Bear McCreary

Composer, also actor and director · Born February 17, 1979 (47) · Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA

Primetime Emmy winner · 2 BAFTA Awards · 1 other major award body

Emmy Award winning composer Bear McCreary was first launched into pop culture with his groundbreaking score to the hit series Battlestar Galactica, that was lauded by Variety as “the most innovative music on TV today.” It “fits the action so perfectly, it’s almost devastating: a sci-fi score like no other” (NPR). Io9.com ranked McCreary one of the Ten Best Science Fiction Composers of All Time, and recently WIRED Magazine declared him one of only five “Secret Weapons” of the television industry. McCreary was recently voted “Composers’ Choice Composer of the Year – Television” by his peers in ASCAP, the first award of its kind. Bear has conducted orchestral performances of his music throughout North America and Europe, appearing at Fimucité in Tenerife, and the International Film Music Festival in Úbeda, Spain. In July 2014, his music was performed by the L.A. Philharmonic and L.A. Master Choraleat the Hollywood Bowl, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. Attending the prestigious Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, Bear completed degrees in composition and recording arts. However, his professional training came from film music legend Elmer Bernstein (The Magnificent Seven, To Kill a Mocking Bird). Bear was one of Bernstein’s select protégés, and learned the tools of the trade working with and orchestrating for the maestro. Bear spent his childhood immersed in film and television music; he is delighted now to contribute back to the genres that inspired him.

Biography from TMDB.

Born: February 17, 1979 (47)
From: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Works as: Composer, also actor and director
Titles: 80 on MovieCove · 95 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 156 days to Oct 27Up 9% in 30 days

What are Bear McCreary's films like?

Across their 52 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Self.

Genres

Animation3 titles38^th

Fantasy3 titles38^th

Adventure2 titles36^th

Biography2 titles75^th

Documentary2 titles92^nd

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

25%

Self

20%

Bonds

19%

Morality

15%

Power

Society

Ideas

Survival21 Family bonds10 Identity10 Self-worth7 Friendship10 Sacrifice6 Community5 Redemption4

What they feel like to watch

their average across 46 films

ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Earnest

Tone · Sincerity

ironicearnest

Ironic 4 · Wry 6 · Earnest 35

Serious

Tone · Weight

lightdark

Light 14 · Serious 16 · Dark 16

Stylized

Tone · Style

naturalisticheightened

Grounded 16 · Stylized 21 · Heightened 9

Charged

Feel · Intensity

gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 7 · Charged 12 · Intense 27

Shifting

Feel · Swings

steadyswings

Steady 9 · Shifting 30 · Whiplash 7

Some laughs

Feel · Humor

noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 27 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 10

Even-paced

Demand · Pace

slowrelentless

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 33 · Relentless 6

Engaged

Demand · Attention

casualfull focus

Casual 15 · Engaged 24 · Full focus 7

Affecting

Demand · Emotional cost

easyheavy

Easy watch 16 · Affecting 20 · Heavy 10

Resolved

Demand · Resolution

resolvedambiguous

Resolved 28 · Open-ended 15 · Ambiguous 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense

Dread

Absurd

Thrilling

Melancholic

Other

How their films linger

Fun18 Hopeful16 Unsettling16 Thought-provoking14 Bittersweet13 Feel-good9

How their films end · 18 with a twist

Happy10
Bittersweet27
Tragic1
Ambiguous14

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 Bear McCreary's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 60 of their 80 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (17).

Also on these channels

ViX3 titles, show their 3 titles on ViX
Howdy2 titles, show their 2 titles on Howdy
MovieSphere+2 titles, show their 2 titles on MovieSphere+
Cinemax1 title, show their title on Cinemax
Lionsgate+1 title, show their title on Lionsgate+
Magnolia Selects1 title, show their title on Magnolia Selects
Monsters and Nightmares1 title, show their title on Monsters and Nightmares
Screambox1 title, show their title on Screambox
Sundance Now1 title, show their title on Sundance Now

Subscription and free streaming for Bear McCreary'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

95 credits, 80 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

The Devil's Mouth(2026)
Composer
Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
M.I.A.(2026)
Show 9 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows
Vampires of the Velvet Lounge(2026)
Composer
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
Rogue Trooper(2026)
Composer
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Outlander: Blood of My Blood(2025)
Show 10 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
Drop(2025)
Composer
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
We Never Smiled in the 90’s (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Composer
Going Home Again: Making The 4:30 Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Composer
The 4:30 Movie(2024)
Composer
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Imaginary(2024)
Composer
Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
The Walking Dead: The Return(2024)
Composer
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Masters of the Universe: Revolution(2024)
Show 5 episodes · Composer · Main Title Theme Composer
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows
Percy Jackson and the Olympians(2023)
Show 8 episodes · Main Title Theme Composer
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
The Last Voyage of the Demeter(2023)
Composer
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
We Have a Ghost(2023)
Composer
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Splinter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Music Score Producer
The Witcher: Blood Origin(2022)
Show 4 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all shows
Call Me Miss Cleo(2022)
Composer
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power(2022)
Show 16 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Global Fan Screening (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Composer
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank(2022)
Composer · Music Score Producer
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Last Seen Alive(2022)
Composer
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
Halo(2022)
Show 8 episodes · Main Title Theme Composer
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows
The Serpent Queen(2022)
Show Composer
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
This Game's Called Murder(2021)
Composer
Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films
Masters of the Universe: Revelation(2021)
Show 10 episodes · Composer · Music Score Producer
Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows
Fund the Bat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
Composer
Freaky(2020)
Composer
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
The Babysitter: Killer Queen(2020)
Composer · as Frank the Recording Artist
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Ava(2020)
Composer
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Snowpiercer(2020)
Show 10 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows
Crip Camp(2020)
Composer
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
The Dark Tower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
Composer
Fantasy Island(2020)
Composer
Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
See(2019)
Show 24 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
Eli(2019)
Composer
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Child's Play(2019)
Composer
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Godzilla: King of the Monsters(2019)
Composer
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Rim of the World(2019)
Composer
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
The Professor and the Madman(2019)
Composer
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
Proven Innocent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
Show 13 episodes · Composer
Happy Death Day 2U(2019)
Composer
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Pooka! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Composer
Welcome Home(2018)
Composer
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Hell Fest(2018)
Composer
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
I Still See You(2018)
Composer
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
Animal Crackers(2017)
Composer
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
Tau(2018)
Composer
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
The Shadow Hours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Composer
The Cloverfield Paradox(2018)
Composer
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
A Holliston Halloween (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Composer
Unrest(2017)
Composer · Conductor
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Happy Death Day(2017)
Composer
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Electric Dreams(2017)
Show 3 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows
Rebel in the Rye(2017)
Composer
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Victor Crowley(2017)
Music Score Producer
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Revolt(2017)
Composer
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
Colossal(2016)
Composer · Orchestrator
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Show 6 episodes · Composer
10 Cloverfield Lane(2016)
Composer
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
The Boy(2016)
Composer
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
The Forest(2016)
Composer
Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
Everly(2014)
Composer
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
Digging Up the Marrow(2014)
Composer
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
Constantine(2014)
Show 13 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
Intruders(2014)
Show 8 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows
Outlander(2014)
Show 101 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows
Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie(2014)
Composer · as Zombie
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Black Sails(2014)
Show 38 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
Knights of Badassdom(2013)
Composer
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.(2013)
Show 136 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows
Europa Report(2013)
Composer
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Defiance(2013)
Show 38 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows
Da Vinci's Demons(2013)
Show 1 episode · Composer
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome(2012)
Composer
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Show 10 episodes · Composer
The Asset (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Composer
Holliston(2012)
Show Composer
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows
Black Mirror(2011)
Show 1 episode · Composer
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
Chillerama(2011)
Director · Composer
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
The Cape(2011)
Show 10 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows
The Walking Dead(2010)
Show 177 episodes · Composer · Music Producer
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
Step Up 3D(2010)
Composer
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Caprica(2009)
Show 18 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all shows
Human Target(2010)
Show 12 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan(2009)
Composer
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles(2008)
Show 31 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
Rest Stop: Don't Look Back(2008)
Composer
Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
Battlestar Galactica: Razor(2007)
Composer
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Wrong Turn 2: Dead End(2007)
Composer
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Rest Stop(2006)
Composer
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Eureka(2006)
Show 65 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
Battlestar Galactica(2004)
Show 73 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
Periphery, Texas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Composer
Goodbye, Monster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Composer

Career shape

A full career of 91 titles, 90 of them dated from 2002 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

$387M worldwide

Highest rated

Crip Camp (2020)

Midcredits 95^th

Film career

2014Screen debut· Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie

By role

only this rolewith another role

Acting2 of 91Directing1 of 91Music91 of 91 · 42^ndOther crew2 of 91

91 titles, 5 with more than one role — music and acting overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

2000s8 · crew2010s50 · 1 acting · 50 crew2020s32 · 1 acting · 32 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 Primetime Emmy and 2 BAFTA Awards from 9 major nominations, 2010–2025.

WinNomination

2025
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media
2024
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media
2023
- BAFTA Award, won · Best Music
- +1 other major body · 1 nomination
  - Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media
2019
- BAFTA Award, won · Best Music
2015
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
2014
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
2013
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
2010
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

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 Bear McCreary's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 36^th percentile, the median of all 52; across their 46 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 38^th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

38^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 46

Approval · how many liked their films

37^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 46

Reach · how many have seen their films

93^rdpercentile

Typical film, the median of 46

Midcredits score across 80 titles, by percentile

75^th and up22
50^th to 74^th13
25^th to 49^th28
Below 25^th17

Shape of the crowd

28 of their 80 titles are Mixed.

Universally Loved11
Divisive1
Cult Classic3
Crowd Pleaser21
Broadly Agreed16
Mixed28

Most divisive · composer

Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021)

93^rd percentile spread · 41% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

Black Mirror (2011)

Midcredits 98^th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 59/100 in their films, across 40 reviewed titles; fans 67, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

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 Bear McCreary's work okay for kids?

Across up to 40 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles

Violence & Gore37 titles39–91 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most films

Sex & Nudity40 titles11–57 · median 27 · mildnear the median of all films

Profanity37 titles23–84 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most films

Alcohol & Drugs35 titles6–46 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all films

Frightening / Intense34 titles40–83 · median 61 · intenseheavier than most films

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.