Skip to content
MovieCove
Spike Lee

Spike Lee

Producer, director, actor and writer, also editor · Born March 20, 1957 (69) · Atlanta, Georgia, USA

2 Oscars · 2 Primetime Emmys · 2 BAFTA Awards · 10 other major award bodies

Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American filmmaker and actor. His work has continually explored race relations, issues within the black community, the role of media in contemporary life, urban crime and poverty, and other political issues. Lee received numerous accolades for his work, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Peabody Awards as well as nominations for three Golden Globe Awards and a Grammy Award. Lee studied filmmaking at both Morehouse College and the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where he directed his student film Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads (1983), which won a Student Academy Award. He later founded the production company  40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, where he has produced more than 35 films. He made his directorial debut with the comedy She's Gotta Have It (1986). He received widespread critical acclaim for the drama Do the Right Thing (1989), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He directed the historical epic Malcolm X (1992), earning the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. With the biographical crime dramedy BlacKkKlansman (2018), he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and the Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix Award. He has also written and directed films such as School Daze (1988), Mo' Better Blues (1990), Jungle Fever (1991), Crooklyn (1994), Clockers (1995), Bamboozled (2000), 25th Hour (2002), Inside Man (2006), Chi-Raq (2015), Da 5 Bloods (2020), and Highest 2 Lowest (2025). Lee has also acted in eleven of his feature films. He is also known for directing numerous documentary projects, including 4 Little Girls (1997), which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film. He directed the HBO series When the Levees Broke (2006), which won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program and Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking. He also directed the HBO documentary If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise (2010) and the David Byrne concert film American Utopia (2020). Lee has received several honours, including the Honorary BAFTA Award in 2002, an Honorary César in 2003, the Academy Honorary Award in 2015, and the National Medal of Arts in 2023. Five of his films have been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". He has received a Gala Tribute from the Film Society of Lincoln Center as well as the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize. His films have featured breakthrough performances from actors such as Denzel Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Samuel L. Jackson, Giancarlo Esposito, Rosie Perez, Delroy Lindo, John Turturro, and John David Washington. Description above from the Wikipedia article Spike Lee, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 20, 1957 (69)
From
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Works as
Producer, director, actor and writer, also editor
Titles
82 on MovieCove · 149 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 4% in 30 days

What are Spike Lee's films like?

Across their 78 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Genres

Documentary23 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Comedy20 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 97th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: 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
Society
26%
Self
18%
Morality
17%
Survival
11%
Power
11%
Bonds
9%
Ideas
7%
Community20 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice17 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity16 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt9 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy13 titles, browse their movies with this themePrejudice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival7 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 76 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 23 · Serious 19 · Dark 34

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 37 · Stylized 31 · Heightened 8

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 18 · Charged 28 · Intense 30

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

Steady 27 · Shifting 32 · Whiplash 17

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

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 40 · Some laughs 28 · Funny 8

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

Slow burn 36 · Even-paced 38 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 26 · Engaged 40 · Full focus 10

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 23 · Affecting 22 · Heavy 31

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

Resolved 47 · Open-ended 20 · Ambiguous 9

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Trickster: 2 of 7 analyzed roles.

Trickster
2 of 7
Ally
2 of 7
Hero
1 of 7
Mentor
1 of 7
Herald
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
46
Melancholic
40
Contemplative
34
Warm
19
Absurd
14
Other
67

How their films linger

Thought-provoking46 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 10 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet36
  • Tragic6
  • Ambiguous26
  • Other1

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 Spike Lee's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 41 of their 82 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Spike Lee'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

149 credits, 82 with a MovieCove page; 87 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • APART (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Writer

  • Talk Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Executive Producer

  • MegaDoc(2025)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Voice of Hind Rajab(2025)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • From Sidney, with Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Executive Producer

  • Katrina: Come Hell and High Water(2025)

    Show 3 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Highest 2 Lowest(2025)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • How I Learned to Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Executive Producer

  • In Between Storms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Executive Producer

  • Nervous Energy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Executive Producer

  • 13 Steps - Die unglaubliche Karriere von Edwin Moses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Actor

  • The Piano Lesson(2024)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Brownies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Executive Producer

  • The Truck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Executive Producer

  • PUNTER (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Executive Producer

  • F*ck That Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Executive Producer

  • Rolling Along: Bill Bradley(2024)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • In Freedom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Executive Producer

  • You Resemble Me(2021)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Captain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 7 episodes · Executive Producer

  • Off-Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Associate Producer

  • NYC Epicenters 9/11-2021½(2021)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all shows

  • Son of the South(2020)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Tales from the Hood 3(2020)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • David Byrne's American Utopia(2020)

    Director · Executive Producer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Da 5 Bloods(2020)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • 3 Brothers: Radio Raheem, Eric Garner and George Floyd (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director

  • New York New York (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director

  • See You Yesterday(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Land of the Free (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director

  • American Skin(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Amazing Grace(2018)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Cherish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Executive Producer

  • BlacKkKlansman(2018)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Tales from the Hood 2(2018)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Time 2 Surrender (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Executive Producer

  • Nigerian Prince(2018)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Black 14 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Executive Producer

  • Pass Over(2018)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • She's Gotta Have It(2017)

    Show 19 episodes · Director · Creator · as Drum Major

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Rodney King(2017)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Be Truly Free (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Director · as Narrator (voice)

  • Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: $15 Kicks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Executive Producer

  • Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: Redemption Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Executive Producer

  • 2 Fists Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · Producer

  • Touched with Fire(2015)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall(2016)

    Director · as Self

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Chi-Raq(2015)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: Of the Father and of the Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Executive Producer

  • Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: The Greatest Catch Ever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Executive Producer · as self

  • Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: The Ice Breaker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Executive Producer

  • Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: Italian Imports (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Assistant Director · Executive Producer

  • The Girl Is in Trouble(2015)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Da Sweet Blood of Jesus(2014)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Ray Allen/AKA- Jesus Shuttlesworth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Actor

  • Cronies(2015)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Stop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Thanks

  • Throw Like A Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director

  • Jerrod Carmichael: Love at the Store(2014)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Do The Right Thing 25 Year Anniversary A Beats Music Experience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · as self

  • Katt Williams: Priceless: Afterlife(2014)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Amex Unstaged Pharrell Williams Live at the Apollo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director

  • Manos sucias(2014)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Evolution of a Criminal(2014)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • We the People: From Crispus Attucks to President Barack Obama(2010)

    Actor

  • I Can't Breathe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Writer

  • Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth(2013)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Oldboy(2013)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Bad 25(2012)

    Director · as Self

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Red Hook Summer(2012)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Mr. Mookie

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • You're Nobody 'til Somebody Kills You(2012)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Una noche(2012)

    Presenter

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Pariah(2011)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Doubles with Slight Pepper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Executive Producer

  • On the Shoulders of Giants(2011)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Creator · Producer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Saint John of Las Vegas(2009)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Passing Strange (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • Do the Right Thing - 20 Years Later(2009)

    Director · as Self

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Kobe Doin' Work (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director · Producer · as Self

  • Miracle at St. Anna(2008)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Genesis | Come Rain or Shine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Camera Operator

  • Beyond Wiseguys: Italian Americans & the Movies(2008)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Shark(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts(2006)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Creator · Producer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Inside Man(2006)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • All the Invisible Children(2005)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Jesus Children of America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America(2004)

    Presenter

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)(2005)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Miracle's Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Through the Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Actor

  • Sucker Free City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director

  • She Hate Me(2004)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Good Fences(2003)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • 25th Hour(2002)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet(2002)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Jim Brown: All American(2002)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Come Rain or Come Shine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director · Cinematographer

  • The Concert for New York City(2001)

    Director · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Home Invaders(2001)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • 3 A.M. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Co-Executive Producer · Producer · as Filmmaker

  • A Huey P. Newton Story(2001)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Making of 'Bamboozled'(2001)

    Director · as Self

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Bamboozled(2000)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Original Kings of Comedy(2000)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Bernie Mac: Live from Charlotte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director

  • Lisa Picard Is Famous(2000)

    as Spike Lee

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Love & Basketball(2000)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Best Man(1999)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Summer of Sam(1999)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as John Jeffries

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Pavarotti & Friends 99 for Guatemala and Kosovo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • John Leguizamo: Freak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director

  • Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director

  • He Got Game(1998)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • 4 Little Girls(1997)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Interviewer (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • HIStory on Film, Volume II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director

  • Get on the Bus(1996)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Girl 6(1996)

    Director · Producer · as Jimmy

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Lumière and Company(1995)

    Director · as Self (segment "Sarah Moon")

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Clockers(1995)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Chucky

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Tales from the Hood(1995)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • New Jersey Drive(1995)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Below the Rim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Actor

  • Drop Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Executive Producer · as Himself

  • Crooklyn(1994)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Snuffy

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Seven Songs for Malcolm X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Actor

  • Malcolm X(1992)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Shorty

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Prince and the N.P.G.: Diamonds and Pearls Video Collection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

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

    Show 54 episodes · as Special Agent Pete · as Special Agent Pete (archive footage)

