The Dogs of War
“Cry 'Havoc!' and let slip...”
Synopsis
Mercenary soldiers Jamie and Drew are hired by a large corporation to liberate Zangaro, a small African nation, from an despot. Havoc ensues.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Classic TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2025-03-25
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Christopher Walken
Jamie Shannon
Tom Berenger
Drew
Colin Blakely
North
Hugh Millais
Roy Endean
Paul Freeman
Derek
Jean-François Stévenin
Michel
JoBeth Williams
Jessie
Robert Urquhart
Capt. Lockhart
Winston Ntshona
Dr. Okoye
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
The Captain
Harlan Cary Poe
Richard
Ed O'Neill
Terry
Isabel Grandin
Evelyn
Ernest Graves
Warner
Kelvin Thomas
The Black Boy
Shane Rimmer
Dr. Oaks
Joseph Konrad
Priest
Bruce McLane
Shop Manager
Release History & Theatrical Window
February 13, 1981
Wide Cinema Exhibition
August 1, 1992
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$8M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$5.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.69x
-$2.5M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Irvin
- Screenplay & Story
- Gary DeVore, George Malko, Frederick Forsyth
- Original Score
- Geoffrey Burgon
- Original Title
- The Dogs of War
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- French, English
- Runtime
- 1h 58m
- Production Budget
- $8M
- Worldwide Gross
- $5.5M
- Production Studios
- Juniper Films, United Artists
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Irvin
Gary DeVore, George Malko, Frederick Forsyth
Geoffrey Burgon
Jack Cardiff, John Cardiff, Irving Deutch, John Elton
Antony Gibbs
Norman Jewison, Patrick J. Palmer, Larry DeWaay
Department Leadership Roster
Gary DeVore
Writer
John Irvin
Director
Antony Gibbs
Editor
Jack Cardiff
Director of Photography
George Malko
Writer
Peter Mullins
Production Design
Emma Porteous
Costume Design
Larry DeWaay
Producer
Geoffrey Burgon
Original Music Composer
Eddie Stacey
Stunt Coordinator
Marvin Walters
Stunt Coordinator
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.
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 The Dogs of War.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Dogs of War.
Mid Hunting List
A list of mids found by Mid Hunters
My Movies
Master List In Progress
Abstrusest 2
Movies
My movies
the movies I own on DVD and Blue Ray
list0
Similar Titles to The Dogs of War
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
6.2
6.5
6.8
6.7
7.5
6.7
7.6
7.8
6.7
6.3
5.8
5.0
5.7
6.3
5.8
6.5
5.2
6.8
5.5
More Like The Dogs of War
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Dogs of War
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Dogs of War about?
Mercenary soldiers Jamie and Drew are hired by a large corporation to liberate Zangaro, a small African nation, from an despot. Havoc ensues.
Who directed The Dogs of War?
The Dogs of War was directed by John Irvin.
Who stars in The Dogs of War?
The principal cast of The Dogs of War includes Christopher Walken, Tom Berenger, Colin Blakely, Hugh Millais, Paul Freeman.
When was The Dogs of War released and how long is it?
The Dogs of War was released in 1980 with a total runtime of 1h 58m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Dogs of War?
The Dogs of War had a reported production budget of $8M and grossed $5.5M at the worldwide box office (0.69 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for The Dogs of War?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Dogs of War was composed by Geoffrey Burgon.
Is The Dogs of War based on a book or true story?
The Dogs of War is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Frederick Forsyth".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Dogs of War?
The Dogs of War holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: TP; GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).