Howard the Duck
“More adventure than humanly possible.”
Synopsis
A scientific experiment unknowingly brings extraterrestrial life forms to the Earth through a laser beam. First is the cigar-smoking drake, Howard, from the duck's planet. A few kids try to keep him from the greedy scientists and help him back to his planet, but then a much less friendly being arrives through the beam...
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Howard the Duck News Featurette
Type: Featurette • Published 2023-09-20
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Lea Thompson
Beverly Switzler
Jeffrey Jones
Dr. Walter Jenning
Tim Robbins
Phil Blumburtt
Ed Gale
Howard T. Duck
Chip Zien
Howard T. Duck (voice)
Tim Rose
Howard T. Duck
Steve Sleap
Howard T. Duck
Peter Baird
Howard T. Duck
Mary Wells
Howard T. Duck
Lisa Sturz
Howard T. Duck
Jordan Prentice
Howard T. Duck
Paul Guilfoyle
Lieutenant Welker
Liz Sagal
Ronette
Dominique Davalos
Cal
Holly Robinson Peete
K.C.
Tommy Swerdlow
Ginger Moss
Richard Edson
Ritchie
Miles Chapin
Carter
Release History & Theatrical Window
Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
August 1, 1986
Wide Cinema Exhibition
March 10, 2009
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$37M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$38M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.03x
+$1M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Willard Huyck
- Screenplay & Story
- Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz
- Original Score
- John Barry
- Original Title
- Howard the Duck
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 50m
- Production Budget
- $37M
- Worldwide Gross
- $38M
- Production Studios
- Lucasfilm Ltd., Universal Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Willard Huyck
Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz, Steve Gerber
John Barry
Richard H. Kline, Bobby Byrne
Michael Chandler, Sidney Wolinsky
Gloria Katz, George Lucas
Department Leadership Roster
Gloria Katz
Producer
Richard H. Kline
Director of Photography
Willard Huyck
Director
Michael Chandler
Editor
Willard Huyck
Screenplay
John Barry
Original Music Composer
Gloria Katz
Screenplay
Sidney Wolinsky
Editor
Peter Jamison
Production Design
Joe I. Tompkins
Costume Design
Michael J. McAlister
Visual Effects Supervisor
Everett Creach
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Suitable only for 12 years and over.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Howard the Duck.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Howard the Duck.
2026 movies watched playlist
Here is the list of how many hours of movies that I watched in 2026 movie list here so far.
Movies Watched in 2026
Wait, You Haven't Seen...?
List of movies discussed on my Podcast, Wait, You Haven't Seen...? https://www.tvstravis.com/podcast/wyhs
Movie Collection
Mid Hunting List
A list of mids found by Mid Hunters
My Movies
Master List In Progress
Similar Titles to Howard the Duck
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
7.2
6.9Anime
6.7
6.3
8.1
5.2
6.4
6.8Anime
7.0
10.0
6.5
5.6
7.0
6.3
6.0
5.9
5.6
6.8
4.4
More Like Howard the Duck
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Howard the Duck
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Howard the Duck about?
A scientific experiment unknowingly brings extraterrestrial life forms to the Earth through a laser beam. First is the cigar-smoking drake, Howard, from the duck's planet. A few kids try to keep him from the greedy scientists and help him back to his planet, but then a much less friendly being arrives through the beam...
Who directed Howard the Duck?
Howard the Duck was directed by Willard Huyck.
Who stars in Howard the Duck?
The principal cast of Howard the Duck includes Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Jones, Tim Robbins, Ed Gale, Chip Zien.
When was Howard the Duck released and how long is it?
Howard the Duck was released in 1986 with a total runtime of 1h 50m.
What was the box office and production budget of Howard the Duck?
Howard the Duck had a reported production budget of $37M and grossed $38M at the worldwide box office (1.03 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for Howard the Duck?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Howard the Duck was composed by John Barry.
Is Howard the Duck based on a book or true story?
Howard the Duck is adapted from the following source material: Characters: "Steve Gerber".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Howard the Duck?
Howard the Duck holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 12 (Suitable only for 12 years and over.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).