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Terry Rossio

Terry Rossio

Writer and producer, also actor · Born July 2, 1960 (66) · Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA

BAFTA Award winner · Oscar nominee

Terry Rossio (born July 2, 1960) is an American screenwriter and film producer. He co-wrote the films Aladdin, The Mask of Zorro, Shrek, and all five of the Pirates of the Caribbean series. For Shrek, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and won the Annie Award for Writing in a Feature Production and the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He often collaborates with fellow screenwriter Ted Elliott. Description above from the Wikipedia article Terry Rossio, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 2, 1960 (66)
From
Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
Works as
Writer and producer, also actor
Titles
34 on MovieCove · 46 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 1% in 30 days

What are Terry Rossio's films like?

Across their 25 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Action10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Animation10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile
: browse their Animation 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
40%
Morality
17%
Self
16%
Power
10%
Survival
7%
Ideas
6%
Society
5%
Family bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 25 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 17 · Serious 7 · Dark 1

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 2 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 14

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 15 · Intense 7

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

Steady 11 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 12 · Funny 10

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

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 6

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

Casual 16 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 22 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Thrilling
15
Joyful
13
Tense
9
Romantic
10
Hopeful
7
Other
13

How their films linger

Fun16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy15
  • Bittersweet10

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 Terry Rossio's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 26 of their 34 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Terry Rossio'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

46 credits, 34 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Protocol-7(2024)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire(2024)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Amazing Maurice(2022)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Godzilla vs. Kong(2021)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Laboratory Conditions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Writer

  • Captain Jokes Parrot's Disaster of the Caribbean (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Characters

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales(2017)

    Characters · Executive Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Lone Ranger(2013)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay · Screenstory

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Lovestruck: The Musical (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Writer

  • Shrek the Musical(2013)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Zou (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 1 episode · Background Designer

  • Shrek's Thrilling Tales(2012)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Tales of the Code: Wedlocked (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Writer

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides(2011)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Death of Toys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Associate Producer

  • Shrek Forever After(2010)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • G-Force(2009)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Laudry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Executive Producer

  • Turbo Dates (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 11 episodes · Director · Editor

  • National Treasure: Book of Secrets(2007)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

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

    Characters · Lyricist · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Shrek the Third(2007)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Deja Vu(2006)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

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

    Characters · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Legend of Zorro(2005)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Shrek 2(2004)

    Characters · Creative Consultant

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

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

    Screenplay · Screenstory

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas(2003)

    Creative Consultant

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Treasure Planet(2002)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Shrek(2001)

    Co-Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party(2001)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Road to El Dorado(2000)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Antz(1998)

    Creative Consultant

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Mask of Zorro(1998)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Small Soldiers(1998)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Godzilla(1998)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Aladdin and the King of Thieves(1996)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Puppet Masters(1994)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Aladdin(1994)

    Show 86 episodes · Characters

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • The Return of Jafar(1994)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Aladdin(1992)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Little Monsters(1989)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Aladdin: Live from the West End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Original Film Writer

  • Killer Bee (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Writer

  • London Ghost Tour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Screenplay · Story

  • Time Zone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Writer

Career shape

A full career of 41 titles, 37 of them dated from 1989 to 2024.

Biggest box office

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

$1.1B worldwide

Highest rated

Shrek (2001)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

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

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing1 of 41: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting34 of 41: 28 only writing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score60thProducing8 of 41: 3 only producing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score61stEditing1 of 41: 0 only editing, 1 with another roleOther crew4 of 41: 3 only other crew, 1 with another role

41 titles, 7 with more than one role — writing and producing overlap on 5 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s7 · crew2000s15 · crew2010s10 · crew2020s4 · 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 BAFTA Award from 2 major nominations, 2002.

WinNomination
  1. 2002
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Screenplay - Adapted

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 Terry Rossio's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 33; across their 25 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 65th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Approval · how many liked their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Reach · how many have seen their films

97thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Midcredits score across 34 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 34 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · writer

Protocol-7 (2024)

99th percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer, producer

Shrek (2001)

Midcredits 98th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 55/100 and the plot and story 46/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

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 Terry Rossio's work okay for kids?

Across up to 20 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore19 titles31–67 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity20 titles13–43 · median 25 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity18 titles9–42 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs17 titles20–40 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense19 titles32–63 · median 52 · 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 Terry Rossio work with?

People who share at least 2 of Terry Rossio's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ted Elliott shares the most, 22.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles