Joel Silver

Originally from South Orange, New Jersey, USA

Joel Silver

Biography and Life Story

Joel Silver (born July 14, 1952) is an American film producer, known for action films like Lethal Weapon and Die Hard. He is owner of Silver Pictures and co-founder of Dark Castle Entertainment. He began his career at Lawrence Gordon Productions, where he eventually became president of motion pictures for the company. He earned his first screen credit as the associate producer on The Warriors and, with Gordon, produced 48 Hrs.,Streets of Fire and Brewster's Millions. In 1985, he formed Silver Pictures and produced successful action films such as Commando (1985), the Lethal Weapon franchise, the first two films of the Die Hard series and the The Matrix franchise of action films. He appears on-screen at the beginning of Who Framed Roger Rabbit as Raoul J. Raoul, the director of the animated short Something's Cookin. He directed "Split Personality", (1992), an episode of the HBO horror anthology, Tales from the Crypt. He currently runs two production companies, Silver Pictures and Dark Castle Entertainment co-owned by Robert Zemeckis. Along with Jared Kass, Silver was co-creator of the sport of Ultimate.

Played in

Worst. Detectives. Ever. Making The Nice Guys
Worst. Detectives. Ever. Making The Nice Guys
as Self
Always Bet on Black
Always Bet on Black
as Self
Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot
Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot
as Self
Sherlock Holmes: Reinvented
Sherlock Holmes: Reinvented
as Self
The Matrix Reloaded: Car Chase
The Matrix Reloaded: Car Chase
as Self
The Matrix Revolutions: Double Agent Smith
The Matrix Revolutions: Double Agent Smith
as Himself
The Matrix Recalibrated
The Matrix Recalibrated
as Self
Making 'Enter the Matrix'
Making 'Enter the Matrix'
as Self
Scrolls to Screen: A Brief History of Anime
Scrolls to Screen: A Brief History of Anime
as Self
Executions: The Making of 'The Animatrix'
Executions: The Making of 'The Animatrix'
as Self
The Making of Exit Wounds
The Making of Exit Wounds
as Self
The Matrix Revisited
The Matrix Revisited
as Self - Producer
Making 'The Matrix'
Making 'The Matrix'
as Self
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
as Raoul

