Controversy Surrounds Brett Ratner Amid Epstein Files Release

Tue Feb 03 2026 17:00:10 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Newly unveiled images from the Epstein files show director Brett Ratner beside Jeffrey Epstein amidst ongoing scrutiny following his association with the disgraced financier.

Brett Ratner, director of the documentary on Melania Trump, has been featured in new images alongside the late Jeffrey Epstein and obscured women. Released by the U.S. Department of Justice, the images lack indications of wrongdoing but surfaced on the same day as Ratner's new project premised on criticism due to alleged misconduct in the past and connections to Trump-related funding. The Ongoing discourse on Epstein's relations with public figures reignites as these files disclose more about his history.

The director of the new documentary on US First Lady Melania Trump has appeared embracing a young woman in images released by the US Department of Justice on Friday.

Brett Ratner, known for films such as Rush Hour and X-Men: The Last Stand, is shown sitting on a sofa beside the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and two women whose identities have been obscured.

While the timing of the images remains unclear, they appear to have been taken in the same location where Ratner and Epstein were previously photographed alongside late French modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, whose images were released in December.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing from the files, and the BBC has reached out to Ratner’s representative for comment.

The images were part of a massive cache of files relating to Epstein, who died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sexual trafficking charges.

A series of thumbnails from the file collection shows Ratner, Epstein, and Brunel joyfully interacting with various women, whose identities have been concealed.

The law that facilitated the release of the files required redactions to protect victims of abuse; however, a lawyer representing several of the survivors has stated that some of their identities were disclosed.

The release of the files coincided with the premiere of Melania: 20 Days to History,” which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the first lady’s life leading up to her husband’s inauguration.

This documentary has faced backlash from critics and political commentators, who have raised concerns regarding its Trump connections and the funding received before its screening.

Notably, Ratner’s involvement in this project marks his first since facing allegations of sexual misconduct during the height of the #MeToo movement in 2017, allegations he has since denied.

This file release also shed light on Epstein’s connections with numerous high-profile figures, including Elon Musk, Lord Peter Mandelson, Bill Gates, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Images have also emerged of the former Duke of York amid claims regarding his links to Epstein, showing him in troubling positions.

Brunel, who co-founded a modeling agency and was found dead in his prison cell in 2022, had been under investigation for serious allegations including the rape of minors and trafficking, suspected of facilitating young women for Epstein.