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Chris Bender

Chris Bender

Producer · Born January 1, 1971 (55) · New Jersey, USA

Chris Bender (born 1971) is an American film producer whose beginnings were through developing and co-producing an American Pie film series based on his and writer Adam Herz's own high school experiences. In November 1998, he established the management and production company Benderspink with partner J.C. Spink, a fellow alumnus of Bucknell University. Benderspink had a successful first-look deal with New Line Cinema for over 15 years, a first-look deal with Universal Cable Productions, and before that, CBS Studios and Fox 21. In 2016, Bender and Spink split up to pursue forming their own companies. J.C. Spink died in 2017 and was celebrated by industry friends and family at a memorial service. Chris Bender founded Good Fear Content in 2016 with Jake Weiner. The company produces clutter-busting media across theatrical, TV and emerging digital platforms, focusing on nurturing and establishing new voices aspiring to be generation-defining talent. Under the company's banner, Bender's most recent release was as producer on David Robert Mitchell's Under the Silver Lake with Oscar nominee Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, and Topher Grace. The film was screened in a Cannes competition and released by A24 domestically in April 2019. In 2020, Amazon Studios released My Spy. Pete Segal directs the film, and Dave Bautista and Kristen Schaal are the stars. That project was followed by Mulan, a live-action version of the classic adventure of a young Chinese maiden disguised as a warrior to save her father. Released by Disney, the film is directed by and stars Yifei Liu, Jet Li, Gong Li, and Donnie Yen. Other projects produced by Bender include the hit comedy We're the Millers, starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis; Horrible Bosses 2, starring Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, and Charlie Day; and Vacation, starring Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, and Chris Hemsworth, all for New Line. Bender has produced or developed projects that have grown into six franchises in various genres: Final Destination, American Pie, The Ring, Cats & Dogs, The Butterfly Effect, and The Hangover series. Eight of his movies have opened to number one, and Bender was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for A History of Violence. Description above from the Wikipedia article Chris Bender (film producer), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 1, 1971 (55)
From
New Jersey, USA
Works as
Producer
Titles
45 on Motif · 56 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 157 days to Oct 28Up 3% in 30 days

What are Chris Bender's films like?

Across their 41 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy15 titlesTypical Motif score: 46th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action7 titlesTypical Motif score: 40th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Motif score: 20th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Horror4 titlesTypical Motif score: 22nd percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Motif score: 37th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Motif score: 49th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Fantasy2 titlesTypical Motif score: 36th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Fantasy movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Motif 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
35%
Self
33%
Survival
16%
Morality
7%
Society
4%
Ideas
3%
Power
2%
Family bonds16 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival10 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship11 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth8 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 41 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 7 · Dark 11

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

Grounded 18 · Stylized 19 · Heightened 4

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

Gentle 8 · Charged 20 · Intense 13

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

Steady 15 · Shifting 20 · Whiplash 6

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 19 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 18

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 28 · Relentless 9

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

A split, not a type: Casual 22 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 7

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 20 · Affecting 13 · Heavy 8

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

Resolved 31 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
23
Dread
15
Absurd
15
Joyful
13
Thrilling
9
Other
39

How their films linger

Fun21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 12 with a twist

  • Happy20
  • Bittersweet12
  • Tragic4
  • 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 Chris Bender's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 33 of their 45 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Chris Bender's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif 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

56 credits, 45 with a Motif page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The End of Oak Street(2026)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Parenting(2025)

    Producer

    Motif score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Hysteria!(2024)

    Show 8 episodes · Executive Producer

    Motif score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • My Spy: The Eternal City(2024)

    Producer

    Motif score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Last Voyage of the Demeter(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Senior Year(2022)

    Producer

    Motif score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Mulan(2020)

    Producer

    Motif score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • My Spy(2020)

    Producer

    Motif score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Cuck(2019)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Polaroid(2019)

    Producer

    Motif score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Under the Silver Lake(2018)

    Producer

    Motif score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Tracktown(2016)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Rings(2017)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Ride Along 2(2016)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Vacation(2015)

    Producer

    Motif score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Horrible Bosses 2(2014)

    Producer

    Motif score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Zombeavers(2014)

    Producer

    Motif score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Ride Along(2014)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 45th percentile of all films

  • We're the Millers(2013)

    Producer

    Motif score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Incredible Burt Wonderstone(2013)

    Producer

    Motif score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Hangover Part II(2011)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Arthur(2011)

    Producer

    Motif score: 28th percentile of all films

  • I Am Number Four(2011)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Leap Year(2010)

    Producer

    Motif score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Hole(2009)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Hangover(2009)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Kill Theory(2009)

    Producer

    Motif score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations(2009)

    Producer

    Motif score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Insanitarium(2008)

    Producer

    Motif score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The Ruins(2008)

    Producer

    Motif score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Private Valentine: Blonde & Dangerous(2008)

    Producer

    Motif score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The Butterfly Effect 2(2006)

    Producer

    Motif score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Just Friends(2005)

    Producer

    Motif score: 45th percentile of all films

  • A History of Violence(2005)

    Producer

    Motif score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Red Eye(2005)

    Producer · as Airline Passenger (uncredited)

    Motif score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Monster-in-Law(2005)

    Producer

    Motif score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Ring Two(2005)

    Co-Executive Producer

    Motif score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Butterfly Effect(2004)

    Producer

    Motif score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • American Wedding(2003)

    Producer · as Scared Guy in Bathroom

    Motif score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Blind Horizon(2003)

    Producer

    Motif score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Cheaters(2002)

    Producer

    Motif score: 46th percentile of all films

  • American Pie 2(2001)

    Co-Producer

    Motif score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Cats & Dogs(2001)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Final Destination(2000)

    Associate Producer

    Motif score: 67th percentile of all films

  • American Pie(1999)

    Co-Producer

    Motif score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Beneath the Surface (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Bob the Musical (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Business Trip (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Care Bears (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Good in Bed (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Heroes & Villains (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Man Alive (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Singles Day (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Sweet Tooth (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

  • They Follow (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Unleashed (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

Career shape

A full career of 52 titles, 41 of them dated from 1999 to 2026.

Biggest box office

The Hangover Part II (2011)

$587M worldwide

Highest rated

The Butterfly Effect (2004)

Motif 92nd

Most popular right now

The End of Oak Street (2026)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 52: 0 only acting, 2 with another roleProducing52 of 52: 50 only producing, 2 with another role · typical Motif score45th

By decade

1990s1 · crew2000s16 · 2 acting · 16 crew2010s16 · crew2020s8 · 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 Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.

How do Chris Bender's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 39th percentile, the median of all 44; across their 41 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 37th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

37thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 41

Approval · how many liked their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 41

Reach · how many have seen their films

96thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 41

Motif score across 45 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th19
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 45 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed11
  • Mixed15

Most divisive · producer

Private Valentine: Blonde & Dangerous (2008)

74th percentile spread · 48% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

The Hangover (2009)

Motif 95th · 85% liked

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif 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 Chris Bender's work okay for kids?

Across up to 36 Motif titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore31 titles24–89 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity36 titles16–77 · median 43 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 31
Profanity32 titles31–87 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 35
Alcohol & Drugs29 titles14–64 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense32 titles10–83 · median 47 · moderatenear the median of all 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 Chris Bender work with?

People who share at least 2 of Chris Bender's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; J.C. Spink shares the most, 21.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles