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John Van Bruggen

Writer and director

Works as
Writer and director
Titles
22 on MovieCove · 26 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 27Down 42% in 30 days

What are John Van Bruggen's films like?

Across their 18 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
55%
Self
21%
Society
19%
Morality
3%
Ideas
2%
Friendship13 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age10 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity10 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 4 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

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

Grounded 2 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 0 · Intense 0

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 0 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 4 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
15
Warm
14
Hopeful
10
Contemplative
5
Thrilling
1
Other
2

How their films linger

Feel-good18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy15
  • Cyclical3

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 John Van Bruggen's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 22 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John Van Bruggen'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

26 credits, 22 with a MovieCove page.

  • Rev & Roll(2019)

    Show Writer

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Nina's World(2015)

    Show Writer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • A Franklin and Friends Adventure: Deep Sea Voyage(2014)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • PAW Patrol(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • Stella and Sam(2011)

    Show Writer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Busytown Mysteries(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Franklin and the Turtle Lake Treasure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Writer

  • Ruby Gloom(2006)

    Show 4 episodes · Writer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Peep and the Big Wide World(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · Storyboard · Writer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends(2004)

    Show Writer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows

  • Franny's Feet(2003)

    Show 4 episodes · Writer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Back to School with Franklin(2003)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Franklin - Das Seifenkistenrennen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Art Direction

  • The Berenstain Bears(2003)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Jacob Two-Two(2003)

    Show Writer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • Franklin's Magic Christmas(2001)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Franklin and the Green Knight: The Movie(2000)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 13 episodes · Director

  • Timothy Goes to School(2000)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • George and Martha(1999)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Rolie Polie Olie(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows

  • Franklin(1997)

    Show 9 episodes · Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

  • Stickin' Around(1996)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Little Bear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director

  • Little Bear(1995)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Dog City(1992)

    Show 23 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

Career shape

A full career of 18 titles from 1992 to 2014.

Highest rated

Ruby Gloom (2006)

Midcredits 73rd

Most popular right now

Franklin (1997)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing5 of 18: 5 only directing, 0 with another roleWriting12 of 18: 12 only writing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score36thOther crew1 of 18: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1990s4 · crew2000s12 · crew2010s2 · 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 John Van Bruggen's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 4; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 55th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

24thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 22 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 22 titles are Mixed.

  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · writer

Nina's World (2015)

99th percentile spread · 38% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Peep and the Big Wide World (2004)

Midcredits 80th · 78% 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.

Who does John Van Bruggen work with?

People who share at least 2 of John Van Bruggen's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michael Hirsh shares the most, 11.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

  • Michael Hirsh11 titles    See all 11 shared titles with Michael Hirsh
  • Patricia Burns11 titles    See all 11 shared titles with Patricia Burns
  • Clive A. Smith8 titles    See all 8 shared titles with Clive A. Smith
  • Patrick Loubert8 titles    See all 8 shared titles with Patrick Loubert

Mixed roles