Skip to content
MovieCove
Kevin J. Messick

Kevin J. Messick

Producer · Born June 21, 1966 (60) · California, USA

3 Primetime Emmys · Oscar nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · 1 other major award body

Kevin J. Messick (born August 21, 1966) is an American film producer. He was nominated for two Academy Awards in Best Picture for the films Vice and Don't Look Up. Description above from the Wikipedia article Kevin Messick, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 21, 1966 (60)
From
California, USA
Works as
Producer
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 35 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 156 days to Oct 27Down 44% in 30 days

What are Kevin J. Messick's films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 91st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 94th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 16th percentile
: browse their Drama 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
30%
Self
16%
Survival
15%
Morality
14%
Power
13%
Society
11%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 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 10 · Serious 4 · Dark 7

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 11 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 5

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 8 · Charged 3 · Intense 10

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

Steady 8 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 5

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

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 7

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

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 11 · 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 13 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 2

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 10 · Affecting 7 · Heavy 4

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

Resolved 15 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Absurd
12
Thrilling
7
Joyful
6
Melancholic
3
Other
21

How their films linger

Fun9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous5

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 Kevin J. Messick's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 27 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Paramount+ (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kevin J. Messick'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

35 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page.

  • Thrash(2026)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • All the Empty Rooms(2025)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Daniel(2023)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Wild Summon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Executive Producer

  • Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty(2022)

    Show 17 episodes · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Fresh(2022)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Don't Look Up(2021)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Motherland: Fort Salem(2020)

    Show 10 episodes · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Vice(2018)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Succession(2018)

    Show 39 episodes · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Ibiza(2018)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Daddy's Home 2(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Jack Reacher: Never Go Back(2016)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Masterminds(2016)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Boss(2016)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Daddy's Home(2015)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Big Short(2015)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Get Hard(2015)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Tammy(2014)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues(2013)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters(2013)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Jack Reacher(2012)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Casa de mi Padre(2012)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Other Guys(2010)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard(2009)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Answer Man(2009)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • A Lot Like Love(2005)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie(2002)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • American Pimp (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Producer

  • Truth or Consequences, N.M.(1997)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Babysitter(1995)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Batman Forever(1995)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Surviving the Game(1994)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Five (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Monsanto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

Career shape

A full career of 34 titles, 32 of them dated from 1994 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Batman Forever (1995)

$337M worldwide

Highest rated

The Big Short (2015)

Midcredits 97th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Producing34 of 34: 34 only producing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score51st

By decade

1990s4 · crew2000s5 · crew2010s15 · crew2020s8 · 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

3 Primetime Emmys and 3 other major awards from 12 major nominations, 2019–2024.

WinNomination
  1. 2024
    • Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama
  2. 2023
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Drama Series
  3. 2022
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Drama Series
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film
    • +1 other major body · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
  4. 2020
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Drama Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama
  5. 2019
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Drama Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · 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 Kevin J. Messick's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 28; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

92ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Broadly Agreed9
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · producer

Ibiza (2018)

50th percentile spread · 31% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Succession (2018)

Midcredits 99th · 93% 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.

Is Kevin J. Messick's work okay for kids?

Across up to 16 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore14 titles13–88 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity16 titles22–61 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity16 titles50–86 · median 72 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs12 titles30–61 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense13 titles8–73 · median 46 · moderatenear the median of all 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 Kevin J. Messick work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kevin J. Messick's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Adam McKay shares the most, 14.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles