Danny Elfman

Best known as a Composer based on credits in that role in 100 films, with $18,451,145,391 worldwide aggregate box office (rank #6)
Best-known technical roles: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Composer), Avengers: Age of Ultron (Additional Music), Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Composer), Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (Composer), Alice in Wonderland (Composer)
Most productive collaborators: Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, Chris Lebenzon, Helena Bonham Carter, Katterli Frauenfelder
Born: May 29, 1953 (72 years old)
                                    

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

Career Summary


  MoviesDomestic
Box Office		International
Box Office		Worldwide
Box Office
As an ActorInverviewee1$0$83,050$83,050
Documentary Subject1$0$0$0
In Technical RolesComposer100$8,723,815,256$9,727,330,135$18,451,145,391
Song Writer3$614,136,166$987,265,925$1,601,402,091
Score Producer3$644,108,795$573,891,903$1,218,000,698
Additional Music3$461,031,106$941,746,478$1,402,777,584
Music Producer2$64,440,230$55,614,146$120,054,376
Music Director1$36,843,682$8,128,501$44,972,183

Latest Ranking on Selected Box Office Record Lists


RecordRankAmount
Top Stars at the International Box Office (Rank 67,201-67,300) 67,269 $83,050
Top Stars at the Worldwide Box Office (Rank 80,701-80,800) 80,723 $83,050
Top Grossing Composer at the Domestic Box Office 5 $8,723,815,256
Top Grossing Composer at the International Box Office 7 $9,727,149,460
Top Grossing Composer at the Worldwide Box Office 6 $18,450,964,716

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


Analysis: That Music You Hear? It's Probably By Hans Zimmer

September 22nd, 2013


Top-grossing people in technical roles

Last week I unveiled our new People Records section and talked about some of top performers across different types of acting, from the blockbusting superstars to the unsung heroes, to the cameo kings and queens. We've added some more charts to the record section this week, this time covering technical roles, and once more there's a lot of data to be mined. More...

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Hitchcock

March 11th, 2013

Hitchcock opened in limited release earning an per theater average of nearly $17,000 in 17 theaters. It went on to make more than $6 million in total, including more than $1 million during its biggest weekend. This is an impressive run compared to most limited releases. However, Hitchcock was expected to be a player during Awards Season and many thought it would be able to expand wide, or at least semi-wide. Granted, there were a lot of Oscar hopefuls that opened during the same time period. Did this one just get lost in the crowd? Or was there a reason it missed admittedly high expectations? More...

All Acting Credits



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Release
Date		TitleRoleDomestic
Box Office		International
Box Office		Worldwide
Box Office
Jun 16, 2017Score: A Film Music Do… Himself $83,050$83,050
May 13, 2011A Conversation with Da… Himself
 
Averages n/a$83,050$83,050
Totals 2 n/a$83,050$83,050

Latest Ranking on All Acting Box Office Record Lists


RecordRankAmount
Top Live Action Stars at the International Box Office (Rank 63,701-63,800) 63,754 $83,050
Top Below the Line Stars at the International Box Office (Rank 54,101-54,200) 54,166 $83,050
Top Stars at the International Box Office (Rank 67,201-67,300) 67,269 $83,050
Top Live Action Stars at the Worldwide Box Office (Rank 77,001-77,100) 77,057 $83,050
Top Below the Line Stars at the Worldwide Box Office (Rank 62,801-62,900) 62,898 $83,050
Top Stars at the Worldwide Box Office (Rank 80,701-80,800) 80,723 $83,050

All Technical Credits



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Release
Date		TitleRoleDomestic
Box Office		International
Box Office		Worldwide
Box Office
Jan 30, 2026Send Help Composer
Jan 9, 2026Dead Man’s Wire Composer
Sep 6, 2024Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Composer
Score Producer		 $294,100,435$157,879,613$451,980,048
May 6, 2022Doctor Strange in the Multi… Composer $411,331,607$540,893,379$952,224,986
May 14, 2021The Woman in the Window Composer
Jan 17, 2020Dolittle Score Producer $77,047,065$174,462,229$251,509,294
Jun 14, 2019Men in Black: International Composer $80,001,807$174,308,196$254,310,003
Mar 29, 2019Dumbo Composer $114,766,307$238,400,000$353,166,307
Nov 9, 2018Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Music By
Score Producer		 $272,961,295$241,550,061$514,511,356
Jul 13, 2018Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get F… Composer $1,441,705$3,080,799$4,522,504
Feb 9, 2018Fifty Shades Freed Composer $100,407,760$271,577,258$371,985,018
Jan 5, 2018Before I Wake Additional Music $4,937,677$4,937,677
Apr 28, 2017The Circle Composer $20,497,844$24,999,845$45,497,689
Feb 10, 2017Fifty Shades Darker Composer $114,434,010$266,933,036$381,367,046
Oct 7, 2016The Girl on the Train Composer $75,395,035$98,883,179$174,278,214
May 27, 2016Alice Through the Looking G… Composer $77,042,381$199,885,731$276,928,112
Oct 16, 2015Goosebumps Composer $80,069,458$78,882,785$158,952,243
Jul 31, 2015The End of the Tour Composer $3,002,883$111,460$3,114,343
May 1, 2015Avengers: Age of Ultron Additional Music $459,005,868$936,311,111$1,395,316,979
Feb 13, 2015Fifty Shades of Grey Composer $166,167,230$404,627,720$570,794,950
Dec 25, 2014Big Eyes Composer $14,482,031$12,835,841$27,317,872
Mar 7, 2014Mr. Peabody & Sherman Composer $111,506,430$158,300,000$269,806,430
Dec 13, 2013American Hustle Composer $150,098,456$107,760,487$257,858,943
May 24, 2013Epic Music $107,518,682$155,275,759$262,794,441
Mar 8, 2013Oz the Great and Powerful Composer $234,770,996$255,588,055$490,359,051
Jan 4, 2013Promised Land Composer $7,597,898$4,796,664$12,394,562
Nov 16, 2012Silver Linings Playbook Composer $132,092,958$104,319,495$236,412,453
Oct 5, 2012Frankenweenie Composer $35,287,788$45,863,000$81,150,788
May 25, 2012Men in Black 3 Composer $179,020,854$475,192,631$654,213,485
May 11, 2012Dark Shadows Composer $79,727,149$165,837,066$245,564,215
Oct 7, 2011Real Steel Composer $85,463,309$178,417,032$263,880,341
Sep 16, 2011Restless Composer $163,753$2,608,758$2,772,511
Mar 5, 2010Alice in Wonderland Composer $334,191,110$691,300,000$1,025,491,110
Feb 12, 2010The Wolfman Composer $62,189,884$80,444,474$142,634,358
Aug 26, 2009Taking Woodstock Composer $7,460,204$2,606,162$10,066,366
May 21, 2009Terminator Salvation Composer $125,322,469$240,169,323$365,491,792
Jan 16, 2009Notorious Music Director $36,843,682$8,128,501$44,972,183
Nov 26, 2008Milk Composer
Music Producer		 $31,841,299$25,452,072$57,293,371
Jul 11, 2008Hellboy II: The Golden Army Composer $75,986,503$84,401,560$160,388,063
Jun 27, 2008Wanted Composer $134,508,551$207,907,909$342,416,460
Apr 25, 2008Standard Operating Procedure Composer $228,830$103,290$332,120
Sep 28, 2007The Kingdom Composer $47,467,250$39,335,207$86,802,457
Jul 27, 2007The Simpsons Movie Song Writer $183,135,014$343,936,008$527,071,022
May 4, 2007Spider-Man 3 Original Music Themes $338,007,351$558,329,917$896,337,268
Mar 30, 2007Meet the Robinsons Composer $97,822,171$72,730,548$170,552,719
Dec 15, 2006Charlotte’s Web Composer $82,985,708$61,000,000$143,985,708
Jun 16, 2006Nacho Libre Composer $80,197,993$19,098,469$99,296,462
Mar 3, 2006Deep Sea 3D Composer $64,001,579$41,778,182$105,779,761
Sep 23, 2005Corpse Bride Composer $53,359,111$61,324,917$114,684,028
Jul 15, 2005Charlie and the Chocolate F… Composer $206,459,076$269,366,408$475,825,484
Jun 30, 2004Spider-Man 2 Composer $375,828,527$421,173,072$797,001,599
Dec 10, 2003Big Fish Composer $66,432,867$57,490,348$123,923,215
