Renny Harlin

Biography

Renny Harlin (born Renny Lauri Mauritz Harjola on March 15, 1959) is a Finnish film director and producer, known for his prolific work in the action and horror genres. The peak of his success spanned from the late 1980s to the late 1990s, during which period he directed numerous hits, including A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, and Deep Blue Sea. The commercial performance of his films has waned since the mid 2000s, but Harlin remains 86th on the list of highest-grossing directors of all time (based on U.S. domestic gross revenue). He has primarily worked in the Hollywood studio system, in addition to time spent in his native Finland and a brief stint in China.

Directed

1. Die Hard 2 (1990) — Director
2. Deep Blue Sea (1999) — Director
3. Cliffhanger (1993) — Director
4. A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) — Director
5. White Collar (2009) — Director
6. The Legend of Hercules (2014) — Director
7. The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) — Director
8. Mindhunters (2004) — Director
9. The Covenant (2006) — Director
10. Cleaner (2007) — Director
11. Exorcist: The Beginning (2004) — Director
12. 12 Rounds (2009) — Director
13. Driven (2001) — Director
14. The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024) — Director
15. Skiptrace (2016) — Director
16. The Dyatlov Pass Incident (2013) — Director
17. Cutthroat Island (1995) — Director
18. Burn Notice (2007) — Director
19. The Misfits (2021) — Director
20. The Bricklayer (2023) — Director
21. The Strangers: Chapter 2 (2025) — Director
22. Deep Water (2026) — Director
23. Covert Affairs (2010) — Director
24. The Strangers: Chapter 3 (2026) — Director
25. The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990) — Director
26. 5 Days of War (2011) — Director
27. Prison (1987) — Director
28. Graceland (2013) — Director
29. Bodies at Rest (2019) — Director
30. Born American (1986) — Director
31. Refuge (2023) — Director
32. Reunion 3: Singles Cruise (2021) — Director
33. Legend of the Ancient Sword (2018) — Director
34. The Strangers (2026) — Director
35. Gladiaattorit (1993) — Director
36. Custody (1980) — Director
37. Inspector Palmu — Director
38. The Beast — Director
39. Kohtauspaikka 33 (1981) — Director
40. Black Tides — Director

Also appeared in

1. A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) — Student (uncredited)
2. The Legend of Hercules (2014) — Officer Linus (uncredited)
3. Driven (2001) — Replacement Driver
4. Deep Water (2026) — Ship Radio Dispatcher (voice)
5. Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010) — Self
6. Born American (1986) — Man's Voice from Ship's Loudspeakers (uncredited) (voice)
7. Wreckage and Rage: Making 'Alien³' (2003) — Self
8. Johtaja Uuno Turhapuro pisnismies (1998) — Renny Harlin
9. The Making of 'Nightmare on Elm Street IV' (1989) — Self
10. The Dinosaur (2021) — Self (archive footage)
11. Slash & Burn: The Freddy Krueger Story (1991) — Self
12. Fear Himself: The Life and Crimes of Freddy Krueger (2012) — Self
13. The Breakthrough (1981) — Police officer (uncredited)
14. A Night to Die For (1995) — Self
15. Hard Time: The Making of Prison (2013) — Himself
16. Raptori Moe! (1990)
17. Kohtauspaikka 33 (1981) — Self (voice)
18. Stallone on the Edge: The Making of Cliffhanger (1993) — Self