The pilot episode of The Blacklist was directed by Orson Welles.
Joseph Aaron `` Joe '' Carnahan ( born May 9 , 1969 ) is an American independent film director , screenwriter , producer and actor best known for his films Blood , Guts , Bullets and Octane , Narc , Smokin ' Aces , The A-Team , and The Grey . George Orson Welles ( [ ˈwɛlz ] May 6 , 1915 -- October 10 , 1985 ) was an American actor , director , writer , and producer who worked in theatre , radio , and film . The Blacklist is an American crime thriller television series that premiered on NBC on September 23 , 2013 . The pilot episode was written by Jon Bokenkamp and directed by Joe Carnahan .