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John Francis Daley

John Francis Daley

Actor, writer, producer and director · Born July 20, 1985 (41) · Wheeling, Illinois, USA

BAFTA Award nominee

John Francis Daley (born July 20, 1985) is an American filmmaker and actor. He is best known for playing high school freshman Sam Weir on the NBC comedy-drama Freaks and Geeks and FBI criminal profiler Dr. Lance Sweets on the crime drama series Bones, for which he was nominated for a 2014 PRISM Award. He plays keyboards and sings for the band Dayplayer. Daley is also known for his collaborative work with fellow writer and director Jonathan Goldstein, working on various films together. Daley and Goldstein's first work together was co-writing the comedy Horrible Bosses (2011), co-writing The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013), co-story writing for Horrible Bosses 2 (2014), and co-writing/co-directing (in their directing debuts) the fifth film in the National Lampoon's Vacation film series, Vacation (2015). The duo were co-writers for Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) with Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, Chris McKenna, and Erik Sommers, and they co-directed the 2018 comedy Game Night and the 2023 fantasy Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves. Description above from the Wikipedia article John Francis Daley, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 20, 1985 (41)
From
Wheeling, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor, writer, producer and director
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 43 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 7% in 30 days

What are John Francis Daley's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Action7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Adventure 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
44%
Self
38%
Survival
5%
Morality
5%
Society
4%
Power
2%
Ideas
2%
Friendship9 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeParenthood2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 15 · Serious 1 · Dark 0

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

Grounded 4 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 11 · Intense 3

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

Steady 4 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 4

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

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 13

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

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 5

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

Casual 10 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 15 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 2 of 3 analyzed roles.

Hero
2 of 3
Ally
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
13
Joyful
10
Thrilling
8
Warm
5
Tense
5
Other
12

How their films linger

Feel-good16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet6
  • 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 Francis Daley's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John Francis Daley'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

43 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Mayday(2026)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as LSO

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Hysteria!(2024)

    Show 8 episodes · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Vacation Friends 2(2023)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Flash(2023)

    Screenstory

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves(2023)

    Director · Executive Producer · Screenplay · Songs · as Special Creature Voice (voice)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Vacation Friends(2021)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Welcome to Georgia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay

  • Stuber(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • In the Dark(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Consulting Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Game Night(2018)

    Director · as Carter

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Spider-Man: Homecoming(2017)

    Screenplay · Screenstory

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Bottom's Butte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Scott/Cabana Boy

  • Vacation(2015)

    Director · Songs · Writer · as Ride Operator

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Dude Bro Party Massacre III(2015)

    as Ernest

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Fresh Off the Boat(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Jordan

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Horrible Bosses 2(2014)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2(2013)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Drunk History(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as James J. Andrews

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Rapture-Palooza(2013)

    as Ben House

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Incredible Burt Wonderstone(2013)

    Screenplay · Story · as Paramedic 1

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Finder(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Lance Sweets

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Horrible Bosses(2011)

    Screenplay · as Carter

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Audio Tour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Screenplay

  • 5-25-77(2008)

    as Pat Johnson

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Yo Gabba Gabba!(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Clark and Michael (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom

  • Waiting...(2005)

    as Mitch

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Kitchen Confidential (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 13 episodes · as Jim

  • Bones(2005)

    Show 141 episodes · Writer · as Lance Sweets

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Regular Joe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 4 episodes · as Grant Binder

  • View from the Top(2003)

    as Rodney

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Ellen Show(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Erik

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows

  • What Babies Do (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director

  • Boston Public (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 5 episodes · as Anthony Ward

  • The Geena Davis Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 22 episodes · as Carter Ryan

  • Freaks and Geeks(1999)

    Show 18 episodes · Songs · as Sam Weir

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Judging Amy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Jace Crosby

  • Spin City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Spencer

  • Care Bears (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Diya (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Monopoly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Screenplay

  • Renegades (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Producer

  • Untitled Star Trek Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

Career shape

A full career of 43 titles, 38 of them dated from 1996 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

$881M worldwide

Highest rated

Freaks and Geeks (1999)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Bones (2005)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting26 of 43: 18 only acting, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thDirecting9 of 43: 1 only directing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score78thWriting16 of 43: 7 only writing, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thProducing10 of 43: 4 only producing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score76thOther crew3 of 43: 0 only other crew, 3 with another role

43 titles, 13 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

1990s3 · 3 acting · 1 crew2000s12 · 11 acting · 2 crew2010s16 · 10 acting · 10 crew2020s7 · 2 acting · 7 crew

Billing

usually 13th · top billed in 13% of 8 roles

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.

Awards

Nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2014, BAFTA Kids Vote - Feature Film.

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 Francis Daley's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 55th percentile, the median of all 18; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 50th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

96thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 27 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

5-25-77 (2008)

66th percentile spread · 16% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Freaks and Geeks (1999)

Midcredits 98th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 42. 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 John Francis Daley's work okay for kids?

Across up to 17 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore17 titles30–68 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity17 titles12–60 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity17 titles36–90 · median 77 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs17 titles23–74 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense17 titles15–47 · median 29 · 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 Francis Daley work with?

People who share at least 2 of John Francis Daley's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jonathan Goldstein shares the most, 13.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers