Turning Passion into a Filmmaking Career: The Journey of Director Brett Ratner

Learn Filmmaking: The Journey

(Archive: Year 2020)

Brett Ratner is a prolific filmmaker and storyteller whose journey spans decades in the entertainment industry. Some of his most notable films include:

• ▪️ Rush Hour (1998) and its sequels – Ratner directed the action-comedy franchise starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. The original film was a commercial hit and led to two successful sequels.
  ▪️ X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) – He directed the third installment of the X-Men series, based on the iconic Marvel Comics characters.
  ▪️ Tower Heist (2011) – An action-comedy starring Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy, showcasing Ratner’s knack for blending humor with high-stakes storytelling.
  ▪️ The Family Man – A heartfelt drama featuring Nicolas Cage, exploring themes of love, regret, and second chances through a “what if” life scenario.
  ▪️ Hercules – Starring Dwayne Johnson, this mythological epic highlighted Brett’s ability to helm large-scale, action-driven storytelling rooted in legend and character.

Beyond the director’s chair, Brett is also the co-founder of RatPac Entertainment, a film finance and production company that has co-financed more than 75 studio films, including award-winning and globally recognized hits such as:

• The Revenant – Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Oscar-winning survival epic starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

• Gravity – Alfonso Cuarón’s groundbreaking sci-fi thriller that won 7 Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Cinematography.

• Wonder Woman – Patty Jenkins’ game-changing superhero film that broke box-office records and redefined the female-led blockbuster.

  In this episode of The Journey, Brett Ratner opens up about:

  - The lessons he learned as a young filmmaker breaking into Hollywood

  - How he built trust with actors and collaborators

  - What it takes to balance vision and scale

  - Why staying true to your voice as a creator is more important than ever

During the episode, he also answers insightful questions from our @learnfilmmaking community in a live Q&A. It’s a conversation for anyone finding their voice, facing the unknown, and striving to create stories that matter.

[LFN NETWORK]