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Peyton Tucker Reed, born on July 3, 1964, is an American film and television director known for his work in both comedy and superhero genres. He has directed several successful comedies, including Bring It On (2000), Down with Love (2003), The Break-Up (2006), and Yes Man (2008), as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Ant-Man (2015) and its sequels.
Reed was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he graduated in 1987 with a degree in English and Radio, Television, and Motion Pictures. During his time at UNC, he worked as a DJ for the student-run radio station WXYC. That same year, he gained early film industry experience as a van driver on the set of Bull Durham, which was partly filmed in his hometown.
His directorial debut came with Bring It On, a teen comedy that achieved number one at the box office upon its release. He later directed Down with Love and The Break-Up, further establishing his reputation for handling lighthearted romantic comedies. Reed has also made small on-screen appearances in several films, including his own, contributed original songs to film soundtracks, and produced a number of music videos.
In 2000, he was set to direct East Bound and Down, a modern reimagining of Smokey and the Bandit, intended as his follow-up to Bring It On. The following year, he was attached to direct 20th Century Fox’s Fantastic Four, but eventually left the project and was replaced by Tim Story.
Reed went on to direct Yes Man (2008), starring Jim Carrey, adapted from Danny Wallace’s memoir about embracing every opportunity by saying “yes.” In 2011, it was announced by The Gregory Brothers that Reed was in talks to direct a musical television pilot for Comedy Central.
He later replaced Edgar Wright as director of Marvel’s Ant-Man (2015). Before taking on the project, Reed had been set to direct a biographical film about Beatles manager Brian Epstein, based on the graphic novel The Fifth Beatle. However, his commitment to Ant-Man required him to step away from that production. Reed continued to direct the Marvel sequels Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).
Beyond Marvel, Reed directed two episodes of the second season of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, part of the Star Wars franchise. Reports have also indicated that he is developing a film about the 1960s pop band The Monkees.
Reed resides in the Los Angeles area with his second wife, Sheila Naghshineh, and their two sons. He was previously married to Beth LaMure from 1998 until 2006. In addition to his film work, he plays in the band Cardinal Family Singers alongside Norwood Cheek. The group has released three albums, and their instrumental track “Tilting Scale” was featured in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
