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IMDbPro

12 Monkeys

Original title: Twelve Monkeys
  • 19951995
  • RR
  • 2h 9m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
613K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
917
122
Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, and Madeleine Stowe in 12 Monkeys (1995)
In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.
Play trailer2:26
4 Videos
99+ Photos
MysterySci-FiThriller
In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
613K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
917
122
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Terry Gilliam
    • Writers
      • Chris Marker(inspired by the film 'La Jetée' written by)
      • David Webb Peoples(screenplay by)
      • Janet Peoples(screenplay by)
    • Stars
      • Bruce Willis
      • Madeleine Stowe
      • Brad Pitt
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Terry Gilliam
    • Writers
      • Chris Marker(inspired by the film 'La Jetée' written by)
      • David Webb Peoples(screenplay by)
      • Janet Peoples(screenplay by)
    • Stars
      • Bruce Willis
      • Madeleine Stowe
      • Brad Pitt
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 735User reviews
    • 208Critic reviews
    • 74Metascore
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 10 wins & 25 nominations total

    Videos4

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:26
    Official Trailer
    '12 Monkeys' | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:19
    '12 Monkeys' | Anniversary Mashup
    What Roles Did Brad Pitt Miss Out On?
    Video 3:40
    What Roles Did Brad Pitt Miss Out On?
    Dates in Movie & TV History: Dec. 13, 1996 - Virus Released in '12 Monkeys'
    Video 2:41
    Dates in Movie & TV History: Dec. 13, 1996 - Virus Released in '12 Monkeys'

    Photos115

    Bruce Willis in 12 Monkeys (1995)
    Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis in 12 Monkeys (1995)
    James & Dr. Railly
    Cole meets Jeffrey in the hospital
    Bruce Willis stars as James Cole
    A bleak vision of the future
    "12 Monkeys" director Terry Gilliam stages Bruce Willis' death with airport detective Stephen Bridgewater.
    Felix Pire with Brad Pitt on the set of TWELVE MONKEYS
    Brad Pitt at an event for 12 Monkeys (1995)
    12 Monkeys (1995)
    Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, and Madeleine Stowe in 12 Monkeys (1995)
    Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, and Madeleine Stowe in 12 Monkeys (1995)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bruce Willis
    Bruce Willis
    • James Cole
    Madeleine Stowe
    Madeleine Stowe
    • Kathryn Railly
    Brad Pitt
    Brad Pitt
    • Jeffrey Goines
    Joseph Melito
    • Young Cole
    Jon Seda
    Jon Seda
    • Jose
    Michael Chance
    • Scarface
    Vernon Campbell
    • Tiny
    H. Michael Walls
    • Botanist
    Bob Adrian
    Bob Adrian
    • Geologist
    Simon Jones
    Simon Jones
    • Zoologist
    Carol Florence
    • Astrophysicist…
    Bill Raymond
    Bill Raymond
    • Microbiologist
    Ernest Abuba
    • Engineer
    Irma St. Paule
    Irma St. Paule
    • Poet
    Joey Perillo
    Joey Perillo
    • Detective Franki
    Bruce Kirkpatrick
    Bruce Kirkpatrick
    • Policeman No. 1
    Wilfred Williams
    • Policeman No. 2
    Rozwill Young
    • Billings
    • Director
      • Terry Gilliam
    • Writers
      • Chris Marker(inspired by the film 'La Jetée' written by)
      • David Webb Peoples(screenplay by)
      • Janet Peoples(screenplay by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Terry Gilliam was afraid that Brad Pitt wouldn't be able to pull off the nervous, rapid speech. He sent him to a speech coach but in the end he just took away Pitt's cigarettes, and Pitt played the part exactly as Gilliam wanted.
    • Goofs
      In the first surface scene, the bear shot is reversed and, thus, it manages to completely inhale the condensation of its breath.
    • Quotes

      Jeffrey Goines: There's no right, there's no wrong, there's only popular opinion.

    • Crazy credits
      The symbol of the 12 Monkeys provides the backdrop for the opening and closing credits.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: From Dusk Til Dawn/Eye for an Eye/12 Monkeys/Two If by Sea/Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      What a Wonderful World
      (1967)

      Written by Bob Thiele, George David Weiss

      Performed by Louis Armstrong

      Courtesy of MCA Records

    User reviews735

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Pure Mad Genius Filmmaking
    It is unfortunate that all big budget films cannot be as good as 12 MONKEYS. But alas is that not what makes these once in a while films so special? Obviously director Gilliam is a rare talent, a treasure. But even for him 12 Monkeys outshines nearly everything else he's ever done. (And that says a lot. Brazil after all is another incredible film.) But this movie has two things going for it that ale it rise to the very top of the top. #1 it features a stellar cast who all equally deliver fantastic performances. This is Bruce Willis at his peak -- before he sold out and went all Die Hard, when e still cared about being taken seriously as an actor. Same with Brad Pitt. Many attribute this film as the first time Pitt showed the world that he truly was an actor and not just another pretty face. (He further proved that point in Fight Club and many others through the years -- Money Ball, Tree of Life, et al.) and then there's Madeline Stowe. Besides the stellar acting though 12 Monkeys accomplished something even more important: it gave us the opportunity for future films such as Memento and Inception. 12 Monkeys not only featured a non-linear approach to time travel, it did so erratically boldly dynamically and unapologetically so, allowing future filmmakers, like the aforementioned referenced Nolan brothers, to feel safe stepping even further out on those limbs. 12 Monkeys opened that door and so many others. This is a film you can see over and over and still see something new in it AND be moved by. A classic by all standards.
    helpful•31
    5
    • The-Ambassador
    • Nov 28, 2014

    FAQ14

    • Why did Cole eat the spider he found in the mental hospital?
    • Why was the camera focus out in this film so often? Was it the directors choice? I found it distracting.
    • How does James Cole disappear several times in the past?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 5, 1996 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Twelve Monkeys
    • Filming locations
      • Eastern State Penitentiary - 2124 Fairmont Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • Atlas Entertainment
      • Classico
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $29,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $57,141,459
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $184,776
      • Jan 1, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $168,839,459
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 9 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS-Stereo
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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