Nathan Zellner is a filmmaker who has produced, written, edited, directed, and acted in numerous award-winning shorts and feature films, most of which are part of a creative collaboration with his brother David. Their early work includes GOLIATH (Sundance 2008) and KID-THING (Sundance 2012, 62nd Berlinale), which was a 2012 Gotham Award nomination. KUMIKO, THE TREASURE HUNTER, starring Rinko Kikuchi, premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at Sundance 2014, the 64th Berlinale, and was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards. DAMSEL, starring Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska, premiered at Sundance 2018 and in competition at the 68th Berlinale. Nathan needs at least 5 hours of afternoon sunlight and plenty of water and can solve a Rubik's cube in under 2 minutes, which isn't as special as it sounds.
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Biography from IMDb.
- August 2, 1975 (51)
- Greeley, Colorado, Stati Uniti
- Actor, producer, director, cinematographer, editor and writer
- 13 on MovieCove · 34 credits in all
What are Nathan Zellner's films like?
Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.
Genres
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
What they feel like to watch
A split, not a type: Ironic 2 · Wry 1 · Earnest 5
A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 1 · Dark 2
Grounded 3 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 1
Gentle 3 · Charged 4 · Intense 1
A split, not a type: Steady 4 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 2
Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 3
Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0
Casual 4 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1
A split, not a type: Easy watch 5 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 2
A split, not a type: Resolved 2 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 6
Roles they play
Usually the Shadow: 3 of 3 analyzed roles.
- Shadowas Marvin in Kid-Thing (2012)
- Shadowas Rufus Cornell in Damsel (2018)
- Shadowas Alpha Male in Sasquatch Sunset (2024)
Moods and endings
- Happy1
- Bittersweet1
- Ambiguous5
- 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 Nathan Zellner's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 13 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).
Subscription and free streaming for Nathan Zellner'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, 13 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.
Alpha Gang(2026)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Red vs. Blue: Restoration (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Sasquatch Sunset(2024)
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
The Curse(2023)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows
The Art of Self-Defense(2019)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Sister Aimee(2019)
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Support the Girls(2018)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Damsel(2018)
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
Also Starring Austin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Black Something (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
6 Years(2015)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Computer Chess(2013)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Kid-Thing(2012)
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all filmsDignity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
The Best Red vs. Blue. Ever. Of All Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Rooster Teeth Shorts: Volume Three (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
Slacker 2011 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
Sasquatch Birth Journal 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Rooster Teeth Shorts: Volume Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Rooster Teeth Shorts: Volume 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Beeswax(2009)
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
Goliath (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Pardon My Downfall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Aftermath On Meadowlark Lane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Redemptitude (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Who Is On First? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Flotsam/Jetsam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Rummy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Red Vs Blue Blood Gulch Chronicles I (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Frontier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Radio Free Steve (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
The Curve(1998)
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all filmsPlastic Utopia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Career shape
Star power in the 79th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 34 titles from 1997 to 2026; peak year 2024.
Film career
Peak 2024 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. 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.
- 1998Screen debut· The Curve
Billing
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.
How do Nathan Zellner's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 43rd percentile for acclaim.
- 50th to 74th6
- 25th to 49th5
- Below 25th2
Shape of the crowd
10 of their 13 titles are Mixed.
- Divisive1
- Crowd Pleaser2
- Mixed10
Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 52. 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 Nathan Zellner's work okay for kids?
Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.
Who does Nathan Zellner work with?
People who share at least 2 of Nathan Zellner's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; David Zellner shares the most, 7.
Directors
- David ZellnerShared titles: Alpha Gang (2026), Sasquatch Sunset (2024), The Art of Self-Defense (2019), Damsel (2018), Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (2014), Kid-Thing (2012), Beeswax (2009)See all 7 shared titles with David Zellner
Actors
- Riley KeoughShared titles: Alpha Gang (2026), Sasquatch Sunset (2024)See all 2 shared titles with Riley Keough
- Jesse EisenbergShared titles: Sasquatch Sunset (2024), The Art of Self-Defense (2019)See all 2 shared titles with Jesse Eisenberg
- David WingoShared titles: Damsel (2018), Kid-Thing (2012)See all 2 shared titles with David Wingo
Composers and editors
- The Octopus ProjectShared titles: Sasquatch Sunset (2024), Damsel (2018), Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (2014), Kid-Thing (2012)See all 4 shared titles with The Octopus Project
- Melba JodorowskyShared titles: Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (2014), Kid-Thing (2012)See all 2 shared titles with Melba Jodorowsky
Producers
- Gina GammellShared titles: Alpha Gang (2026), Sasquatch Sunset (2024)See all 2 shared titles with Gina Gammell
- Andrew KarpenShared titles: Sasquatch Sunset (2024), The Art of Self-Defense (2019)See all 2 shared titles with Andrew Karpen
- Kent SandersonShared titles: Sasquatch Sunset (2024), The Art of Self-Defense (2019)See all 2 shared titles with Kent Sanderson
- Chris OhlsonShared titles: Damsel (2018), Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (2014)See all 2 shared titles with Chris Ohlson
Mixed roles
- Zack CarlsonShared titles: Damsel (2018), Kid-Thing (2012)See all 2 shared titles with Zack Carlson