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Walter Hill

Walter Hill

Director, writer, producer and actor · Born January 10, 1942 (84) · Long Beach, California, USA

2 Primetime Emmys · 4 other major award bodies

Walter Wesley Hill (born January 10, 1942) is an American filmmaker. Hill is known for male-dominated action films and revival of the Western. He said in an interview, "Every film I've done has been a Western," and elaborated in another, "The Western is ultimately a stripped down moral universe that is, whatever the dramatic problems are, beyond the normal avenues of social control and social alleviation of the problem, and I like to do that even within contemporary stories."

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 10, 1942 (84)
From
Long Beach, California, USA
Works as
Director, writer, producer and actor
Titles
54 on MovieCove · 61 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 156 days to Oct 27Down 9% in 30 days

What are Walter Hill's films like?

Across their 47 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Morality.

Genres

Action25 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Horror4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama 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
Survival
25%
Morality
22%
Bonds
19%
Self
18%
Power
9%
Society
4%
Ideas
3%
Survival21 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty12 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 46 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 6 · Serious 11 · Dark 29

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

Grounded 17 · Stylized 19 · Heightened 10

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 12 · Intense 32

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

Steady 9 · Shifting 29 · Whiplash 8

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

Straight-faced 33 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 4

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

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 27 · Relentless 14

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

Casual 12 · Engaged 25 · Full focus 9

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 15 · Affecting 21 · Heavy 10

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

Resolved 35 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
43
Dread
18
Thrilling
22
Melancholic
10
Absurd
8
Other
26

How their films linger

Unsettling18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 10 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet22
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous12

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 Walter Hill's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 36 of their 54 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Walter Hill'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

61 credits, 54 with a MovieCove page; 14 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern(2026)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Alien: Romulus(2024)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Dead for a Dollar(2022)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Baby Driver(2017)

    Thanks · as Courtroom Interpreter (voice)

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Alien: Covenant(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Assignment(2016)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Bullet to the Head(2012)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Prometheus(2012)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Madso's War(2010)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem(2007)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Becoming John Ford (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as John Ford (voice)

  • Broken Trail(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Broken Trail: The Making of a Legendary Western(2006)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Alien vs. Predator(2004)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Deadwood(2004)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Consulting Producer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Ritual(2002)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Undisputed(2002)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Supernova(2000)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Alien: Resurrection(1997)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Perversions of Science (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 8 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

  • Last Man Standing(1996)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Bordello of Blood(1996)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Wild Bill(1995)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • W.E.I.R.D. World(1995)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight(1995)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Getaway(1994)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Geronimo: An American Legend(1993)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Trespass(1992)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Alien³(1992)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Two-Fisted Tales(1992)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Grand Canyon(1991)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Another 48 Hrs.(1990)

    Director · Characters

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Johnny Handsome(1989)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Tales from the Crypt(1989)

    Show 81 episodes · Director · Executive Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Red Heat(1988)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Martini Ranch: Reach (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Thanks

  • Extreme Prejudice(1987)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Aliens(1986)

    Executive Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Blue City(1986)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Crossroads(1986)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Brewster's Millions(1985)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Rustlers' Rhapsody(1985)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Streets of Fire(1984)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • 48 Hrs.(1982)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Southern Comfort(1981)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Long Riders(1980)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Alien(1979)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Warriors(1979)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Driver(1978)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Dog and Cat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Writer

  • Dog and Cat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show Creator

  • Hard Times(1975)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Drowning Pool(1975)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Messiah of Evil(1974)

    as Stabbing Victim in Prologue

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The MacKintosh Man(1973)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Thief Who Came to Dinner(1973)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Getaway(1972)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Hickey & Boggs(1972)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The G.I. Executioner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Gregg Morrison

  • The Thomas Crown Affair(1968)

    Second Assistant Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • St. Vincent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Screenplay

Career shape

A full career of 61 titles, 60 of them dated from 1968 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Prometheus (2012)

$403M worldwide

Highest rated

Alien (1979)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting5 of 61: 4 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting29 of 61: 10 only directing, 19 with another role · typical Midcredits score62ndWriting25 of 61: 7 only writing, 18 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdProducing24 of 61: 13 only producing, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdOther crew5 of 61: 4 only other crew, 1 with another role

61 titles, 23 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 15 of them.

By decade

1960s1 · crew1970s13 · 2 acting · 11 crew1980s14 · crew1990s14 · crew2000s9 · 1 acting · 8 crew2010s6 · 1 acting · 6 crew2020s3 · 1 acting · 2 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

2 Primetime Emmys and 4 other major awards from 9 major nominations, 1980–2024.

WinNomination
  1. 2024
    • Writers Guild Award, won
  2. 2022
    • Venice award, won
    • Venice award, nominated · Graffetta d'Oro for Best Film
  3. 2007
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Miniseries
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Directors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television
  4. 2005
    • Directors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series - Night
  5. 2004
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
  6. 1980
    • 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 Walter Hill's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 51; across their 46 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 54th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 46

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 46

Reach · how many have seen their films

91stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 46

Midcredits score across 54 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up19
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

25 of their 54 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Crowd Pleaser25
  • Broadly Agreed11
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · actor

Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern (2026)

94th percentile spread · 21% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Alien (1979)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 66/100 and the pacing 50/100 in their films, across 45 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 Walter Hill's work okay for kids?

Across up to 34 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 & Gore31 titles54–94 · median 78 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity34 titles17–64 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity31 titles33–88 · median 68 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs27 titles26–53 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense27 titles44–89 · median 63 · 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 Walter Hill work with?

People who share at least 2 of Walter Hill's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Freeman A. Davies shares the most, 18.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles