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David R. Ellis

David R. Ellis

Director · Died January 7, 2013, aged 60 · Santa Monica, California, USA

David Richard Ellis (September 8, 1952 - January 7, 2013) was an American filmmaker, actor and stuntman. He is best known for directing the films Final Destination 2 (2003), Cellular (2004), Snakes on a Plane (2006), The Final Destination (2009) and Shark Night 3D (2011).

Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 8, 1952
Died
January 7, 2013 (aged 60)
From
Santa Monica, California, USA
Works as
Director
Titles
108 on MovieCove · 114 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 37 days to Oct 26Down 38% in 30 days

What are David R. Ellis' films like?

Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Bonds.

Genres

Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 13th percentile
: browse their Horror 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
Survival
52%
Bonds
29%
Morality
7%
Ideas
5%
Self
4%
Society
2%
Survival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMortality2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 0 · Intense 6

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

A split, not a type: Steady 2 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 0

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 0 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 4

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

Casual 1 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 2

Easy watch: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their easy watch movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 0

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

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Thrilling
6
Dread
4
Warm
1
Hopeful
1
Other
1

How their films linger

Fun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet1
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

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 R. Ellis' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 69 of their 108 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (32).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for David R. Ellis' 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

114 credits, 108 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Winter's Tale(2014)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • 47 Ronin(2013)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • R.I.P.D.(2013)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Shark Night(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Cop Out(2010)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Final Destination(2009)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Asylum(2008)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Snakes on a Plane(2006)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Just Like Heaven(2005)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Cellular(2004)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World(2003)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Matrix Reloaded(2003)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Final Destination 2(2003)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone(2001)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Rock Star(2001)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Just Visiting(2001)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Exit Wounds(2001)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Kid(2000)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Perfect Storm(2000)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Ride with the Devil(1999)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Blue Streak(1999)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Deep Blue Sea(1999)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Soldier(1998)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Holy Man(1998)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Negotiator(1998)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Sphere(1998)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Desperate Measures(1998)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Devil's Own(1997)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Harriet the Spy(1996)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco(1996)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Waterworld(1995)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • The Jungle Book(1994)

    Second Unit Director · Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Clear and Present Danger(1994)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Blank Check(1994)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • My Father the Hero(1994)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Iron Will(1994)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Beethoven's 2nd(1993)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Man Without a Face(1993)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Sliver(1993)

    Second Unit Director · Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Warlock: The Armageddon(1993)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Body of Evidence(1993)

    Second Unit Director · Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Made in America(1993)

    Second Unit Director · Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Forever Young(1992)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Whispers in the Dark(1992)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Patriot Games(1992)

    Second Unit Director · Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Thunderheart(1992)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Kuffs(1992)

    Second Unit Director · Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Addams Family(1991)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Life Stinks(1991)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken(1991)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Misery(1990)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Freshman(1990)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Ghost Dad(1990)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Days of Thunder(1990)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Impulse(1990)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Catchfire(1990)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Last of the Finest(1990)

    Second Unit Director · Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Everybody Wins(1990)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge(1989)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Blind Fury(1989)

    as Ski Lodge Killer #3

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Tennessee Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Stunt Coordinator

  • Star Trek V: The Final Frontier(1989)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Warlock(1989)

    Second Unit Director · Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Road House(1989)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Baywatch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 3 episodes · Stunt Coordinator

  • She's Out of Control(1989)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Dead Bang(1989)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Mighty Quinn(1989)

    as Jersey

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Gleaming the Cube(1989)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Presidio(1988)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Anna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Daniel's Father

  • Real Men(1987)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Fatal Attraction(1987)

    Second Unit Director · Stunt Coordinator · Stunts

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Burglar(1987)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Lethal Weapon(1987)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Critical Condition(1987)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Wraith(1986)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Condor(1985)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • A Fine Mess(1986)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Out of Bounds(1986)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • To Live and Die in L.A.(1985)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Gorky Park(1983)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Scarface(1983)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • National Lampoon's Vacation(1983)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Private School(1983)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Second Thoughts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Stunt Coordinator

  • Airplane II: The Sequel(1982)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Lookin' to Get Out(1982)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Beastmaster(1982)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Fast Times at Ridgemont High(1982)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Megaforce(1982)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Rocky III(1982)

    as Opponent

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Taps(1981)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Sharky's Machine(1981)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Nice Dreams(1981)

    Stunt Double

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • S.O.B.(1981)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Take This Job and Shove It(1981)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • King of the Mountain(1981)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Back Roads(1981)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Smokey and the Bandit II(1980)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Carny(1980)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Boardwalk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Bath Attendant

  • Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider(1979)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Invasion of the Body Snatchers(1978)

    Stunt Coordinator

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Hooper(1978)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Hot Lead and Cold Feet(1978)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Deathsport(1978)

    Stunt Driver

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Game of Death(1978)

    Stunt Driver

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Heroes(1977)

    as Bar Patron #1

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Smokey and the Bandit(1977)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Bound for Glory(1976)

    Stunts

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Baby Blue Marine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Stunts

  • Wonder Woman(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Ludwig

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • The Strongest Man in the World(1975)

    as David (Student)

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 114 titles from 1975 to 2014.

Biggest box office

The Final Destination (2009)

$186M worldwide

Highest rated

Cellular (2004)

Midcredits 60th

Most popular right now

Final Destination 2 (2003)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting8 of 114: 8 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score47thDirecting7 of 114: 7 only directing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score30thOther crew99 of 114: 99 only other crew, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score46th

By decade

1970s13 · 4 acting · 9 crew1980s43 · 4 acting · 39 crew1990s39 · crew2000s14 · crew2010s5 · 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 R. Ellis' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 107; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 27th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

96thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 108 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up20
  • 50th to 74th23
  • 25th to 49th35
  • Below 25th30

Shape of the crowd

42 of their 108 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Universally Panned3
  • Crowd Pleaser42
  • Broadly Agreed18
  • Mixed39

Most divisive · director

Snakes on a Plane (2006)

61st percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Rocky III (1982)

Midcredits 79th · 67% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 43/100 and the pacing 52/100 in their films, across 7 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 David R. Ellis' work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 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 & Gore5 titles68–95 · median 81 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles31–72 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles59–84 · median 70 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles33–60 · median 53 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles60–86 · median 75 · 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 David R. Ellis work with?

People who share at least 2 of David R. Ellis' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Gary Capo shares the most, 4.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers