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Tom Shell

Tom Shell

Director, actor, producer and writer · Los Angeles, California, USA

Tom Shell has produced, directed, or written over 50 film and television shows. A native of Los Angeles who began screenwriting and acting professionally while still in his teens, his passion for filmmaking took hold after directing his first movie in his twenties. Decades of working multiple "industry" positions has enabled him to combine his creative abilities with vast production know-how.

Read more

Biography from IMDb.

From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Director, actor, producer and writer
Titles
38 on MovieCove · 55 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 38 days to Oct 27Up 535% in 30 days

What are Tom Shell's films like?

Across their 35 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 19th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Thriller8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 22nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Thriller movies
Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 6th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 12th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime 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
Morality
27%
Survival
27%
Bonds
20%
Self
16%
Power
5%
Society
2%
Ideas
2%
Survival15 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception7 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal4 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 35 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 24 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 9 · Charged 18 · Intense 8

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

Steady 13 · Shifting 17 · 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 23 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 5

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

Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 19 · 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 20 · Engaged 13 · Full focus 2

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

Resolved 24 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
27
Dread
14
Absurd
9
Melancholic
10
Warm
6
Other
23

How their films linger

Unsettling13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 11 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet15
  • Ambiguous8

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 Tom Shell's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 38 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (23).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Tom Shell'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

55 credits, 38 with a MovieCove page.

  • Who Could Kill a Sweet Old Lady(2026)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Sinister Secret Ingredient(2026)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Ice Rink Murders(2024)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Murder & Matrimony(2021)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Deadly Seduction(2021)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Sorority Sister Killer(2021)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Pom Pom Murders(2020)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Dying to be a Cheerleader(2020)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Revenge for Daddy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director

  • Sleeping with My Student(2019)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Your Family or Your Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director

  • Assimilate(2019)

    Co-Producer · Unit Production Manager

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • When Vows Break (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director

  • Narco Soldiers(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • A Night to Regret(2018)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Deadly Exchange(2017)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Girl Followed(2017)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Ghost and the Whale(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Bad Twin(2016)

    First Assistant Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Deadly Ex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • Isolation(2015)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Fire Twister(2015)

    Line Producer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Into Dangerous Territory(2015)

    First Assistant Director

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Crimes of the Mind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    First Assistant Director

  • Naughty or Nice(2011)

    Line Producer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Have You Met Miss Jones? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director

  • Absolute Fear(2012)

    Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Zombie Hamlet(2012)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Beautiful Wave(2011)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Christmas Mail(2010)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Special Ops(2010)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Major Burke

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Next Stop Murder(2010)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • A Golden Christmas(2009)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Pandemic(2009)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Alone in the Dark 2(2008)

    Line Producer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Cop Dog(2008)

    Producer · as Trevor North

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • The Thirst: Blood War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Producer

  • The Theory of the Leisure Class (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    First Assistant Director

  • Wind River(2000)

    Director · as Pilgrim

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Bikini Drive-In (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Tom

  • Strike Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · Writer

  • Dinosaur Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Wayne

  • Young Goodman Brown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Goodman Brown

  • Teenage Exorcist(1991)

    as Jeff

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Channeler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Bobby Joe

  • The Runnin' Kind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Carl

  • Terminal Force(1989)

    as Stu

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Beverly Hills Vamp(1989)

    as Russell

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Shooters(1989)

    as Andy

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Death Row Diner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Tom James

  • Hard Rock Nightmare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Paul

  • Surf Nazis Must Die(1987)

    as Smeg

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • 21 Jump Street(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Robby Bavaro

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • The Zero Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Larry

  • Evil Laugh(1986)

    as Delivery Boy

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 64th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 49 titles from 1986 to 2026; peak year 1986.

Biggest box office

Alone in the Dark 2 (2008)

$134K worldwide

Highest rated

Naughty or Nice (2011)

Midcredits 60th

Most popular right now

Sleeping with My Student (2019)

Film career

19862026

Peak 1986 · fewer prominent film roles lately. 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.

  • 1986Screen debut· Evil Laugh

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting18 of 49: 16 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score7thDirecting20 of 49: 12 only directing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score23rdWriting6 of 49: 1 only writing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score21stProducing12 of 49: 6 only producing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score20thOther crew5 of 49: 4 only other crew, 1 with another role

49 titles, 10 with more than one role — directing and acting overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1980s10 · acting1990s6 · 5 acting · 1 crew2000s6 · 2 acting · 5 crew2010s18 · 1 acting · 18 crew2020s9 · 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 Tom Shell's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 20th percentile, the median of all 37; across their 35 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 19th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

19thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Approval · how many liked their films

18thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Reach · how many have seen their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Midcredits score across 38 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th29

Shape of the crowd

26 of their 38 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive4
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Mixed26

Most divisive · producer

Alone in the Dark 2 (2008)

94th percentile spread · 50% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Naughty or Nice (2011)

Midcredits 60th · 60% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 45/100 and the pacing 39/100 in their films, across 29 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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 Tom Shell's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Sex & Nudity5 titles45–54 · median 53 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 45 · moderateMedian of all films: 36

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 Tom Shell work with?

People who share at least 2 of Tom Shell's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Murlowski shares the most, 8.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles