James Wan was one of the youngest students ever to be accepted into the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology's highly respected film and media school in Australia. After directing several award-winning shorts during his three years there, Wan then went on to work for several advertising agencies as a director, editor and graphic artist and also spent a year at the ABC's groundbreaking digital youth network, FLY-TV, where he wrote, directed, produced, and animated his own content.

Saw was Wan's first feature film as a director. The film, starring multi-award winning Danny Glover, Cary Elwes and Monica Potter, was invited to the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in 2004, where it became a hit with festival-goers. Saw was picked up by Lionsgate prior to the Festival and was released in October 2004 with a gross domestic box office of over $55 million and a world wide theatrical of over $100 million. Saw II followed and was released in October 2005 with a Lionsgate record three-day opening weekend of $31.7 million. Saw II went on to earn more than $87 million in domestic box office and over $147 million in worldwide theatrical box office. Saw II also debuted as the #1 DVD in North America. Together, Saw and Saw II have grossed $250 million in worldwide box office. Saw III was released on October 27, 2006. Wan is an executive producer on Saw II and Saw III.

Prior to DEATH SENTENCE, Wan directed Dead Silence for Universal Pictures. Wan received the Greg Tepper Award in 2004, a prestigious award for outstanding achievement in Film.