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John Madden

John Madden

Director, also producer and writer · Born April 8, 1949 (77) · Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, UK

Oscar nominee · Golden Globe nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · 4 other major award bodies

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Philip Madden (born 8 April 1949) is an English director of theatre, film, television, and radio. He was educated at Clifton College. He was in the same house as friend and fellow director Roger Michell. He began his career in British independent films. He graduated from the University of Cambridge (Sidney Sussex) in 1970 with a B.A. in English Literature. He started work in television including directing Prime Suspect 4 and episodes of Sherlock Holmes and Inspector Morse. Perhaps his most notable achievement to date was directing Shakespeare in Love, which won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1998, and for which Madden was also nominated as Best Director (he lost to Steven Spielberg for Saving Private Ryan). Madden is also a Jury Member for the digital studio Filmaka, a platform for undiscovered filmmakers to show their work to industry professionals. Description above from the Wikipedia article John Madden (director), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 8, 1949 (77)
From
Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, UK
Works as
Director, also producer and writer
Titles
18 on MovieCove · 33 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 20% in 30 days

What are John Madden's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: 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
Bonds
32%
Morality
24%
Society
11%
Ideas
10%
Self
10%
Survival
8%
Power
4%
Romantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 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 4 · Serious 4 · Dark 6

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

Grounded 11 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 10 · Intense 1

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

Steady 8 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 5 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 1

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 3 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 6

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

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Melancholic
9
Warm
6
Hopeful
5
Bittersweet
5
Other
12

How their films linger

Bittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1
  • 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 John Madden's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 18 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Pluto TV (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John Madden'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

33 credits, 18 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Onwards and Sideways(2026)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Operation Mincemeat(2021)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Miss Sloane(2016)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The BFG(2016)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel(2015)

    Director · Producer · Screenstory

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Masters of Sex(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Debt(2010)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Killshot(2008)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Proof(2005)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Captain Corelli's Mandolin(2001)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Shakespeare in Love(1998)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Mrs. Brown(1997)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Truth or Dare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • Meat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director

  • Golden Gate(1994)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Ethan Frome(1993)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Storyteller: Greek Myths(1991)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Prime Suspect(1991)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

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

    Director

  • Screen One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • After the War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

  • A Wreath of Roses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director

  • Inspector Morse(1987)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • The Return of Sherlock Holmes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Poppyland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director

  • Screen Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Sherlock Holmes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Wings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director

  • The Pigman's Protege (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Great Performances (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · Director

Career shape

A full career of 33 titles from 1971 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

$289M worldwide

Highest rated

Miss Sloane (2016)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing32 of 33: 30 only directing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score82ndWriting1 of 33: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing2 of 33: 1 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s2 · crew1980s11 · crew1990s9 · crew2000s3 · crew2010s6 · crew2020s2 · 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

10 major nominations and no wins, 1991–2013.

  1. 2013
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
  2. 2005
    • Venice award, nominated · Best Film
  3. 1999
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Director
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Director - Motion Picture
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
    • +2 other major bodies · 3 nominations
      • Berlinale award, nominated ×2
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
  4. 1997
    • Cannes award, nominated
  5. 1991
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Single Drama

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 Madden's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 18 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 18 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · director, producer

Onwards and Sideways (2026)

75th percentile spread · 13% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, producer

Onwards and Sideways (2026)

Midcredits 96th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 71/100 and the pacing 46/100 in their films, across 14 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 Madden's work okay for kids?

Across up to 10 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films and violence & gore and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles18–51 · median 31 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity10 titles28–56 · median 42 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity8 titles24–73 · median 48 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles22–43 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles4–47 · median 27 · mildlighter 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 John Madden work with?

People who share at least 2 of John Madden's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Thomas Newman shares the most, 5.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers