Skip to content
MovieCove
Stephen E. Rivkin

Stephen E. Rivkin

Editor, also producer · Born May 5, 1955 (71) · Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Oscar nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · 1 other major award body

Stephen Elliott Rivkin (born May 5, 1955) is an American film editor and music video director. He is best known for his editing work on the Pirates of the Caribbean film series and his work with director James Cameron as an editor on Avatar, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. Rivkin has edited three films for director Norman Jewison; Rivkin has worked extensively with director Gore Verbinski. Rivkin is an elected member of the American Cinema Editors and currently serves as the organisation's president. He was also an associate producer on two films. Description above from the Wikipedia article Stephen E. Rivkin, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 5, 1955 (71)
From
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Works as
Editor, also producer
Titles
32 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 38% in 30 days

What are Stephen E. Rivkin's films like?

Across their 30 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Action12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th 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
26%
Self
23%
Morality
18%
Survival
13%
Ideas
7%
Power
7%
Society
6%
Justice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 30 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 10 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 12

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 6 · Charged 9 · Intense 15

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

Steady 9 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 5

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 15 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 7

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

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 7

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

Casual 12 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 4

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 13 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 5

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

Resolved 24 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
22
Thrilling
11
Warm
7
Absurd
6
Melancholic
8
Other
30

How their films linger

Hopeful14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet13
  • Ambiguous3

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 Stephen E. Rivkin's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 32 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Stephen E. Rivkin'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, 32 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Avatar: Fire and Ash(2025)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Avatar: The Way of Water(2022)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Alita: Battle Angel(2019)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Fantastic Four(2015)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Blackhat(2015)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Avatar(2009)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

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

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

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

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Stealth(2005)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Statement(2003)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

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

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Ali(2001)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Swordfish(2001)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Wooly Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Editor

  • The Hurricane(1999)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Idle Hands(1999)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Excess Baggage(1997)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Bogus(1996)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Last Days of Frankie the Fly(1996)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Nine Months(1995)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Outbreak(1995)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Only You(1994)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Robin Hood: Men in Tights(1993)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Fire in the Sky(1993)

    Additional Editor

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Comrades of Summer(1992)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • My Cousin Vinny(1992)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Wildflower(1991)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • El Diablo(1990)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Nightbreaker(1989)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Bat*21(1988)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Stranded(1987)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Youngblood(1986)

    Associate Producer · Editor

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Hot Dog... The Movie(1984)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Harold of Orange (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Editor

  • The Personals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Associate Producer · Editor

  • Winter Count (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director · Editor · Producer

Career shape

A full career of 35 titles from 1976 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Avatar (2009)

$2.9B worldwide

Highest rated

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

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing1 of 35: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing3 of 35: 0 only producing, 3 with another roleEditing35 of 35: 32 only editing, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score60th

35 titles, 3 with more than one role — editing and producing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1970s1 · crew1980s7 · crew1990s13 · crew2000s9 · crew2010s3 · crew2020s2 · 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

1 major award from 4 major nominations, 2010–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Editing
  2. 2010
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Film Editing
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Editing

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 Stephen E. Rivkin's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 58th percentile, the median of all 32; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Approval · how many liked their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Midcredits score across 32 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 32 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · editor

Hot Dog... The Movie (1984)

58th percentile spread · 33% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · editor

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

Midcredits 98th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the pacing 48/100 in their films, across 30 reviewed titles; fans 57, detractors 31. The element that speaks to their work as an editor.

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 Stephen E. Rivkin's work okay for kids?

Across up to 21 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 & Gore20 titles26–76 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity21 titles16–52 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity20 titles30–76 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs19 titles22–53 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense18 titles15–64 · median 60 · 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 Stephen E. Rivkin work with?

People who share at least 2 of Stephen E. Rivkin's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Peter Markle shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles