Elephant
“An ordinary high school day. Except that it's not.”
Synopsis
Several ordinary high school students go through their daily routine as two others prepare for something more malevolent.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
4K Remastered Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2025-06-21
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Alex Frost
Alex
Eric Deulen
Eric
John Robinson
John McFarland
Elias McConnell
Elias
Jordan Taylor
Jordan
Carrie Finklea
Carrie
Nicole George
Nicole
Brittany Mountain
Brittany
Alicia Miles
Acadia
Kristen Hicks
Michelle
Bennie Dixon
Benny
Nathan Tyson
Nathan
Timothy Bottoms
Mr. McFarland
Matt Malloy
Mr. Luce
Chantelle Chriestenson Nelson
Noelle
Larry Laverty
Teacher #3
Ruben Bansie-Snellman
GSA Student
Jason Seitz
GSA Victim
Release History & Theatrical Window
Toronto International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
October 24, 2003
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 11, 2013
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$3M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$10M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
3.33x
+$7M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Gus Van Sant
- Screenplay & Story
- Gus Van Sant
- Original Title
- Elephant
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 21m
- Production Budget
- $3M
- Worldwide Gross
- $10M
- Production Studios
- HBO Films, Blue Relief Productions, Meno Film Company
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Gus Van Sant
Gus Van Sant
Harris Savides, Eric Alan Edwards
Gus Van Sant
Dany Wolf, Bill Robinson, Diane Keaton
Department Leadership Roster
Harris Savides
Director of Photography
Dany Wolf
Producer
Gus Van Sant
Screenplay
Gus Van Sant
Editor
Thomas M. Ficke
Stunt Coordinator
Gus Van Sant
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 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
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 Elephant.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Elephant.
North American Cinema
Auto-generated by festival-lists — do not edit by hand.
戛纳电影节金棕榈奖
70 years of the Palme d’or / 70 ans de la Palme d’or 戛纳电影节历届金棕榈奖（及前身大奖）获奖影片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:43:04 UTC+8)*
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)*
TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:30:01 UTC+8)*
TVWeekly
Limelight Pinned
Similar Titles to Elephant
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
8.0
9.0
5.3
6.1
6.4
4.6
6.5
7.7
7.4
6.0
5.9
7.3
6.1
6.1
8.0
3.0
6.8
More Like Elephant
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Elephant
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Elephant about?
Several ordinary high school students go through their daily routine as two others prepare for something more malevolent.
Who directed Elephant?
Elephant was directed by Gus Van Sant.
Who stars in Elephant?
The principal cast of Elephant includes Alex Frost, Eric Deulen, John Robinson, Elias McConnell, Jordan Taylor.
When was Elephant released and how long is it?
Elephant was released in 2003 with a total runtime of 1h 21m.
What was the box office and production budget of Elephant?
Elephant had a reported production budget of $3M and grossed $10M at the worldwide box office (3.33 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
What is the age rating and content advisory for Elephant?
Elephant holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).