Brett Ratner is one of Hollywood's most successful filmmakers. His diverse films resonate with audiences worldwide and, as director, his films have grossed over $2 billion at the global box office. Brett began his career directing music videos before making his feature directorial debut at 26 years old with the action comedy hit Money Talks. He followed with the blockbuster Rush Hour and its successful sequels. Brett also directed The Family Man, Red Dragon, After the Sunset, X-Men: The Last Stand, Tower Heist and Hercules. Ratner has also enjoyed critical acclaim and box office success as a producer. He has served as an executive producer on the Golden Globe and Oscar winning The Revenant, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Black Mass, starring Johnny Depp; and as a producer on Truth, starring Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett; I Saw the Light, starring Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen; and the upcoming film Rules Don't Apply, written, directed and produced by Warren Beatty. His other produced films include the smash hit comedy Horrible Bosses and its sequel, and the re-imagined Snow White tale Mirror Mirror. His additional producing credits include the documentaries Author: The JT LeRoy Story, Catfish, the Emmy-nominated Woody Allen - A Documentary, Helmut by June, I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale, Chuck Norris vs. Communism, the 5-time Emmy nominated and Peabody Award winning Night Will Fall, Bright Lights and National Geographic's upcoming Untitled Leonardo DiCaprio Environmental Documentary, directed, produced by and starring Leonardo DiCaprio. He also executive produced and directed the Golden Globe-nominated FOX series Prison Break, and executive produced the television series Rush Hour, based on his hit films. Brett, along with his business partner James Packer, formed RatPac Entertainment, a film finance production and media company, in 2013. RatPac has a first-look deal with Warner Bros. and joined with Dune Capital to co-finance over 75 films including Gravity, The Lego Movie, American Sniper, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. RatPac Entertainment also co-financed The Revenant and Birdman with New Regency. Internationally, Warner Bros. and RatPac have formed a joint venture content fund with China's Shanghai Media Group to finance local Chinese content. In partnership with New Regency, RatPac also finances the development and production of Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment. Since inception, RatPac Entertainment has co-financed 52 theatrically released motion pictures exceeding $9.3 billion in worldwide box office receipts. RatPac's co-financed films have been nominated for 51 Academy Awards, 20 Golden Globes and 39 BAFTAs and have won 21 Academy Awards, 7 Golden Globes and 17 BAFTAs. Brett is a Board of Trustees member of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance. He sits on the boards of Chrysalis, Best Buddies and Do Something, while serving on the Dean's Council of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts and on the Board of Directors at Tel Aviv University's School of Film and Television. In 2017, he will receive a coveted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Was engaged to Rebecca Gayheart in the late 1990s.
Got his start by directing rap and hip-hop videos for his friend Russell Simmons. When the original director of Money Talks had to be replaced, Russell Simmons recommended him.
Attended and graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School in Miami Beach, Florida.
Once vowed he would not direct movies until he had directed at least 100 music videos.
Without knowing him, Steven Spielberg and his company Amblin Entertainment sent him $5000 to finish funding for his final film project at NYUs Tisch School of the Arts after he sent out 20 letters to producers asking for help.
Was in pre-production for a remake of John Cassavetes The Killing of a Chinese Bookie after he finished Rush Hour . This was to be written by Cassavetes son, Nick Cassavetes and Warren Beatty was set to star. Ratner left the project when he was offered The Family Man .
His favorite film is Scarface (1932) and his favorite film director is Hal Ashby.
After meeting with real life FBI agents, he decided that this would not be authentic to have Scott Glenn reprise the role of Jack Crawford in Red Dragon , his prequel to The Silence of the Lambs . Instead, he cast Harvey Keitel , in a role originally created by Dennis Farina in Manhunter . Keitel and Farina had also both played Ray Barbone in the crime drama Get Shorty . Ratner was considered for directing the sequel entitled Be Cool , in which Keitel also appears.
Ranked #81 on Premiere magazines 2003 annual Power 100 List. He did not rank on the 2004 list.
At Miami Beach Senior High School, he was a drama student of well-known instructor Jay W. Jensen.
Replaced director Matthew Vaughn just two months before filming began on X-Men: The Last Stand .
Was for some time attached to direct Superman Returns . He left the project because of repeated delays and difficulty in casting a lead actor. The project then went to Bryan Singer , while Ratner went on to direct X-Men: The Last Stand , the two previous movies in the saga having been directed by Singer.
In Red Dragon , digital technology was used to smooth over some of Anthony Hopkins s facial features so that he would look younger than he was in The Silence of the Lambs . Similar technology was used in the first scene of X-Men: The Last Stand , so that Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen could play their characters twenty years younger.
Considered directing Memoirs of a Geisha .
His mother, Marsha Presman, was just age 16 when she gave birth to her son.
Lives in Los Angeles, California and Miami Beach, Florida.
In the series "The Film That Changed My Life" (Observer newspaper UK/May 2010), Ratner cited Martin Scorsese s Raging Bull as the singular movie that most inspired him to become a filmmaker. Claims to have seen the movie about 100 times, first when he was only 10-years-old with his mothers permission.
His five favorite films are The Kid Stays in the Picture , Le locataire , The Killing , Being There and Raging Bull . The last of these was the film that made him want to go to film school; Robert Evans , the subject of The Kid Stays in The Picture, was one of his mentors.
No longer involved in the production of a new Superman movie. Stated that the repeated delays and difficulty in casting a lead actor made it impossible for him to remain involved.
At the Beverly Hills Film Festival, he presented the first annual Living Legends Award to legendary photographer Phil Stern.
Was great friends with the late Michael Jackson.
Friends with Pierce Brosnan , who wanted Ratner to direct an unspecified 007 film (from the time period involved, the film in question was almost certainly Die Another Day ), but the Broccolis immediately told Brosnan they did not like Ratners films and would not consider him to ever direct a James Bond film. Brosnan took on a co-lead role in Ratners project After the Sunset instead.
President of the Official Competition jury at the sixth Beijing International Film Festival in 2016.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on January 19, 2017.
They both want the Cadillac and the Rolex with the diamonds.
There are very few perfect films. I think Reservoir Dogs (1992),is close to being a perfect film.
In this day and age, you need a lot of patience if you are in the movie business. .
