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Derek Kolstad

Derek Kolstad

Writer and producer · Born April 4, 1974 (52) · Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Derek Kolstad (born April 4, 1974) is an American screenwriter and producer. He created the John Wick franchise, which began in 2014. He continued to write for the first two sequels of the franchise and is mainly known as a screenwriter of action films and shows.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 4, 1974 (52)
From
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Works as
Writer and producer
Titles
16 on MovieCove · 32 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 32% in 30 days

What are Derek Kolstad's films like?

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

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
27%
Self
26%
Power
22%
Survival
17%
Bonds
7%
Society
1%
Power4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 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 2 · Serious 3 · Dark 7

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 2 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 6

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 1 · Intense 11

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

Steady 1 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

Relentless: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their relentless movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 0 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 8

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

Casual 4 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Thrilling
12
Cathartic
4
Absurd
3
Dread
3
Other
5

How their films linger

Fun12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic1
  • 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 Derek Kolstad's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 16 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Derek Kolstad'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

32 credits, 16 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Normal(2025)

    Producer · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Splinter Cell: Deathwatch(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Nobody 2(2025)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Ballerina(2025)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Continental(2023)

    Show 3 episodes · Executive Producer · Original Film Writer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • John Wick: Chapter 4(2023)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Die Hart(2023)

    Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Princess(2022)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Falcon and the Winter Soldier(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · Co-Executive Producer · Staff Writer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Nobody(2021)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Die Hart(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Creator · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all shows

  • John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum(2019)

    Characters · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • John Wick: Chapter 2(2017)

    Characters · Writer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • John Wick(2014)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Package(2012)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • One in the Chamber(2012)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • A Darker Shade of Magic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Writer

  • Acolyte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Screenplay

  • Booker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer · Writer

  • Canyon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer · Screenplay

  • Coyote Blue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Screenplay

  • Hunting Season (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Writer

  • Just Watch Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Writer

  • Normal 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Writer

  • Ordained (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer · Writer

  • Painter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer · Screenplay

  • Shield of Sparrows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Executive Producer · Writer

  • Stray (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer · Screenplay

  • Streets of Rage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • The Man from Nowhere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Screenplay

  • The Reckoner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer · Writer

  • Time Agent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Screenplay

Career shape

A full career of 32 titles, 16 of them dated from 2012 to 2026.

Biggest box office

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

$447M worldwide

Highest rated

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

Midcredits 96th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing30 of 32: 16 only writing, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score56thProducing15 of 32: 2 only producing, 13 with another role · typical Midcredits score56thOther crew2 of 32: 0 only other crew, 2 with another role

32 titles, 14 with more than one role — writing and producing overlap on 13 of them.

By decade

2010s5 · crew2020s11 · 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.

How do Derek Kolstad's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 66th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 68th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

97thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Midcredits score across 16 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 16 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · producer

The Princess (2022)

55th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

Midcredits 96th · 83% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 41/100 and the plot and story 33/100 in their films, across 12 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

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 Derek Kolstad's work okay for kids?

Across up to 14 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films and sex & nudity lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore12 titles81–95 · median 92 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity14 titles11–40 · median 18 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity13 titles55–85 · median 70 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles27–61 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense12 titles53–85 · median 69 · intenseheavier 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 Derek Kolstad work with?

People who share at least 2 of Derek Kolstad's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Chad Stahelski shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers