Skip to content
MovieCove
Karl Urban

Karl Urban

Actor, also producer · Born June 7, 1972 (54) · Wellington, New Zealand

Screen Actors Guild Award winner · 1 other major award body

Karl-Heinz Urban (born 7 June 1972) is a New Zealand actor. His career began with appearances in New Zealand films and TV series such as Xena: Warrior Princess. His first Hollywood role was in the 2002 horror film Ghost Ship. Since then, he has starred in many high-profile movies, including as Éomer in the second and third instalments of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Vaako in the second and third instalments of the Riddick film series, Leonard McCoy in the Star Trek reboot film series, Kirill in The Bourne Supremacy (2004), John "Reaper" Grimm in Doom (2005), Judge Dredd in Dredd (2012), Gavin Magary in Pete's Dragon (2016), and Skurge in Marvel Studios' Thor: Ragnarok (2017). In 2013, he starred in the sci-fi series Almost Human. Since 2019, he has starred as Billy Butcher in Amazon's superhero series streaming on television, The Boys.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 7, 1972 (54)
From
Wellington, New Zealand
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
37 on MovieCove · 46 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 9% in 30 days

What are Karl Urban's films like?

Across their 31 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Action17 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Animation3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 28th percentile
: browse their Horror 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
Bonds
22%
Morality
22%
Survival
19%
Self
18%
Power
11%
Society
4%
Ideas
3%
Survival9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship6 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 27 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 7 · Serious 5 · Dark 15

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

Grounded 8 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 9

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 4 · Intense 21

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 19 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 17 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 10

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

Casual 7 · Engaged 17 · Full focus 3

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

Easy watch 9 · Affecting 10 · Heavy 8

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

Resolved 24 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

21 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 9 of 21 analyzed roles.

Hero
9 of 21
Shadow
5 of 21
Ally
2 of 21
Shapeshifter
1 of 21
Threshold guardian
1 of 21
Mentor
1 of 21
Trickster
1 of 21
Herald
1 of 21
Show the 21 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
22
Thrilling
16
Dread
12
Hopeful
7
Melancholic
7
Other
23

How their films linger

Fun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 12 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet15
  • Ambiguous6
  • Cyclical1

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 Karl Urban's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 31 of their 37 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Karl Urban'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

46 credits, 37 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • I, Object(2026)

    Producer · as Frank

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Mortal Kombat II(2026)

    as Johnny Cage

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Bluff(2026)

    as Captain Connor

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Ark: The Animated Series(2024)

    Show 14 episodes · as Bob (voice)

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • Gen V(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Billy Butcher

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • The Sea Beast(2022)

    as Jacob Holland (voice)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Batman: Death in the Family(2020)

    as Sergeant Rock (voice)

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker(2019)

    as Stormtrooper (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Boys(2019)

    Show 40 episodes · Producer · as Billy Butcher

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • DC Showcase: Sgt. Rock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Sgt. Rock (voice)

  • Bent(2018)

    as Danny Gallagher

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Hangman(2017)

    as Detective Ruiney

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Acts of Vengeance(2017)

    as Strode

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Thor: Ragnarok(2017)

    as Skurge

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Pete's Dragon(2016)

    as Gavin

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Star Trek Beyond(2016)

    as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Loft(2014)

    as Vincent Stevens

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Walking with Dinosaurs 3D(2013)

    as Uncle Zack

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Almost Human(2013)

    Show 13 episodes · as John Kennex

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Riddick(2013)

    as Lord Vaako

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Riddick: Blindsided (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Vaako

  • Star Trek Into Darkness(2013)

    as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Dredd(2012)

    as Judge Dredd

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Priest(2011)

    as Black Hat

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • RED(2010)

    as William Cooper

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • And Soon the Darkness(2010)

    as Michael

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Star Trek(2009)

    as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Comanche Moon(2008)

    Show 3 episodes · as Woodrow F. Call

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Pathfinder(2007)

    as Ghost

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Out of the Blue(2006)

    as Nick Harvey

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Doom(2005)

    as John "Reaper" Grimm

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Bourne Supremacy(2004)

    as Kirill

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Chronicles of Riddick(2004)

    as Vaako

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King(2003)

    as Éomer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers(2002)

    as Éomer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Ghost Ship(2002)

    as Munder

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Price of Milk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Rob

  • Truth About Demons(2000)

    as Harry Ballard

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Sweeper

  • Via Satellite (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Paul

  • Amazon High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Kor

  • Xena: Warrior Princess(1995)

    Show 8 episodes · as Cupid · as Julius Caesar · as Kor · as Mael

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • Hercules: The Legendary Journeys(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Cupid · as Julius Caesar

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • White Fang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 26 episodes · as David

  • Shortland Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 521 episodes · as Jamie Forrest

  • Chunuk Bair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Wellington soldier

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 46 titles from 1992 to 2026; peak year 2013.

Biggest box office

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

$855M worldwide

Highest rated

Star Trek (2009)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

The Boys (2019)

Film career

MilestoneAward win
19922026

Peak 2013 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 20 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting46 of 46: 44 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thProducing2 of 46: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

By decade

1990s8 · acting2000s12 · acting2010s19 · 19 acting · 1 crew2020s7 · 7 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 32% of 31 roles
000515

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. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Screen Actors Guild Award and 1 other major award from 2 major nominations, 2004.

  1. 2004
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Acting Ensemble

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 Karl Urban's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 52nd percentile, the median of all 30; across their 27 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 55th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Approval · how many liked their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Reach · how many have seen their films

96thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Midcredits score across 37 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 37 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor, producer

I, Object (2026)

92nd percentile spread · 38% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 63/100 in their films, across 25 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 38. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

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 Karl Urban's work okay for kids?

Across up to 25 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore24 titles54–93 · median 70 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity25 titles14–57 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity24 titles26–87 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs23 titles25–61 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense22 titles39–82 · median 59 · moderateheavier 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 Karl Urban work with?

People who share at least 2 of Karl Urban's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Simon Pegg shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers