Favorite film director is Hal Ashby.

Was in pre-production for a remake of John Cassavetes' The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) after he finished Rush Hour (1998). It was to be written by Cassavetes' son, Nick Cassavetes and Warren Beatty was set to star. Ratner left the project when he was offered The Family Man (2000).

Engaged to Rebecca Gayheart. [1997]

Without knowing him, Steven Spielberg and his company Amblin Entertainment sent him $5000 to finish funding for his final film project at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts after he sent out 20 letters to producers asking for help.

Once vowed he would not direct movies until he had directed at least 100 music videos.

In Red Dragon (2002), digital technology was used to smooth over some of Anthony Hopkins's facial features so that he would look younger than he was in The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Similar technology was used in the first scene of X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), so that Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen could play their characters twenty years younger.

Got his start by directing rap and hip-hop videos for his friend Russell Simmons. When the original director of Money Talks (1997) had to be replaced, Russell Simmons recommended him.

His mother, Marsha Presman, was just 16 when she gave birth to her son.

Dating Serena Williams. [2004]

Ranked #81 on Premiere's 2003 annual Power 100 List. He did not rank on the 2004 list.

Considered directing Memoirs of a Geisha (2005).

At Miami Beach Senior High School was a drama student of well-known instructor Jay W. Jensen.

Was for some time attached to direct Superman Returns (2006). He left the project because of repeated delays and difficulty in casting a lead actor. The project then went to Bryan Singer, while Ratner went on to direct X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), the two previous movies in the saga having been directed by Singer.

After meeting with real life FBI agents, he decided that it would not be authentic to have Scott Glenn reprise the role of Jack Crawford in Red Dragon (2002), his The Silence of the Lambs (1991) prequel. Instead, he cast Harvey Keitel, in a role originally created by Dennis Farina in Manhunter (1986). Keitel and Farina had also both played Ray Barbone in the film Get Shorty (1995). Ratner was considered for directing the sequel to Get Shorty, entitled Be Cool (2005), in which Keitel also appears.

Replaced director Matthew Vaughn just two months before filming began on X-Men: The Last Stand (2006).

Attended Miami Beach Senior High.

His favorite film is Scarface (1932).