Born and raised in Minnesota, Stephen Sommers embarked on an educational journey that would shape his future in the film industry. He initially attended St. John's University, only to transfer to the University of Seville in Spain, where he spent a significant amount of time honing his skills and gaining valuable experience.
After completing his education, Sommers pursued a career in music, managing rock bands throughout Europe for several years. However, his passion for filmmaking eventually led him to relocate to Los Angeles, where he enrolled in the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Over the course of three years, he earned a Master's Degree in Film Production, laying the groundwork for his future success.
Sommers' early work in the film industry included writing and directing an award-winning student film, Perfect Alibi. This achievement caught the attention of industry professionals, who subsequently granted him the opportunity to write and direct his first feature-length motion picture, Catch Me If You Can.
From there, Sommers went on to create a wide range of beloved adaptations, including The Adventures of Huck Finn and Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, both for Walt Disney Pictures. He also wrote and executive produced Disney's adventure film Tom and Huck before returning to the director's chair for the suspense-thriller Deep Rising.
The next year, Sommers wrote, directed, and produced the first installment of The Mummy franchise for Universal Studios. This film and its sequel, The Mummy Returns, have grossed over eight-hundred and forty million dollars worldwide.
Sommers' subsequent monster blockbuster was the action-adventure epic Van Helsing, released in 2004, which did over three-hundred million dollars at the box office. Following his producing duties on The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor – which made the trilogy a billion-dollar franchise – Sommers wrote, directed, and produced G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra for Paramount Studios.
Today, Stephen Sommers resides in Los Angeles with his wife and their two daughters.