Born in Hastings, New Zealand, Campbell moved to London, where he began his career as a director of softcore sex comedies and action television series in the 1970s.

At 62 years old, Campbell was the oldest director in the series' history, beating the previous record set by Lewis Gilbert.

Campbell also directed the 2011 film adaptation of the DC Comics superhero Green Lantern, as well as The Foreigner (2017), starring Jackie Chan.

[2] On television, Campbell directed the film Cast a Deadly Spell[3] and oversaw some of the more action-oriented episodes from the TV series The Professionals (1977–1983).

DreamWorks Pictures had teamed up with producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald on the project,[5] and Campbell was in talks to direct the film.