---
name: "Mike Newell"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/mike-newell"
fi1m_id: "mike-newell"
imdb_id: "nm0001565"
tmdb_id: 10723
wikidata_id: "Q312088"
roles: ["Director","Producer"]
born: "28 March 1942"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 9
average_fi1m_score: 69
average_as: "director"
average_over: 7
updated: "2026-10-07T11:28:01.104429+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Mike Newell

## Identity

Mike Newell

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/mike-newell
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** mike-newell
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001565
- **TMDB ID:** 10723
- **Wikidata ID:** Q312088
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Newell_(director), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q312088, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001565/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10723

Director and producer. Born 28 March 1942 in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Director, Producer
- **Born:** 28 March 1942, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England, UK
- **Active:** 1960–2012
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 9: 7 directing, 2 producing
- **Frequently works with:** [Alan Grint](https://film.one/person/alan-grint.md), [Alfred Molina](https://film.one/person/alfred-molina.md), [Baz Taylor](https://film.one/person/baz-taylor.md), [Bob Hird](https://film.one/person/bob-hird.md), [Charles Sturridge](https://film.one/person/charles-sturridge.md), [Claude Whatham](https://film.one/person/claude-whatham.md), [Derek Bennett](https://film.one/person/derek-bennett.md), [Gerald Blake](https://film.one/person/gerald-blake.md)
- **BAFTA Film Awards:** 1 BAFTA (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 69, as director, over 7 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 74 (1), 1990s 76 (3), 2000s 77 (3), 2010s 56 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 69 to 65 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Romance 3, Adventure 2, Fantasy 2, Action 1, Comedy 1
- **Screen time:** 12 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1,622m across 6 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Newell_(director), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q312088, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001565/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10723

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*Donnie Brasco*](https://film.one/film/donnie-brasco.md) (84), [*Four Weddings and a Funeral*](https://film.one/film/four-weddings-and-a-funeral.md) (80)
- **Apple TV:** [*Coronation Street*](https://film.one/tv/coronation-street.md) (74)
- **HBO Max:** [*Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-goblet-of-fire.md) (68)
- **Disney+:** [*Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time*](https://film.one/film/prince-of-persia-the-sands-of-time.md) (56)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Mike Newell

> Mike Newell is a director we trust with a difficult friendship. His patient work with actors makes *Donnie Brasco* quietly painful, though his taste for different genres has produced less persuasive work when the action takes over.

In *Donnie Brasco* (1997), Al Pacino's Lefty Ruggiero has found someone to teach, and Johnny Depp's Joe Pistone has to let him. Joe is an FBI agent working undercover; Lefty believes he has acquired a pupil. Newell lets their friendship develop through conversations without repeatedly announcing the danger. We felt increasingly uncomfortable as Lefty grew fond of him: each sign of affection made Joe's deception harder to watch.

That interest in people survives some considerable changes of genre. *Dance with a Stranger* (1985) established Newell's feel for period social realism, with Miranda Richardson and Rupert Everett among his actors. The international breakthrough of *Four Weddings and a Funeral* (1994) led to Hollywood work, including *Donnie Brasco* and eventually *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* (2005). The later return to British films such as *Great Expectations* (2012) suggests how little interest he has in staying with one kind of story.

In *Donnie Brasco*, editor Jon Gregory gives Lefty time to invest in his new companion, allowing the friendship to become convincing before asking us to fear for it. Patrick Doyle's score works best when it attends to the sadness of the attachment and leaves the anxiety to the actors. Newell keeps their conversations at the centre, trusting Pacino and Depp to hold our attention. They do, and the threat of discovery needs little additional emphasis.

His attention is less evenly distributed when the film goes home to Joe's wife, Maggie, played by Anne Heche. The family scenes repeat a problem already understood instead of giving her a story that develops alongside the men's. Heche supplies welcome resistance, but Newell cannot make these passages as involving as the criminal company. It is a substantial weakness in a film we otherwise recommend warmly: his care for the central friendship does not extend far enough.

*Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time* (2010) is a less happy fit, its action sequences short on excitement and coherence. We do not need a recognisable personal style from every director, but we do need a reason to stay interested when the actors stop talking. For a first encounter, choose *Donnie Brasco* and give Pacino and Depp time to get acquainted.

