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Stan Winston

Stan Winston

Producer, director, writer and actor · Died June 15, 2008, aged 62 · Arlington, Virginia, USA

Stanley Winston (April 7, 1946 – June 15, 2008) was an American visual effects supervisor, makeup artist, and film director. He was best known for his work in the Terminator series, the Jurassic Park series, Aliens, the Predator series, Iron Man, Edward Scissorhands, Avatar and Enthiran. He won four Academy Awards for his work. Winston, a frequent collaborator with director James Cameron, owned several effects studios, including Stan Winston Digital. The established areas of expertise for Winston were in makeup, puppets and practical effects, but he had recently expanded his studio to encompass digital effects as well.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 7, 1946
Died
June 15, 2008 (aged 62)
From
Arlington, Virginia, USA
Works as
Producer, director, writer and actor
Titles
54 on MovieCove · 61 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Up 6% in 30 days

What are Stan Winston's films like?

Across their 17 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Ideas and Self.

Genres

Horror7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 9th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Documentary5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 28th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Fantasy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Fantasy 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
Ideas
29%
Self
22%
Survival
16%
Power
12%
Morality
10%
Bonds
7%
Society
5%
Art6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTechnology3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 17 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 8 · Serious 3 · Dark 6

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

Grounded 10 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 0

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 9 · Charged 2 · Intense 6

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

A split, not a type: Steady 9 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 4

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 0

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 7 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 15 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Contemplative
8
Dread
6
Warm
6
Absurd
2
Other
7

How their films linger

Unsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical2

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 Stan Winston's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 42 of their 54 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (19).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Stan Winston'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

61 credits, 54 with a MovieCove page; 32 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Jurassic World(2015)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Plaga Zombie: Zona Mutante: Revolución Tóxica(2011)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra(2009)

    Special Effects

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Terminator Salvation(2009)

    Creature Effects Technical Director · In Memory Of

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Deaths of Ian Stone(2007)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Iron Man(2008)

    Special Effects

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Hellraiser: Deader(2005)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Constantine(2005)

    Special Effects Makeup Artist

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines(2003)

    Makeup Effects

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • No Feat But What We Make: 'Terminator 2' and the Rise of Digital Effects (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Wrong Turn(2003)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Teenage Caveman(2002)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • She Creature(2001)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Day the World Ended(2001)

    Producer · Special Effects

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • How to Make a Monster(2001)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Earth vs. the Spider(2001)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • A.I. Artificial Intelligence(2001)

    Animatronics Designer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Pearl Harbor(2001)

    Makeup Effects

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Galaxy Quest(1999)

    Makeup Effects

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • End of Days(1999)

    Creature Design

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Inspector Gadget(1999)

    Animatronics Designer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Small Soldiers(1998)

    Animatronic and Prosthetic Effects

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Ghosts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

  • The Lost World: Jurassic Park(1997)

    Creature Effects Technical Director

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Relic(1997)

    Creature Effects Technical Director

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Island of Dr. Moreau(1996)

    Special Effects Makeup Artist

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • T2 3-D: Battle Across Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles(1994)

    Makeup Effects Designer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Jurassic Park(1993)

    Special Effects

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Batman Returns(1992)

    Special Effects Makeup Artist

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Terminator 2: Judgment Day(1991)

    Makeup Effects Designer · Special Effects · Visual Effects Producer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • A Gnome Named Gnorm(1990)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Predator 2(1990)

    Special Effects

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Leviathan(1989)

    Creature Effects Technical Director

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Pumpkinhead(1988)

    Director · Story

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • The Monster Squad(1987)

    Creature Design

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Predator(1987)

    Special Effects

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Aliens(1986)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Invaders from Mars(1986)

    Creature Design

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • A Pocket for Corduroy(1986)

    as Detective

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Terminator(1984)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Entity(1982)

    Special Effects Makeup Artist

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Parasite(1982)

    Creature Design · Special Effects

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Heartbeeps(1981)

    Makeup Effects

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Dead & Buried(1981)

    Makeup Effects Designer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Hand(1981)

    Makeup Effects

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Farewell to the Planet of the Apes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Special Effects Makeup Artist

  • The Forgotten City of the Planet of the Apes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Special Effects Makeup Artist

  • The Exterminator(1980)

    Makeup Effects

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Unseen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Story

  • The Island(1980)

    Special Effects Makeup Artist

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan(1979)

    Makeup Designer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Wiz(1978)

    Makeup Designer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Dracula's Dog(1977)

    Makeup Designer · Special Effects

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Mansion of the Doomed(1976)

    Makeup Designer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • W.C. Fields and Me(1976)

    Makeup Designer · Special Effects

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman(1974)

    Makeup Effects · Makeup Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Unwed Father (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Makeup Artist

  • Get Christie Love!(1974)

    Makeup Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Bat People(1974)

    Makeup Designer · Makeup Effects

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Gargoyles(1972)

    Creature Design

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 60 titles from 1972 to 2015.

Biggest box office

Wrong Turn (2003)

$29M worldwide

Highest rated

The Making of 'Jurassic Park' (1995)

Midcredits 91st

Most popular right now

Wrong Turn (2003)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 60: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting4 of 60: 2 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting3 of 60: 1 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing9 of 60: 7 only producing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score10thOther crew47 of 60: 45 only other crew, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

60 titles, 4 with more than one role — other crew and producing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1970s10 · crew1980s17 · crew1990s15 · crew2000s16 · 1 acting · 15 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 Stan Winston's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 54; across their 17 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 40th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Reach · how many have seen their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Midcredits score across 54 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th13

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 54 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Universally Panned2
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed19

Most divisive · actor

A Pocket for Corduroy (1986)

84th percentile spread · 14% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 57/100 and the pacing 44/100 in their films, across 11 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 Stan Winston's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 51 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Stan Winston work with?

People who share at least 2 of Stan Winston's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Brian J. Gilbert shares the most, 7.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers