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John Lydon

John Lydon

Actor · Born January 31, 1956 (70) · London, England, UK

John Joseph Lydon (born 31 January 1956), also known by his stage name Johnny Rotten, is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead singer of the late-1970s British punk band the Sex Pistols, which lasted from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s. He is also the lead singer of post-punk band Public Image Ltd (PiL), which he founded and fronted from 1978 until 1993, and again since 2009. Lydon's outspoken persona, rebellious image and fashion style led to his being asked to become the singer of the Sex Pistols by their manager, Malcolm McLaren. With the Sex Pistols, he penned singles including "Anarchy in the U.K.," "God Save the Queen", "Pretty Vacant" and "Holidays in the Sun", the content of which precipitated what one commentator described as the "last and greatest outbreak of pop-based moral pandemonium" in Britain. The band scandalised much of the media, and Lydon was seen as a figurehead of the burgeoning punk movement. Because of their controversial lyrics and disrepute at the time, they are regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of popular music. [source: Wikipedia]

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 31, 1956 (70)
From
London, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
8 on MovieCove · 31 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 64 days to Oct 27Up 20% in 30 days

What are John Lydon's films like?

Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
24%
Society
24%
Ideas
20%
Power
17%
Morality
10%
Survival
5%
Art3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFame2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 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 5 · Serious 1 · Dark 1

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 4 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 1

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 1 · Intense 5

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

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 2 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 3

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

Casual 5 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
2
Thrilling
3
Joyful
2
Contemplative
2
Manic
2
Other
6

How their films linger

Rousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous3
  • Cyclical1

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 John Lydon's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 8 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John Lydon'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

31 credits, 8 with a MovieCove page; 59 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Masked Singer(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Jester · as Self

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(2018)

    Show 3 episodes · as Meat Sweats (voice)

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • The Public Image Is Rotten: Songs From The Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • Song to Song(2017)

    as John Lydon

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Sad Vacation(2016)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Never Mind the Baubles: Xmas '77 with the Sex Pistols (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as John Lydon

  • Public Image Ltd: Live at Enmore Theatre in Sydney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Actor

  • Sex Pistols: Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Writer · as Self

  • There Is a PiL in Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Producer · Actor

  • Punk Britannia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Sons of Norway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Johnny Rotten

  • Joy Division(2007)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Leftfield: A Final Hit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Actor

  • The Sex Pistols: Music Video Box Documentary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Actor

  • Blood on the Turntable (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Flip - Sorry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • The Independent(2000)

    as Baruce

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Clash: Westway To The World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Actor

  • Degeneration Punk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Actor

  • Sex Pistols: Live at Budokan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Johnny Rotton

  • The Word (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Public Image Ltd. : Videos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Writer · Actor

  • Public Image Ltd. : Live in Japan '83 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Writer · as Himself

  • Order of Death(1983)

    as Leo Smith

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle(1980)

    as The Collaborator

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Berlin Wall and the Sex Pistols (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Actor

  • The Year Of Punk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Actor

  • Johnny Rotten's Tour of London (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Sex Pistols - Anthems (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Sex Pistols - The Long Lost Videos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Sex Pistols Live - Phoenix Festival (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 72nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 31 titles, 27 of them dated from 1978 to 2019; peak year 2010.

Biggest box office

Rebel Dread (2022)

$44K worldwide

Highest rated

Super Duper Alice Cooper (2014)

Midcredits 87th

Most popular right now

The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980)

Film career

19782019

Peak 2010 · 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.

  • 1980Screen debut· The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting29 of 31: 27 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score42ndWriting3 of 31: 2 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 31: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s2 · acting1980s4 · 3 acting · 2 crew1990s4 · acting2000s6 · acting2010s11 · 10 acting · 2 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 John Lydon's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 6; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 83rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

83rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 8 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up1
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

3 of their 8 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · actor

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2018)

86th percentile spread · 18% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Joy Division (2007)

Midcredits 97th · 88% liked

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 John Lydon work with?

People who share at least 2 of John Lydon's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Julien Temple shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Editors

Producers