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John McNaughton

John McNaughton

Director, producer and writer, also actor · Born January 13, 1950 (76) · Chicago, Illinois, USA

John McNaughton (born January 13, 1950) is an American film and television director, originally from Chicago, Illinois.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 13, 1950 (76)
From
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Works as
Director, producer and writer, also actor
Titles
14 on MovieCove · 25 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 37 days to Oct 26Up 6% in 30 days

What are John McNaughton's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Self.

Genres

Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile
: browse their Comedy 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
Survival
31%
Self
22%
Bonds
20%
Morality
19%
Society
5%
Power
4%
Deception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Wry: How sincerely it treats its story and characters, from ironic to earnest. Browse their wry movies.
Tone · Sincerity
ironicearnest

A split, not a type: Ironic 3 · Wry 1 · Earnest 6

Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 2 · Dark 3

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 3 · Intense 4

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

Steady 4 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 5 · 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 2 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 0

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 3

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 1 · Heavy 3

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

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Absurd
4
Dread
2
Contemplative
2
Cold
2
Other
8

How their films linger

Unsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous1

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 McNaughton's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 14 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (3).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John McNaughton'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

25 credits, 14 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Kill Her Goats(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • The Harvest(2013)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • John from Cincinnati(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • Haeckel's Tale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director

  • Masters of Horror(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Without a Trace(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Push, Nevada (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Speaking of Sex(2001)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Condo Painting (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director · Writer

  • Lansky(1999)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Wild Things(1998)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Firehouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • Normal Life(1996)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Girls in Prison(1994)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Rebel Highway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Mad Dog and Glory(1993)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Homicide: Life on the Street(1993)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Director

  • The Borrower(1991)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer(1986)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Agent on Ice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Casting Associate

  • Dealers in Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director

  • No Hiding Place (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Road Rage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

  • The King of Counterfeit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 25 titles, 23 of them dated from 1959 to 2023.

Biggest box office

Wild Things (1998)

$30M worldwide

Highest rated

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Midcredits 78th

Most popular right now

Wild Things (1998)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 25: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting22 of 25: 18 only directing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score50thWriting3 of 25: 0 only writing, 3 with another roleProducing3 of 25: 1 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew1 of 25: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

25 titles, 4 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1950s1 · acting1980s3 · crew1990s10 · crew2000s7 · crew2010s1 · crew2020s1 · 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.

How do John McNaughton's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 42nd percentile, the median of all 10; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 51st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 14 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 14 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · director

John from Cincinnati (2007)

69th percentile spread · 16% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Homicide: Life on the Street (1993)

Midcredits 96th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 62/100 and the pacing 42/100 in their films, across 9 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 John McNaughton's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 63 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles57–81 · median 58 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 66 · intenseMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 65 · intenseMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 48 · moderateMedian 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 John McNaughton work with?

People who share at least 2 of John McNaughton's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Elena Maganini shares the most, 6.

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors