From Coral Springs to Hollywood: Dan Hernandez Returns Home to Receive Key to the City

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Dan Hernandez.

Coral Springs native Dan Hernandez, a Hollywood writer and producer whose films have grossed more than $500 million worldwide, will return home this week for a speaking engagement and a special honor from the city where he grew up.

Hernandez is scheduled to speak Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 4 p.m. at the Coral Springs Museum of Art. On Wednesday, Aug. 19, he is expected to receive a Key to the City during a Coral Springs City Commission meeting.

A graduate of University School of Nova Southeastern University, Hernandez attended the school from prekindergarten through high school. A National Merit Latino Scholar, he later graduated from Brown University with honors in fiction before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in screenwriting.

Hernandez has since built a career spanning film, television, graphic novels and fiction.

Most recently, he served as a co-writer and executive producer of the upcoming “Spaceballs 2” for Amazon MGM Studios. Hernandez recently spent three months in Australia working on the film, which reunites Mel Brooks and Rick Moranis with the franchise.

His previous film credits include “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” and “The Addams Family 2.” He also has projects in development with Netflix, Disney and Amazon.

According to a press release, in 2019, Variety named Hernandez one of its “10 Screenwriters to Watch.” His films have collectively grossed more than half a billion dollars at the box office.

His television work includes serving as co-showrunner and executive producer of the Emmy, Producers Guild of America and Annie Award-nominated “LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy” and “LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy — Pieces of the Past” on Disney+. He also worked on Hulu’s animated comedy “Koala Man.”

Hernandez created the Disney Channel series “Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion,” and his other television credits include “One Day at a Time,” “The Tick,” “Central Park,” “Super Fun Night” and “1600 Penn.” He is developing additional television projects under an overall deal with Disney.

His writing extends beyond the screen. Hernandez’s short fiction has appeared in several science-fiction anthologies, including “Pangea III: Redemption,” “Phenomenons: Every Human Creature” and “Phenomenons: Season of Darkness.” He has also written for Z2 Comics and contributed to Dark Horse’s “Minor Threats: Welcome to Twilight.”

Over the course of his career, Hernandez has worked with some of the entertainment industry’s most recognizable names, including Brooks, Norman Lear, Robin Williams, Ryan Reynolds, Rita Moreno, Moranis, Hugh Jackman, Charlize Theron, Oscar Isaac, Bette Midler, Seth Rogen, John Cena, Ice Cube, Keke Palmer, Paul Rudd, Mark Hamill and others.

Despite his Hollywood success, Hernandez has maintained strong ties to Coral Springs.

He grew up near Mullins Park, participated in local recreational leagues, attended Our Town events, studied at Temple Beth Orr and frequented local comic book stores that helped fuel the imagination that would later become central to his career.

Former Coral Springs Mayor Roy Gold, who has known Hernandez for decades, advocated for the city to recognize him with a Key to the City.

Gold said the honor is reserved for people whose accomplishments reflect positively on Coral Springs and whose connections to the community run deep.

“Dan Hernandez is one of those individuals,” Gold wrote in a letter supporting the recognition.

According to Gold, Hernandez has often spoken about the influence Coral Springs has had on his life and career, and he remains proud of his hometown.

“Honoring Dan with a Key to the City would not only recognize his extraordinary accomplishments — it would send a powerful message to every young person growing up here today that Coral Springs is a place where big dreams begin,” Gold wrote.

Hernandez has also offered to speak with city staff, students and other members of the community about his experiences growing up in Coral Springs and building a career in the entertainment industry.

And despite working alongside Hollywood legends, Hernandez still has at least one hometown craving.

According to his biography, he would trade it all for a cup of Smurf ice cream from Larry’s Ice Cream on University Drive.

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Sharon Aron Baron

Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.