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 the Underworld series (2003–2016), Live Free or Die Hard (2007), the 2012 remake of Total Recall, and Ballerina (2025). Wiseman runs the production company Sketch Films.
Wiseman was born and raised in Fremont, California.[1] He attended American High School and later studied film at De Anza College in Cupertino, California.[2]
Wiseman began his career in film as a property assistant on a number of Roland Emmerich films: Stargate (1994); Independence Day (1996); and Godzilla (1998).[2] After creating advertisements for clients including Sony, he directed music videos for artists such as Megadeth, En Vogue, Static-X & Mephisto Odyssey. He received a Best Art Direction nomination for Quarashi's "Stick 'Em Up" at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards and a Best Director nomination for Rufus Wainwright's "Across the Universe" at the Music Video Production Association (MVPA) Awards.[2]
In 2003, Wiseman co-created and directed the film Underworld. Despite receiving generally negative reviews from critics, the film did well at the box office. He directed the 2006 sequel Underworld: Evolution, and produced the follow-ups Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Underworld: Awakening, and Underworld: Blood Wars.
In 2007, he directed the fourth installment of the Die Hard series, Live Free or Die Hard, starring Bruce Willis, which opened to generally favorable reviews and box office success.[3] He directed the 2012 release Total Recall, which starred Colin Farrell, Jessica Biel, and his wife Kate Beckinsale.[4] In 2013, it was announced that Wiseman would direct a live action film version of the comic book series The Darkness (though no updates have been announced as of March 2016).[5]
Wiseman has also directed the pilot episodes of three television series—the 2010 launch of CBS's Hawaii Five-0, the 2013 pilot of Fox's Sleepy Hollow, and the 2016 pilot of Fox series Lucifer.[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 the John Wick female-centric spin-off film titled Ballerina which was released on June 6, 2025.[8]
Wiseman's first marriage was to a kindergarten teacher named Dana in 1994.[9] They divorced in 2003 after Wiseman met actor Kate Beckinsale on the set of his 2003 release Underworld.[9] Beckinsale also ended a relationship with her partner Michael Sheen.[10]
Wiseman and Beckinsale were married on May 9, 2004, in Bel-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 | 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 |
