TMDB MCP Server

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Find by IMDb id

find_by_imdb_id

Read-only

Resolve an IMDb title or name ID to matching TMDB movies, TV shows, or people so you can use the TMDB ID with other tools. Episode IDs are not resolved.

Instructions

Resolve an IMDb id (e.g. 'tt0133093') to TMDB entities — returns matching movie, TV and person results. Use when you only have an IMDb id and need the TMDB id for the other tools. Only matches whole movies/shows/people: IMDb also assigns 'tt' ids to individual episodes (verified live, e.g. Breaking Bad's pilot 'tt0959621'), which this tool does not resolve — such an id comes back with every result list empty, indistinguishable from a genuinely unknown id.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`imdb_id`	Yes	IMDb title (tt…) or name (nm…) id.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`tv_results`	Yes
`movie_results`	Yes
`person_results`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed29 schema fields changedv0.14.0Oct 24, 2026
- removedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / overview / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / overview / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / poster_url / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / poster_url / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / vote_average / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "number"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / vote_average / description
```
Added value: +"TMDB's own 0-10 user score. A different audience and scale from the IMDb/RT/Metacritic scores get_movie/get_tv return as `ratings` — don't compare, average or substitute across the two."
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / vote_average / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "number",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / vote_count / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "number"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / vote_count / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "number",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / year / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "number"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / year / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "number",
+  "null"
+]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / person_results / items / properties / known_for
```
Added value: +{
+  "items": {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  "type": "array"
+}
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / person_results / items / properties / known_for_department / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / person_results / items / properties / known_for_department / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / person_results / items / properties / popularity
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": [
+    "number",
+    "null"
+  ]
+}
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / person_results / items / properties / profile_url / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / person_results / items / properties / profile_url / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- changedOutput schema / properties / person_results / items / required
```
Previous value: -[
-  "id",
-  "media_type",
-  "known_for_department",
-  "profile_url"
-]New value: +[
+  "id",
+  "media_type",
+  "known_for_department",
+  "popularity",
+  "profile_url",
+  "known_for"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / overview / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / overview / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / poster_url / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / poster_url / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / vote_average / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "number"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / vote_average / description
```
Added value: +"TMDB's own 0-10 user score. A different audience and scale from the IMDb/RT/Metacritic scores get_movie/get_tv return as `ratings` — don't compare, average or substitute across the two."
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / vote_average / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "number",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / vote_count / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "number"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / vote_count / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "number",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / year / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "number"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / year / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "number",
+  "null"
+]
```

Changed4 schema fields changedv0.10.1Jul 30, 2026

changedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / release_date / anyOf

Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "format": "date",
+    "pattern": "^(?:(?:\\d\\d[2468][048]|\\d\\d[13579][26]|\\d\\d0[48]|[02468][048]00|[13579][26]00)-02-29|\\d{4}-(?:(?:0[13578]|1[02])-(?:0[1-9]|[12]\\d|3[01])|(?:0[469]|11)-(?:0[1-9]|[12]\\d|30)|(?:02)-(?:0[1-9]|1\\d|2[0-8])))$",
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

addedOutput schema / properties / movie_results / items / properties / release_date / default
```
Added value: +null
```

changedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / first_air_date / anyOf

Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "format": "date",
+    "pattern": "^(?:(?:\\d\\d[2468][048]|\\d\\d[13579][26]|\\d\\d0[48]|[02468][048]00|[13579][26]00)-02-29|\\d{4}-(?:(?:0[13578]|1[02])-(?:0[1-9]|[12]\\d|3[01])|(?:0[469]|11)-(?:0[1-9]|[12]\\d|30)|(?:02)-(?:0[1-9]|1\\d|2[0-8])))$",
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

addedOutput schema / properties / tv_results / items / properties / first_air_date / default
```
Added value: +null
```

Addedv0.8.1Jul 26, 2026
Removedv0.8.0Jul 22, 2026
First observedv0.3.0Jul 9, 2026

TDQS

A4.6/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnly and openWorld, so the description's job is to add beyond that, and it does: it discloses that unresolved or episode ids return all result lists empty and are indistinguishable from unknown ids — a real failure mode an agent must plan around. It does not mention multiple-match behavior or ordering, which keeps it from a 5.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three sentences, front-loaded with purpose then usage then caveat; each carries distinct information. The episode-id caveat is slightly long but is the highest-value content, so it earns its space.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

An output schema exists, so return values need not be described. With a single fully documented parameter, annotations covering safety, and the key semantic pitfall called out, an agent has everything needed to call this correctly and interpret empties.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100% and already documents the tt/nm pattern, so baseline is 3. The description still adds value by giving a concrete example id ('tt0133093') and clarifying that episode-level ids pass the format check but fail semantically — meaning the agent cannot rely on the pattern alone.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource: 'Resolve an IMDb id ... to TMDB entities', and specifies the returned entity types (movie, TV, person). This distinguishes it clearly from the sibling search_* tools, which take free-text queries rather than ids.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Gives an explicit trigger ('Use when you only have an IMDb id and need the TMDB id for the other tools') and an explicit exclusion: IMDb episode-level 'tt' ids are not resolved. The alternative is implied by the sibling tool family and named indirectly as 'the other tools'.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.