Sphere
“Terror can fill any space.”
Synopsis
A spacecraft is discovered at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, presumed to be at least 300 years old and of alien origin. A crack team of scientists and experts is assembled and taken to the ocean floor to investigate. However, the ship is not as it seems and when a giant perfect sphere is discovered in the cargo bay, things begin to fall apart.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2025-11-29
Top Cast
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Dustin Hoffman
Dr. Norman Goodman
Sharon Stone
Dr. Elizabeth 'Beth' Halperin
Samuel L. Jackson
Dr. Harry Adams
Peter Coyote
Captain Harold C. Barnes
Liev Schreiber
Dr. Ted Fielding
Queen Latifah
Alice 'Teeny' Fletcher
Marga Gómez
Jane Edmunds
Huey Lewis
Helicopter Pilot
Bernard Hocke
Seaman
James Pickens Jr.
O.S.S.A. Instructor
Michael Keys Hall
O.S.S.A. Official
Ralph Tabakin
O.S.S.A. Official
Release History & Theatrical Window
Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Films
Festival / Special Debut
February 13, 1998
Wide Cinema Exhibition
October 23, 1998
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$80M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$37M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.46x
-$43M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Barry Levinson
- Screenplay & Story
- Paul Attanasio, Stephen Hauser
- Original Score
- Elliot Goldenthal
- Original Title
- Sphere
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 14m
- Production Budget
- $80M
- Worldwide Gross
- $37M
- Production Studios
- Warner Bros. Pictures, Punch Productions, Baltimore Pictures, Constant c Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Barry Levinson
Paul Attanasio, Stephen Hauser, Michael Crichton, Kurt Wimmer
Elliot Goldenthal
Adam Greenberg, Gary Capo
Stu Linder
Barry Levinson, Andrew Wald, Michael Crichton, Peter Giuliano
Department Leadership Roster
Barry Levinson
Director
Barry Levinson
Producer
Adam Greenberg
Director of Photography
Paul Attanasio
Screenplay
Andrew Wald
Producer
Stephen Hauser
Screenplay
Michael Crichton
Producer
Stu Linder
Editor
Elliot Goldenthal
Original Music Composer
Norman Reynolds
Production Design
Gloria Gresham
Costume Design
Carlos Arguello
Visual Effects Supervisor
Jeffrey A. Okun
Visual Effects Supervisor
Ronnie Rondell Jr.
Stunt Coordinator
Alex Daniels
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Suitable only for 12 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Sphere.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sphere
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Sphere about?
A spacecraft is discovered at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, presumed to be at least 300 years old and of alien origin. A crack team of scientists and experts is assembled and taken to the ocean floor to investigate. However, the ship is not as it seems and when a giant perfect sphere is discovered in the cargo bay, things begin to fall apart.
Who directed Sphere?
Sphere was directed by Barry Levinson.
Who stars in Sphere?
The principal cast of Sphere includes Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson, Peter Coyote, Liev Schreiber.
When was Sphere released and how long is it?
Sphere was released in 1998 with a total runtime of 2h 14m.
What was the box office and production budget of Sphere?
Sphere had a reported production budget of $80M and grossed $37M at the worldwide box office (0.46 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Sphere?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Sphere was composed by Elliot Goldenthal.
Is Sphere based on a book or true story?
Sphere is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Michael Crichton".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Sphere?
Sphere holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: TP; GB: 12 (Suitable only for 12 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).