Heavy Metal
“A step beyond science fiction.”
Synopsis
The embodiment of ultimate evil, a glowing orb terrorizes a young girl with bizarre stories of dark fantasy, eroticism and horror.
Part of the Heavy Metal Collection
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2022-04-19
Top Cast
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Rodger Bumpass
Hanover Fiste / Dr. Anrak (voice)
John Candy
Desk Sergeant / Dan / Den / Robot (voice)
Jackie Burroughs
Katherine (voice)
Joe Flaherty
Lawyer / General (voice)
Don Francks
Grimaldi / Co-Pilot / Barbarian (voice)
Marilyn Lightstone
Whore / Queen (voice)
Eugene Levy
Sternn / Male Reporter / Edsel (voice)
Harold Ramis
Zeke (voice)
Caroline Semple
Girl (voice)
Richard Romanus
Harry Canyon (voice)
Susan Roman
Girl / Satellite (voice)
Al Waxman
Rudnick (voice)
Harvey Atkin
Alien / Henchman (voice)
Glenis Wootton Gross
Whore (voice)
John Vernon
Prosecutor (voice)
George Touliatos
Pilot / Barbarian (voice)
August Schellenberg
Norl / Taarak (voice)
Vlasta Vrana
Barbarian Leader (voice)
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 7, 1981
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 5, 1997
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$9.3M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$20.1M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
2.16x
+$10.8M net gain
Theatrical Status
Profitable
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Gerald Potterton, John Bruno, John Halas, Julian Harris, Jimmy T. Murakami, Barrie Nelson, Paul Sabella, Jack Stokes, Pino Van Lamsweerde, Harold Whitaker
- Screenplay & Story
- Daniel Goldberg, Len Blum
- Original Score
- Elmer Bernstein
- Original Title
- Heavy Metal
- Country of Origin
- Canada
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 30m
- Production Budget
- $9.3M
- Worldwide Gross
- $20.1M
- Production Studios
- Canadian Film Development Corporation, Guardian Trust Company, Famous Players, Potterton Productions, Columbia Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Gerald Potterton, John Bruno, John Halas, Julian Harris, Jimmy T. Murakami, Barrie Nelson, Paul Sabella, Jack Stokes, Pino Van Lamsweerde, Harold Whitaker
Daniel Goldberg, Len Blum, Jean Giraud, Dan O'Bannon, Richard Corben, Bernie Wrightson, Angus Mckie
Elmer Bernstein
Ian Llande, Mick Manning, Gerald Tripp
Leonard Mogel, Ivan Reitman
Department Leadership Roster
Gerald Potterton
Director
Daniel Goldberg
Screenplay
Len Blum
Screenplay
Ivan Reitman
Producer
Elmer Bernstein
Original Music Composer
Ian Llande
Editor
Mick Manning
Editor
Michael C. Gross
Production Design
Gerald Tripp
Editor
John Bruno
Director
John Halas
Director
Julian Harris
Director
Jimmy T. Murakami
Director
Barrie Nelson
Director
Paul Sabella
Director
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 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 Heavy Metal.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Heavy Metal.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Heavy Metal
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Heavy Metal about?
The embodiment of ultimate evil, a glowing orb terrorizes a young girl with bizarre stories of dark fantasy, eroticism and horror.
Who directed Heavy Metal?
Heavy Metal was directed by Gerald Potterton, John Bruno, John Halas, Julian Harris, Jimmy T. Murakami, Barrie Nelson, Paul Sabella, Jack Stokes, Pino Van Lamsweerde, Harold Whitaker.
Who stars in Heavy Metal?
The principal cast of Heavy Metal includes Rodger Bumpass, John Candy, Jackie Burroughs, Joe Flaherty, Don Francks.
When was Heavy Metal released and how long is it?
Heavy Metal was released in 1981 with a total runtime of 1h 30m.
What was the box office and production budget of Heavy Metal?
Heavy Metal had a reported production budget of $9.3M and grossed $20.1M at the worldwide box office (2.16 return on budget, classified as a commercial hit).
Who composed the musical score for Heavy Metal?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Heavy Metal was composed by Elmer Bernstein.
Is Heavy Metal based on a book or true story?
Heavy Metal is adapted from the following source material: Characters: "Jean Giraud".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Heavy Metal?
Heavy Metal holds official age classifications: 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.).