Anecdotes

Was set to direct a highly-anticipated movie adaptation of the popular video game Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) after a screenplay by Alex Garland. Peter Jackson would supervise as producer. There were initial difficulties because Microsoft, the owner of the game franchise, had a long list of demands, including 10 million dollar for the screenplay, 15% of the box office earnings, a budget of at least 75 million dollar and a lot of creative control. Most studies turned the project down, until Fox and Universal agreed to co-produce it. Ten million dollar were already spent on development, and Blomkamp even moved to New Zealand to oversee pre-production at WETA studios, when Universal tried to force budget cuts. Since neither Jackson or Microsoft were willing to agree on this, the project was shelved. Jackson then asked Blomkamp if he had any other ideas, and Blomkamp suggested an expanded remake of his short film Alive in Joburg (2005), which ultimately became his much praised feature film debut District 9 (2009).

Immigrated to Canada at 18 years old.

(May 10, 2010) Merited a position in Time magazine's - The 100 Most Influential People in the World ("Artists" category) - with an homage contributed by Ridley Scott.

Graduated from Vancouver Film School's 3D Animation and Visual Effects program in 1998.

He is friends with Michael Bay.

Was considered to direct Le Hobbit : Un Voyage Inattendu (2012).

Winner of the 2003 Leo Award for Best Direction of a Music Video for "Tango Shoes" by Bif Naked.

He has directed one film that has been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: District 9 (2009).