Gyula Pados

Biography

Gyula Pados is a Hungarian cinematographer born in Budapest in 1969, best known for his work with director Wes Ball on the Maze Runner films and other large-budget productions. His career moves between Central European art cinema and Hollywood blockbusters.

He trained at the Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest, where he studied cinematography. He worked as a camera assistant to Academy Award winner Vilmos Zsigmond. While still a student, he and his friends founded a company that remains the third-largest commercial film studio in Hungary. His diploma project, Hajnal (1991), won several prizes at European festivals and brought him early recognition. After a period in England, where he shot shorts and features, he returned to Hungary in 2003 to film Kontroll, which also made him known at home.

His first major Hollywood film was Predators (2010), followed by titles such as Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. His work is noted for strong visual control in action and adventure films. He remains active in the international industry.

Key films

• Kontroll (2003)
• Predators (2010)
• The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)
• Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
• Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)