Ryan is the Head of Motion Picture Literary at Evoke Entertainment (formerly The Cartel), representing a dynamic roster of writers and directors across both motion pictures and series. With a storied career spanning over two decades as an agent, Ryan has earned a reputation for transforming talented short-film directors into celebrated motion picture visionaries. Notable success stories include Wes Ball (The Maze Runner series, Return to the Planet of the Apes), Tim Reckart (The Star, Paul McCartney’s High in the Clouds), and Josh Trank (Chronicle, Fantastic Four). On the writer representation side, Ryan has carved out a niche in feature animation, nurturing writers involved in acclaimed projects like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Klaus, and Ferdinand the Bull. One of his earliest deals helped bring Brother Bear and Chicken Little to life.
Most recently, he was instrumental in developing the successful Sonic the Hedgehog franchise with writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller for Paramount. He recently had two clients nominated for Academy Awards: award-winning documentary director Kim A. Snyder and Darwin Shaw (Best Narrative Short Film) for The Last Ranger. In his current role, Ryan has ventured into producing, collaborating with Viola Davis’ JuVee Pictures on the upcoming Truthsayers and earning his first producing credit on the feature film The Saviors. Directed by his client Kevin Hamedani, the film boasts an impressive cast, including Adam Scott, Danielle Deadwyler, Greg Kinnear, and Kate Berlant. Ryan also represents esteemed television showrunners like Michael Alaimo (Bosch: Ballard) and Kiersten Van Horne (Outlander). A proud graduate of Bradley University, Ryan holds degrees in Theatre and European History, as well as an MFA in Film Production from Florida State University, where he continues to share his expertise as a teacher.