Jun 20, 2003Hulk Composer $132,177,234$112,854,445$245,031,679
Dec 27, 2002Chicago Composer $170,687,518$136,083,027$306,770,545
Oct 4, 2002Red Dragon Composer $92,955,420$113,500,000$206,455,420
Jul 3, 2002Men in Black 2 Composer $190,418,803$251,349,000$441,767,803
May 3, 2002Spider-Man Composer $405,930,363$417,999,609$823,929,972
Nov 16, 2001Novocaine Additional Music $2,025,238$497,690$2,522,928
Jul 27, 2001Planet of the Apes Composer $180,011,740$182,200,000$362,211,740
Mar 30, 2001Spy Kids Composer $112,692,062$85,000,000$197,692,062
Dec 22, 2000The Family Man Composer $75,764,085$48,951,778$124,715,863
Dec 8, 2000Proof of Life Composer
Music Producer		 $32,598,931$30,162,074$62,761,005
Nov 19, 1999Sleepy Hollow Composer $101,068,340$106,000,000$207,068,340
Nov 12, 1999Anywhere But Here Composer $18,653,615$18,653,615
Jun 4, 1999Instinct Composer $34,105,207$34,105,207
Feb 12, 1999My Favorite Martian Composer $36,850,101$36,850,101
Dec 25, 1998A Civil Action Composer $56,709,981$56,709,981
Dec 11, 1998A Simple Plan Composer $16,316,273$16,316,273
Dec 12, 1997Scream 2 Composer $101,363,301$71,000,000$172,363,301
Dec 5, 1997Good Will Hunting Composer $138,433,435$87,492,554$225,925,989
Nov 26, 1997Flubber Composer
Song Writer		 $92,993,801$85,000,000$177,993,801
Jul 1, 1997Men in Black Composer $250,690,539$337,100,000$587,790,539
Dec 13, 1996Mars Attacks! Composer $37,771,017$63,600,000$101,371,017
Sep 27, 1996Extreme Measures Composer $17,378,193$17,378,193
Aug 23, 1996Freeway Composer $295,493$295,493
Jul 19, 1996The Frighteners Composer $16,553,635$787$16,554,422
May 21, 1996Mission: Impossible Composer $180,981,886$276,716,108$457,697,994
Oct 4, 1995Dead Presidents Composer $24,120,194$24,120,194
Sep 27, 1995To Die For Composer $21,284,514$6,404,230$27,688,744
Mar 24, 1995Dolores Claiborne Composer $24,262,193$24,262,193
Jan 13, 1995Tales from the Crypt: Demon… Composer $21,089,146$21,089,146
Jul 29, 1994Black Beauty Composer $4,428,830$4,428,830
Oct 13, 1993The Nightmare Before Christmas Composer $94,693,927$832,988$95,526,915
Feb 19, 1993Army of Darkness Composer $11,502,976$10,000,000$21,502,976
Feb 5, 1993Sommersby Composer $50,081,992$90,000,000$140,081,992
Jul 31, 1992Buffy the Vampire Slayer Composer $14,231,669$14,231,669
Jun 18, 1992Batman Returns Composer $162,979,405$103,990,656$266,970,061
Mar 13, 1992Article 99 Composer $6,281,089$6,281,089
Aug 9, 1991Pure Luck Composer $22,641,969$22,641,969
Dec 7, 1990Edward Scissorhands Composer $53,976,987$3,233$53,980,220
Aug 24, 1990Darkman Composer $32,942,739$32,942,739
Jun 15, 1990Dick Tracy Composer $103,738,726$59,000,000$162,738,726
Feb 16, 1990Nightbreed Composer $8,000,000$605,163$8,605,163
Jan 12, 1990Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw… Composer $5,697,588$5,697,588
Jun 23, 1989Batman Composer $251,188,924$160,160,000$411,348,924
Jun 16, 1989Ghostbusters II Composer $112,494,738$103,005,262$215,500,000
Nov 23, 1988Scrooged Composer $59,450,353$443$59,450,796
Jul 22, 1988Big Top Pee-Wee Composer $15,122,324$15,122,324
Jul 20, 1988Midnight Run Composer $38,413,606$43,200,000$81,613,606
Mar 30, 1988Beetlejuice Composer $77,475,359$627,831$78,103,190
Nov 20, 1987Teen Wolf Too Composer $7,888,000$7,888,000
Jul 22, 1987Summer School Composer $35,114,428$35,114,428
Oct 22, 1986Something Wild Composer $8,362,000$618$8,362,618
Aug 22, 1986The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 Composer $8,025,872$302$8,026,174
Jun 13, 1986Back to School Composer $91,258,000$91,258,000
Jul 26, 1985Pee Wee's Big Adventure Composer $40,940,662$40,940,662
Aug 13, 1982Fast Times at Ridgemont High Composer $27,092,880$236$27,093,116
 
Averages $95,338,636$141,613,654$207,440,507
Totals 107 $9,819,879,474$11,753,933,268$21,573,812,742

Latest Ranking on All Technical Box Office Record Lists


RecordRankAmount
Top Grossing Composer at the Domestic Box Office 5 $8,723,815,256
Top Grossing Composer at the International Box Office 7 $9,727,149,460
Top Grossing Composer at the Worldwide Box Office 6 $18,450,964,716