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Danny Elfman

Danny Elfman

Composer and actor, also producer · Born May 29, 1953 (73) · Los Angeles, California, USA

3 Primetime Emmys · Oscar nominee · Golden Globe nominee · 3 other major award bodies

Daniel Robert Elfman (born May 29, 1953) is an American film composer, singer, songwriter, and musician. He came to prominence as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the early 1980s. Since scoring his first studio film in 1985, Elfman has garnered international recognition for composing over 100 feature film scores, as well as compositions for television, stage productions, and the concert hall. Elfman has frequently worked with directors Tim Burton, Sam Raimi, and Gus Van Sant, contributing music to nearly 20 Burton projects, including Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Mars Attacks!, Sleepy Hollow, Big Fish, and Alice in Wonderland, as well as scoring Raimi's Darkman, A Simple Plan, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Oz the Great and Powerful, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Van Sant's Academy Award-winning films Good Will Hunting and Milk. He wrote music for all of the Men in Black and Fifty Shades of Grey franchise films, the songs and score for Henry Selick's animated musical The Nightmare Before Christmas, and the themes for the popular television series Desperate Housewives and The Simpsons. Among his honours are four Oscar nominations, three Emmy Awards, a Grammy, seven Saturn Awards for Best Music, the 2002 Richard Kirk Award, the 2015 Disney Legend Award, the Max Steiner Film Music Achievement Award in 2017, and the Society of Composers & Lyricists Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. Description above from the Wikipedia article Danny Elfman, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 29, 1953 (73)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Composer and actor, also producer
Titles
131 on MovieCove · 165 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 26

What are Danny Elfman's films like?

Across their 106 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Action26 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy18 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 87th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Biography8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Animation7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Documentary7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Fantasy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Fantasy 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
24%
Self
22%
Morality
20%
Survival
11%
Society
9%
Power
8%
Ideas
6%
Family bonds27 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity21 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose16 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice15 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity16 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love11 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception13 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth8 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 105 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 46 · Serious 29 · Dark 30

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 32 · Stylized 29 · Heightened 44

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

Gentle 19 · Charged 43 · Intense 43

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

Steady 30 · Shifting 57 · Whiplash 18

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

Straight-faced 37 · Some laughs 45 · Funny 23

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

Slow burn 25 · Even-paced 66 · Relentless 14

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

Casual 45 · Engaged 46 · Full focus 14

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 46 · Affecting 34 · Heavy 25

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

Resolved 80 · Open-ended 20 · Ambiguous 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
53
Thrilling
35
Warm
32
Absurd
26
Melancholic
31
Other
125

How their films linger

Hopeful39 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good37 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet39 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun30 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 21 with a twist

  • Happy44
  • Bittersweet49
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous9
  • 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 Danny Elfman's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 90 of their 131 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Danny Elfman'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

165 credits, 131 with a MovieCove page; 28 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Stuart Fails to Save the Universe(2026)

    Show 10 episodes · Main Title Theme Composer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Send Help(2026)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Dead Man's Wire(2025)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Wednesday: Fireplace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Main Title Theme Composer

  • A Danny Elfman Christmas Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Writer · as Narrator

  • Dracula(2025)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Bullet Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Composer

  • Remember To Enjoy The Light Before It’s Gone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Composer

  • The Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye Faithful (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Main Title Theme Composer

  • Edward Scissorhands: Matthew Bourne's Dance Version (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Composer

  • Beetlejuice Beetlejuice(2024)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • May the 12th Be with You(2024)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Bloody Bridget (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Composer

  • 65(2023)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • White Noise(2022)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Wednesday(2022)

    Show 16 episodes · Composer · Main Title Theme Composer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness(2022)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Woman in the Window(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Aliens, Clowns & Geeks(2019)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Composer

  • Playdate with Destiny(2020)

    Main Title Theme Composer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Dolittle(2020)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Men in Black: International(2019)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Dumbo(2019)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Grinch(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Fifty Shades Freed(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Justice League(2017)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Tulip Fever(2017)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Urge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Composer

  • The Circle(2017)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • When We Rise(2017)

    Show 4 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Fifty Shades Darker(2017)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Girl on the Train(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Vengadores Chiflados: La Era de Pultrón (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Composer

  • Alice Through the Looking Glass(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Before I Wake(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Live From Lincoln Center: Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Actor

  • Medieval Times: The Making of 'Army of Darkness'(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Goosebumps(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The End of the Tour(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Avengers: Age of Ultron(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Fifty Shades of Grey(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Big Eyes(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Peabody & Sherman(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • American Hustle(2013)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Unknown Known(2013)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Epic(2013)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Oz the Great and Powerful(2013)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Cirque du Soleil: IRIS (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Composer

  • Captain Sparky vs. The Flying Saucers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Composer

  • Hitchcock(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Silver Linings Playbook(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Frankenweenie(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Promised Land(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Men in Black 3(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Dark Shadows(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Real Steel(2011)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Restless(2011)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • A Conversation with Danny Elfman & Tim Burton (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Producer · Actor

  • Oingo Boingo: 1983 US Festival (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • The Next Three Days(2010)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • DemiUrge Emesis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Alice in Wonderland(2010)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Wolfman(2010)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Do Not Disturb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Composer

  • Taking Woodstock(2009)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • 9(2009)

    Composer · Songs

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Terminator Salvation(2009)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Notorious(2009)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Milk(2008)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Hellboy II: The Golden Army(2008)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Wanted(2008)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Standard Operating Procedure(2008)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Proud Iza (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Composer · as Narrator

  • The Kingdom(2007)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Simpsons Movie(2007)

    Main Title Theme Composer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Paranoid Park(2007)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Sicko(2007)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Meet the Robinsons(2007)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Charlotte's Web(2006)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Nacho Libre(2006)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Deep Sea(2006)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Corpse Bride(2005)

    Composer · as Bonejangles (voice)

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Becoming Oompa-Loompa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Actor

  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory(2005)

    Composer · as Oompa Loompa (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Spider-Man 2(2004)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Big Fish(2003)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Hulk(2003)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Chicago(2002)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Red Dragon(2002)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Men in Black II(2002)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Spider-Man(2002)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Novocaine(2001)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Planet of the Apes(2001)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Heartbreakers(2001)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Spy Kids(2001)

    Composer · Songs

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Gift(2000)

    as Tommy Lee Ballard

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Family Man(2000)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Proof of Life(2000)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The World of Stainboy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 6 episodes · Composer

  • The World of Stainboy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Composer

  • Fantasporto – Carnaval no Porto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Actor

  • Sleepy Hollow(1999)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Anywhere But Here(1999)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Psycho Path (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Music Producer · as Self - Arranger

  • Instinct(1999)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • A Civil Action(1998)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • A Simple Plan(1998)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Psycho(1998)

    Music Producer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Modern Vampires(1998)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Good Will Hunting(1997)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Flubber(1997)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Men in Black(1997)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Perversions of Science (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 8 episodes · Theme Song Performance

  • Mars Attacks!(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Extreme Measures(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Freeway(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Bordello of Blood(1996)

    Main Title Theme Composer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Frighteners(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Mission: Impossible(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Darkman III: Die Darkman Die(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Dead Presidents(1995)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • To Die For(1995)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Darkman II: The Return of Durant(1995)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Dolores Claiborne(1995)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight(1995)

    Main Title Theme Composer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Black Beauty(1994)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Shrunken Heads(1994)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Nightmare Before Christmas(1993)

    Composer · Producer · Songs · as Jack Skellington (singing) / Barrel / Clown with the Tear away Face (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Family Dog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 10 episodes · Main Title Theme Composer

  • Sommersby(1993)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Flash III: Deadly Nightshade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Composer

  • Batman: The Animated Series(1992)

    Show 85 episodes · Main Title Theme Composer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Batman Returns(1992)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Article 99(1992)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Edward Scissorhands(1990)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Flash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Composer

  • Oingo Boingo: October 25th, 1990 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Actor

  • Darkman(1990)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Dick Tracy(1990)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Nightbreed(1990)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 807 episodes · Main Title Theme Composer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Oh No, Not Them(1989)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Batman(1989)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Tales from the Crypt(1989)

    Show 81 episodes · Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Plymptoons: The Complete Early Works of Bill Plympton (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Composer

  • Scrooged(1988)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Face Like a Frog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Composer

  • Hot to Trot(1988)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Big Top Pee-wee(1988)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Midnight Run(1988)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Beetlejuice(1988)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Summer School(1987)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Wisdom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Composer

  • Amazing Stories(1986)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Back to School(1986)

    Composer · as Oingo Boingo Band Member

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Pee-wee's Playhouse(1986)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Amazing Stories(1985)

    Show 2 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Composer

  • Pee-wee's Big Adventure(1985)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Forbidden Zone(1980)

    Composer · as Satan

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Annie Hall(1977)

    as Lacey Party Guest (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Hot Tomorrows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Singer

  • Hodja Nasreddin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Composer

Career shape

A full career of 164 titles, 163 of them dated from 1977 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

$1.4B worldwide

Highest rated

Good Will Hunting (1997)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Film career

MilestoneNomination

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting17 of 164: 9 only acting, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score74thWriting1 of 164: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 164: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleMusic149 of 164: 141 only music, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thOther crew7 of 164: 4 only other crew, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score86th

164 titles, 10 with more than one role — music and acting overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

1970s2 · acting1980s19 · 2 acting · 19 crew1990s39 · 2 acting · 38 crew2000s37 · 6 acting · 34 crew2010s44 · 4 acting · 41 crew2020s22 · 1 acting · 22 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

3 Primetime Emmys and 1 other major award from 30 major nominations, 1990–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
  2. 2016
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Music Direction
  3. 2011
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Score - Motion Picture
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
  4. 2010
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
  5. 2009
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Composer
  6. 2006
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
  7. 2005
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Main Title Theme Music
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
  8. 2004
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Score
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Score - Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Composer
Show 8 earlier years
  1. 2003
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
  2. 2002
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
  3. 1998
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Dramatic Score
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television
  4. 1997
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Music Video - Long Form
  5. 1994
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Score - Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Musical Album for Children
  6. 1992
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television
  7. 1991
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television
  8. 1990
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Main Title Theme Music
    • +1 other major body · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, won · Best Instrumental Composition
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Album of Original Instrumental Background Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television

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 Danny Elfman's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of all 123; across their 105 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 66th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 105

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 105

Reach · how many have seen their films

97thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 105

Midcredits score across 131 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up49
  • 50th to 74th45
  • 25th to 49th19
  • Below 25th18

Shape of the crowd

72 of their 131 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved18
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser72
  • Broadly Agreed19
  • Mixed21

Most divisive · composer

Oh No, Not Them (1989)

99th percentile spread · 56% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

Good Will Hunting (1997)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 66/100 in their films, across 90 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

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 Danny Elfman's work okay for kids?

Across up to 90 MovieCove titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore88 titles26–82 · median 52 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity90 titles10–55 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity87 titles13–83 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs84 titles8–59 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense85 titles29–74 · median 52 · 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 Danny Elfman work with?

People who share at least 2 of Danny Elfman's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Tim Burton shares the most, 19.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles