Belly
“Money, power, respect... but who's got your back?”
Synopsis
Tommy Bundy and Sincere are best friends as well as infamous and ruthless criminals and shot-callers in the hood. Respected by many but feared by all. As the police are closing in on them and new players are looking for a come up, will their reign last?
Part of the Belly 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.
BELLY — Hype Williams and Soul II Soul bring hip hop "Back To Life" | MUBI PodcastOfficial
Type: Featurette • Published 2026-07-10
Top Cast
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DMX
Tommy 'Buns' Bundy
Nas
Sincere
Hassan Johnson
Mark
Taral Hicks
Kisha
Tionne Watkins
Tionne
Oliver "Power" Grant
Knowledge
Louie Rankin
Lennox
Stanley Drayton
Wise
James Parris
LaKid
Method Man
Shameek
Kurt Loder
Kurt Loder
Ben Chavis
Rev. Saviour
Tyrin Turner
Big
Jay Black
Black
John 'B.J.' Bryant
Thug #1
Prince 'Blunt' Graham
Thug #2
Wondosas 'Kilo' Martin
Thug #3
Shaun Morrison
Housekeeper
Release History & Theatrical Window
November 4, 1998
Wide Cinema Exhibition
April 20, 1999
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$3M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$9.6M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
3.2x
+$6.6M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Hype Williams
- Screenplay & Story
- Hype Williams, Nas, Anthony Bodden
- Original Score
- Stephen Cullo
- Original Title
- Belly
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 36m
- Production Budget
- $3M
- Worldwide Gross
- $9.6M
- Production Studios
- Artisan Entertainment, Big Dog Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Hype Williams
Hype Williams, Nas, Anthony Bodden
Stephen Cullo
Malik Hassan Sayeed
David Leonard
Hype Williams, Ron Rotholz, Avram Butch Kaplan, James Bigwood, Larry Meistrich
Department Leadership Roster
Hype Williams
Writer
Hype Williams
Director
Julius LeFlore
Stunt Coordinator
Hype Williams
Producer
Ron Rotholz
Producer
Avram Butch Kaplan
Producer
Malik Hassan Sayeed
Director of Photography
Regan Jackson
Production Design
Larry Meistrich
Producer
Edwin J. Nunez
Producer
Stephen Cullo
Original Music Composer
Robert Salerno
Producer
David Leonard
Editor
June Ambrose
Costume 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
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Belly.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Belly.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Belly
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Belly about?
Tommy Bundy and Sincere are best friends as well as infamous and ruthless criminals and shot-callers in the hood. Respected by many but feared by all. As the police are closing in on them and new players are looking for a come up, will their reign last?
Who directed Belly?
Belly was directed by Hype Williams.
Who stars in Belly?
The principal cast of Belly includes DMX, Nas, Hassan Johnson, Taral Hicks, Tionne Watkins.
When was Belly released and how long is it?
Belly was released in 1998 with a total runtime of 1h 36m.
What was the box office and production budget of Belly?
Belly had a reported production budget of $3M and grossed $9.6M at the worldwide box office (3.2 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Belly?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Belly was composed by Stephen Cullo.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Belly?
Belly holds official age classifications: US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).