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Jonathan D. Krane

Jonathan D. Krane

Producer, also writer · Died August 1, 2016, aged 64 · Los Angeles, California, USA

Independent Spirit Award nominee

Jonathan D. Krane was an American screenwriter, film producer, talent manager, and studio head. He's most known in Hollywood for his decade and a half partnership with John Travolta, who he managed from 1987 until 2002. He has been a force for change in the film industry. A graduate of both St. John's College and Yale University School of Law, his background in classical studies and law paved the way for him to identify five fundamental principles as its foundation. Implementing theories based on these principles, he has been able to achieve a high level of success as an industry leader. His career began in 1980 through a partnership with director Blake Edwards. As co-founder of "Blake Edwards Entertainment" and an Executive Producer on all of Edwards' films, Krane learned the ins and outs of the business from a key position as the first producer/manager. From there, he easily transformed into a studio mogul. His studio, Management Company Entertainment Group (MCEG), was the first talent management/studio/production company, and the highest performing entertainment stock of 1988. At MCEG, Krane focused on talent, putting Kim Basinger, Bruce Willis and Bridget Fonda in their first films. Managing over 150 clients, he also produced successful studio and independent films keeping low budgets and high production values. Krane produced Face/Off (1997), Phenomenon (1996), Michael (1996), Jerry Maguire (1996), Primary Colors (1998) - chosen to open the '98 Cannes Film Festival, and The General's Daughter (1999). Overall, Krane has produced 46 movies, both studio and independent. Recognized throughout his career for his work, Krane has received numerous awards and honors including "The Hollywood Visionary Award" in 2000 from the Hollywood Film Festival, a nomination for the Independent Spirit Awards for Best First Feature for The Chocolate War (1988), an issue of Daily Variety dedicated to his 20-year career, The People's Choice Award for Look Who's Talking (1989), as well as The Golden Palm Award at the Palm Beach International Film Festival for The Point of Betrayal (1995), which he co-wrote and produced. Krane has hosted seminars across the country on how to break into the film industry, and lectured at both the AFI Conservatory and USC. For fourteen years, his educational home was the UCLA Extension School, where he taught Motion Picture Production and Talent Management. By 2003, Krane undertook a lifelong dream of writing a comprehensive textbook on the industry. "A Revolutionary Approach to the Art and Science of Moviemaking" outlines a system by which movies can be produced both efficiently and profitably. Through its vision, this book has formed the basis of the curriculum for an innovative film institute Krane founded in 2005, the Krane Academy. It has also helped form the guiding principles of Krane's newest venture, The Edge, which will produce, finance, and distribute 15 films a year.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 1, 1952
Died
August 1, 2016 (aged 64)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Producer, also writer
Titles
38 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 156 days to Oct 27Up 4% in 30 days

What are Jonathan D. Krane's films like?

Across their 36 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy18 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 20th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 25th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Thriller2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 8th percentile
: browse their Thriller 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
27%
Self
24%
Morality
20%
Power
11%
Survival
9%
Society
7%
Ideas
2%
Romantic love9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception8 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMortality3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 36 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 17 · Serious 11 · Dark 8

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 21 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 7

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 17 · Charged 10 · Intense 9

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

Steady 15 · Shifting 17 · Whiplash 4

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 14 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 14

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

Slow burn 14 · Even-paced 18 · Relentless 4

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

Casual 23 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 5

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

Resolved 25 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Warm
12
Absurd
12
Joyful
13
Melancholic
12
Other
33

How their films linger

Feel-good17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Happy18
  • Bittersweet12
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous5

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 Jonathan D. Krane's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 30 of their 38 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (23).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jonathan D. Krane'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, 38 with a MovieCove page.

  • Father of Invention(2010)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Prince and the Pauper: The Movie(2007)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Basic(2003)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Domestic Disturbance(2001)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Swordfish(2001)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Lucky Numbers(2000)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Battlefield Earth(2000)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • The General's Daughter(1999)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Primary Colors(1998)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Mad City(1997)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Face/Off(1997)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Michael(1996)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Phenomenon(1996)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Point of Betrayal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Writer

  • Love Is a Gun(1994)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Look Who's Talking Now(1993)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Breaking the Rules(1992)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Cold Heaven(1991)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Boris and Natasha(1991)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Convicts(1991)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Look Who's Talking Too(1990)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Fatal Charm(1990)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Without You I'm Nothing(1990)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Chains of Gold(1990)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Limit Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Producer

  • Catch Me If You Can(1989)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Look Who's Talking(1989)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud(1989)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Getting It Right(1989)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Experts(1989)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • You Can't Hurry Love(1988)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Slipping Into Darkness(1988)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • The Chocolate War(1988)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Blind Date(1987)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • That's Life!(1986)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • A Fine Mess(1986)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Howie Mandel: Live from Carnegie Mall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Executive Producer

  • Micki + Maude(1984)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Man Who Loved Women(1983)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Curse of the Pink Panther(1983)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Trail of the Pink Panther(1982)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • On Location (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show Creator

  • Video Valentino (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

Career shape

A full career of 40 titles, 39 of them dated from 1975 to 2010.

Biggest box office

Look Who's Talking (1989)

$297M worldwide

Highest rated

Face/Off (1997)

Midcredits 89th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing2 of 40: 1 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing38 of 40: 37 only producing, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score30thOther crew1 of 40: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1970s1 · crew1980s15 · crew1990s16 · crew2000s6 · crew2010s1 · 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

Nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in 1989, Best First Feature.

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 Jonathan D. Krane's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 29th percentile, the median of all 38; across their 36 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 30th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

30thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Approval · how many liked their films

25thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Reach · how many have seen their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Midcredits score across 38 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up1
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th18

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 38 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Panned2
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed17

Most divisive · producer

The Prince and the Pauper: The Movie (2007)

86th percentile spread · 31% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Face/Off (1997)

Midcredits 89th · 77% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 42/100 and the plot and story 33/100 in their films, across 36 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 Jonathan D. Krane's work okay for kids?

Across up to 16 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore10 titles34–83 · median 58 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity16 titles22–64 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity10 titles39–87 · median 65 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles33–69 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles22–74 · median 56 · moderateheavier 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 Jonathan D. Krane work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jonathan D. Krane's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Travolta shares the most, 14.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles