Editing Stephen Sommers

{{Short description|American filmmaker (born 1962)}}

{{BLP sources|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name           = Stephen Sommers
| image          = 
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1962|03|20}} 
| birth_place    = [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]], U.S.
| birth_name     = 
| education      = [[Apollo High School (St. Cloud, Minnesota)|St. Cloud Apollo High School]]
| alma_mater     = [[College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University|Saint John’s University]], [[USC School of Cinematic Arts]]
| occupation     = {{Flatlist|
*Film director
*film producer
*screenwriter
}}
| years_active   = 1988–present
| networth       = 
| spouse         = {{marriage|Jana Sommers|1993}}
| children           = 2
}}
'''Stephen Sommers''' (born March 20, 1962) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer, best known for big-budget action films, such as ''[[The Mummy (1999 film)|The Mummy]]'' (1999), its sequel, ''[[The Mummy Returns]]'' (2001), ''[[Van Helsing (film)|Van Helsing]]'' (2004), and ''[[G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra]]'' (2009). He also directed ''[[The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993 film)|The Adventures of Huck Finn]]'' (1993), Disney's live action version of ''[[The Jungle Book (1994 film)|Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book]]'' (1994) and the action horror film ''[[Deep Rising]]'' (1998).

==Early life==
Stephen Sommers was born in [[Indianapolis]],<ref>AMC's ''Sunday Morning Shootout'', June 27, 2004</ref> and grew up in [[St. Cloud, Minnesota]], where he attended [[Apollo High School (St. Cloud, Minnesota)|St. Cloud Apollo High School]]. He is a graduate of [[College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University|Saint John's University]] in [[Collegeville Township, Stearns County, Minnesota|Collegeville, Minnesota]], and the [[University of Seville]] in [[Spain]]. After graduating, he spent four years performing as an actor in theater groups and managing rock bands throughout [[Europe]]. He eventually returned to the [[United States]] and moved to [[Los Angeles]], where he attended the [[USC School of Cinematic Arts]] for three years, earning a [[master's degree]] and writing and directing the award-winning short film ''Perfect Alibi''.

==Career==
''Perfect Alibi'' helped Sommers acquire independent funding to write and direct his first feature film, the teen racing film ''[[Catch Me If You Can (1989 film)|Catch Me If You Can]]'', filmed for $800,000 on location in his hometown of St. Cloud.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stephensommers.com/site/?p=1253|title=Stephen Sommers Interview, Part 2}}</ref> The film was sold at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] for $7 million and later debuted on video in the United States.

Almost four years later, broke and in danger of having his house repossessed,<ref>''The Adventures of Huck Finn'' Audio Commentary</ref> he wrote and directed an adaptation of [[Mark Twain]]'s classic ''[[The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993 film)|The Adventures of Huck Finn]]'' for [[Walt Disney Pictures]], as well as ''[[The Jungle Book (1994 film)|Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book]]''. He later wrote the screenplays for ''[[Gunmen (1994 film)|Gunmen]]'' and ''[[Tom and Huck]]'', which he also executive produced for Disney (along with a TV version of ''[[Oliver Twist (1997 film)|Oliver Twist]]'' in 1997 starring [[Richard Dreyfuss]] and [[Elijah Wood]]), and worked as a staff writer at [[Hollywood Pictures]]. While there, he worked on a script called ''Tentacle'', which he later directed under the title ''[[Deep Rising]]'' in 1998.

In 1999, he wrote and directed [[Universal Pictures|Universal Studios]]' big-budget remake of ''[[The Mummy (1999 film)|The Mummy]]''. The film was a smash hit, and Sommers received two [[Saturn Awards]] nominations for Best Director and Best Writer in 2000 by the [[Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films]]. A successful sequel, ''[[The Mummy Returns]]'', followed two years later, and he also co-wrote and produced 2002's ''[[The Scorpion King]]'', a [[prequel]]/[[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]] of ''The Mummy Returns''.

In 2004, Sommers founded his own company (along with editor/producing partner Bob Ducsay), The Sommers Company, and returned to theater screens with ''[[Van Helsing (film)|Van Helsing]]'', a film pitting legendary [[vampire hunter]] Gabriel Van Helsing against the triumvirate of [[Universal Monsters|Universal movie monsters]]: [[Count Dracula]], [[The Wolf Man (1941 film)|The Wolf Man]], and [[Frankenstein's monster]]. Before ''Van Helsing'' even premiered, Sommers and Ducsay began developing a spin-off TV series for [[NBC]] called ''Transylvania''. Though featuring none of the characters from the film, the series (which was to have made use of the film's Prague set) was about a young cowboy from Texas who becomes a sheriff in [[Transylvania]], has many strange adventures, and encounters many strange creatures. Sommers and Ducsay were to have been executive producers, and Sommers wrote scripts for the pilot and first several episodes, but NBC decided not to go through with the show.<ref>{{cite web|last=B.|first=Brian|url=https://movieweb.com/nbc-rejects-van-helsing-spin-off-transylvania/|title=NBC rejects Van Helsing spin-off 'Transylvania'|website=[[MovieWeb]]|date=May 24, 2004|access-date=August 11, 2024}}</ref>

Since ''Van Helsing'', Sommers has been attached to a number of projects. He was originally set to direct ''[[Night at the Museum]]'', but dropped out due to creative differences. He was also attached to a remake of ''[[When Worlds Collide (1951 film)|When Worlds Collide]]'' (to be executive produced by [[Steven Spielberg]]),<ref>{{cite web|last=B.|first=Brian|url=https://movieweb.com/stephen-sommers-to-direct-night-at-the-museum/|title=Stephen Sommers to Direct Night at the Museum|website=[[MovieWeb]]|date=August 29, 2005|access-date=August 11, 2024}}</ref> a new big-screen adaptation of ''[[Flash Gordon]]'',<ref name=Variety>{{cite magazine|last=Brodesser|first=Claude|url=https://variety.com/2004/film/markets-festivals/u-sommers-teaming-for-big-dash-of-flash-1117908685/|title=U, Sommers teaming for big dash of 'Flash'|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=August 4, 2004|access-date=August 11, 2024}}</ref> a swashbuckling adventure film called ''Airborn'' based on the [[Airborn (Oppel novel)|novel]] by [[Kenneth Oppel]],<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Brodesser|first=Claude|url=https://variety.com/2005/film/markets-festivals/sommers-sets-scribes-to-join-airborn-unit-1117917358/|title=Sommers sets scribes to join 'Airborn' unit|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=February 2, 2005|access-date=August 11, 2024}}</ref> a romantic/adventure story called ''The Big Love'' based on the novel by [[Sarah Dunn (author)|Sarah Dunn]],<ref name=Variety/> and a remake of the French film ''Les Victimes''. Sommers opted out of directing the third ''Mummy'' film, titled ''[[The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor]]'', instead becoming one of its producers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/the-mummy-director-stephen-sommers-brendan-fraser-interview-1235893764/|title='The Mummy' at 25: Director on the Enduring Hit, Brendan Fraser's Mishap and the Tom Cruise Reboot|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=May 11, 2024|access-date=August 11, 2024}}</ref>

Sommers directed [[Paramount Pictures]]' 2009 live-action adaptation of ''[[G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra]]'', and also served as a producer.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://variety.com/2007/film/features/stephen-sommers-to-direct-g-i-joe-2-1117970752/ | work=Variety | first=Michael | last=Fleming | title=Stephen Sommers to direct 'G.I. Joe' | date=August 23, 2007}}</ref> Around that time, he was developing a [[Tarzan]] adaptation for [[Warner Bros.]] but left the project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/gijoenews.php?id=8586|title=Exclusive: Director Stephen Sommers Says "Yo Joe!"|first=Edward|last=Douglas|publisher=Superhero Hype}}</ref> His most recent film, ''[[Odd Thomas (film)|Odd Thomas]]'', had been delayed from release due to lawsuits against the production company,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2014/02/review-odd-thomas-starring-anton-yelchin-willem-dafoe-and-addison-timlin-88567/ |title=Review: 'Odd Thomas' Starring Anton Yelchin, Willem Dafoe And Addison Timlin |last=Taylor |first=Drew |date=2014-02-28 |website=[[IndieWire]] |access-date=July 10, 2021}}</ref> but was eventually released.

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! width="65"| [[Film director|Director]]
! width="65"| [[Screenwriter|Writer]]
! width="65"| [[Film producer|Producer]]
! Notes
|- 
| 1988
| ''Perfect Alibi''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Short film<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-02-ca-2206-story.html|title=Awards Given 24 College Film Makers|first=JOHN|last=VOLAND|date=2 September 1988|via=LA Times}}</ref>
|-
| 1989
| ''[[Catch Me If You Can (1989 film)|Catch Me If You Can]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| Feature directorial debut
|-
| 1993
| ''[[The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993 film)|The Adventures of Huck Finn]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}} 
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1994
| ''[[Gunmen (1994 film)|Gunmen]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
|-
| ''[[The Jungle Book (1994 film)|The Jungle Book]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Tom and Huck]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
|
|-
| 1998
| ''[[Deep Rising]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
|-
| 1999
| ''[[The Mummy (1999 film)|The Mummy]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
|-
| 2001
| ''[[The Mummy Returns]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
|-
| 2002
| ''[[The Scorpion King]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Van Helsing (film)|Van Helsing]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| 2009
| ''[[G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{partial|Story}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
|
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Odd Thomas (film)|Odd Thomas]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|}

'''Producer'''
* ''[[The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor]]'' (2008)
* ''[[The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior]]'' (2008) (Uncredited)

'''Executive producer'''
* ''[[Van Helsing: The London Assignment]]'' (2004) (Short film)
* ''[[The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption]]'' (2012)
* ''[[The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power]]'' (2015)
* ''[[The Scorpion King: Book of Souls]]'' (2018)

===Television===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! width="65"| Writer
! width="65"| Executive producer
! Notes
|- 
| 1997
| ''[[Oliver Twist (1997 film)|Oliver Twist]]'' 
| {{yes|Uncredited}}
| {{yes}}
| TV movie
|-
| 2001–2003
| ''[[The Mummy (TV series)|The Mummy]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| 
|}

==Accolades==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Award !! Category !! Film !! Result
|-
| 1999 || Eyegore Award || || || {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2000 || rowspan="2"| [[Saturn Awards]] || [[Saturn Award for Best Director|Best Director]] || rowspan="2"| ''[[The Mummy (1999 film)|The Mummy]]'' || {{nom}}
|-
| [[Saturn Award for Best Writing|Best Writing]] || {{nom}}
|-
| 2010 || [[Golden Raspberry Award]] || [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director|Worst Director]] || ''[[G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra]]'' || {{nom}}
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb name|814085}}

{{Stephen Sommers}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sommers, Stephen}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male writers]]
[[Category:American action film directors]]
[[Category:American male screenwriters]]
[[Category:College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University alumni]]
[[Category:Film directors from Indiana]]
[[Category:Film directors from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Film directors from Minnesota]]
[[Category:Film producers from California]]
[[Category:Film producers from Indiana]]
[[Category:Film producers from Minnesota]]
[[Category:American horror film directors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from California]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Indiana]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Minnesota]]
[[Category:University of Seville alumni]]
[[Category:USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Writers from Indianapolis]]