The Octagon
“In a world of choices, for one man there is no choice... he must face The Octagon.”
Synopsis
Scott James, a veteran martial arts expert, is recruited as the protector of the wealthy and beautiful Justine after she becomes the target of a ninja clan. When Scott finds out that his ruthless arch-nemesis, McCarn , is involved with the stealthy and dangerous criminals, he is eager to settle old scores. Soon Scott is facing off against McCarn and the entire ninja horde in an effort to take them all down.
Top Cast
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Chuck Norris
Scott James
Karen Carlson
Justine
Lee Van Cleef
McCarn
Art Hindle
A. J.
Carol Bagdasarian
Aura
Kim Lankford
Nancy
Tadashi Yamashita
Seikura
Kurt Grayson
Doggo
Yuki Shimoda
Katsumo - Seikura's Aide
Larry D. Mann
Tibor
John Fujioka
Isawa the Teacher
Jack Carter
Sharkey
Richard Norton
Kyo - Seikura's Enforcer / Longlegs
Redmond Gleeson
Duffy
Alan Chappuis
Pierre
Brian Libby
Deadwyler
Ken Gibbel
Meat
Cheyenne Rivera
Greek
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 14, 1980
Wide Cinema Exhibition
June 1, 1983
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$4M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$19M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
4.74x
+$15M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Eric Karson
- Screenplay & Story
- Paul Aaron, Leigh Chapman
- Original Score
- Dick Halligan
- Original Title
- The Octagon
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 44m
- Production Budget
- $4M
- Worldwide Gross
- $19M
- Production Studios
- American Cinema Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Eric Karson
Paul Aaron, Leigh Chapman
Dick Halligan
Michel Hugo, Gabriel Torres
Dann Cahn
Michael Leone, Joel Freeman, Alan Belkin
Department Leadership Roster
Dick Halligan
Original Music Composer
Eric Karson
Director
Michel Hugo
Director of Photography
Joel Freeman
Producer
James L. Schoppe
Production Design
Dann Cahn
Editor
Gabriel Torres
Director of Photography
Leigh Chapman
Writer
Barbara Burgdorf
Costume Design
Aaron Norris
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
Mature Accompanied — Restricted to persons 15 and older.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Octagon.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Octagon.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Octagon
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Octagon about?
Scott James, a veteran martial arts expert, is recruited as the protector of the wealthy and beautiful Justine after she becomes the target of a ninja clan. When Scott finds out that his ruthless arch-nemesis, McCarn , is involved with the stealthy and dangerous criminals, he is eager to settle old scores. Soon Scott is facing off against McCarn and the entire ninja horde in an effort to take them all down.
Who directed The Octagon?
The Octagon was directed by Eric Karson.
Who stars in The Octagon?
The principal cast of The Octagon includes Chuck Norris, Karen Carlson, Lee Van Cleef, Art Hindle, Carol Bagdasarian.
When was The Octagon released and how long is it?
The Octagon was released in 1980 with a total runtime of 1h 44m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Octagon?
The Octagon had a reported production budget of $4M and grossed $19M at the worldwide box office (4.74 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Octagon?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Octagon was composed by Dick Halligan.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Octagon?
The Octagon holds official age classifications: AU: MA15+ (Mature Accompanied — Restricted to persons 15 and older.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).