  • Jungle Fever(1991)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Cyrus

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Suspect (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Thanks

  • Spike Lee Presents Mike Tyson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director

  • Lonely in America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Spike Lee (Newsstand Customer) (uncredited)

  • Mo' Better Blues(1990)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Giant

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director · Actor

  • In Living Color (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Do the Right Thing(1989)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Mookie

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Public Enemy: Fight the Power... Live! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Actor

  • School Daze(1988)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Darrell 'Half-Pint' Dunlap

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Horn of Plenty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Director · Writer

  • She's Gotta Have It(1986)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer · as Mars Blackmon

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

  • Sarah (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director

  • The Answer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director

  • Saturday Night Live(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Mars Blackmon · as Self (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Boner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Gordon Hemingway & the Realm of Cthulhu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Liberty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

Career shape

A full career of 147 titles, 144 of them dated from 1975 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Inside Man (2006)

$186M worldwide

Highest rated

The Voice of Hind Rajab (2025)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Highest 2 Lowest (2025)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting31 of 147: 14 only acting, 17 with another role · typical Midcredits score73rdDirecting78 of 147: 29 only directing, 49 with another role · typical Midcredits score71stWriting23 of 147: 1 only writing, 22 with another role · typical Midcredits score71stProducing88 of 147: 45 only producing, 43 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thCinematography2 of 147: 0 only cinematography, 2 with another roleEditing2 of 147: 0 only editing, 2 with another roleOther crew11 of 147: 7 only other crew, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score59th

147 titles, 51 with more than one role — producing and directing overlap on 41 of them.

By decade

1970s1 · acting1980s8 · 4 acting · 7 crew1990s28 · 14 acting · 23 crew2000s32 · 5 acting · 28 crew2010s48 · 6 acting · 46 crew2020s27 · 1 acting · 26 crew

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 0% of 12 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

2 Oscars, 2 Primetime Emmys, 2 BAFTA Awards and 15 other major awards from 57 major nominations, 1986–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Writers Guild Award, won
  2. 2022
    • Directors Guild Award, won
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Music Film
  3. 2021
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports - Specials
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Director
  4. 2020
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best First Feature
  5. 2019
    • Oscar, won · Best Adapted Screenplay
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Directing
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Director - Motion Picture
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Screenplay (Adapted)
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
    • +4 other major bodies · 5 nominations
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Adapted Screenplay
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Adapted Screenplay
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Director
  6. 2018
    • Cannes award, won · Grand Prize of the Jury
    • Cannes award, won
    • Cannes award, nominated
  7. 2016
    • Oscar, won
  8. 2012
    • Venice award, won ×3
Show 15 earlier years
  1. 2007
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming
  2. 2006
    • Venice award, won · Parallel Sections
    • Venice award, won ×2
    • Venice award, nominated · Best Film
  3. 2003
    • Berlinale award, nominated
  4. 2002
    • BAFTA Award, won
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Cannes award, nominated
  5. 2001
    • Berlinale award, nominated
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best First Feature
  6. 1999
    • Cannes award, nominated · Directors' Fortnight
    • Cannes award, nominated
  7. 1998
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Documentary, Features
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Non-Fiction Special
  8. 1997
    • Berlinale award, won
    • Berlinale award, nominated · Best Film
  9. 1995
    • Venice award, nominated
  10. 1993
    • Berlinale award, nominated
  11. 1991
    • Cannes award, won
    • Cannes award, nominated
  12. 1990
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Director - Motion Picture
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Venice award, won
      • Venice award, nominated
  13. 1989
    • Cannes award, nominated
  14. 1987
    • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best First Feature
  15. 1986
    • Cannes award, won · Foreign Film
    • Cannes award, nominated

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 Spike Lee's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 71st percentile, the median of the 74 of 75 with a score; across their 76 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 72nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 76

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 76

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 76

Midcredits score across 81 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up31
  • 50th to 74th27
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

29 of their 81 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved10
  • Divisive6
  • Cult Classic7
  • Crowd Pleaser29
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed28

Most divisive · actor, director

The Making of 'Bamboozled' (2001)

98th percentile spread · 53% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

The Voice of Hind Rajab (2025)

Midcredits 99th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 69/100 and the pacing 45/100 in their films, across 60 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 Spike Lee's work okay for kids?

Across up to 26 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore18 titles39–95 · median 68 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity26 titles25–79 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity23 titles52–95 · median 83 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs17 titles30–78 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense18 titles36–87 · median 67 · 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 Spike Lee work with?

People who share at least 2 of Spike Lee's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Terence Blanchard shares the most, 20.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles