Joe Johnston began his film career as a concept artist and effects technician on Star Wars – Episode IV: A New Hope, and won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for his work on Raiders of the Lost Ark. In 1989, Johnston moved into directing with the film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, which was a box office success, but his follow-up – the highly underrated The Rocketeer – wasn’t as big of a hit. Johnston’s next film, The Pagemaster, wasn’t a hit either, but he found success again in the 1995 film Jumanji. This hit-and-miss progression would follow Johnston throughout his career, as his films Jurassic Park III and The Wolfman were panned by critics, but his films October Sky and, most recently, Captain America: The First Avenger were both very successful indeed. After Captain America, I’m curious to see if Johnston’s next film will be a success or a failure, or if he’s finally found equilibrium by directing a gigantic superhero blockbuster that’s a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Joe Johnston turns 62 today.