[1][3] He attended La Jolla High School before enrolling at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in cinematography.

He played guitar in the Daredevils, Bulldozer with John Thum, Mike Parma and Wiggy, the Drivers, and the all-star band the Cylon Boys Choir.

He was also in a band called the Little Kings, which backed Stiv Bators on his version of "Have Love Will Travel" with amateur drummer Chris "Poobah" Bailey.

After director Julien Temple viewed some of his work, he signed to his production company Nitrate Films, and later Palomar Pictures,[5] where he directed music videos for bands like Vicious Rumors, Bad Religion, NOFX, 24-7 Spyz and Monster Magnet.

Verbinski moved from music videos to commercials, where he worked for many brand names including Nike, Coca-Cola, Canon, Skittles and United Airlines.

[18] However, budgetary and creative disputes stemming from Verbinski's wish to incorporate a functioning underwater rail transport system, driven by his noted fascination with trains, derailed development.

[19] In 2011 and 2013, Verbinski would delve into the Western genre, with decidedly different results: Rango was well received, critically and commercially, and earned the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

However, his adaptation of the 1930s radio hero, The Lone Ranger for Disney, was not, the project having been stuck in development hell for several years, undergone rewrites and budget cuts,[20][21] and gained controversy for the casting of Johnny Depp as the Native American Tonto.

[20] That same year, he was also the executive producer of the Ben Stiller adaptation of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, after having initially been attached in 2010 to direct the film himself.

[23] In 2016, Verbinski's horror film A Cure for Wellness starring Dane DeHaan and Mia Goth premiered at the Alamo Drafthouse before receiving a wide release in 2017.