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Alex Winter

Alex Winter

Actor, director, producer and writer · Born July 17, 1965 (61) · London, England, UK

Cannes award nominee

Alexander Ross "Alex" Winter (born July 17, 1965) is an English-born American actor, film director, and film writer, best known for his role as Bill S. Preston Esq. in the three films in the Bill & Ted series (1989-2020). He is also well known for his role as Marko in the 1987 cult classic The Lost Boys and for co-writing, co-directing and starring in the 1993 film Freaked.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 17, 1965 (61)
From
London, England, UK
Works as
Actor, director, producer and writer
Titles
33 on MovieCove · 60 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 155 days to Oct 26Down 26% in 30 days

What are Alex Winter's films like?

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

Genres

Documentary10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 18th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography 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
Self
26%
Bonds
22%
Society
12%
Ideas
11%
Morality
11%
Power
11%
Survival
6%
Friendship6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 26 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 13 · Serious 9 · Dark 4

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 13 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 8

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

Gentle 9 · Charged 12 · Intense 5

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

Steady 14 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 1

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 10 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 7

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

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 4

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

A split, not a type: Casual 14 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 3

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

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

8 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 4 of 8 analyzed roles.

Hero
4 of 8
Shapeshifter
1 of 8
Herald
1 of 8
Shadow
1 of 8
Threshold guardian
1 of 8
Show the 8 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Joyful
11
Contemplative
12
Absurd
10
Hopeful
7
Other
23

How their films linger

Fun14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous7
  • Cyclical1

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 Alex Winter's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 33 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Alex Winter'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

60 credits, 33 with a MovieCove page; 20 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Primetime(2026)

    as Bill Conradt

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Waiting for Godot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Vladimir

  • Adulthood(2025)

    Director · Producer · as Doug Metzger

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Medium Rare Cold Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Timmy

  • Smurfs(2025)

    as Hefty Smurf (voice)

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Absolute Dominion(2025)

    Producer · as Dr. Jehuda Bruno

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Destroy All Neighbors(2024)

    Producer · as Vlad / Public Defender

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Sandtown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Executive Producer

  • Full Circle(2023)

    Show 2 episodes · as Widmer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

  • The YouTube Effect(2022)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Blue's Big City Adventure(2022)

    as Cab Driver

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Zappa(2020)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Bill & Ted Face the Music(2020)

    Executive Producer · as Bill

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Showbiz Kids(2020)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Green Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 4 episodes · Producer

  • Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain(2018)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Panama Papers(2018)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Body (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as The Voice

  • Trump's Lobby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Director · Producer

  • Relatively Free (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · Producer · as Himself, Filmmaker (uncredited)

  • Quantum Is Calling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · Producer

  • Anyone Can Quantum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · as Cameo

  • Smosh: The Movie(2015)

    Director · as Uncle Keith (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Deep Web(2015)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Grand Piano(2013)

    as Assistant

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Downloaded (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • Betas(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Level Up(2012)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • Marvin Marvin(2012)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • Blue Beetle: Test Trailer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director

  • Blue Mountain State(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Ben 10: Alien Swarm(2009)

    Director · Executive Producer · as Nanomech (voice)

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Ben 10: Race Against Time(2007)

    Director · Executive Producer · as Constantine Jacobs

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Saul of the Mole Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 5 episodes · as King Mole Man (voice)

  • Bones(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Monte Gold

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Tabla Beat Science: Talamanam Sound Clash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director

  • Fever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director · Writer

  • The Borrowers(1997)

    as TV Gangster

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Freaked(1993)

    Director · Co-Producer · Writer · as Ricky Coogan

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Basic Values: Sex, Shock & Censorship in the 90's(1993)

    as Stinx On Ice

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

  • Meals on Wheels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director · Writer · as Dweeb

  • Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey(1991)

    as Bill / Granny Preston

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Idiot Box (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 7 episodes · Director · Creator · as Self

  • Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures(1990)

    Show 13 episodes · as Bill S. Preston (voice)

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • The Word (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Howie Meets the Ghost of Environmental Disasters Yet to Come (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director · Writer · as Howie

  • Rosalie Goes Shopping(1989)

    as Schatzi Greenspace

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure(1989)

    as Bill S. Preston

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Aisles of Doom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director · Writer · as Grendel T.W. Ulcerous

  • Impact Video Magazine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Actor

  • Haunted Summer(1988)

    as Dr. John William Polidori

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Bar-B-Que Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Director · as Mexican Hitchhiker

  • The Lost Boys(1987)

    as Marko

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Medium Rare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Timmy

  • Death Wish 3(1985)

    as Hermosa

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Equalizer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeffrey

  • Squeal of Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Writer · as Howie / Various Characters

  • Gauguin the Savage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Clovis

  • 61 Suns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Thanks

  • Relapse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Spoony

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 59 titles, 57 of them dated from 1980 to 2026; peak year 1990.

Biggest box office

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

$41M worldwide

Highest rated

In Search of Darkness 1990-1994: A Journey Into Iconic '90s Horror (2024)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Primetime (2026)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19802026

Peak 1990 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 5 MovieCove titles. 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.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting40 of 59: 25 only acting, 15 with another role · typical Midcredits score40thDirecting28 of 59: 6 only directing, 22 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thWriting11 of 59: 0 only writing, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score70thProducing18 of 59: 2 only producing, 16 with another role · typical Midcredits score40thOther crew2 of 59: 1 only other crew, 1 with another role

59 titles, 25 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 12 of them.

By decade

1980s12 · 12 acting · 3 crew1990s10 · 9 acting · 5 crew2000s5 · 4 acting · 3 crew2010s15 · 4 acting · 13 crew2020s15 · 10 acting · 9 crew

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 6% of 16 roles
859520

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. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

Nominated for a Cannes award in 1999, Directors' Fortnight.

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 Alex Winter's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 41st percentile, the median of all 26; across their 26 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Approval · how many liked their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Midcredits score across 33 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 33 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · director

Marvin Marvin (2012)

96th percentile spread · 67% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, producer

Zappa (2020)

Midcredits 94th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 58/100 in their films, across 20 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

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 Alex Winter's work okay for kids?

Across up to 12 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore9 titles25–65 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity12 titles9–66 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity9 titles28–71 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs8 titles18–56 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense9 titles18–71 · median 53 · 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 Alex Winter work with?

People who share at least 2 of Alex Winter's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Devorah DeVries shares the most, 7.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles