October Sky
“Sometimes one dream is enough to light up the whole sky.”
Synopsis
The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
October Sky trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2010-01-08
Top Cast
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Jake Gyllenhaal
Homer Hickam
Chris Cooper
John Hickam
Chris Owen
Quentin Wilson
Laura Dern
Miss Riley
William Lee Scott
Roy Lee
Chad Lindberg
O'Dell
Natalie Canerday
Elsie Hickam
Elya Baskin
Ike Bykovsky
Chris Ellis
Principal Turner
Scott Thomas
Jim Hickam
Randy Stripling
Leon Bolden
Courtney Cole-Fendley
Dorothy Platt
David Dwyer
Jake Mosby
Terry Loughlin
Mr. Dantzler
Kaili Hollister
Valentine Carmina
David Copeland
Coach Gainer
Don Henderson Baker
Jensen
Tom Kagy
Lenny
Release History & Theatrical Window
February 19, 1999
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 22, 2000
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$25M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$34.7M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.39x
+$9.7M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Joe Johnston
- Screenplay & Story
- Lewis Colick
- Original Score
- Mark Isham
- Original Title
- October Sky
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 47m
- Production Budget
- $25M
- Worldwide Gross
- $34.7M
- Production Studios
- Universal Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Joe Johnston
Lewis Colick, Homer H. Hickam Jr.
Mark Isham
Fred Murphy
Robert Dalva
Larry Franco, Peter Cramer, Marc Sternberg, Charles Gordon
Department Leadership Roster
Joe Johnston
Director
Lewis Colick
Screenplay
Cliff Cudney
Stunt Coordinator
Larry Franco
Producer
Mark Isham
Original Music Composer
Fred Murphy
Director of Photography
Robert Dalva
Editor
Barry Robison
Production Design
Betsy Cox
Costume Design
Charles Gordon
Producer
Jim Mitchell
Visual Effects Supervisor
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
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for October Sky.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring October Sky.
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Frequently Asked Questions About October Sky
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is October Sky about?
The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.
Who directed October Sky?
October Sky was directed by Joe Johnston.
Who stars in October Sky?
The principal cast of October Sky includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Chris Owen, Laura Dern, William Lee Scott.
When was October Sky released and how long is it?
October Sky was released in 1999 with a total runtime of 1h 47m.
What was the box office and production budget of October Sky?
October Sky had a reported production budget of $25M and grossed $34.7M at the worldwide box office (1.39 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for October Sky?
The original motion picture soundtrack for October Sky was composed by Mark Isham.
Is October Sky based on a book or true story?
October Sky is adapted from the following source material: Book: "Homer H. Hickam Jr.".
What is the age rating and content advisory for October Sky?
October Sky holds official age classifications: DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); FR: TP; GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).