Joe Dante - Actor Profile

Joe Dante

Directing
Freshness: Jan 20, 2026
50Total Films
10.0 Highest Rated
Born: Nov 28, 1946
Birth Place: Morristown, New Jersey, USA

About Joe Dante

Joseph James Dante Jr. (born November 28, 1946) is an American filmmaker, producer, editor and actor. His films—notably Gremlins (1984) alongside its sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)—often mix the 1950s-style B movie genre with 1960s radicalism and cartoon comedy. Dante's output includes the films Piranha (1978), The Howling (1981), Explorers (1985), Innerspace (1987), The 'Burbs (1989), Matinee (1993), Small Soldiers (1998), and Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003). His work for television and cable include the social satire The Second Civil War (1997), episodes of the anthology series Masters of Horror ("Homecoming" and "The Screwfly Solution") and Amazing Stories, as well as Police Squad! and Hawaii Five-0. Description above from the Wikipedia article Joe Dante, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Career Statistics & Market Influence

Analyzing the cinematic journey of Joe Dante reveals a career defined by exceptional commercial consistency. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.

Genre Dominance: Documentary

The majority of Joe Dante's filmography leans towards the Documentary genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.

The "Box Office" Signature

With a 100% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Joe Dante remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.

Best Joe Dante Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Joe Dante's career based on audience ratings.

Complete Filmography & Success Status

Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Joe Dante.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
2025 The Vincent Price Legacy Himself Super Hit Similar →
2024 Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters Self Super Hit Similar →
2024 The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee Self Super Hit Similar →
2022 In Search of Darkness: Part III Self Super Hit Similar →
2022 Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story Self - Interviewee Super Hit Similar →
2022 Soylent Green and Red Alert: When Reality Catches Up with Fiction Self Hit Similar →
2021 Blood, Guts and Sunshine: The History of Horror Made in Florida Self [archival] Hit Similar →
2021 Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster Self Hit Similar →
2020 Bugs Bunny's 80th What's Up, Doc-umentary! Self (archive footage) Super Hit Similar →
2020 Tales of the Uncanny Self Hit Similar →
2020 In Search of Darkness: Part II Self Super Hit Similar →
2019 Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters Self Super Hit Similar →
2019 Love, Antosha Self Hit Similar →
2019 In Search of Darkness Self Super Hit Similar →
2018 Sad Hill Unearthed Self - Filmmaker Hit Similar →
2018 Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros. Years Self Hit Similar →
2016 24×36 Self Hit Similar →
2015 Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex Self Hit Similar →
2015 42nd Street Memories: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Notorious Street Himself Super Hit Similar →
2015 Eaten Alive! The Rise and Fall of the Italian Cannibal Film - Hit Similar →
2014 From Gizmo to Gremlins: Creating the Creatures Self Hit Similar →
2014 Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous: Making Gremlins Self Hit Similar →
2014 That Guy Dick Miller Self Hit Similar →
2012 Trailer War Himself Hit Similar →
2012 Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan Self Hit Similar →
2011 Corman's World Self - Filmmaker Hit Similar →
2011 A Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas! Self - Interviewee Super Hit Similar →
2010 The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth Self Hit Similar →
2010 Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr. Self Hit Similar →
2007 Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story Self Super Hit Similar →
2007 Spider Stravinsky: The Cinema Sounds of Ronald Stein Himself Super Hit Similar →
2007 Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman Self Super Hit Similar →
2006 Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon Self Hit Similar →
2006 Lugosi: The Dark Prince Self Super Hit Similar →
2006 Karloff: The Gentle Monster Self Super Hit Similar →
2005 The Perfect Scary Movie Self Super Hit Similar →
2005 Behind the Tunes: Looney Tunes Go to War! Himself Hit Similar →
2005 Behind the Tunes: Bosko, Buddy and the Best of Black and White Himself Hit Similar →
2005 Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy - Super Hit Similar →
2005 Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection Self Super Hit Similar →
2004 The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing Self Hit Similar →
2002 Cinerama Adventure Self Super Hit Similar →
1999 Ray Harryhausen: Working with Dinosaurs Self Hit Similar →
1999 She's Alive! Creating 'The Bride of Frankenstein' Self / Host Super Hit Similar →
1994 Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror Self Hit Similar →
1994 A Century of Cinema Self Super Hit Similar →
1992 The Magical World of Chuck Jones Self Super Hit Similar →
1992 Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The 'Plan 9' Companion Himself Hit Similar →
1986 The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal Self Super Hit Similar →
1978 Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel Self Hit Similar →

Joe Dante - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Joe Dante?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Joe Dante is "Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story" with a rating of 10.0/10.

How many movies has Joe Dante acted in?

Joe Dante has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Joe Dante?

Other notable films include "Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy", "Spider Stravinsky: The Cinema Sounds of Ronald Stein", and "Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman".