The Merchant of Venice
Synopsis
Venice, 1596. Bassanio begs his friend Antonio, a prosperous merchant, to lend him a large sum of money so that he can woo Portia, a very wealthy heiress; but Antonio has invested his fortune abroad, so they turn to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, and ask him for a loan.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2007-02-13
Top Cast
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Al Pacino
Shylock
Jeremy Irons
Antonio
Joseph Fiennes
Bassanio
Lynn Collins
Portia
Zuleikha Robinson
Jessica
Kris Marshall
Gratiano
Charlie Cox
Lorenzo
Heather Goldenhersh
Nerissa
Mackenzie Crook
Lancelot Gobbo
John Sessions
Salerio
Gregor Fisher
Solanio
Ron Cook
Old Gobbo
Allan Corduner
Tubal
Anton Rodgers
The Duke
David Harewood
Prince of Morocco
Antonio Gil
Aragon
Al Weaver
Stephano
Norbert Konne
Doctor Bellario
Release History & Theatrical Window
Venice Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
December 29, 2004
Wide Cinema Exhibition
March 23, 2006
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$30M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$21.6M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.72x
-$8.4M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Michael Radford
- Screenplay & Story
- Michael Radford
- Original Score
- Jocelyn Pook
- Original Title
- The Merchant of Venice
- Country of Origin
- Italy, Luxembourg, United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English, Italian
- Runtime
- 2h 12m
- Production Budget
- $30M
- Worldwide Gross
- $21.6M
- Production Studios
- Movision, Avenue Pictures, UK Film Council, Film Fund Luxembourg, Delux Productions, Immagine e Cinema, Dania Film, Istituto Luce Cinecittà, Navidi-Wilde Productions Ltd., LSG Productions, Rough Diamond Productions, Spice Factory
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Michael Radford
Michael Radford, William Shakespeare
Jocelyn Pook
Benoît Delhomme
Lucia Zucchetti
Barry Navidi, Cary Brokaw, Michael Hammer, Alex Marshall, Michael Cowan
Department Leadership Roster
Michael Radford
Director
Barry Navidi
Producer
Cary Brokaw
Producer
Lucia Zucchetti
Editor
Michael Cowan
Producer
Michael Radford
Screenplay
Jason Piette
Producer
Jocelyn Pook
Original Music Composer
Benoît Delhomme
Director of Photography
Bruno Rubeo
Production Design
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
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Merchant of Venice.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Merchant of Venice
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Merchant of Venice about?
Venice, 1596. Bassanio begs his friend Antonio, a prosperous merchant, to lend him a large sum of money so that he can woo Portia, a very wealthy heiress; but Antonio has invested his fortune abroad, so they turn to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, and ask him for a loan.
Who directed The Merchant of Venice?
The Merchant of Venice was directed by Michael Radford.
Who stars in The Merchant of Venice?
The principal cast of The Merchant of Venice includes Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes, Lynn Collins, Zuleikha Robinson.
When was The Merchant of Venice released and how long is it?
The Merchant of Venice was released in 2004 with a total runtime of 2h 12m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Merchant of Venice?
The Merchant of Venice had a reported production budget of $30M and grossed $21.6M at the worldwide box office (0.72 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for The Merchant of Venice?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Merchant of Venice was composed by Jocelyn Pook.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Merchant of Venice?
The Merchant of Venice holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).