Skip to content
Bowling for Columbine poster
7.5 / 10(1,766 votes)IMDbR20022h 0m$35.6M Worldwide GrossCanada, Germany, United States of America

Bowling for Columbine

“Are we a nation of gun nuts or are we just nuts?”

Synopsis

This is not a film about gun control. It is a film about the fearful heart and soul of the United States, and the 280 million Americans lucky enough to have the right to a constitutionally protected Uzi. From a look at the Columbine High School security camera tapes to the home of Oscar-winning NRA President Charlton Heston, from a young man who makes homemade napalm with The Anarchist's Cookbook to the murder of a six-year-old girl by another six-year-old. Bowling for Columbine is a journey through the US, through our past, hoping to discover why our pursuit of happiness is so riddled with violence.

Play Movie

Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes

Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.

Bowling for Columbine (2002) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

Type: Trailer • Published 2018-06-30

Release History & Theatrical Window

World Premiere

Mar del Plata Film Festival

Festival / Special Debut

Theatrical Premiere

October 11, 2002

Wide Cinema Exhibition

4K UHD / Blu-ray Debut

December 3, 2003

Physical Home Media

Financials & Box Office Performance

ReleasedBlockbuster Success (8.89x ROI)

Production Budget

$4M

Filming & production cost

Worldwide Gross

$35.6M

Total global ticket sales

Box Office Return

8.89x

+$31.6M net gain

Theatrical Status

Mega Hit

Box office tier

Budget: $4MWorldwide: $35.6M

Key Information & Fast Facts

Director
Michael Moore
Screenplay & Story
Michael Moore
Original Score
Jeff Gibbs
Original Title
Bowling for Columbine
Country of Origin
Canada, Germany, United States of America
Spoken Languages
English
Runtime
2h 0m
Production Budget
$4M
Worldwide Gross
$35.6M
Production Studios
Vif Babelsberger Filmproduktion, Alliance Atlantis, Dog Eat Dog Films, Salter Street Films, United Artists

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

Michael Moore

Screenplay & Story

Michael Moore

Original Score & Music

Jeff Gibbs

Film Editing

Kurt Engfehr

Producers

Wolfram Tichy, Jim Czarnecki, Michael Donovan, Charles Bishop, Kathleen Glynn

Department Leadership Roster

Michael Moore

Michael Moore

Writer

Jim Czarnecki

Producer

Michael Donovan

Producer

Charles Bishop

Producer

Kathleen Glynn

Producer

Michael Moore

Michael Moore

Producer

Kurt Engfehr

Editor

Michael Moore

Michael Moore

Director

Jeff Gibbs

Original Music Composer

Age Classification & Content Advisories

Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.

Primary: R

R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

International Certification Matrix

Australia (ACB)M

Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.

Canada18A
Germany (FSK)12

FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.

France (CNC)U

Tous publics — Universal audience.

United Kingdom (BBFC)15

Suitable only for 15 years and over.

United States (MPAA)R

Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Official cinematic photography and background stills for Bowling for Columbine.

Featured In Curated Collections

Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Bowling for Columbine.

Movie Collection

3566 titles

My Movies

Master List In Progress

13642 titles

Documentaries

Auto-generated by festival-lists — do not edit by hand.

328 titles

North American Cinema

Auto-generated by festival-lists — do not edit by hand.

523 titles

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)*

1262 titles

Letterboxd's Top 250 Documentary Films

Letterboxd's official Top 250 documentary feature films, ranked by average member rating. Letterboxd 官方 Top 250 最佳纪录长片榜单: 根据平台用户的平均评分进行排序的纪录长片精选榜单。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:36:46 UTC+8)*

250 titles

Similar Titles to Bowling for Columbine

Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling

  • 7.8
  • 7.1
  • 7.1
  • 7.2
  • 7.2
  • 6.8
  • 7.8
  • 7.5
  • 6.9
  • 7.1
  • 8.0
  • 6.7
  • 7.0
  • 7.0
  • 6.7
  • 6.0
  • 5.4
  • 7.0

More Like Bowling for Columbine

Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.

6.8
7.2
7.8
7.2
7.1
6.9
6.4
7.2
6.5
6.8
6.1
6.4

Frequently Asked Questions About Bowling for Columbine

Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.

What is Bowling for Columbine about?

This is not a film about gun control. It is a film about the fearful heart and soul of the United States, and the 280 million Americans lucky enough to have the right to a constitutionally protected Uzi. From a look at the Columbine High School security camera tapes to the home of Oscar-winning NRA President Charlton Heston, from a young man who makes homemade napalm with The Anarchist's Cookbook to the murder of a six-year-old girl by another six-year-old. Bowling for Columbine is a journey through the US, through our past, hoping to discover why our pursuit of happiness is so riddled with violence.

Who directed Bowling for Columbine?

Bowling for Columbine was directed by Michael Moore.

Who stars in Bowling for Columbine?

The principal cast of Bowling for Columbine includes Michael Moore, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Charlton Heston, Jacobo Árbenz.

When was Bowling for Columbine released and how long is it?

Bowling for Columbine was released in 2002 with a total runtime of 2h 0m.

What was the box office and production budget of Bowling for Columbine?

Bowling for Columbine had a reported production budget of $4M and grossed $35.6M at the worldwide box office (8.89 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).

Who composed the musical score for Bowling for Columbine?

The original motion picture soundtrack for Bowling for Columbine was composed by Jeff Gibbs.

What is the age rating and content advisory for Bowling for Columbine?

Bowling for Columbine holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: 18A; DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 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.).