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Bates Wilder

Bates Wilder

Actor · Born October 14, 1961 (65) · Weymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Bates Wilder was born on October 14, 1961 in Weymouth, Massachusetts, USA as Christopher Bates Wilder. He is an actor, known for Joy (2015), Tater Tot & Patton (2017) and The Great War (2019). He was previously married to Amy Wilder.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 14, 1961 (65)
From
Weymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
33 on MovieCove · 39 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 32% in 30 days

What are Bates Wilder's films like?

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

Genres

Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 20th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 6th percentile
: browse their Action 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
28%
Survival
28%
Morality
20%
Self
13%
Society
4%
Ideas
3%
Power
3%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 11 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 12 · Intense 1

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 0

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 8 · 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 6 · Engaged 6 · 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 2 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 1

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

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 2 of 6 analyzed roles.

Mentor
2 of 6
Ally
1 of 6
Shadow
1 of 6
Hero
1 of 6
Trickster
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Melancholic
7
Dread
5
Hopeful
5
Warm
3
Other
8

How their films linger

Unsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet7
  • Ambiguous6

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 Bates Wilder's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 28 of their 33 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (14).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Bates Wilder'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

39 credits, 33 with a MovieCove page.

  • Imposters(2026)

    as Orson

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Lost on a Mountain in Maine(2024)

    as Lead Ranger

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Strange Dark(2024)

    as Frank

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Letters to Santa(2023)

    as Santa

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • American Fiction(2023)

    as Jon Daniel Sigmarsen

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Confess, Fletch(2022)

    as Detective #2 / Gruff Cop Over Phone

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Black Wood(2022)

    as Dutch Wilder

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Operation Seawolf(2022)

    as Capt. Peter Rudolf

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • The Last Son(2021)

    as Coleman

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Black Friday(2021)

    as Chris' Father

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Kevin Can F**k Himself(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Greg

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • The Unholy(2021)

    as Geary

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Blood and Money(2020)

    as Night Guard

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The Great War(2019)

    as Captain William Rivers

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Long Lost Daughter(2018)

    as Derek Rhodes

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • American Woman(2018)

    as Detective O'Brien

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Stronger(2017)

    as Chelmsford Cop

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Tater Tot & Patton(2017)

    as Erwin

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Joy(2015)

    as Todd

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Spirit of Christmas(2015)

    as Sheriff Noah Bell

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Black Mass(2015)

    as Agent James

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Forger(2014)

    as Martin

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Sins of the Preacher(2013)

    as George Wilder

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • A Deadly Obsession(2012)

    as Olsen

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Shutter Island(2010)

    as Ward C Guard

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Hachi: A Dog's Tale(2009)

    as Harry Pinow

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Maiden Heist(2009)

    as Warehouse Foreman

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Don McKay(2009)

    as Officer Tierney

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Replacement Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Darryl

  • Abuse of Power (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Marty Brennan

  • Black Irish(2007)

    as Officer Cowen

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Underdog(2007)

    as Cop

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Brotherhood(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jimmy Martinson

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • The Legend of Lucy Keyes(2006)

    as Deputy Officer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Long Distance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Agent Turner

  • Mystic River(2003)

    as Loud Mouth Cop

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Original Sins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as FBI Agent

  • Claude (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Cop #1

  • Sir Drone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Bizz

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 38 titles from 1989 to 2026; peak year 2020.

Biggest box office

The Unholy (2021)

$31M worldwide

Highest rated

Imposters (2026)

Midcredits 73rd

Most popular right now

The Unholy (2021)

Film career

19892026

Peak 2020 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 2 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
Acting38 of 38: 38 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score48th

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s2 · acting2000s11 · acting2010s12 · acting2020s12 · acting

Billing

usually 13th · top billed in 0% of 17 roles
061121

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.

How do Bates Wilder's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 31; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 27th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

23rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 33 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th12

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 33 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

The Strange Dark (2024)

83rd percentile spread · 30% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Shutter Island (2010)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 41. 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 Bates Wilder's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 42 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 12 · minimalMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 41 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 32 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 41 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Bates Wilder work with?

People who share at least 2 of Bates Wilder's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mark Donadio shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers