Joel Silver (born July 14, 1952) is an American Hollywood film producer, director and co-inventor of the sport of Ultimate.

Silver grew up in South Orange, New Jersey. He attended Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey and Northfield Mount Hermon School, where he is credited with inventing the sport of Ultimate Frisbee (now known as just "Ultimate"). In 1970, he entered Lafayette College, where he formed the first collegiate Ultimate team. He finished his undergraduate studies at the New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

Silver began his career at Lawrence Gordon Productions, where he ultimately ascended to president of motion pictures for the company. He earned his first screen credit as the associate producer on The Warriors and, with Gordon, produced 48 Hrs., Streets of Fire and Brewster’s Millions (film). In 1985, he formed Silver Pictures and produced hit action films such as Commando (1985), the "Lethal Weapon" franchise, the first two films of the "Die Hard (franchise)" and the "The Matrix (series)" franchise of action films.