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Ted Elliott

Ted Elliott

Writer and producer, also actor · Born July 4, 1961 (65) · Santa Ana, California, USA

BAFTA Award winner · Oscar nominee

Ted Elliott (born 1961) is an American screenwriter. Along with his writing partner Terry Rossio, Elliott has written some of the most successful American films of the past 15 years, including Aladdin, Shrek and Pirates of the Caribbean. In 2004, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of America; his term on the board ended in 2006. Along with fellow former board member Craig Mazin, Elliott runs The Artful Writer, a website aimed at professional screenwriters. He is also a co-founder with Terry Rossio of Wordplay a.k.a. Wordplayer.com, one of the premier screenwriting sites on the Internet. In 2005, Elliott ran for president of the Writers Guild of America, west, but lost to animation writer and historical figurine maker Patric Verrone. Verrone received 1301 votes; Elliott received 591.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 4, 1961 (65)
From
Santa Ana, California, USA
Works as
Writer and producer, also actor
Titles
30 on MovieCove · 36 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 28% in 30 days

What are Ted Elliott's films like?

Across their 23 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Animation10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Action9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action 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
39%
Self
18%
Morality
17%
Survival
8%
Power
8%
Ideas
6%
Society
5%
Family bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 23 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 16 · Serious 7 · Dark 0

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 1 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 13

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 13 · Intense 6

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

A split, not a type: Steady 11 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 2

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 2 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 11

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

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 15 · Relentless 5

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

Casual 16 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 21 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Thrilling
14
Joyful
13
Tense
7
Romantic
10
Hopeful
6
Other
12

How their films linger

Fun16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet9

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 Ted Elliott's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 30 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ted Elliott'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

36 credits, 30 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Captain Jokes Parrot's Disaster of the Caribbean (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Characters

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales(2017)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Lone Ranger(2013)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay · Screenstory

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Shrek the Musical(2013)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Shrek's Thrilling Tales(2012)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Tales of the Code: Wedlocked (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Writer

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides(2011)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Shrek's Yule Log (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Writer

  • Shrek Forever After(2010)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • G-Force(2009)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • National Treasure: Book of Secrets(2007)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End(2007)

    Characters · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Shrek the Third(2007)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Deja Vu(2006)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest(2006)

    Characters · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Legend of Zorro(2005)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Shrek 2(2004)

    Characters · Creative Consultant

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Teacher's Pet(2004)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl(2003)

    Screenplay · Screenstory

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Treasure Planet(2002)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Shrek(2001)

    Co-Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party(2001)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Road to El Dorado(2000)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Antz(1998)

    Creative Consultant

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Mask of Zorro(1998)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Small Soldiers(1998)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Godzilla(1998)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Aladdin and the King of Thieves(1996)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Puppet Masters(1994)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Aladdin(1994)

    Show 86 episodes · Characters

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • The Return of Jafar(1994)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Aladdin(1992)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Little Monsters(1989)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Aladdin: Live from the West End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Original Film Writer

  • Untitled National Treasure 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Writer

  • Untitled Pirates of the Caribbean Sequel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Writer

Career shape

A full career of 30 titles, 27 of them dated from 1989 to 2017.

Biggest box office

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

$1.1B worldwide

Highest rated

Shrek (2001)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing27 of 30: 24 only writing, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score60thProducing4 of 30: 2 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew2 of 30: 1 only other crew, 1 with another role

30 titles, 3 with more than one role — writing and producing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s7 · crew2000s12 · crew2010s7 · 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

a BAFTA Award from 2 major nominations, 2002.

WinNomination
  1. 2002
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Screenplay - Adapted

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 Ted Elliott's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 29; across their 23 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 67th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Approval · how many liked their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Reach · how many have seen their films

97thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Midcredits score across 30 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 30 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · writer

Shrek the Musical (2013)

67th percentile spread · 15% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer, producer

Shrek (2001)

Midcredits 98th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 57/100 and the plot and story 45/100 in their films, across 21 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 Ted Elliott's work okay for kids?

Across up to 18 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore17 titles31–68 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity18 titles15–43 · median 27 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity17 titles9–43 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs16 titles24–41 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense17 titles31–63 · median 53 · 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 Ted Elliott work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ted Elliott's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Terry Rossio shares the most, 22.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles