Mike Gunther should not be confused with Mike Gunter.
Michael "Mike" Gunther is an American film director and stuntman. He is known for being the second unit director on (2017), Star Trek Beyond (2016) (2016) in addition to (2014). At the end of 2011, he directed the feature film Setup starring Bruce Willis. During 2017-2019 Gunther developed and then directed the popular Netflix "Rogue Warfare" trilogy of films,[1] In 2020 he was the 2nd Unit Director for the Will Smith, Martin Lawrence blockbuster "Bad Boys For Life".[2] 2021 found him serving as the Second Unit Director on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings for Marvel Pictures. Gunther also owns and operates 5150Action Productions, a film production company focusing on a wide slate of original content development.[3]
After a career as a stunt performer and coordinator creating action sequences for films, Gunther developed and sold a slate of MTV shows: Live Free or Die Hard: Inside the Action (2007) Ghost Rider: Inside the Action (2007) Your Movie Show (2005–2006) and Underworld: Evolution – Inside the Action (2005) before directing the theatrical feature films Beatdown (2010) starring Danny Trejo and Rudy Youngblood as well as the Bruce Willis and 50 Cent action vehicle Setup (2011).[4]
In 2014, he started second unit directing for the major studio franchises (2014)[5] (2016) Star Trek Beyond (2016) and (2017).
In 2018, Gunther served as Second Unit Director on the Transformers spin-off Bumblebee for Paramount Studios as well as becoming a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by invitation.[6]
In 2019 he was Second Unit Director for Sony Pictures on Bad Boys For Life starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
In 2021 he was the Second Unit Director on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings for Marvel Pictures as well as "The Forever Purge" for Universal Pictures.
As Second Unit Director
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Kung Pow! Enter the Fist | Steve Oedekerk | Also stunt double: Steve Oedekerk |
| 2009 | Fast & Furious | Justin Lin | Mexico; uncredited |
| Fighting | Dito Montiel | uncredited | |
| 2010 | Zeke and Luther | Joe Menendez | Television series; Episode: Tall Stack Of Waffles |
| 2014 | Sabotage | David Ayer | |
| Michael Bay | |||
| James DeMonaco | |||
| 2014-2018 | Scorpion | Various | Television series |
| 2015 | Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse | Christopher Landon | |
| 2016 | Star Trek Beyond | Justin Lin | |
| Dave Green | |||
| 2017 | Michael Bay | ||
| 2018 | Bumblebee | Travis Knight | |
| Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan | Daniel Sackheim | Television series; Episode: Inshallah | |
| 2020 | Bad Boys For Life | Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah | |
| 2021 | The Forever Purge | Everardo Valerio Gout | |
| Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | Destin Daniel Cretton | ||
| 2022 | The Lost City | Aaron and Adam Nee | |
| Ambulance | Michael Bay | ||
| Me Time | John Hamburg | ||
| 2024 | Gil Kenan | ||
| Mark Molloy | |||
| Twisters | Lee Isaac Chung | ||
As Director / Writer / Producer