John Carpenter

Best known as a Director based on credits in that role in 20 films, with $307,467,447 worldwide aggregate box office (rank #573)
Best-known technical roles: Halloween (Character Creator), Halloween (Executive Producer), Halloween (Composer), Halloween Kills (Character Creator), Halloween Kills (Executive Producer)
Best-known acting roles: Man in Helicopter (Starman), Secret Service #2/Helicopter Pilot/Violin Player (Escape from New York), Helicopter Pilot (Memoirs of an Invisible Man), Worker in Chinatown (Big Trouble in Little China), The Coupe De Villes (The Boy Who Could Fly)
Most productive collaborators: Jamie Lee Curtis, David Gordon Green, Judy Greer, Danny McBride, Andi Matichak
Born: January 16, 1948 (76 years old)
Also credited as: Frank Armitage, Uncredited
                                    

  1. Summary
  2. News
  3. Acting Credits
  4. Technical Credits

Career Summary


  MoviesDomestic
Box Office
International
Box Office
Worldwide
Box Office
As an ActorSupporting1$28,700,000$0$28,700,000
(Unclassified)5$66,610,079$140,617$66,750,696
In Technical RolesDirector20$282,989,243$24,478,204$307,467,447
Composer9$395,291,453$181,511,954$576,803,407
Screenwriter8$128,266,938$33,633$128,300,571
Score Producer3$315,448,030$176,220,017$491,668,047
Character Creator3$315,448,030$176,220,017$491,668,047
Executive Producer3$315,448,030$176,220,017$491,668,047
Score Recordist2$251,368,170$134,899,081$386,267,251
Story Creator2$25,537,565$0$25,537,565
Producer1$14,400,000$0$14,400,000

Latest Ranking on Selected Box Office Record Lists


RecordRankAmount
Top Stars at the Domestic Box Office (Rank 19,801-19,900) 19,882 $95,310,079
Top Stars at the International Box Office (Rank 63,401-63,500) 63,434 $140,617
Top Stars at the Worldwide Box Office (Rank 32,901-33,000) 32,988 $95,450,696
Top Grossing Composer at the Domestic Box Office (Rank 101-200) 115 $395,291,453
Top Grossing Director at the Domestic Box Office (Rank 301-400) 320 $282,989,243
Top Grossing Executive Producer at the Domestic Box Office (Rank 401-500) 470 $315,448,030
Top Grossing Producer at the Domestic Box Office (Rank 2,901-3,000) 2,906 $14,400,000
Top Grossing Screenwriter at the Domestic Box Office (Rank 901-1,000) 968 $128,266,938
Top Grossing Story Creator at the Domestic Box Office (Rank 1,601-1,700) 1,688 $25,537,565
Top Grossing Composer at the International Box Office (Rank 201-300) 215 $181,511,954
Top Grossing Director at the International Box Office (Rank 1,601-1,700) 1,686 $24,478,092
Top Grossing Executive Producer at the International Box Office (Rank 1,001-1,100) 1,042 $176,220,017
Top Grossing Screenwriter at the International Box Office (Rank 7,101-7,200) 7,178 $33,521
Top Grossing Composer at the Worldwide Box Office (Rank 101-200) 151 $576,803,407
Top Grossing Director at the Worldwide Box Office (Rank 501-600) 573 $307,467,335
Top Grossing Executive Producer at the Worldwide Box Office (Rank 601-700) 685 $491,668,047
Top Grossing Producer at the Worldwide Box Office (Rank 3,701-3,800) 3,785 $14,400,000
Top Grossing Screenwriter at the Worldwide Box Office (Rank 1,601-1,700) 1,603 $128,300,459
Top Grossing Story Creator at the Worldwide Box Office (Rank 1,901-2,000) 1,979 $25,537,565

See the Acting Credits tab for all Acting Box Office Records and the Technical Credits tab for all Technical Box Office Records.


Limited and VOD Releases: Prospects for Limited Releases are Never, Rarely this Dire

March 13th, 2020

Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always

The COVID-19 outbreak hangs heavily over the film business this weekend, and raises a lot of questions about how much business we will see at the box office. It is going to affect family films most of all, because families are more likely to stay home than adults when it comes to diseases like this. However, the second group to be affected could be art house films, because these tend to only play in large cities, and large cities have been hit harder by the outbreak so far. The advise is to stay three feet away from anyone else, which is impossible if you are using the New York City subway system, for example. I don’t think any of the films on this week’s list are going to thrive, at least not in theaters. That’s too bad, because there are several that deserve audiences, including Big Time Adolescence, Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always, and others. More...

2018 Preview: October

October 1st, 2018

First Man

September turned out to be a solid month. The Nun beat expectations to become a $100 million hit, while there were also several midlevel hits in the mix. Granted, it lost ground when compared to last September, but last September broke records, and this September held on better than expected. Hopefully this means October will be able to continue 2018’s winning ways. There are several potential $100 million hits, starting with Venom and A Star is Born, which open the first weekend. Meanwhile, both First Man and Halloween could break the century mark later in the month. By comparison, last October, no movie topped $100 million, with Blade Runner 2049 coming the closest. 2018 should extend its lead over 2017 during the full month, potentially by a significant margin. More...

Home Market Releases for August 7th, 2018

August 8th, 2018

Deadpool 2

It is a deceptively busy week on the home market, and not in a good way. There’s no one big release, at least not on DVD / Blu-ray, but there’s a sea of mediocrity this week. I’m not talking about quality here, but sales rank. There are a lot of films that wouldn’t even be filler during a normal week, but this week are selling well enough to be mentioned. There are several that are worth picking up, including limited releases like Bye Bye Germany and Revenge, classics like The Changeling, and even some Anime titles like Big Fish & Begonia or Tsuredure Children. Deadpool 2 is by far the biggest release of the week and I suspect the Blu-ray will be the Pick of the Week when it comes out, but I don’t want to give it that title until than. As a result, there’s no real winner this week. There were a lot that came close. More...

2012 - Holiday Gift Guide - Part III

December 15th, 2012

We are getting closer and closer to Christmas and we are getting to the crunch time for gift shopping. After checking out first run releases and franchise box sets in Part I and TV on DVD releases in Part II, this week we look at limited releases, classics, and foreign films. Some are pretty obvious choices, as we had a few limited releases that broke into the mainstream during their theatrical releases, but there are also a few more films that slipped beneath the radar the last time around. The biggest of these is... More...

All Acting Credits



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Release
Date
TitleRoleDomestic
Box Office
International
Box Office
Worldwide
Box Office
Apr 28, 1995Village of the Damned Man at Gas Statio… $8,729,915$8,729,915
Feb 28, 1992Memoirs of an Invisibl… Helicopter Pilot $14,358,033$14,358,033
Aug 15, 1986The Boy Who Could Fly The Coupe De Villes $7,177,431$7,177,431
Jul 1, 1986Big Trouble in Little … Worker in Chinatown $11,100,000$108,967$11,208,967
Dec 14, 1984Starman Man in Helicopter $28,700,000$28,700,000
Jul 10, 1981Escape from New York Secret Service #2… $25,244,700$31,650$25,276,350
 
Averages $15,885,013$70,309$15,908,449
Totals 6 $95,310,079$140,617$95,450,696


Supporting Roles


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Release
Date
TitleOpening
Weekend
Maximum
Theaters
Domestic
Box Office
Worldwide
Box Office
Domestic
Share
Dec 14, 1984Starman $2,872,0221,271$28,700,000$28,700,000100.0%
 
Averages $2,872,0221,271$28,700,000$28,700,000100.0%
Totals 1 $28,700,000$28,700,000

Latest Ranking on All Acting Box Office Record Lists



All Technical Credits



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Release
Date
TitleRoleDomestic
Box Office
International
Box Office
Worldwide
Box Office
Oct 14, 2022Halloween Ends Character Creator
Executive Producer
Composer
Score Producer
$64,079,860$41,320,936$105,400,796
May 13, 2022Firestarter Composer $9,739,250$5,290,994$15,030,244
Oct 15, 2021Halloween Kills Character Creator
Executive Producer
Composer
Score Producer
Score Recordist
$92,002,155$38,849,007$130,851,162
Oct 19, 2018Halloween Character Creator
Executive Producer
Composer
Score Producer
Score Recordist
$159,366,015$96,050,074$255,416,089
Jul 8, 2011The Ward Director $7,760$1,244,254$1,252,014
Mar 2, 2010Elvis Director
Sep 25, 2007Someone’s Watching Me! Director
Aug 24, 2001John Carpenter’s Ghosts of … Director
Screenwriter
Composer
$8,434,601$8,434,601
Oct 30, 1998Vampires Director $20,268,825$20,268,825
Aug 9, 1996Escape from L.A. Director
Screenwriter
$25,426,861$25,426,861
Apr 28, 1995Village of the Damned Director
Screenwriter
$8,729,915$8,729,915
Feb 3, 1995In the Mouth of Madness Director $8,924,549$1,254$8,925,803
Feb 28, 1992Memoirs of an Invisible Man Director $14,358,033$14,358,033
Oct 13, 1989Halloween 5: The Revenge of… Composer $11,642,254$11,642,254
Nov 4, 1988They Live Director
Screenwriter
$13,447,978$1,433$13,449,411
Oct 23, 1987Prince of Darkness Director
Composer
$14,182,000$393$14,182,393
Jul 1, 1986Big Trouble in Little China Director $11,100,000$108,967$11,208,967
Jan 10, 1986Black Moon Rising Screenwriter
Story by
$6,637,565$6,637,565
Dec 14, 1984Starman Director $28,700,000$28,700,000
Dec 9, 1983Christine Director $21,200,000$28,951$21,228,951
Oct 22, 1982Halloween 3: Season of the … Producer
Composer
$14,400,000$14,400,000
Jun 25, 1982The Thing Director $14,244,703$60,752$14,305,455
Jul 10, 1981Escape from New York Director
Screenwriter
$25,244,700$31,650$25,276,350
Feb 1, 1980The Fog Director
Screenwriter
Composer
$21,445,318$550$21,445,868
Oct 17, 1978Halloween Director $47,274,000$23,000,000$70,274,000
Aug 2, 1978Eyes of Laura Mars Screenwriter
Story by
$18,900,000$18,900,000
Nov 5, 1976Assault on Precinct 13 Director
Jan 16, 1975Dark Star Director
 
Averages $27,489,848$14,713,515$36,072,732
Totals 28 $659,756,342$205,989,215$865,745,557


Director Credits


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Release
Date
TitleOpening
Weekend
Maximum
Theaters
Domestic
Box Office
Worldwide
Box Office
Domestic
Share
Jul 8, 2011The Ward $7,76011$7,760$1,252,0140.6%
Mar 2, 2010Elvis
Sep 25, 2007Someone’s Watching Me!
Aug 24, 2001John Carpenter’s Ghost… $3,804,4522,048$8,434,601$8,434,601100.0%
Oct 30, 1998Vampires $9,106,4971,793$20,268,825$20,268,825100.0%
Aug 9, 1996Escape from L.A. $8,912,5572,312$25,426,861$25,426,861100.0%
Apr 28, 1995Village of the Damned $3,222,4501,919$8,729,915$8,729,915100.0%
Feb 3, 1995In the Mouth of Madness $3,441,8071,531$8,924,549$8,925,803100.0%
Feb 28, 1992Memoirs of an Invisibl… $4,601,9541,753$14,358,033$14,358,033100.0%
Nov 4, 1988They Live $4,827,9031,463$13,447,978$13,449,411100.0%
Oct 23, 1987Prince of Darkness $4,657,4011,239$14,182,000$14,182,393100.0%
Jul 1, 1986Big Trouble in Little … $2,723,2111,092$11,100,000$11,208,96799.0%
Dec 14, 1984Starman $2,872,0221,271$28,700,000$28,700,000100.0%
Dec 9, 1983Christine $3,408,9041,101$21,200,000$21,228,95199.9%
Jun 25, 1982The Thing $3,107,897910$14,244,703$14,305,45599.6%
Jul 10, 1981Escape from New York $4,162,385579$25,244,700$25,276,35099.9%
Feb 1, 1980The Fog 30$21,445,318$21,445,868100.0%
Oct 17, 1978Halloween 781$47,274,000$70,274,00067.3%
Nov 5, 1976Assault on Precinct 13
Jan 16, 1975Dark Star
 
Averages $4,204,0861,240$17,686,828$19,216,71591.6%
Totals 20 $282,989,243$307,467,447


Producer Credits


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Release
Date
TitleOpening
Weekend
Maximum
Theaters
Domestic
Box Office
Worldwide
Box Office
Domestic
Share
Oct 22, 1982Halloween 3: Season of… $6,333,2591,328$14,400,000$14,400,000100.0%
 
Averages $6,333,2591,328$14,400,000$14,400,000100.0%
Totals 1 $14,400,000$14,400,000


Writer Credits


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Release
Date
TitleOpening
Weekend
Maximum
Theaters
Domestic
Box Office
Worldwide
Box Office
Domestic
Share
Aug 24, 2001John Carpenter’s Ghost… $3,804,4522,048$8,434,601$8,434,601100.0%
Aug 9, 1996Escape from L.A. $8,912,5572,312$25,426,861$25,426,861100.0%
Apr 28, 1995Village of the Damned $3,222,4501,919$8,729,915$8,729,915100.0%
Nov 4, 1988They Live $4,827,9031,463$13,447,978$13,449,411100.0%
Jan 10, 1986Black Moon Rising $2,775,388907$6,637,565$6,637,565100.0%
Jul 10, 1981Escape from New York $4,162,385579$25,244,700$25,276,35099.9%
Feb 1, 1980The Fog 30$21,445,318$21,445,868100.0%
Aug 2, 1978Eyes of Laura Mars $18,900,000$18,900,000100.0%
 
Averages $4,617,5231,323$16,033,367$16,037,571100.0%
Totals 8 $128,266,938$128,300,571