Richard Wenk

Wenk was born in 1956 in Metuchen, New Jersey.^[1][2] He graduated from Metuchen High School in 1974,^[3] and from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts in 1979.^[1]

Wenk worked as an assistant to director John Huston on the 1982 film Annie.^[1] In 1984, he was recruited by New World Pictures producer Donald P. Borchers to write and direct the black comedy film Vamp (1986). Borchers had been impressed by Wenk's NYU thesis film, a musical vampire comedy short titled Dracula Bites the Big Apple.^[1] In 1994, he directed the comedy film Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women.^[4] In 1998, he wrote and directed the film Just the Ticket.^[5] In 2002, he directed the slasher film Wishcraft.^[6] In 2006, he wrote the script for Richard Donner's last film 16 Blocks.^[7] In 2011, he wrote the action film The Mechanic.^[8] By 2012, he wrote Simon West's ensemble action film The Expendables 2.^[9] In October 2012, he was hired to write the script for a Masters of the Universe reboot.^[10] He would receive an "additional literary material" credit for his work.^[11]

In 2014, he signed on to write the action film The Equalizer and its two sequels.^[12][13] In 2016, he wrote the action films Countdown, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, and The Magnificent Seven.^[14][15][16] In 2017, he was hired to write the script and story for Renegades.^[17] In 2018, Wenk was hired to write the reboot of Universal Soldier.^[18][19] In 2021, he wrote the action thriller film The Protégé.^[9] In 2023, he wrote the action film Fast Charlie.^[20] In 2024, he wrote the superhero film Kraven the Hunter and the upcoming cop action film Lethal Finale.^[21][22]