---
name: "Walter F. Parkes"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/walter-f-parkes"
fi1m_id: "walter-f-parkes"
imdb_id: "nm0662748"
tmdb_id: 2212
wikidata_id: "Q1971768"
roles: ["Producer"]
born: "15 April 1951"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 18
average_fi1m_score: 70
average_as: "producer"
average_over: 17
updated: "2026-10-05T12:32:04.313856+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."
---

# Walter F. Parkes

## Identity

Walter F. Parkes

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/walter-f-parkes
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** walter-f-parkes
- **IMDb ID:** nm0662748
- **TMDB ID:** 2212
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1971768
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_F._Parkes, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1971768, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0662748/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2212

Producer. Born 15 April 1951 in Bakersfield, California, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Producer
- **Born:** 15 April 1951, Bakersfield, California, USA
- **Active:** 1983–present
- **Also known as:** Walter Parkes, Walter Steven Fishman, Walter Fishman
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 18: 1 writing, 17 producing
- **Frequently works with:** [Laurie MacDonald](https://film.one/person/laurie-macdonald.md), [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://film.one/person/barry-sonnenfeld.md), [Steven Spielberg](https://film.one/person/steven-spielberg.md), [Tommy Lee Jones](https://film.one/person/tommy-lee-jones.md), [Will Smith](https://film.one/person/will-smith-2888.md), [Jeff Nathanson](https://film.one/person/jeff-nathanson.md), [John Logan](https://film.one/person/john-logan.md), [Lawrence Lasker](https://film.one/person/lawrence-lasker.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscar nominations
- **Average Fi1m score:** 70, as producer, over 17 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 82 (1), 1990s 70 (4), 2000s 70 (9), 2010s 68 (3), 2020s 64 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 70 to 65 across 17 titles
- **Score spread:** 6 at 80+, 9 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 9, Action 7, Adventure 6, Science Fiction 6, Comedy 4, Crime 2
- **Screen time:** 34 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $4,639m across 17 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_F._Parkes, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1971768, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0662748/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2212

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Catch Me If You Can*](https://film.one/film/catch-me-if-you-can.md) (83), [*Minority Report*](https://film.one/film/minority-report.md) (81), [*The Ring*](https://film.one/film/the-ring.md) (70), [*The Terminal*](https://film.one/film/the-terminal.md) (63)
- **Tubi:** [*Men in Black*](https://film.one/film/men-in-black.md) (82), [*Awakenings*](https://film.one/film/awakenings.md) (73)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street*](https://film.one/film/sweeney-todd-the-demon-barber-of-fleet-street.md) (81), [*The Time Machine*](https://film.one/film/the-time-machine.md) (47)
- **AMC+:** [*WarGames*](https://film.one/film/wargames.md) (82)
- **Paramount+:** [*Men in Black 3*](https://film.one/film/men-in-black-3.md) (63)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Men in Black II*](https://film.one/film/men-in-black-ii.md) (48)

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

## Biography

Walter F. Parkes is an American film producer, screenwriter and media executive. Born on 15 April 1951 in Bakersfield, California, he graduated cum laude from Yale University in 1973. He began his career with the documentary *The California Reich* (1975), which he directed, produced and edited.

Parkes co-produced *Awakenings* (1990) with Lawrence Lasker and later produced *Men in Black* (1997). He has been nominated for three Academy Awards: for *The California Reich*, the screenplay for *WarGames* (1983), and as producer of *Awakenings*. With his wife and frequent collaborator Laurie MacDonald, he helped establish DreamWorks SKG's motion picture division and later served as president of Amblin Entertainment. They founded Parkes + MacDonald Productions and, in 2016, co-founded the virtual reality company Dreamscape Immersive, where Parkes is co-chairman.

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

## On Fi1m (18)

### Wrote (1)

- *WarGames* (1983), Fi1m 82, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/wargames.md)

### Produced (17) — the average rests on these

- *Gladiator II* (2024), Fi1m 64, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/gladiator-ii.md)
- *Free Solo* (2018), Fi1m 82, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/free-solo.md)
- *He Named Me Malala* (2015), Fi1m 60, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/he-named-me-malala.md)
- *Men in Black 3* (2012), Fi1m 63, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black-3.md)
- *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* (2007), Fi1m 81, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/sweeney-todd-the-demon-barber-of-fleet-street.md)
- *The Terminal* (2004), Fi1m 63, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-terminal.md)
- *Catch Me If You Can* (2002), Fi1m 83, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/catch-me-if-you-can.md)
- *Men in Black II* (2002), Fi1m 48, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black-ii.md)
- *Minority Report* (2002), Fi1m 81, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/minority-report.md)
- *Road to Perdition* (2002), Fi1m 77, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/road-to-perdition.md)
- *The Ring* (2002), Fi1m 70, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-ring.md)
- *The Time Machine* (2002), Fi1m 47, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-time-machine.md)
- *A.I. Artificial Intelligence* (2001), Fi1m 84, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/a-i-artificial-intelligence.md)
- *Amistad* (1997), Fi1m 63, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/amistad.md)
- *Men in Black* (1997), Fi1m 82, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black.md)
- *Twister* (1996), Fi1m 64, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/twister.md)
- *Awakenings* (1990), Fi1m 73, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/awakenings.md)

## Complete filmography (53)

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

- *She Rides Shotgun* (2025), Executive Producer
- *Deep Cover* (2025), Producer
- *Gladiator II* (2024), Executive Producer — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/gladiator-ii.md)
- *My Lady Jane* (2024), series, Executive Producer
- *The Trial of the Chicago 7* (2020), Executive Producer
- *Men in Black: International* (2019), Producer
- *Free Solo* (2018), Executive Producer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/free-solo.md)
- *Tulip Fever* (2017), Executive Producer
- *The Circle* (2017), Producer
- *Rings* (2017), Producer
- *Keeping Up with the Joneses* (2016), Producer
- *He Named Me Malala* (2015), Producer — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/he-named-me-malala.md)
- *The Slap* (2015), series, Writer, Executive Producer, Creator
- *Men in Black 3* (2012), Producer — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black-3.md)
- *Flight* (2012), Producer
- *Dinner for Schmucks* (2010), Producer
- *The Uninvited* (2009), Producer
- *The Burning Plain* (2008), Producer
- *WarGames: The Dead Code* (2008), Characters
- *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* (2007), Producer — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/sweeney-todd-the-demon-barber-of-fleet-street.md)
- *The Lookout* (2007), Producer
- *The Legend of Zorro* (2005), Producer
- *Just Like Heaven* (2005), Producer
- *The Island* (2005), Producer
- *The Ring Two* (2005), Producer
- *Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events* (2004), Producer
- *The Terminal* (2004), Producer — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/the-terminal.md)
- *Catch Me If You Can* (2002), Producer — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/catch-me-if-you-can.md)
- *The Ring* (2002), Producer — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/the-ring.md)
- *The Tuxedo* (2002), Executive Producer
- *Road to Perdition* (2002), Executive Producer — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/road-to-perdition.md)
- *Men in Black II* (2002), Producer — Fi1m 48, [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black-ii.md)
- *Minority Report* (2002), Producer — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/minority-report.md)
- *The Time Machine* (2002), Producer — Fi1m 47, [page](https://film.one/film/the-time-machine.md)
- *A.I. Artificial Intelligence* (2001), Executive Producer — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/a-i-artificial-intelligence.md)
- *Gladiator* (2000), Executive Producer — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/gladiator.md)
- *The Mask of Zorro* (1998), Executive Producer
- *Small Soldiers* (1998), Executive Producer
- *Deep Impact* (1998), Executive Producer
- *Amistad* (1997), Executive Producer — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/amistad.md)
- *The Peacemaker* (1997), Producer
- *Men in Black* (1997), Producer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black.md)
- *Twister* (1996), Executive Producer — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/twister.md)
- *How to Make an American Quilt* (1995), Executive Producer
- *To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar* (1995), Executive Producer
- *Little Giants* (1994), Executive Producer
- *Sneakers* (1992), Screenplay, Producer
- *Awakenings* (1990), Producer — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/awakenings.md)
- *True Believer* (1989), Producer
- *Project X* (1987), Producer
- *Volunteers* (1985), Producer
- *WarGames* (1983), Writer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/wargames.md)
- *The California Reich* (1975), Director

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 2 nominated

- 1991: Best Picture (nominated), for *Awakenings*
- 1984: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated), for *WarGames*

*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/walter-f-parkes