Julius Onah represents a younger generation of talented filmmakers who are making a name for themselves in Hollywood and worldwide cinema. Although not yet a household name, Onah has proven to be a force to be reckoned with in the past decade. With a growing list of projects, Julius Onah has worked with several notable actors, producers, and screenwriters.
The multi-talented director has produced and written several screen projects. However, the 2025 Captain America: Brave New World is the biggest project of his career. Although starring Anthony Mackie as the new Captain America, Brave New World is the fourth installment in the Captain America film series. As one of 2025’s most anticipated films, here’s everything to know about its director, Julius Onah.
1. Julius Onah is a Nigerian-American
The filmmaker was born in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria, on February 10, 1983. Julius Onah’s father, Adoga Onah, served as Nigerian ambassador with his diplomatic postings in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Adoga Onah served as the Nigerian ambassador to the United States for five years, starting in 1993, during President Bill Clinton‘s administration. Due to his diplomatic assignments, Julius Onah and his siblings were raised in different countries. Julius Onah spent his childhood in Nigeria, the Philippines, Togo, and the United Kingdom.
2. Julius Onah is a Twin
Julius Onah was born a twin, with Anthony Onah being his twin brother. Like Julius, Anthony is also a filmmaker. Although he’s the lesser-known twin, Anthony has directed, produced, and written several short films. However, Anthony Onah made his feature directorial debut in 2017 in the drama The Price. The twin filmmakers also have three sisters: Roselynn Onah, Josephine Onah, and Enya-Erine Onah.
3. Julius Onah is a Graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts
Julius Onah developed an interest in filmmaking at an early age. While their father was serving in the United States, the children were raised in Arlington County, Virginia. Onah graduated from Washington-Lee High School before enrolling at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. Julius Onah studied and graduated with a B.A. in theater. Seeking to expand his knowledge and kickstart his career, Onah enrolled at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and graduated with an M.F.A. While at the film school, Julius Onah distinguished himself by actively participating in projects. Besides being selected as a Dean’s Fellow, Julius Onah received the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship.
4. Julius Onah’s Directorial Debut Was His Thesis at Tisch
The filmmaker made his feature directorial debut in 2015 with the thriller movie The Girl Is in Trouble. Besides it being his thesis, Onah directed and co-wrote the film’s screenplay with Mayuran Tiruchelvam. Onah also co-produced the film alongside five others, with Spike Lee as executive producer. Released theatrically and on video-on-demand, actor Columbus Short led the cast of The Girl Is in Trouble. The film also starred Wilmer Valderrama, Jesse Spencer, and Alicja Bachleda.
5. Several of His Films Have Been Screen in Film Festivals Worldwide
As of 2025, Julius Onah has directed four feature-length films, including The Cloverfield Paradox (2018) and Luce (2019). Between these films, he has also worked on several short independent films. These films have premiered and screened at film festivals in North America, Africa, and Europe. Notable mentions include Berlin Film Festival, London Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Festival, Melbourne Film Festival, Dubai Film Festival, and SXSW Click.
6. Captain America: Brave New World Is Julius Onah’s First Big-Budget Production
Although no stranger to filmmaking, the $180 million budget Captain America: Brave New World is Julius Onah’s biggest project. It has fewer A-list stars than Onah had previously worked with, but as an MCU project, a lot is at stake. Before Captain America: Brave New World, Onah’s biggest budget film was the 2018 sci-fi horror The Cloverfield Paradox. With an ensemble cast comprising David Oyelowo, Elizabeth Debicki, Daniel Brühl, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Aksel Hennie, Chris O’Dowd, Zhang Ziyi, and John Ortiz, The Cloverfield Paradox was produced on a $45 million budget.
Onah’s critically acclaimed 2019 social thriller drama Luce, although starring Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, and Octavia Spencer, has a production budget far less than $100 million. Coming on the heels of Shawn Levy’s 2024 billion-dollar Deadpool & Wolverine and Onah’s track record of excellence, Brave New World is expected to put the MCU right back on course. Besides Julius Onah, check out these facts about Francis Ford Coppola.
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