Director

Michael Cimino: Movies, Awards & Box Office

films: 11
as director: 7
on screen: 1974–2024
box office: $102M
award wins: 2
average score: 74

Born: February 3, 1939
Birthplace: New York City, New York, U.S.
Full name: Michael Antonio Cimino
Citizenship: United States
Occupations: Film director, screenwriter, producer, author
Years active: 1972-2016
Spouses: N/A

Biggest hits

The Best Michael Cimino Movies

The films of Michael Cimino that made the most at the worldwide box office, biggest first: The Deer Hunter (1978) leads with $49.1M. The full ranking adds the most awarded films and the newest releases.

Full ranking

Career at a glance

Michael Cimino's Career in Numbers

Michael Cimino's films in numbers — as a director, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Michael Cimino works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) to Girl Haunts Boy (2024), and the 1980s were the busiest decade.

Michael Cimino Movies by Decade

1970s 2
1980s 3
1990s 2
2000s 1
2020s 1

The 1980s were Michael Cimino's busiest decade, with 3 films.

Michael Cimino Movies by Genre

Comedy 2
Action 2
Drama 2
Crime 1
Thriller 1
Adventure 1

Comedy is the genre Michael Cimino has worked in most, with 2 films, ahead of action (2).

Michael Cimino Career Milestones

First film: Thunderbolt and Lightfoot 1974
Biggest box office hit: The Deer Hunter $49.1M worldwide
Best-rated film: Girl Haunts Boy Movie Echo Score 74
Newest film: Girl Haunts Boy 2024

11 credits

Michael Cimino Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Michael Cimino is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. 7 as director and 2 as actor. Rated films average a score of 74. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

Movies Directed by Michael Cimino

Michael Cimino Movies as an Actor

Michael Cimino in Documentaries & Specials

2 wins · 6 nominations

Michael Cimino: Awards & Nominations

2 wins from 6 nominations across 4 award bodies, from 1979 to 1980. That includes an Oscar: Best Director for The Deer Hunter. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.

All movie awards

Oscars 1 win from 2 nominations
DGA Awards 1 win from 1 nomination
BAFTA 2 nominations
Golden Globes 1 nomination

33rd British Academy Film Awards
- Michael Cimino: Nominated Best Film The Deer Hunter
- Michael Cimino: Nominated Best Director The Deer Hunter
51st Academy Awards
- Michael Cimino: Win Best Director The Deer Hunter
- Michael Cimino: Nominated Best Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) The Deer Hunter
31st Directors Guild of America Awards
- Michael Cimino: Win Outstanding Directing – Feature Film The Deer Hunter
36th Golden Globe Awards
- Michael Cimino: Nominated Best Director The Deer Hunter

Biography

Who Is Michael Cimino?

Michael Cimino was born in New York City, New York, U.S. in 1939. Credited on films since 1974, as a director. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Michael Cimino was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and author. Known for his attention to detail, Cimino received fame for directing The Deer Hunter (1978), which won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. He began his career in New York as a commercial director before moving to Los Angeles in the 1970s to pursue screenwriting. His first directed film was Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974). Cimino's later film, Heaven's Gate (1980), was considered a box office bomb, marking the end of the New Hollywood era of filmmaking. However, it has since been re-evaluated as a masterpiece by some critics. Despite his sporadic and often uncompleted projects, Cimino continued to write scripts and novels until his death in 2016.

Works with

Who Michael Cimino Makes Movies With

The actors and directors Michael Cimino shares the most films with. Jeff Bridges comes first, with 2 films together, followed by Takeshi Kitano (2).

FAQ

Michael Cimino: Questions & Answers

How many movies Michael Cimino has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has Michael Cimino been in?

Michael Cimino is credited on 11 films, from 1974 to 2024. 2 of them as an actor and 7 as a director. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is Michael Cimino's highest-grossing movie?

The Deer Hunter (1978) is Michael Cimino's biggest box office hit, with $49.1M worldwide, ahead of Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) ($21.7M). Across every film with box office figures, Michael Cimino's movies have made $102M.

Michael Cimino's biggest hits

What is the best Michael Cimino movie?

By the Movie Echo Score, which blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact, Michael Cimino's best-rated film is Girl Haunts Boy (2024) with a score of 74.

Best Michael Cimino movies, ranked

Has Michael Cimino won an Oscar?

Michael Cimino has won an Oscar: Best Director for The Deer Hunter at the 1979 ceremony. Across every ceremony in the awards database, Michael Cimino has 2 wins from 6 nominations.

What is Michael Cimino's newest movie?

The most recent film on Michael Cimino's filmography is Girl Haunts Boy (2024), in the role of Cole.

Who does Michael Cimino work with most often?

Michael Cimino shares the most films with Jeff Bridges (2 films), Takeshi Kitano (2 films) and Christopher Walken (2 films).

The Best Michael Cimino Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 11 directing credits.

See the ranking

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