Tmdb MCP Server

MCP server for The Movie Database (TMDB) with IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes/Metacritic ratings via OMDb.

Local serverstdioGo

What is the Tmdb MCP server?

MCP server for The Movie Database (TMDB) with IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes/Metacritic ratings via OMDb. The tmdb mcp server wraps that behind the Model Context Protocol, so an assistant can use it through 14 defined tools rather than through you.

What it actually does

The server speaks standard MCP over stdio, so it works with any MCP client (Claude Desktop/Code, Cursor, VS Code, Cline, …).

Adding it to your client

The server ships on npm as tmdb-mcp, so your MCP client can launch it on demand — there is no separate build step. Add the server block to your client's configuration, restart it, and the tools register themselves.

Its toolset

Everything the assistant can do here goes through one of these:

  • search_multi — Search movies, TV and people at once (each row has a media_type)
  • get_person — Biography, department, links
  • get_similar — Algorithmically similar titles (media_type + id)
  • get_trending — What's popular now (movies / TV / people, day or week)
  • discover_movies — Filter by genre, year/date range, rating, cast/crew/people, companies, keywords, providers, certification, …
  • discover_tv — Same, plus networks/type/status — but no cast/crew/person filter (use get_person_credits for that)
  • get_watch_providers — Where to stream/rent/buy, by region (JustWatch via TMDB)
  • get_person_credits — A person's filmography (cast & crew)
  • get_videos — Trailers/teasers/clips (YouTube links)
  • get_reviews — User reviews (author, rating, text) for a movie/TV
  • get_collection — A movie franchise/collection and its parts, in release order
  • find_by_imdb_id — Resolve an IMDb id → TMDB movie/TV/person

Configuration

You will need 6 environment variables: TMDB_API_TOKEN, OMDB_API_KEY, TMDB_LANGUAGE, TMDB_REGION, TMDB_BASE_URL, OMDB_BASE_URL. The server will not start without them, which is usually why the tools fail to appear on a first run. Keep credentials in your client's env block or a secrets manager rather than in a file you might commit.

Caveats

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • With 14 tools registered it takes up a noticeable share of the context window; turn it off in projects that never touch Tmdb.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • MCP clients confirm each tool call by default. Leave that on until you have watched what the tmdb mcp server does with a few real requests.

When to reach for it

Among the database access options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes. Tmdb's toolset — search_multi, get_person, get_similar and 11 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by GitHub Actions; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

This entry was verified against Tmdb's own documentation before publication; SyncDev keeps the directory reviewed rather than auto-generated.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
search_multiSearch movies, TV and people at once (each row has a media_type)
get_personBiography, department, links
get_similarAlgorithmically similar titles (media_type + id)
get_trendingWhat's popular now (movies / TV / people, day or week)
discover_moviesFilter by genre, year/date range, rating, cast/crew/people, companies, keywords, providers, certification, …
discover_tvSame, plus networks/type/status — but no cast/crew/person filter (use get_person_credits for that)
get_watch_providersWhere to stream/rent/buy, by region (JustWatch via TMDB)
get_person_creditsA person's filmography (cast & crew)
get_videosTrailers/teasers/clips (YouTube links)
get_reviewsUser reviews (author, rating, text) for a movie/TV
get_collectionA movie franchise/collection and its parts, in release order
find_by_imdb_idResolve an IMDb id → TMDB movie/TV/person
search_keywordsResolve keyword names → ids for discover_*
search_companiesResolve a production company name → id for discover_*'s with_companies

How to install the Tmdb MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tmdb": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "tmdb-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "TMDB_API_TOKEN": "your-tmdb-v4-read-access-token (required)",
        "OMDB_API_KEY": "your-omdb-key (optional — IMDb/RT/Metacritic ratings)",
        "TMDB_LANGUAGE": "en-US (optional — localize, e.g. ru-RU)",
        "TMDB_REGION": "US (optional — region for certifications, e.g. RU)"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
TMDB_API_TOKENCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
OMDB_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
TMDB_LANGUAGEConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
TMDB_REGIONConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
TMDB_BASE_URLEndpoint or connection string the server talks to.Yes
OMDB_BASE_URLEndpoint or connection string the server talks to.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Tmdb to search multi.
  • Use Tmdb to get person.
  • Use Tmdb to get similar.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Tmdb to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 14 tools (search_multi, get_person, get_similar, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Tmdb directly.