Stephen Sommers was born on March 20, 1962, in Indianapolis, Indiana, a city located in the Midwestern United States. He was subsequently raised in St. Cloud, Minnesota, a city situated in the central part of the state, known for its numerous lakes and outdoor recreational opportunities. Sommers attended St. John's University, a private Catholic liberal arts college located in Collegeville, Minnesota, and later continued his education at the University of Seville in Spain, a country renowned for its rich cultural heritage and historical landmarks.
Following his academic pursuits, Sommers embarked on a four-year journey as an actor in theater groups and manager of rock bands throughout Europe, an experience that undoubtedly honed his creative skills and broadened his perspective. Subsequently, he relocated to Los Angeles, California, a global hub for the entertainment industry, and attended the University of Southern California (USC) School of Cinema-Television for three years, earning a Master's Degree.
During his time at USC, Sommers wrote and directed an award-winning short film titled "Perfect Alibi," which showcased his burgeoning talent as a filmmaker. He then utilized independent funding to write and direct his first feature-length motion picture, "Catch Me If You Can" (1989),which was shot on location in his hometown of St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Sommers' subsequent projects included writing and directing "The Adventures of Huck Finn" (1993) and the latest adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book" (1994),both for Walt Disney Pictures. He also penned the screenplays for the action flick "Gunmen" (1993) and the Disney adventure "Tom and Huck" (1995),which he also executive produced.
In addition to his work in film, Sommers wrote the screenplay for the suspense-thriller "Deep Rising" (1998) and directed the latest version of "The Mummy" (1999). For television, he wrote and executive produced "Oliver Twist" (1997) for director Tony Bill.
Most recently, Sommers wrote and directed the sequel to "The Mummy" (1999),titled "The Mummy Returns" (2001),as well as the horror-thriller-action epic "Van Helsing" (2004) and the live-action adaptation "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" (2009).
