Avi Lerner

Avi Lerner is fiercely prolific film producer of action movies. Lerner has well over 200 producer credits in more than 25 years in the industry. In 1992, Lerner co-founded the production company, Nu Image, whose specialty is direct-to-video films. In 1996, Nu Image formed Millennium Films, with the goal to both produce more 'art' films, as well as bigger-budgeted action movies. Lerner first began producing in 1984, but the films that would be recognizable to most audiences didn't start appearing until into the 2000s: for example, in 2001, he executive-produced the action-thriller "Ticker," with Steven Seagal and Dennis Hopper, and that same year, also executive-produced the drama "Prozac Nation," starring Christina Ricci, and based on the book by Elizabeth Wurtzel. Among dozens of other Nu Image, straight-to-video productions, the 2000s saw Lerner producing such better-known action fare as "16 Blocks," with Bruce Willis and Mos Def, in 2006; the 2007 mystery-thriller "88 Minutes," with Al Pacino; and the action sequel "Rambo" once again starring Sylvester Stallone, in 2008. Lerner and Stallone collaborated again in 2010, on the star-studded action-thriller "The Expendables," which Stallone also co-wrote and directed. In any given year, Lerner always tends to have multiple films in production and development. In 2011, Lerner produced the action remake "The Mechanic" starring "The Expendables" star, Jason Statham.