Brett Ratner Appears in Newly Released Epstein Photos as DOJ Files Go Public
Newly released photos from the U.S. Department of Justice have placed Hollywood director Brett Ratner inside Jeffrey Epstein’s inner circle, just as Ratner returns to the spotlight with a controversial documentary tied to the Trump administration.
The images, released Friday as part of a massive dump of Epstein-related files, show Ratner sitting on a couch next to Epstein alongside two women whose faces have been blurred. In one photo, Ratner appears to be cuddling one of the women while Epstein sits close by. The photos are undated, and the Justice Department has not alleged any criminal conduct tied to the images.
The setting appears to match other Epstein photos released in recent months, including images showing Ratner with Epstein and the late French modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel. Those earlier photos were released in December and came from the same trove of federal evidence.
Ratner, best known for directing the Rush Hour films and X-Men: The Last Stand, is currently drawing renewed attention as the director of Melania: 20 Days to History, a behind-the-scenes documentary about First Lady Melania Trump during the final weeks before President Donald Trump’s January 2025 inauguration.
The timing of the photo release has only added to the controversy surrounding the film, which has already faced harsh criticism from reviewers and political commentators. Much of that criticism has focused on the film’s close ties to the Trump administration and questions surrounding its financing.
The Justice Department says the photos are part of millions of files connected to Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Federal law requires many of the files to be released with redactions in place to protect victims and ongoing investigations.
Still, attorneys representing Epstein survivors have warned that some victim identities may have been inadvertently revealed in the release, raising concerns about how the files were handled.
The newly released materials offer a deeper look into Epstein’s network of wealthy and powerful associates. Thumbnails from the image collection show Epstein socializing with a wide range of public figures, often in relaxed settings and frequently alongside young women whose identities remain concealed.
Ratner’s reappearance in the Epstein files comes years after his Hollywood career largely stalled following multiple sexual misconduct allegations in 2017 at the height of the #MeToo movement. Ratner denied those allegations and was never criminally charged, but the accusations effectively ended his time as a major studio director.
Jean-Luc Brunel, a longtime Epstein associate who helped run modeling agencies in Europe and the United States, was found dead in his Paris prison cell in 2022 in what authorities ruled a suicide. Brunel had been under investigation for alleged rape and sex trafficking involving minors and was suspected of procuring young women for Epstein.
The Epstein file release also includes new material involving other high-profile figures from politics, business, and royalty. Among the most controversial are images linked to Britain’s former Duke of York, reigniting calls for testimony and accountability over his relationship with Epstein.
The Department of Justice says additional Epstein-related files are expected to be released in the coming weeks, a process that continues to raise uncomfortable questions about who had access to Epstein — and how much they knew.
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