# Lawrence Kasanoff

Lawrence Alan "Larry" Kasanoff (born June 1, 1959) is an American film producer who founded the Vestron Pictures genre subsidiary Lightning Pictures in 1986, Lightstorm Entertainment with James Cameron in 1990, and Threshold Entertainment in 1993.

## Career

Kasanoff graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and later received a Master of Business Administration degree from University of Pennsylvania.
He is known for films such as the Mortal Kombat movie franchise including the 1995 Mortal Kombat, its 1997 sequel Mortal Kombat Annihilation and its spin-off series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm and Mortal Kombat: Conquest. He became involved with the franchise after working on Terminator 2 with Lightstorm Entertainment, which was overtaken by Mortal Kombat as the most successful arcade game in 1993. His company Threshold Entertainment was started with the purpose of producing the first Mortal Kombat film and other Mortal Kombat media spin-offs. Kasanoff later served as executive producer of the 2021 reboot of Mortal Kombat.
Other films produced by Kasanoff include Blood Diner, Blue Steel, True Lies, and Lego: The Adventures of Clutch Powers. He also directed and produced the 2012 Threshold Entertainment animated film Foodfight!, which was originally intended to be released in 2003.
In 2023, Kasanoff released a self-help book titled A Touch of the Madness: How to Be More Innovative in Work and Life… by Being a Little Crazy.

## Filmography
### Films

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1987 | Party Camp | Executive producer | |
| 1987 | Blood Diner | Executive producer | |
| 1987 | The Underachievers | Executive producer | Role: Studio Exec |
| 1987 | The Beat | Executive producer | |
| 1988 | You Can't Hurry Love | Executive producer | |
| 1988 | Dangerous Curves | Executive producer | |
| 1989 | Dream a Little Dream | Executive producer | |
| 1989 | C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D. | Executive producer | |
| 1989 | Far from Home | Executive producer | |
| 1989 | She's Back | Executive producer | |
| 1990 | Blue Steel | Executive producer | |
| 1990 | Class of 1999 | Executive producer | |
| 1990 | A Gnome Named Gnorm | Executive producer | |
| 1990 | Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go to College | Executive producer | Direct-to-video |
| 1994 | True Lies | Executive producer | |
| 1995 | Mortal Kombat | Producer | |
| 1995 | Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins | Producer | Direct-to-video |
| 1995 | Strange Days | Executive producer | |
| 1996 | Mortal Kombat: Live Tour | Director | |
| 1997 | Mortal Kombat Annihilation | Producer, Story | |
| 1999 | Beowulf | Producer | |
| 2009 | Bionicle: The Legend Reborn | Executive producer | Direct-to-video |
| 2011 | Lego: The Adventures of Clutch Powers | Executive producer | Direct-to-video |
| 2012 | Marvel Super Heroes 4D | Executive producer | Short |
| 2012 | Foodfight! | Producer, director, screenwriter | Voice of Cheasel T. Weasel |
| 2015 | Ocean Quest: The Immersive Adventure | Executive producer | |
| 2015 | Mindfulness: Be Happy Now | Producer, director | Documentary |
| 2020 | Bobbleheads: The Movie | Producer | |
| 2021 | Mortal Kombat | Executive producer | |

### Television

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1991 | The Making of 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' | Executive producer | Documentary |
| 1995 | Mortal Kombat: Behind the Dragon | Executive producer | Documentary |
| 1996 | Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm | Executive producer | |
| 1998–1999 | Mortal Kombat: Conquest | Executive producer | |
| 2003 | The Afterlife | Executive producer | TV movie |
| 2010 | Lego Atlantis: The Movie | Executive producer | TV Short |
| 2011–2013 | Hero Factory | Executive producer | |
| 2012 | Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out | Executive producer | TV Short |
| 2013 | Rockin' Rounds | Executive producer | |
| 2013 | 3 Rounds With | Executive producer | |