Len Wiseman
Birthdate: March 4, 1973 (53 Years Old)
Birthplace: Fremont, California, USA
Len Wiseman (birthname: Len Ryan Wiseman) has been a director and/or producer of several movies in Lakeshore Entertainment’s Underworld franchise, starting as director and co-story writer (with screenwriter and frequent collaborator Danny McBride and Kevin Grevioux) of the original Underworld (2003), starring Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy, and released in the U.S. by Screen Gems/Sony Pictures Releasing to a global return of $95.7 million.
Wiseman continued as director/story writer as well as an executive producer of the sequel, Underworld: Evolution (2006), with new cast members Tony Curran, Shane Brolly, and Derek Jacobi, and grossing over $113 million globally despite negative critical reaction.
Wiseman took a break from the world of Underworld as director of the sequel and fourth Die Hard movie, Live Free or Die Hard (2007), starring Bruce Willis, Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant, Cliff Curtis, and Maggie Q, and delivering an impressive $388.2 million for distributor 20th Century Fox.
Wiseman did, however, return to the Underworld franchise, but only as producer/story writer for the prequel directed by Patrick Tatopoulos, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) and was witer/story writer/producer of the sequel, Underworld: Awakening (2012), with new cast members Stephen Rea, Michael Ealy, Theo James and Charles Dance under the co-direction of Måns Mårlind and Bjorn Stein, and earning a cumulative $251.4 million globally for Screen Gems/Sony.
Len Wiseman turned to another iconic movie title as director/executive producer of the remake of Total Recall (2012), inspired by Philip K. Dick’s story, “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale,” co-starring Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, John Cho and Bill Nighy, and grossing $211.8 million worldwide for producers Columbia Pictures/Original Film and distributor Sony Pictures Releasing.
Wiseman again returned to the Underworld franchise as producer of the sequel, Underworld: Blood Wars (2016), directed by Anna Foerster with new cast members Lara Pulver and James Faulkner and delivering the franchise’s poorest returns with $81 million against $35 million costs.
Wiseman was absent from the feature movie space for nine years until he joined another successful franchise as director of the John Wick universe spinoff, Ballerina (2025)—whose action happens between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 (2019) and Chapter 4 (2023)--starring Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus and Ian McShane, and released by Lionsgate.
Personal life
Len Wiseman was born and raised in Fremont, California, by his parents. Wiseman attended and graduated from American High School in Fremont. Wiseman majored in filmmaking at De Anza College in Cupertino, California, where he made two short films. Wiseman’s first marriage ended in divorce in 2002. Wiseman was married to actor Kate Beckinsale from 2004 to 2019, when they divorced; Wiseman has one stepdaughter, Lily Mo Sheen. Wiseman’s height is 6’. Wiseman’s estimated net worth is $20 million.
Known For
Len Wiseman Movies
Director
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Previous (2)
Producer
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Previous (2)
- 2017 |
Underworld: Blood Wars
Vampire death dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale) fights to end the eternal war between the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her.
- -- | Underworld: Awakening
Writer
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Previous (3)
- 2017 |
Underworld: Blood Wars
Vampire death dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale) fights to end the eternal war between the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her.
- -- | Underworld: Awakening
- -- | Underworld
Facts About Len Wiseman
Shingle: Len Wiseman is the owner of the feature and TV production company, Sketch Films.
Influences: Wiseman has cited that the movies Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Lethal Weapon (1987) and Die Hard (1988) had the most impact for him during his high school years when he began to consider a career in moviemaking.
