Director-Producer-Writer Joe Menendez is a multi-genre veteran of drama, action, horror, Sci-Fi, comedy, family and rom-com. His numerous and varied credits show that he is a skilled craftsman and an accomplished, versatile storyteller. Menendez has directed over 110 hours of television, written a handful of teleplays, produced several TV series and films, and has directed nine feature films and TV movies so far.
Joe Menendez is the Co-Executive Producer/Director on The CW's upcoming reboot of KUNG FU, which is being produced by Warner Brothers Television and Berlanti. This marks the third time Menendez has been the P/D on a series. He was also the Co-Executive Producer/Director for Freeform's one-hour mermaid drama SIREN, for which he has directed multiples since 2017, including the epic series finale, and Menendez was also the Co-Executive Producer/Director on Disney's IMAGINATION MOVERS for two seasons, from 2009 to 2010, for which he directed 1/3 of all the episodes produced.
He's also directed multiples of the one-hour drama series 12 MONKEYS for SyFy Channel/UCP, QUEEN OF THE SOUTH for USA Network/UCP/Fox 21 and episodes for the horror anthology series 12 DEADLY DAYS, produced by Blumhouse Productions for YouTube Red. Additionally, Menendez has directed multiple episodes of the one-hour drama FROM DUSK TILL DAWN: The Series for Robert Rodriguez and his El Rey Network and Netflix, including the final two episodes of the series.
Menendez directed the TV movie NIGHTCLUB SECRETS, a thriller for Lifetime which premiered June 2nd, 2018, and the action-adventure TV movie LEGENDS OF THE HIDDEN TEMPLE for Nickelodeon, which was based on the popular game show of the same name, from the 1990s. The movie premiered November 26th, 2016.
He's also directed multiples of the Amazon Series JUST ADD MAGIC and the Prequel Series plus the "uncensored" episodes for the 2nd season of HULU's drama series EAST LOS HIGH.
Menendez directed the action/comedy, LADRONES (THIEVES), which was released by Lionsgate and Pantelion Films October 9th, 2015, and received a CinemaScore of "A". LADRONES is the sequel to his 2007 Lionsgate feature film LADRON QUE ROBA A LADRON (TO ROB A THIEF), which opened at the time to a record-grossing opening weekend at the box-office for a Spanish-language film in the U.S..
Menendez's other features as director include, the Spanish language romantic comedy QUIERO SER FIEL (WHY DO MEN CHEAT), which was released in the summer of 2014 all over Latin America, and remained in the top ten of Mexico's box office for two weeks. Another romantic comedy 3 HOLIDAY TAILS which Menendez directed for MarVista Entertainment, premiered under its TV title "A Golden Christmas 2: The Second Tail" on ION Television in December 2011. The indie drama HUNTING OF MAN, which Menendez edited, wrote and directed, WON BEST PICTURE at the 2003 New York Latino International Film Festival and the coveted FESTIVAL DIRECTOR AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE at the 2003 Method Fest where Menendez was also nominated for Best Director. His feature debut was the indie action/thriller LORDS OF THE BARRIO, which was released in 2002.
Menendez directed several episodes of various Disney series: FAST LAYNE, ANDI MACK, STUCK IN THE MIDDLE, KIRBY BUCKETS, ZEKE AND LUTHER and IMAGINATION MOVERS. He has also directed multiples for Nickelodeon's 100 THINGS TO DO BEFORE HIGH SCHOOL, BIG TIME RUSH, TRUE JACKSON VP, JUST JORDAN, UNFABULOUS, NED'S DECLASSIFIED SCHOOL SURVIVAL GUIDE, TAINA and THE BROTHERS GARCIA for which he won an Alma Award for OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A COMEDY in 2001.
Menendez also directed multiple half hours of LOS BELTRAN, VIVA VEGAS and SOLO EN AMERICA for Telemundo. Additionally, Menendez directed (and edited) 215 ten minute reenactments PLACAS, also for Telemundo.
Menendez got his start directing over 20 reenactments for the nationally syndicated TV series: REAL STORIES OF THE HIGHWAY PATROL, after HBO commissioned Menendez to write "Cinderella" and "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" for HBO's animated series HAPPILY EVER AFTER: STORIES FOR EVERY CHILD.
He has now added author to his eclectic career, having published his debut novel MINDSHOT, a Sci-Fi thriller, in January of 2013.
TELEVISION
KUNG FU - CW/Warner Brothers/Berlanti - Co-Executive Producer/Director (multiples)
SIREN - Freeform - Co-Executive Producer/Director (multiples)
12 MONKEYS- SYFY/Universal - Director (multiples)
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH -USA/FOX 21/UCP - Director
FROM DUSK TILL DAWN- El Rey Network/ Netflix - Director (multiples)
12 DEADLY DAYS-YouTube Red/Blumhouse - Director (multiples)
LEGENDS OF THE HIDDEN TEMPLE (mow) - Nickelodeon - Director
EAST LOS HIGH -Hulu - Director (multiples)
JUST ADD MAGIC - Amazon - Director (multiples)
NIGHTCLUB SECRETS (mow) - Lifetime - Director/Co-Executive Producer
THE BRITTANY MURPHY STORY (mow) - Lifetime - Director
ANDI MACK - Disney - Director (multiples)
FAST LAYNE - Disney - Director(multiples)
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE -Disney - Director(multiples)
KIRBY BUCKETS - Disney - Director(multiples)
100 THINGS TO DO BEFORE HIGH SCHOOL- Nickelodeon - Director
IMAGINATION MOVERS - Disney - Co-Executive Producer/Director (multiples)
JAKE AND THE NEVERLAND PIRATES (music videos) - Disney - Executive Producer
OPERATION OSO (shorts) - Disney - Executive Producer
WHERE IS WAREHOUSE MOUSE (shorts) - Disney - Co-Executive Producer
BIG TIME RUSH - Nickelodeon - Director (multiples)
REED BETWEEN THE LINES - BET - Director(multiples)
3 HOLIDAY TAILS - ION Television - Director
ZEKE AND LUTHER - Disney - Director (multiples)
TRUE JACKSON, VP - Nickelodeon - Director
JUST JORDAN - Nickelodeon - Director (multiples)
UNFABULOUS - Nickelodeon - Director (multiples)
NED’S DECLASSIFIED SCHOOL SURVIVAL GUIDE - Nickelodeon - Director (multiples)
CUTS - Paramount/UPN - Director
THE PLAYBOOK - Spike TV - Consulting Producer
URBAN JUNGLE - Nuvo/SiTv - Producer
LUIS - 20th Century Fox/FBC - Staff Writer
THE BROTHERS GARCIA -Nickelodeon - Director (multiples)
TAINA - Nickelodeon - Director
VIVA VEGAS - Sony/Telemundo - Director (multiples)
LOS BELTRAN - Sony/Telemundo - Director/Writer (multiples)
SOLO EN AMERICA - Sony/Telemundo - Director (multiples)
PLACAS -Sony/Telemundo - Director (multiples)
HAPPILY, EVER AFTER - HBO - Writer (multiples)
REAL STORIES OF THE HIGHWAY PATROL - Syndication - Director (multiples)
FEATURE
LADRONES - Lionsgate - Director/Executive Producer
AZTEC WARRIOR - Lionsgate - Co-Producer
QUIERO SER FIEL - Independent - Director
LADRON QUE ROBA A LADRON - Lionsgate - Director
HUNTING OF MAN - Independent - Director
LORDS OF THE BARRIO- Independent - Director/Executive Producer