# John Powers Middleton
**John Powers Middleton** (born 1984) is an American film and television producer whose credits include the A&E series *Bates Motel*, *The Lego Movie*, *The Disaster Artist*, *Good Boys*, and the animated film *Nimona*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4523128/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/john_powers_middleton). He is the son of [John S. Middleton](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-s-middleton), the principal owner and general partner of the [Philadelphia Phillies](https://www.edgepedia.org/philadelphia-phillies)[3](https://about.me/JohnPowersMiddleton), and has founded or co-founded several production companies, including The Affleck/Middleton Project with actor [Casey Affleck](https://www.edgepedia.org/casey-affleck) and the Middleton Media Group[4](https://www.screendaily.com/production/casey-affleck-john-middleton-launch-production-venture/5072876.article) • [3](https://about.me/JohnPowersMiddleton).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1984, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4523128/) |
| Career start | 2008, as an intern, assistant, and script supervisor for several production companies[3](https://about.me/JohnPowersMiddleton) |
| Companies | Vertigo Entertainment partnership (2010); Good Universe joint venture (2013); The Affleck/Middleton Project (2014); Middleton Media Group (2016)[3](https://about.me/JohnPowersMiddleton) • [5](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/john-powers-middleton) |
| Signature television credit | *Bates Motel* (A&E, 2013–2017), executive producer 2013–2014 and consulting producer 2015–2017[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4523128/) |
| Notable film credits | Executive producer on *Oldboy* (2013), *The Disaster Artist* (2017), *Good Boys* (2019), and *Nimona* (2023); co-producer on *The Lego Movie* (2014)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/john_powers_middleton) • [6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-powers-middleton/credits/3000527063/) |
| Family background | Son of John S. Middleton, whose tobacco firm was sold in 2007 for $2.9 billion; the elder Middleton is the principal owner and general partner of the Philadelphia Phillies[7](https://therealdeal.com/la/2024/09/27/movie-producer-apologizes-for-graffiti-covered-la-mansions/) |
## Early life and education
Middleton was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and attended the Haverford School in that city[3](https://about.me/JohnPowersMiddleton). He was dually enrolled at [Duke University](https://www.edgepedia.org/duke-university) and the University of Pennsylvania from 2002 to 2006[3](https://about.me/JohnPowersMiddleton). His family's wealth comes from the tobacco business: the John Middleton firm launched the Black & Mild cigar in the 1980s and popularized rolling pipe tobacco into cigars, and his father sold the company to the parent company of Philip Morris in 2007 for $2.9 billion, according to *Forbes*[7](https://therealdeal.com/la/2024/09/27/movie-producer-apologizes-for-graffiti-covered-la-mansions/).
## Career
**Early work and Vertigo Entertainment.** Middleton began his career in 2008 as an intern, assistant, and script supervisor for several production companies[3](https://about.me/JohnPowersMiddleton). In 2010 he partnered with producer [Roy Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/roy-lee) under Lee's Vertigo Entertainment banner, and in 2013 the two joined Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane in a joint venture with Good Universe, an independent production and global sales company[3](https://about.me/JohnPowersMiddleton) • [5](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/john-powers-middleton). Through these arrangements he took executive producer credits on films including [Spike Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/spike-lee)'s *Oldboy* remake (2013), *The Voices* (2014), *Poltergeist* (2015), *Run All Night* (2015), *The Disaster Artist* (2017), *Long Shot* (2019), and *Good Boys* (2019)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/john_powers_middleton). He was a co-producer on *The Lego Movie* (2014) and on its spin-offs *The Lego Batman Movie* and *The Lego Ninjago Movie* (both 2017)[6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-powers-middleton/credits/3000527063/).
**The Affleck/Middleton Project.** In June 2014 Middleton teamed up with Casey Affleck to launch a production company that would source film and television opportunities for both partners[4](https://www.screendaily.com/production/casey-affleck-john-middleton-launch-production-venture/5072876.article). [John Ridley](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-ridley) was brought in as president of production and Alex Foster as vice president of production[4](https://www.screendaily.com/production/casey-affleck-john-middleton-launch-production-venture/5072876.article). The company produced *Manchester by the Sea* (2016), which received six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and won two Oscars, for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay[3](https://about.me/JohnPowersMiddleton). Middleton also produced Affleck's directorial drama *Light of My Life* (2019), one of his two producer (rather than executive producer) credits alongside *The Waterboyz* (2024)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/john_powers_middleton) • [6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-powers-middleton/credits/3000527063/).
**Middleton Media Group.** In 2016 he partnered with Alex Foster in creating the Middleton Media Group, a television and film production and finance company[5](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/john-powers-middleton) • [3](https://about.me/JohnPowersMiddleton). Through the company he served as an executive producer on the ABC limited series *Women of the Movement* (2022), about [Mamie Till](https://www.edgepedia.org/mamie-till)-Mobley, alongside executive producers including Jay-Z, Will Smith, and [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://www.edgepedia.org/gina-prince-bythewood)[8](https://www.detpress.com/storage/uploads/86/61/86617F6C-7EDE-AB65-3471-86264D2AC4C4/press-release-11-1207997.pdf). His later executive producer credits include *Nimona* (2023), which became his highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes at 92 percent from critics, and *The Waterboyz* (2024)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/john_powers_middleton).
**Television and radio.** Middleton's television work centers on *Bates Motel*, the A&E prequel to *Psycho*, on which he was an executive producer for the 2013–2014 seasons and a consulting producer for 2015–2017[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4523128/). In 2012 he created and launched *The Alfonso Aguilar Show*, a two-hour drive-time show syndicated nationally on [Univision](https://www.edgepedia.org/univision), described as the first nationally syndicated conservative Spanish-language talk show[9](https://prabook.com/web/john.middleton/2234889).
## Political activity
Middleton has worked as the national co-chair of the [Republican National Committee](https://www.edgepedia.org/republican-national-committee)'s Young Eagles program and has hosted fundraising events in support of the Republican Party, including a 2015 fundraiser for [Jeb Bush](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeb-bush)'s 2016 presidential candidacy[3](https://about.me/JohnPowersMiddleton). According to his IMDb biography, in 2016 he was one of the main contributors, giving $477,000, to the Donald Trump PAC Committee for Restoring America's Greatness formed by [Roger Stone](https://www.edgepedia.org/roger-stone)[10](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4523128/bio/).
## Hollywood Hills properties controversy
In 2024 Middleton drew news coverage over two derelict mansions he owns in the [Hollywood Hills](https://www.edgepedia.org/hollywood-hills) that had been covered in graffiti and, in one case, occupied by squatters[11](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-09-27/film-producer-abandon-mansions-in-the-hollywood-hills-angering-his-neighbors). The Los Angeles County Assessor's Office reported that property taxes had not been paid on the [Mulholland Drive](https://www.edgepedia.org/mulholland-drive) home since 2022[7](https://therealdeal.com/la/2024/09/27/movie-producer-apologizes-for-graffiti-covered-la-mansions/). After the publicity, the Philadelphia Phillies issued a statement saying the California properties were owned by John Powers Middleton personally and that no other member of the Middleton family had ownership, investment, control, or involvement in them[11](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-09-27/film-producer-abandon-mansions-in-the-hollywood-hills-angering-his-neighbors).
## References
1. [John Powers Middleton, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4523128/)
2. [John Powers Middleton Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/john_powers_middleton)
3. [John Powers Middleton, about.me](https://about.me/JohnPowersMiddleton)
4. [Casey Affleck, John Middleton launch production venture, Screen Daily](https://www.screendaily.com/production/casey-affleck-john-middleton-launch-production-venture/5072876.article)
5. [John Powers Middleton Movies and TV Shows, Plex](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/john-powers-middleton)
6. [John Powers Middleton List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-powers-middleton/credits/3000527063/)
7. [Movie Producer Apologizes for Graffiti-Covered LA Mansions, The Real Deal](https://therealdeal.com/la/2024/09/27/movie-producer-apologizes-for-graffiti-covered-la-mansions/)
8. [ABC 2021-2022 Upfront Release](https://www.detpress.com/storage/uploads/86/61/86617F6C-7EDE-AB65-3471-86264D2AC4C4/press-release-11-1207997.pdf)
9. [John Middleton, Prabook](https://prabook.com/web/john.middleton/2234889)
10. [John Powers Middleton Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4523128/bio/)
11. [A billionaire's son and his graffiti-scarred mansions roiling Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-09-27/film-producer-abandon-mansions-in-the-hollywood-hills-angering-his-neighbors)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Producers, studio executives, and showrunners › Television producers and showrunners › Drama series showrunners*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license