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John Knoll

John Knoll

Actor, producer and writer · Born October 6, 1962 (64) · Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Oscar winner · Primetime Emmy winner · BAFTA Award winner

John Knoll (born October 6, 1962) is an American visual effects supervisor and chief creative officer (CCO) at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). Description above from the Wikipedia article John Knoll, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia."

Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 6, 1962 (64)
From
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Works as
Actor, producer and writer
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 34 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 31% in 30 days

What are John Knoll's films like?

Across a limited sample of 4 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Ideas and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Ideas
54%
Society
23%
Bonds
14%
Morality
10%
Art3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 3 · Serious 0 · Dark 1

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

Grounded 3 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 2 · Intense 1

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 2 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
2
Warm
2
Joyful
1
Tense
1
Triumphant
1
Other
2

How their films linger

Rousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

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 John Knoll's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 28 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John Knoll'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

34 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu(2026)

    VFX Director of Photography · Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Skeleton Crew(2024)

    Show 8 episodes · VFX Director of Photography · Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • The Book of Boba Fett(2021)

    Show 7 episodes · Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Jungle Cruise(2021)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Star Wars : La Révolution Visuelle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Actor

  • The Mandalorian(2019)

    Show 8 episodes · Additional Visual Effects · Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Other Side of the Wind(2018)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Rogue One: A Star Wars Story(2016)

    Executive Producer · Story · Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Pacific Rim(2013)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol(2011)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Hugo(2011)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Super 8(2011)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Rango(2011)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Avatar(2009)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Confessions of a Shopaholic(2009)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Speed Racer(2008)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End(2007)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest(2006)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith(2005)

    Visual Effects Supervisor · as Fire Ship Pilot (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl(2003)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • No Feat But What We Make: 'Terminator 2' and the Rise of Digital Effects (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones(2002)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Mission to Mars(2000)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Deep Blue Sea(1999)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace(1999)

    Visual Effects Supervisor · as Lt. Rya Kirsch - Bravo 4 / Flag Bearer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Star Trek: First Contact(1996)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Mission: Impossible(1996)

    Visual Effects Supervisor · as Passenger on Train in Tunnel (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Star Trek: Generations(1994)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Hudson Hawk(1991)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Hook(1991)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Spaced Invaders(1990)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Hunt for Red October(1990)

    Visual Effects Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Innerspace(1987)

    Visual Effects Camera

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Terminal Velocity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 34 titles from 1984 to 2026.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting5 of 34: 2 only acting, 3 with another roleDirecting1 of 34: 1 only directing, 0 with another roleWriting1 of 34: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 34: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography2 of 34: 0 only cinematography, 2 with another roleOther crew31 of 34: 25 only other crew, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score77th

34 titles, 6 with more than one role — other crew and acting overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1980s2 · crew1990s9 · 2 acting · 9 crew2000s10 · 2 acting · 9 crew2010s8 · crew2020s5 · 1 acting · 4 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

an Oscar, a Primetime Emmy and a BAFTA Award from 13 major nominations, 2000–2021.

WinNomination
  1. 2021
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie
  2. 2017
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Visual Effects
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects
  3. 2014
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Special Visual Effects
  4. 2008
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Visual Effects
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Special Visual Effects
  5. 2007
    • Oscar, won · Best Achievement in Visual Effects
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects
  6. 2004
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Visual Effects
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects
  7. 2003
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Visual Effects
  8. 2000
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Effects, Visual Effects
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects

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 John Knoll's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 79th percentile, the median of all 28; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 86th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up18
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th6

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved10
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed5

Most loved · writer, producer

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Midcredits 96th · 86% liked

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.

Who does John Knoll work with?

People who share at least 2 of John Knoll's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; George Lucas shares the most, 3.

Actors

Mixed roles