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David Fincher

David Fincher

Director, producer and actor · Born August 28, 1962 (64) · Denver, Colorado, USA

4 Primetime Emmys · Golden Globe winner · BAFTA Award winner · 7 other major award bodies

David Andrew Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is an American film director. His films, mostly thrillers, have received 40 nominations at the Academy Awards, including three for him as Best Director. Born in Denver, Colorado, Fincher was interested in filmmaking at an early age. He directed numerous music videos, most notably Madonna's "Express Yourself" in 1989 and "Vogue" in 1990, both of which won him the MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction. He made his feature film debut with Alien 3 (1992), which garnered mixed reviews, followed by the thriller Seven (1995), which was better received. Fincher found lukewarm success with The Game (1997) and Fight Club (1999), but the latter eventually became a cult classic. In 2002, he returned to prominence with the thriller Panic Room starring Jodie Foster. Fincher also directed Zodiac (2007), The Social Network (2010), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), and Mank (2020). For The Social Network, he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Director and BAFTA Award for Best Direction. His biggest commercial successes are The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) and Gone Girl (2014), both of which grossed more than $300 million worldwide, with the former earning thirteen nominations at the Academy Awards, and eleven at the British Academy Film Awards. He also served as an executive producer and director for the Netflix series House of Cards (2013–2018) and Mindhunter (2017–2019), winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for the pilot episode of House of Cards. Fincher was the co-founder of Propaganda Films, a film, and music.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 28, 1962 (64)
From
Denver, Colorado, USA
Works as
Director, producer and actor
Titles
36 on MovieCove · 56 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 11% in 30 days

What are David Fincher's films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Ideas and Morality.

Genres

Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 97th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Documentary4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 88th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 96th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Ideas
23%
Morality
18%
Survival
15%
Self
15%
Bonds
13%
Power
9%
Society
7%
Art6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTechnology3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 5 · Dark 10

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 7 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 5

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 6 · Charged 3 · Intense 10

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 4

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 3

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 4 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 12

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 6 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 9

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 9 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Contemplative
8
Dread
7
Melancholic
9
Warm
4
Other
19

How their films linger

Thought-provoking12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch David Fincher's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 27 of their 36 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for David Fincher's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

56 credits, 36 with a MovieCove page; 22 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • THE FURTHER MIS-ADVENTURES OF CLIFF BOOTH (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Director

  • Weapons(2025)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Killer(2023)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Beau Is Afraid(2023)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Is That Black Enough for You?!?(2022)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Blonde(2022)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Voir(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • Mank(2020)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Love, Death & Robots(2019)

    Show 45 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • The Girl in the Spider's Web(2018)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Mindhunter(2017)

    Show 19 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Gone Girl(2014)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The One I Love(2014)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Gravity(2013)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • House of Cards(2013)

    Show 73 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Metal One Sheet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: On Location - Sweden and Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Post-Production (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Social Network(2010)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • I'm Still Here(2010)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Sympathy for Delicious(2010)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Where the Wild Things Are(2009)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Logorama (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Pringles Original (voice)

  • The Curious Case of Benjamin Button(2008)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • WALL·E(2008)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Zodiac(2007)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Love and Other Disasters(2006)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Fall(2006)

    Executive Producer · Presenter

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Lords of Dogtown(2005)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Beat the Devil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Original Concept

  • Ticker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Executive Producer · Original Concept

  • Full Frontal(2002)

    as Film Director

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Panic Room(2002)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Powder Keg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Executive Producer

  • Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Executive Producer

  • The Follow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Executive Producer

  • Ambush (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Executive Producer

  • The Hire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show Creator

  • Chosen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Executive Producer

  • Keeping the Faith(2000)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Madonna: The Video Collection 93:99 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • Being John Malkovich(1999)

    as Christopher Bing (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Fight Club(1999)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Game(1997)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Seven(1995)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Aerosmith: Big Ones You Can Look At (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director

  • Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short Films (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director

  • Alien³(1992)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Madonna: The Immaculate Collection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director

  • Rick Springfield: The Beat of the Live Drum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director

  • The Ewok Adventure(1984)

    Visual Effects Camera

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Twice Upon a Time(1983)

    Special Effects · Visual Effects Camera

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi(1983)

    Assistant Camera · Visual Effects Camera

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Bitterroot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Lange (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Executive Producer

Career shape

A full career of 56 titles, 53 of them dated from 1983 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Gone Girl (2014)

$371M worldwide

Highest rated

Fight Club (1999)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Love, Death & Robots (2019)

Film career

  • 2002Screen debut· Full Frontal

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting6 of 56: 6 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting22 of 56: 19 only directing, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score97thWriting2 of 56: 1 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing16 of 56: 11 only producing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score85thOther crew15 of 56: 14 only other crew, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score75th

56 titles, 5 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1980s4 · crew1990s9 · 1 acting · 8 crew2000s19 · 2 acting · 17 crew2010s14 · 3 acting · 11 crew2020s7 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

4 Primetime Emmys, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA Award and 4 other major awards from 39 major nominations, 1991–2025.

WinNomination
  1. 2025
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program
  2. 2023
    • Venice award, nominated · Best Film
  3. 2022
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Short Form Animated Program
  4. 2021
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Directing
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Short Form Animated Program
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Director - Motion Picture
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Director
  5. 2019
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Short Form Animated Program
  6. 2017
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Drama Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama
  7. 2016
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Drama Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama
  8. 2015
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Director - Motion Picture
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Director
Show 9 earlier years
  1. 2014
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Drama Series
    • +3 other major bodies · 1 win and 2 nominations
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama
      • Grammy Award, won · Best Music Video
  2. 2013
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Drama Series
  3. 2012
    • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
  4. 2011
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Directing
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Director - Motion Picture
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Director
    • +2 other major bodies · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Director
  5. 2009
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Directing
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Director - Motion Picture
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Director
    • +2 other major bodies · 3 nominations
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Director
  6. 2007
    • Cannes award, nominated
  7. 2004
    • Directors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
  8. 1995
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Music Video, Short Form
  9. 1991
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Music Video, Short Form

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do David Fincher's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 82nd percentile, the median of all 32; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 88th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

88thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

98thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Midcredits score across 36 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up23
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 36 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved16
  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · producer

Is That Black Enough for You?!? (2022)

61st percentile spread · 14% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Fight Club (1999)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 80/100 and the pacing 55/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is David Fincher's work okay for kids?

Across up to 15 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore14 titles26–93 · median 84 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity15 titles25–83 · median 45 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity14 titles49–90 · median 70 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs14 titles33–65 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense14 titles29–92 · median 82 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does David Fincher work with?

People who share at least 2 of David Fincher's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ceán Chaffin shares the most, 11.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles