After starting as a club promoter in London he came to LA in 1986 and became a writer/director during the late 80's and 90's. His visual style often uses a dual-focus technique in which one person's face takes up most the screen in profile, with another person shown on the other half of the screen in the background.
He then started directing action movies after a list of well known 90's horror and creating the television show "Extreme" for ABC/Universal. This led to HBO hiring him to make their first action/horror Full Eclipse which spawned their Friday night action slot that lasted over 5 years and to which Hickox made several more contributions. At the same time continuing his deal at Universal where he shot pilots for " Two", "Martian Law", "Shoot Me!" and "New York Undercover".
After working with Natasha McElone and William Hurt (Contaminated Man), he went on to direct Katherine Heigl and Steven Moyer in 'Prince Valiant' a movie described by one of the actors involved, Warwick Davis, as "a disaster from start to finish" which was "premiered, panned and bombed". He blames this on Hickox, who he says "seemed intent on partying all night long and giving roles to his friends."
He then directed Steven Seagal in Submerged and Eddie Griffin in Blast!, both made over $15 million a piece on DVD. In 2008 he has completed the British horror movie Knife Edge and is hoping to start a remake of Cat People in 2014. He is also working on a video game Invasion Earth! with his writing partner Pete Atkins, is in development on Galahadfor Gale Anne Hurd and has written "Rhodesia" about Robert Mugabe's rise to power, which Nick Cassavetes is directing.
He is on the board of directors of the film distribution company 7arts pictures (NASDAQ) run by Peter Hoffman ex chairman of Carolco and the production company Medient run by Indian film producer Manu Kumaran. In 2011 Medient co-financed Nick Cassavetes "Yellow" and Noel Clark's "Storage 24" for Universal.
He recently signed on to direct 'God's Lions' based on the best selling novel and is setting up the 'Waxwork' television show at Bold films. He also is developing 'Johnny Mnumonic' as a TV show with Sean Daniels and Peter Hoffman. He just completed "Exodus to Shanghai" based on the true story of Dr Ho who saved 5000 Jews during Hitlers invasion of Austria. he recently married Romanian actress Madalina Anea.
"Exodus to Shanghai" (2014) "God's Lions" (2025)
20.01.2016 | Exodus to Shanghai's blog
Cat. : PEOPLE
