Network
“Television will never be the same.”
Synopsis
When veteran anchorman Howard Beale is forced to retire his 25-year post because of his age, he announces to viewers that he will kill himself during his farewell broadcast. Network executives rethink their decision when his fanatical tirade results in a spike in ratings.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Original Theatrical TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2017-08-29
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Faye Dunaway
Diana Christensen
William Holden
Max Schumacher
Peter Finch
Howard Beale
Robert Duvall
Frank Hackett
Wesley Addy
Nelson Chaney
Ned Beatty
Arthur Jensen
Arthur Burghardt
Great Ahmed Kahn
Bill Burrows
TV Director
John Carpenter
George Bosch
Jordan Charney
Harry Hunter
Kathy Cronkite
Mary Ann Gifford
Ed Crowley
Joe Donnelly
Jerome Dempsey
Walter C. Amundsen
Conchata Ferrell
Barbara Schlesinger
Gene Gross
Milton K. Steinman
Stanley Grover
Jack Snowden
Cindy Grover
Caroline Schumacher
Darryl Hickman
Bill Herron
Release History & Theatrical Window
Reykjavik International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
November 27, 1976
Wide Cinema Exhibition
January 1, 1983
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$3.8M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$23.7M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
6.24x
+$19.9M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Sidney Lumet
- Screenplay & Story
- Paddy Chayefsky
- Original Score
- Elliot Lawrence
- Original Title
- Network
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 2m
- Production Budget
- $3.8M
- Worldwide Gross
- $23.7M
- Production Studios
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Sidney Lumet
Paddy Chayefsky
Elliot Lawrence
Owen Roizman
Alan Heim
Howard Gottfried
Department Leadership Roster
Elliot Lawrence
Original Music Composer
Owen Roizman
Director of Photography
Alan Heim
Editor
Sidney Lumet
Director
Howard Gottfried
Producer
Philip Rosenberg
Production Design
Theoni V. Aldredge
Costume Design
Paddy Chayefsky
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Network.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Network.
Movie Collection
Watched Movies
My Movies
Master List In Progress
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
Roger Ebert's Great Movies
Every film from Roger Ebert's 'Great Movies' essays. 罗杰·伊伯特的伟大电影： 收录了已故美国著名国民级影评人罗杰·伊伯特（Roger Ebert）在其经典的《伟大电影》（Great Movies）系列专栏文章中推荐、评论过的所有影史经典佳作。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#092] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
AFI Top 100 (2007 Edition)
AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition is an updated edition to AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies, a list of the top 100 greatest American films of all time. AFI 百年百大电影（10周年修订版）： 美国电影学会（AFI）评选的最伟大的100部美国电影。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:37:20 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Network
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Network about?
When veteran anchorman Howard Beale is forced to retire his 25-year post because of his age, he announces to viewers that he will kill himself during his farewell broadcast. Network executives rethink their decision when his fanatical tirade results in a spike in ratings.
Who directed Network?
Network was directed by Sidney Lumet.
Who stars in Network?
The principal cast of Network includes Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Wesley Addy.
When was Network released and how long is it?
Network was released in 1976 with a total runtime of 2h 2m.
What was the box office and production budget of Network?
Network had a reported production budget of $3.8M and grossed $23.7M at the worldwide box office (6.24 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Network?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Network was composed by Elliot Lawrence.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Network?
Network 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: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).