## Biography

Mike Newell is an English film and television director and producer. Born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, he read English at Magdalene College, Cambridge, and trained at Granada Television before beginning his career in British television drama in the 1960s.

Newell directed the romantic comedy *Four Weddings and a Funeral* (1994), which won the BAFTA Award for Best Film and earned him the BAFTA Award for Best Direction. He later directed *Donnie Brasco* (1997), *Mona Lisa Smile* (2003), *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* (2005), *Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time* (2010) and *The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society* (2018). He received the BAFTA Britannia Award for Artistic Excellence in Directing for his career up to 2005.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (9)

### Directed (7) — the average rests on these

- *Great Expectations* (2012), Fi1m 57, Director, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/great-expectations-2012.md)
- *Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time* (2010), Fi1m 56, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/prince-of-persia-the-sands-of-time.md)
- *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* (2005), Fi1m 68, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-goblet-of-fire.md)
- *Donnie Brasco* (1997), Fi1m 84, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/donnie-brasco.md)
- *Four Weddings and a Funeral* (1994), Fi1m 80, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/four-weddings-and-a-funeral.md)
- *Enchanted April* (1991), Fi1m 65, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/enchanted-april.md)
- *Coronation Street* (1960), Fi1m 74, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/coronation-street.md)

### Produced (2)

- *High Fidelity* (2000), Fi1m 82, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/high-fidelity.md)
- *Traffic* (2000), Fi1m 82, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/traffic.md)

## Complete filmography (90)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Spirit of 1926* (2022), Director
- *578: Magnum* (2022), Script Consultant
- *One Red Nose Day and a Wedding* (2019), Director
- *The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society* (2018), Director
- *The Interestings* (2016), series, Director
- *Enchanted Kingdom* (2014), Executive Producer
- *Great Expectations* (2012), Director, Executive Producer — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/great-expectations-2012.md)
- *Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time* (2010), Director — Fi1m 56, [page](https://film.one/film/prince-of-persia-the-sands-of-time.md)
- *Love in the Time of Cholera* (2007), Director
- *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* (2005), Director — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-goblet-of-fire.md)
- *Huff* (2004), series, Executive Producer
- *Mona Lisa Smile* (2003), Director
- *I Capture the Castle* (2003), Executive Producer
- *Traffic* (2000), Executive Producer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/traffic.md)
- *The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: The Perils of Cupid* (2000), Director
- *High Fidelity* (2000), Executive Producer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/high-fidelity.md)
- *The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Masks of Evil* (1999), Director
- *Pushing Tin* (1999), Director
- *Best Laid Plans* (1999), Executive Producer
- *200 Cigarettes* (1999), Executive Producer
- *Photographing Fairies* (1997), Executive Producer
- *Donnie Brasco* (1997), Director — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/donnie-brasco.md)
- *An Awfully Big Adventure* (1995), Director
- *Four Weddings and a Funeral* (1994), Director — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/four-weddings-and-a-funeral.md)
- *Into the West* (1992), Director
- *The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles* (1992), series, Director
- *Enchanted April* (1991), Director — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/enchanted-april.md)
- *Common Ground* (1990), Director
- *Smith And Jones In Small Doses* (1989), series, Director
- *Soursweet* (1988), Director
- *Amazing Grace and Chuck* (1987), Director
- *The Good Father* (1985), Director
- *Dance with a Stranger* (1985), Director
- *Birth of a Nation* (1983), Director
- *Tales Out of School* (1983), series, Director
- *Blood Feud* (1983), series, Director
- *Blood Feud* (1983), Director
- *Bad Blood* (1982), Director
- *Little Girls Don't* (1981), Director
- *The Awakening* (1980), Director
- *Destiny* (1978), Director
- *Mr and Mrs Bureaucrat* (1978), Director
- *The Mayor's Charity* (1977), Director
- *BBC2 Play of the Week* (1977), series, Director
- *The Man in the Iron Mask* (1977), Director
- *The Sunday Drama* (1977), series, Director
- *Childhood* (1977), series, Director
- *Buffet* (1976), Director
- *Jack Flea's Birthday Celebration* (1976), Director
- *Red Letter Day* (1976), series, Director
- *Ready When You Are, Mr McGill* (1976), Director
- *Comedy Premiere* (1975), series, Director
- *The Boundary* (1975), Director
- *Brassneck* (1975), Director
- *Mrs. Acland's Ghosts* (1975), Director
- *The Gift of Friendship* (1974), Director
- *Late Night Drama* (1974), series, Director
- *The Childhood Friend* (1974), Director
- *Playhouse* (1974), series, Director
- *Ms or Jill and Jack* (1974), Director
- *Wessex Tales* (1973), series, Director
- *Second City Firsts* (1973), series, Director
- *Just Your Luck* (1972), Director
- *The Man from Haven* (1972), series, Director
- *Late Night Theatre* (1972), series, Director
- *Not Counting the Savages* (1972), Director
- *The Guardians* (1971), series, Director
- *Budgie* (1971), series, Director
- *Big Soft Nelly Mrs. Mouse* (1971), Director
- *The Adventures of Don Quick* (1970), series, Director
- *Play for Today* (1970), series, Director
- *Diamond Crack Diamond* (1970), series, Director
- *Confession* (1970), series, Director
- *Parkin's Patch* (1969), series, Director
- *Hadleigh* (1969), series, Director
- *Big Breadwinner Hog* (1969), series, Director
- *ITV Saturday Night Theatre* (1969), series, Director
- *Her Majesty's Pleasure* (1968), series, Director
- *Spindoe* (1968), series, Director
- *The Visitors* (1968), Director
- *City '68* (1967), series, Director
- *None of That* (1967), Director
- *ITV Playhouse* (1967), series, Director
- *Escape* (1967), series, Director
- *The Fellows* (1967), series, Director
- *Thirty-Minute Theatre* (1965), series, Director
- *Comedy Workshop: Love and Maud Carver* (1964), Director
- *Love Story* (1963), series, Director
- *Coronation Street* (1960), series, Director — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/coronation-street.md)
- *The Duchess and I*, Director

## Gallery

- ![Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio, London (2013)](https://film.one/media/person/83913/gallery-01670a435ea9.jpg) Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio, London (2013) — Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Directors_and_Producers%2C_Harry_Potter_series_05.jpg/1280px-Directors_and_Producers%2C_Harry_Potter_series_05.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Mike Newell discuss the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time at a panel promoting the film at WonderCon 2010.](https://film.one/media/person/83913/gallery-7b2b3c46ad1e.jpg) Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Mike Newell discuss the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time at a panel promoting the film at WonderCon 2010. — BrokenSphere, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Jerry_Bruckheimer_%26_Mike_Newell_at_WonderCon_2010.JPG/1280px-Jerry_Bruckheimer_%26_Mike_Newell_at_WonderCon_2010.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Mike Newell](https://film.one/media/person/83913/gallery-dd1e271c292e.jpg) Mike Newell — BrokenSphere, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Mike_Newell.jpg/1280px-Mike_Newell.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Mike Newell, director of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, discusses the film at a panel at WonderCon 2010.](https://film.one/media/person/83913/gallery-e0d3187996b7.jpg) Mike Newell, director of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, discusses the film at a panel at WonderCon 2010. — BrokenSphere, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Mike_Newell_at_WonderCon_2010_1.JPG/1280px-Mike_Newell_at_WonderCon_2010_1.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Mike Newell](https://film.one/media/person/83913/gallery-d0bec97e50d0.jpg) Mike Newell — Image via TMDB
- ![Mike Newell](https://film.one/media/person/83913/gallery-f5b8af53f1f6.jpg) Mike Newell — Image via TMDB
- ![Mike Newell, director of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, discusses the film at a panel at WonderCon 2010.](https://film.one/media/person/83913/gallery-c28179b48927.jpg) Mike Newell, director of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, discusses the film at a panel at WonderCon 2010. — BrokenSphere, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Mike_Newell_at_WonderCon_2010_2.JPG/1280px-Mike_Newell_at_WonderCon_2010_2.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### BAFTA Film Awards — 1 won

- 1995: Best Direction (won), for *Four Weddings and a Funeral*

### Other awards — 1 won, 1 nominated

- European Film Award for Best Non-European Film 1997: European Film Award for Best Non-European Film (nominated), for *Donnie Brasco*
- César Award for Best Foreign Film 1995: César Award for Best Foreign Film (won), for *Four Weddings and a Funeral*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/mike-newell