Ilan Mitchell Smith Movie Career Overview
Ilan Mitchell Smith is an American actor and academic known for roles in 1980s films such as Weird Science and The Chocolate War. His filmography includes a small number of credited movie appearances across studio and independent productions. He later transitioned into academia, holding positions in computer science and digital humanities, which shifted his public profile away from regular acting work. His movies remain referenced in pop culture retrospectives and streaming catalog listings.
Websites like IMDb and The Numbers track actor filmographies, box office totals, and production company credits. Ilan Mitchell Smith movie entries on these platforms list release years, genres, and distributor information. Financial data for his films is often tied to the production studios rather than individual actor compensation. Public records show his involvement in projects released under companies such as Universal Pictures and smaller independent firms.
Key Ilan Mitchell Smith Films and Production Details
Weird Science (1985) is his most prominent film credit, a sci-fi comedy directed by John Hughes and produced by Universal Pictures. The movie grossed over $38 million worldwide on a reported budget of $7.5 million, according to box office tracking sources. The Chocolate War (1988), based on the Robert Cormier novel, was produced by Cannon Films and filmed in New York and Pennsylvania. These two titles dominate search results for Ilan Mitchell Smith movies and are the primary subjects of financial and critical analysis.
Weird Science Production and Distribution
Weird Science was distributed by Universal Pictures and later made available on home video and streaming platforms. The film's production budget and box office figures are documented by studios and third-party tracking services. Ilan Mitchell Smith played the role of Wyatt Donnelly, one of two high school protagonists. The movie's enduring presence on streaming services keeps it relevant in discussions of his filmography.
The Chocolate War Financial and Critical Context
The Chocolate War was produced by Cannon Films, a company known for low-budget genre films in the 1980s. The movie received mixed reviews but has since gained a cult following. Box office data for the film is limited compared to major studio releases, reflecting its independent production scale. Publicly available reviews and academic analyses often reference the film when discussing Ilan Mitchell Smith movies.
Post-Acting Career and Financial Profile
After his film roles, Ilan Mitchell Smith pursued a career in academia, teaching at institutions including Marymount Manhattan College and the University of California, Davis. His work in digital humanities and computer science has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences. This career shift means his current public financial profile is tied to academic salaries and research grants rather than film residuals.
Actor earnings from 1980s films are rarely disclosed in public filings, but industry reports from Forbes and The Hollywood Reporter provide general compensation ranges for supporting actors of that era. Residuals from streaming and broadcast syndication are managed by unions such as SAG-AFTRA, which track payments to members. Ilan Mitchell Smith movie royalties, if any, would be documented through these channels. Search interest in his films remains steady, driven by nostalgia and streaming availability.
For current data on film box office and production company financials, sources like The Numbers and Box Office Mojo provide searchable databases. The SEC website offers public filings for publicly traded entertainment companies that may hold rights to his films. Academic profiles and publication records are accessible through university websites and digital humanities repositories.