Crew Credits

The Galton Case
The Galton Case
producer
Worst. Detectives. Ever. Making The Nice Guys
Worst. Detectives. Ever. Making The Nice Guys
actor
Always Bet on Black
Always Bet on Black
actor
Sherlock Holmes 3
Sherlock Holmes 3
producer
Road House
Road House
producer
SuperFly
SuperFly
producer
Suburbicon
Suburbicon
executive producer
Collide
Collide
producer
The Nice Guys
The Nice Guys
producer
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars
executive producer
Non-Stop
Non-Stop
producer
Enemies Closer
Enemies Closer
executive producer
Getaway
Getaway
producer
Getaway
Getaway
executive producer
Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot
Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot
actor
Bullet to the Head
Bullet to the Head
executive producer
The Factory
The Factory
producer
The Apparition
The Apparition
producer
The Philly Kid
The Philly Kid
executive producer
Stash House
Stash House
producer
El Gringo
El Gringo
executive producer
Dragon Eyes
Dragon Eyes
producer
Transit
Transit
executive producer
Project X
Project X
executive producer
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
producer
Unknown
Unknown
producer
The Losers
The Losers
producer
Sherlock Holmes: Reinvented
Sherlock Holmes: Reinvented
actor
The Book of Eli
The Book of Eli
producer
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
producer
The Hills Run Red
The Hills Run Red
producer
Ninja Assassin
Ninja Assassin
producer
Whiteout
Whiteout
producer
Orphan
Orphan
producer
RocknRolla
RocknRolla
producer
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
producer
Fred Claus
Fred Claus
producer
Return to House on Haunted Hill
Return to House on Haunted Hill
executive producer
The Brave One
The Brave One
producer
The Invasion
The Invasion
producer
The Reaping
The Reaping
producer
Shark Bait
Shark Bait
producer
V for Vendetta
V for Vendetta
producer
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
producer
House of Wax
House of Wax
producer
The Matrix Reloaded: Car Chase
The Matrix Reloaded: Car Chase
actor
If It Bleeds We Can Kill It: The Making of 'Predator'
If It Bleeds We Can Kill It: The Making of 'Predator'
actor
Bet Your Life
Bet Your Life
executive producer
The Matrix Recalibrated
The Matrix Recalibrated
actor
The Matrix Revolutions: Double Agent Smith
The Matrix Revolutions: Double Agent Smith
actor
Gothika
Gothika
producer
The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions
producer
Making 'Enter the Matrix'
Making 'Enter the Matrix'
actor
Scrolls to Screen: A Brief History of Anime
Scrolls to Screen: A Brief History of Anime
actor
Executions: The Making of 'The Animatrix'
Executions: The Making of 'The Animatrix'
actor
The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Reloaded
producer
The Animatrix
The Animatrix
executive producer
Cradle 2 the Grave
Cradle 2 the Grave
producer
Ghost Ship
Ghost Ship
producer
Ritual
Ritual
executive producer
The Making of Exit Wounds
The Making of Exit Wounds
actor
Jane Doe
Jane Doe
executive producer
The Matrix Revisited
The Matrix Revisited
executive producer
The Matrix Revisited
The Matrix Revisited
actor
Thir13en Ghosts
Thir13en Ghosts
producer
Swordfish
Swordfish
producer
Proximity
Proximity
executive producer
Exit Wounds
Exit Wounds
producer
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
executive producer
Romeo Must Die
Romeo Must Die
producer
House on Haunted Hill
House on Haunted Hill
producer
Making 'The Matrix'
Making 'The Matrix'
actor
Tales from the Crypt: The Robert Zemeckis Collection
Tales from the Crypt: The Robert Zemeckis Collection
producer
Made Men
Made Men
producer
The Matrix
The Matrix
producer
Lethal Weapon 4
Lethal Weapon 4
producer
Double Tap
Double Tap
producer
Conspiracy Theory
Conspiracy Theory
producer
Fathers' Day
Fathers' Day
producer
Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants
Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants
executive producer
Bordello of Blood
Bordello of Blood
executive producer
Executive Decision
Executive Decision
producer
Fair Game
Fair Game
producer
Assassins
Assassins
producer
W.E.I.R.D. World
W.E.I.R.D. World
executive producer
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
producer
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight
executive producer
Ri¢hie Ri¢h
Ri¢hie Ri¢h
producer
Demolition Man
Demolition Man
producer
Lethal Weapon 3
Lethal Weapon 3
producer
Two-Fisted Tales
Two-Fisted Tales
executive producer
The Last Boy Scout
The Last Boy Scout
producer
Ricochet
Ricochet
producer
MTV's 10th Anniversary Special
MTV's 10th Anniversary Special
executive producer
Hudson Hawk
Hudson Hawk
producer
Predator 2
Predator 2
producer
Parker Kane
Parker Kane
executive producer
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
producer
Die Hard 2
Die Hard 2
producer
Lethal Weapon 2
Lethal Weapon 2
producer
Road House
Road House
producer
Die Hard
Die Hard
producer
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
actor
Action Jackson
Action Jackson
producer
Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon
producer
Jumpin' Jack Flash
Jumpin' Jack Flash
producer
Commando
Commando
producer
Weird Science
Weird Science
producer
Brewster's Millions
Brewster's Millions
producer
Streets of Fire
Streets of Fire
producer
48 Hrs.
48 Hrs.
producer
Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again
Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again
executive producer
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper
creative consultant
Xanadu
Xanadu
co-producer
The Warriors
The Warriors
associate producer
Hooper
Hooper
executive producer's assistant
The Bette Midler Show
The Bette Midler Show
producer's assistant