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 SpotlightIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

WarGames

  • 1983
  • PG
  • 1h 54m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
117K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,306
251
Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy in WarGames (1983)
A young man finds a back door into a military central computer in which reality is confused with game-playing, possibly starting World War III.
Play trailer2:19
3 Videos
99+ Photos
Cyber ThrillerPolitical DramaPolitical ThrillerTeen DramaActionDramaSci-FiThriller

A young man finds a back door into a military central computer in which reality is confused with game-playing, possibly starting World War III.A young man finds a back door into a military central computer in which reality is confused with game-playing, possibly starting World War III.A young man finds a back door into a military central computer in which reality is confused with game-playing, possibly starting World War III.

  • Director
    • John Badham
  • Writers
    • Lawrence Lasker
    • Walter F. Parkes
  • Stars
    • Matthew Broderick
    • Ally Sheedy
    • John Wood
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    117K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,306
    251
    • Director
      • John Badham
    • Writers
      • Lawrence Lasker
      • Walter F. Parkes
    • Stars
      • Matthew Broderick
      • Ally Sheedy
      • John Wood
    • 255User reviews
    • 76Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 3 Oscars
      • 4 wins & 14 nominations total

    Videos3

    Official Trailer 2
    Trailer 2:19
    Official Trailer 2
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:20
    Official Trailer
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:20
    Official Trailer
    What to Watch: Back to the '80s on Prime Video
    Clip 3:33
    What to Watch: Back to the '80s on Prime Video

    Photos207

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 200
    View Poster

    Top cast59

    Edit
    Matthew Broderick
    Matthew Broderick
    • David
    Ally Sheedy
    Ally Sheedy
    • Jennifer
    John Wood
    John Wood
    • Falken
    Dabney Coleman
    Dabney Coleman
    • McKittrick
    Barry Corbin
    Barry Corbin
    • General Beringer
    Juanin Clay
    Juanin Clay
    • Pat Healy
    Kent Williams
    Kent Williams
    • Cabot
    Dennis Lipscomb
    Dennis Lipscomb
    • Watson
    Joe Dorsey
    Joe Dorsey
    • Conley
    Irving Metzman
    • Richter
    Michael Ensign
    Michael Ensign
    • Beringer's Aide
    William Bogert
    William Bogert
    • Mr. Lightman
    Susan Davis
    • Mrs. Lightman
    James Tolkan
    James Tolkan
    • Wigan
    David Clover
    • Stockman
    Drew Snyder
    Drew Snyder
    • Ayers
    John Garber
    • Corporal in the Infirmary
    Duncan Wilmore
    • Major Lem
    • Director
      • John Badham
    • Writers
      • Lawrence Lasker
      • Walter F. Parkes
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Red Dawn
    6.3
    Red Dawn
    Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    7.8
    Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    Tron
    6.7
    Tron
    Weird Science
    6.6
    Weird Science
    Revenge of the Nerds
    6.6
    Revenge of the Nerds
    War Games
    4.5
    War Games
    Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
    6.9
    Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
    Hackers
    6.2
    Hackers
    Caddyshack
    7.2
    Caddyshack
    Teen Wolf
    6.1
    Teen Wolf
    Spaceballs
    7.1
    Spaceballs
    National Lampoon's Vacation
    7.3
    National Lampoon's Vacation

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The studio had the Galaxian (1979) and Galaga (1981) arcade machines delivered to Matthew Broderick's home. He practiced for two months to prepare for the arcade scene.
    • Goofs
      There are improper arrest and apprehension procedures by the FBI. When David is picked up by the FBI, he is immediately read his Miranda rights as if it were a local arrest. Since David was a minor under 18, the FBI would have been required to bring him either to the local police precinct or his home so that his parents could be notified. Furthermore, there is no way that the FBI could have linked David to the calls made to the WOPR, since his home telephone was in his parents' name; thus, the FBI would have in reality gone to David's house first and questioned his parents.
    • Quotes

      [after playing out all possible outcomes for Global Thermonuclear War]

      Joshua: Greetings, Professor Falken.

      Stephen Falken: Hello, Joshua.

      Joshua: A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess?

    • Alternate versions
      In the International-dubbed prints and the U.S. TV premiere, in the scene where the female airmen is counting down to Impact, there is more background music that plays than in the original version.
    • Connections
      Edited into Crosby, Stills & Nash: War Games (1983)
    • Soundtracks
      Video Fever
      Performed by Arthur B. Rubinstein, Cynthia Morrow, Brian Banks and Anthony Marinelli (as The Beepers)

      Lyrics by Cynthia Morrow

      Music by Arthur B. Rubinstein

      Produced by Anthony Marinelli (uncredited)

    User reviews255

    Featured review
    10/10

    Ahead of it's time

    Wargames was a movie that was way ahead of its time. No one was making films about hacking into computer systems. The only computers used in movies were on space ships. No home computer has ever really been brought to the big screen. Wargames broke from the normal studio sci fi norm of either Earth being visited by aliens (E.T) or battles of Good and Evil in space (Star Wars, Star Trek). With the raise in hacker crime rate now, and seeing how Dependant we've become on computers, Wargames was a movie with it the eye on the future. Imaginative story, great cast (who, despite other reviews, do not phone it in) Wargames is a true gem, as it was recently listed by AFI as one of the top 100 sci fi movies of all time. Broderick was perfect as a slacker teen, and Ally Sheedy turns in one of her best performance, making the most of an under developed character. Dabney Coleman showed why he was one of the busiest actors in the 1980's (though he always better cast as a villain), and Barry Corbin could play almost anything convincingly. while the special effects may be dated by todays standard, Wargames helped shape the way people think and speak. Backdoors, hacking, were not common terms like they are today. Without a doubt, much in agreement with AFI, Wargames remains one of the most important films ever made.
    • metalrox_2000
    • Jun 17, 2005
    • Permalink

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ27

    • How long is WarGames?Powered by Alexa
    • Does General Barringer have the authority to launch ICBM's?
    • Why is Jennifer in the NORAD war room?
    • Why did the FBI take David to NORAD from Seattle just to question him?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 3, 1983 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Juegos de guerra
    • Filming locations
      • Anderson Island, Washington, USA(Goose Island scenes)
    • Production companies
      • United Artists
      • Sherwood Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $12,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $79,567,667
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $6,227,804
      • Jun 5, 1983
    • Gross worldwide
      • $79,567,667
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 54 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy in WarGames (1983)
    Top Gap
    By what name was WarGames (1983) officially released in India in Hindi?
    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
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.