Len Wiseman | |
|---|---|
 Wiseman in 2007 | |
| Born | Len Ryan Wiseman (1973-03-04)March 4, 1973 (age 52) Fremont, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Director, screenwriter, producer |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Spouses | |
Len Ryan Wiseman (born March 4, 1973[1][better source needed]) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his work on theUnderworld series,Live Free or Die Hard, and the 2012 filmTotal Recall. Wiseman runs theproduction company Sketch Films.
Wiseman was born and raised inFremont, California.[1] He attendedAmerican High School and later studied film atDe Anza College inCupertino, California.[2]
Wiseman began his career in film as a property assistant on a number ofRoland Emmerich films:Stargate (1994);Independence Day (1996); andGodzilla (1998).[2] After creating advertisements for clients includingSony, he directedmusic videos for artists such asMegadeth,En Vogue,Static-X &Mephisto Odyssey. He received a Best Art Direction nomination forQuarashi's "Stick 'Em Up" at the 2002MTV Video Music Awards and a Best Director nomination forRufus Wainwright's "Across the Universe" at the Music Video Production Association (MVPA) Awards.[2]
In 2003, Wiseman co-created and directed the filmUnderworld. Despite receiving generally negative reviews from critics, the film did well at the box office. He directed the 2006 sequelUnderworld: Evolution, and produced the follow-upsUnderworld: Rise of the Lycans,Underworld: Awakening, andUnderworld: Blood Wars.
In 2007, he directed the fourth installment of theDie Hard series,Live Free or Die Hard, starringBruce Willis, which opened to generally favorable reviews and box office success.[3] He directed the 2012 releaseTotal Recall, which starredColin Farrell,Jessica Biel, and his wifeKate Beckinsale.[4] In 2013, it was announced that Wiseman would direct a live action film version of the comic book seriesThe Darkness (though no updates have been announced as of March 2016).[5]
Wiseman has also directed thepilot episodes of three television series—the 2010 launch ofCBS'sHawaii Five-0, the 2013 pilot ofFox'sSleepy Hollow, and the 2016 pilot of Fox seriesLucifer.[6][7] All three series were picked up for ongoing production, though Wiseman was not involved in further episodes.
It was announced on October 8, 2019 that Wiseman will direct theJohn Wick female-centric spin-off film titledBallerina.[8]
Wiseman's first marriage was to a kindergarten teacher named Dana in 1994.[9] They divorced in 2003 after Wiseman met actorKate Beckinsale on the set of his 2003 releaseUnderworld.[9] Beckinsale also ended a relationship with her partnerMichael Sheen.[10]
Wiseman and Beckinsale were married on May 9, 2004, inBel-Air, Los Angeles,California.[11] On November 20, 2015, it was announced that they were separating[12] and in 2016, he filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences."[13] As of November 2019, their divorce was finalized.[14]
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Underworld | Yes | No | Story |
| 2006 | Underworld: Evolution | Yes | Executive | Story |
| 2007 | Live Free or Die Hard | Yes | No | No |
| 2009 | Underworld: Rise of the Lycans | No | Yes | Story |
| 2012 | Underworld: Awakening | No | Yes | Yes |
| Total Recall | Yes | Executive | No | |
| 2016 | Underworld: Blood Wars | No | Yes | No |
| 2025 | From the World of John Wick: Ballerina | Yes | No | No |
| Other credits | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1993 | Quest of the Delta Knights | Miniature effects | Direct-to-video |
| 1994 | Stargate | Property assistant | |
| 1996 | Independence Day | Assistant props | |
| 1997 | Men in Black | Property assistant | Uncredited |
| 1998 | Godzilla | Props | |
| 2011 | Underworld: Endless War | Characters | Animation short, uncredited |
| Year(s) | Title | Director | Executive Producer | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Hawaii Five-0 | Yes | Yes | No | Episode: ''Pilot'' |
| 2013–2017 | Sleepy Hollow | Yes | Yes | Story | Creator and executive producer: 62 episodes / Director and story: ''Pilot'' / 2nd unit director: ''This Is War'' |
| 2015–2018 | Lucifer | Yes | Yes | No | Director: ''Pilot'' / Executive producer: 35 episodes |
| 2017 | APB | Yes | Yes | No | Director: ''Hard Reset'' / Executive producer: 10 episodes |
| 2017–2018 | The Gifted | Yes | Yes | No | Director: ''rX'' / Executive producer: 15 episodes |
| 2019 | Swamp Thing | Yes | Yes | No | Director: ''Pilot'' & ''Worlds Apart'' / Executive producer: 10 episodes |
| Year | Performer | Name | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Kiss Destination | "Dedicated to You" | Gravity |
| Soak | "Shuttergut (Caroline)" | Soak | |
| Megadeth | "Crush 'Em" | Risk | |
| "Insomnia" | |||
| Vega | "Let Me Get It" | Life on Earth | |
| Second Coming | "Vintage Eyes" | Second Coming | |
| 2000 | En Vogue | "Riddle" | Masterpiece Theatre |
| 2001 | Static-X | "Black and White" | Machine |
| Mephisto Odyssey featuring Static-X | "Crash" | The Deep Red Connection | |
| Brooke Allison | "The Kiss-Off (Goodbye)" | Brooke Allison | |
| 2002 | Rufus Wainwright | "Across the Universe" | I Am Sam |
| Quarashi | "Stick 'Em Up" | Jinx |
