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David Butler

David Butler

Actor · Died May 27, 2021, aged 61 · South Africa

David Butler was born on 1 March 1960 in South Africa. He was an actor, known for Serenity (2019), Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) and Friend Request (2016). He died on 27 May 2021 in South Africa.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 1, 1960
Died
May 27, 2021 (aged 61)
From
South Africa
Works as
Actor
Titles
21 on MovieCove · 25 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Down 39% in 30 days

What are David Butler's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
42%
Survival
22%
Power
14%
Self
10%
Bonds
6%
Ideas
5%
Justice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 5 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 3 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 4 · Intense 1

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

Steady 1 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 2 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Dread
3
Melancholic
4
Thrilling
2
Absurd
2
Other
5

How their films linger

Unsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous3

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 David Butler's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 20 of their 21 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for David Butler'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

25 credits, 21 with a MovieCove page.

  • Reyka(2021)

    Show 5 episodes · In Memory Of · as Mr. Bloom

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

  • Dead Places(2021)

    Show 8 episodes · as Dr. Damons

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Dust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as David

  • Serenity(2019)

    as Jack

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Breathe(2017)

    as Estate Manager

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Madiba(2017)

    Show as John Vorster

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Cape Town(2015)

    Show as Dries Moorfood

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all shows

  • Young Ones(2014)

    as Sam Lever

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Black Sails(2014)

    Show 5 episodes · as Frasier

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom(2013)

    as Colonel Badenhorst

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Winnie Mandela(2011)

    as Judge Donovan

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • How to Steal 2 Million(2011)

    as Banker

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Sinking of the Laconia(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · as George Steel

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • Mrs Mandela (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Riot Commanding Officer

  • The Prisoner(2009)

    Show as Shopkeeper

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • The Devil's Mistress(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Burford Leveller

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • The Triangle(2005)

    Show 3 episodes · as Tolan

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

  • Binnelanders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 21 episodes · as Jerry

  • Third Watch(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Commander Meeks

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Cop Land(1997)

    as Thin Cop

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Favorite Deadly Sins(1995)

    as Sara's Husband

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Pursuit(1991)

    as Lucky Luke

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Duff

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Prey for the Hunter(1990)

    as Alex Lee

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Circles in a Forest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Older James

Career shape

Star power in the 86th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 20 titles from 1989 to 2021; peak year 2013.

Biggest box office

Serenity (2019)

$14M worldwide

Highest rated

Dead Places (2021)

Midcredits 62nd

Film career

19892021

Peak 2013 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting20 of 20: 19 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score48thOther crew1 of 20: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s4 · acting2000s3 · acting2010s9 · acting2020s3 · 3 acting · 1 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 David Butler's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 31st percentile, the median of all 10; across their 5 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 19th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

19thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Approval · how many liked their films

23rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Reach · how many have seen their films

12thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Midcredits score across 21 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th1
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 21 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

Pursuit (1991)

88th percentile spread · 50% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Black Sails (2014)

Midcredits 92nd · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 54/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 40. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

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.

Who does David Butler work with?

People who share at least 2 of David Butler's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John H. Parr shares the most, 2.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Producers