Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

October Sky

  • 1999
  • PG
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
94K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,255
526
October Sky (1999)
The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.
Play trailer2:19
1 Video
76 Photos
BiographyDramaFamily

The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.

  • Director
    • Joe Johnston
  • Writers
    • Homer H. Hickam Jr.
    • Lewis Colick
  • Stars
    • Jake Gyllenhaal
    • Chris Cooper
    • Laura Dern
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    94K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,255
    526
    • Director
      • Joe Johnston
    • Writers
      • Homer H. Hickam Jr.
      • Lewis Colick
    • Stars
      • Jake Gyllenhaal
      • Chris Cooper
      • Laura Dern
    • 402User reviews
    • 98Critic reviews
    • 71Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 11 nominations

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:19
    Watch Trailer

    Photos76

    Chris Cooper and Jake Gyllenhaal in October Sky (1999)
    William Lee Scott, Jake Gyllenhaal, Chad Lindberg, and Chris Owen in October Sky (1999)
    Laura Dern and Jake Gyllenhaal in October Sky (1999)
    Chris Cooper and Jake Gyllenhaal in October Sky (1999)
    Laura Dern and Jake Gyllenhaal in October Sky (1999)
    Laura Dern and Jake Gyllenhaal in October Sky (1999)
    Laura Dern and Jake Gyllenhaal in October Sky (1999)
    Laura Dern and Jake Gyllenhaal in October Sky (1999)
    1 sheet
    1 sheet movie poster
    Quad Movie Poster, 40 x 30
    October Sky (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jake Gyllenhaal
    Jake Gyllenhaal
    • Homer Hickam
    Chris Cooper
    Chris Cooper
    • John Hickam
    Laura Dern
    Laura Dern
    • Miss Riley
    Chris Owen
    Chris Owen
    • Quentin
    William Lee Scott
    William Lee Scott
    • Roy Lee
    Chad Lindberg
    Chad Lindberg
    • O'Dell
    Natalie Canerday
    Natalie Canerday
    • Elsie Hickam
    Scott Thomas
    • Jim Hickam
    • (as Scott Miles)
    Randy Stripling
    • Leon Bolden
    Chris Ellis
    Chris Ellis
    • Principal Turner
    Elya Baskin
    Elya Baskin
    • Ike Bykovsky
    Courtney Cole-Fendley
    Courtney Cole-Fendley
    • Dorothy Platt
    • (as Courtney Fendley)
    David Dwyer
    David Dwyer
    • Jake Mosby
    Terry Loughlin
    Terry Loughlin
    • Mr. Dantzler
    Kaili Hollister
    Kaili Hollister
    • Valentine Carmina
    David Copeland
    • Coach Gainer
    Don Henderson Baker
    Don Henderson Baker
    • Jensen
    Tom Kagy
    • Lenny
    • Director
      • Joe Johnston
    • Writers
      • Homer H. Hickam Jr.
      • Lewis Colick
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Karate Kid
    7.3
    The Karate Kid
    Secondhand Lions
    7.5
    Secondhand Lions
    Field of Dreams
    7.5
    Field of Dreams
    Major Payne
    6.2
    Major Payne
    Cool Runnings
    7.0
    Cool Runnings
    Marley & Me
    7.0
    Marley & Me
    Come Worry with Us!
    7.3
    Come Worry with Us!
    Holes
    7.0
    Holes
    My Dog Skip
    7.0
    My Dog Skip
    Charlotte's Web
    6.3
    Charlotte's Web
    Home Alone
    7.7
    Home Alone
    The Rocketeer
    6.5
    The Rocketeer

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The author wished the movie to be called "Rocket Boys," like the book it's based on, but the studio believed that title would not sell well. The compromise title "October Sky" works on two levels: it's the month when the hero is first inspired by Sputnik flying overhead, and it is an anagram of "Rocket Boys".
    • Goofs
      The miners' union hall has a 50-star flag, but the strike takes place in 1958, a year before Alaska and Hawaii were admitted as states.
    • Quotes

      Homer: [to John] Dad, I may not be the best, but I come to believe that I got it in me to be somebody in this world. And it's not because I'm so different from you either, it's because I'm the same. I mean, I can be just as hard-headed, and just as tough. I only hope I can be as good a man as you. Sure, Wernher von Braun is a great scientist, but he isn't my hero.

    • Crazy credits
      The real life people portrayed in the movie are shown during the end credits.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Office Space/October Sky/The 24 Hour Woman/Jawbreaker/Tango (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Nine Pound Hammer is Too Heavy
      Written by Charlie Monroe

      Performed by The Monroe Brothers

      Courtesy of The RCA Records Label

    User reviews402

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    I've Been There and It's Real
    I have yet to read "The Rocket Boys", the book upon which this film is based, but this situation will not continue! I did read a short story by Hickam which was apparently the seed that started him on the novel. It grabbed me even then.

    I am one of those fortunate enough to have lived adjacent to Cape Canaveral during the Mercury program, where my father worked, and this childhood situation no doubt fostered my lifelong interests and hobbies. I also met Werner von Braun, and one of the other German rocket scientists repaired a rubber band driven model plane I had (I WISH I still had that plane!) I mention this because I went into the movie with serious expectations and very much desired to see a film with authentic treatments for the nostalgia and emotions of the period.

    I was not disappointed. While there were superficial flaws here and there, the movie came together like so few Hollywood films do. Good storytelling, authentic emotions and period atmosphere. As others have experienced at this excellent film, I was choked up at the end and had to wipe away the tears. The father of the family next to me asked to borrow my spare paper napkin to wipe his tears. About half the audience applauded at the end, and most everyone stayed through the credits. It's just one of those films.

    Not the greatest movie ever made, but one of the best family movies in a long time.
    helpful•92
    7
    • backseat-2
    • Feb 21, 1999

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ3

    • What is the significance of the title "October Sky"?
    • What are the differences between the book and the movie?
    • What exactly is Hodgkin's disease?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 19, 1999 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Rocket Boys
    • Filming locations
      • Petros, Tennessee, USA(Main set for coal-mining town)
    • Production company
      • Universal Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $32,570,685
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,905,250
      • Feb 21, 1999
    • Gross worldwide
      • $34,698,753
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 48 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    October Sky (1999)
    Top Gap
    What is the streaming release date of October Sky (1999) in Germany?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.