bridges. Featuring a soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails, it is the new instalment in Disney’s TRON franchise.
Rønning lives in Los Angeles and London with his wife, Amanda Hearst. He has four children.
