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J. Miles Dale

J. Miles Dale

Producer and director, also actor · Born January 1, 1961 (65) · Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Oscar winner · BAFTA Award nominee · 2 other major award bodies

J. Miles Dale (born 1961) is a Canadian producer and director of film and television. He is best known for producing the critically acclaimed film The Shape of Water, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 90th Academy Awards ceremony. Dale is a regular collaborator of fellow director Guillermo del Toro and formed a creative partnership with Netflix. Dale was born in Toronto, Ontario, to British-born Canadian jazz musician Jimmy Dale. Dale attended Bayview Glen School from 1965 to 1968. In 1968, his father moved the family to Hollywood, where he worked as a music director for The Smothers Brothers Show, The Andy Williams Show, and The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. The family returned to Toronto in the mid-1970s, and Miles graduated from Jarvis Collegiate Institute. He attended the University of Toronto for a year and later transferred to the University of British Columbia before dropping out to join the film industry. Description above from the Wikipedia article J. Miles Dale, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 1, 1961 (65)
From
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Works as
Producer and director, also actor
Titles
33 on MovieCove · 39 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 56% in 30 days

What are J. Miles Dale's films like?

Across their 24 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Genres

Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Horror movies
Thriller2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 11th 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
Self
28%
Morality
20%
Bonds
16%
Survival
13%
Society
10%
Power
10%
Ideas
3%
Identity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 24 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 7 · Serious 8 · Dark 9

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

Grounded 8 · 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 2 · Charged 7 · Intense 15

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 17 · Whiplash 4

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

Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 13 · 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 9 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 5

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 14 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
16
Dread
10
Melancholic
12
Romantic
5
Absurd
4
Other
19

How their films linger

Bittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous4

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 J. Miles Dale's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 33 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for J. Miles Dale'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

39 credits, 33 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Frankenstein: The Anatomy Lesson(2025)

    Producer · as Self - Producer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Frankenstein(2025)

    Producer · Unit Production Manager

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Last Voyage of the Demeter(2023)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · Executive Producer · Unit Production Manager

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all shows

  • Nightmare Alley(2021)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Antlers(2021)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark(2019)

    Producer · Unit Production Manager

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Shape of Water(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Shadowhunters(2016)

    Show 13 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • The Strain(2014)

    Show 7 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Endless Love(2014)

    Executive Producer · Unit Production Manager

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Iris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Producer

  • Carrie(2013)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Mama(2013)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Vow(2012)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Thing(2011)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Scott Pilgrim vs. the World(2010)

    Executive Producer · Unit Production Manager

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Love Happens(2009)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Pontypool(2008)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Flash of Genius(2008)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Talk to Me(2007)

    Executive Producer · Second Unit Director · as Program Director

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • 'Til Death Do Us Part (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Hollywoodland(2006)

    Executive Producer · Second Unit Director · Unit Production Manager

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle(2004)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Skulls III(2004)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Blizzard(2003)

    Producer · as Additional reindeer voices

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye(2002)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • The Skulls II(2002)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Wolf Girl(2001)

    Producer · Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Harvard Man(2001)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Andromeda(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Sideshow(2000)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • All American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story(2000)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Earth: Final Conflict(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

  • RoboCop(1994)

    Show 22 episodes · Producer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all shows

  • The Comedy Factory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 7 episodes · Associate Producer · Producer

  • Fury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Mockingbird (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • The Boy in the Iron Box (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

Career shape

A full career of 37 titles, 34 of them dated from 1985 to 2025.

Biggest box office

The Vow (2012)

$196M worldwide

Highest rated

Frankenstein: The Anatomy Lesson (2025)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 37: 0 only acting, 2 with another roleDirecting7 of 37: 5 only directing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score40thProducing31 of 37: 20 only producing, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score49thOther crew9 of 37: 1 only other crew, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score52nd

37 titles, 11 with more than one role — producing and other crew overlap on 8 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s2 · crew2000s15 · 2 acting · 15 crew2010s11 · crew2020s5 · 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

an Oscar and 2 other major awards from 8 major nominations, 2018–2026.

WinNomination
  1. 2026
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
  2. 2022
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
  3. 2018
    • Oscar, won · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 wins
      • Directors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film
      • Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures

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 J. Miles Dale's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 26; across their 24 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 51st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Approval · how many liked their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Midcredits score across 33 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 33 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · producer

All American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story (2000)

73rd percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, producer

Frankenstein: The Anatomy Lesson (2025)

Midcredits 96th · 83% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 65/100 and the pacing 47/100 in their films, across 23 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 J. Miles Dale's work okay for kids?

Across up to 17 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 & Gore12 titles38–89 · median 75 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity17 titles15–66 · median 43 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity14 titles39–75 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs12 titles26–57 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense12 titles22–85 · median 74 · 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 J. Miles Dale work with?

People who share at least 2 of J. Miles Dale's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Guillermo del Toro shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles