Short Circuit
“Something wonderful has happened... No. 5 is alive.”
Synopsis
After a lightning bolt zaps a robot named Number 5, the lovable machine starts to think he's human and escapes the lab. Hot on his trail is his designer, Newton, who hopes to get to Number 5 before the military does. In the meantime, a spunky animal lover mistakes the robot for an alien and takes him in, teaching her new guest about life on Earth.
Part of the Short Circuit Collection
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Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official 40th Anniversary TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2026-06-05
Top Cast
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Ally Sheedy
Stephanie Speck
Steve Guttenberg
Newton Crosby
Fisher Stevens
Ben Jabituya
Austin Pendleton
Howard Marner
G.W. Bailey
Skroeder
Brian McNamara
Frank
Tim Blaney
Number 5 (voice)
Marvin J. McIntyre
Duke
John Garber
Otis
Penny Santon
Mrs. Cepeda
Vernon Weddle
General Washburne
Barbara Tarbuck
Senator Mills
Tom Lawrence
Howard Marner's Aide
Fred Slyter
Norman
Billy Ray Sharkey
Zack
Robert Krantz
Reporter
Jan Speck
Reporter
Marguerite Happy
Barmaid
Release History & Theatrical Window
May 9, 1986
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 19, 2000
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$10M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$40.7M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
4.07x
+$30.7M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Badham
- Screenplay & Story
- Brent Maddock, S.S. Wilson
- Original Score
- David Shire
- Original Title
- Short Circuit
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 38m
- Production Budget
- $10M
- Worldwide Gross
- $40.7M
- Production Studios
- TriStar Pictures, PSO, The Turman-Foster Company
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Badham
Brent Maddock, S.S. Wilson
David Shire
Nick McLean
Frank Morriss
Gregg Champion, David Foster, Lawrence Turman, Mark Damon, John W. Hyde
Department Leadership Roster
John Badham
Director
Gregg Champion
Producer
David Foster
Producer
Lawrence Turman
Producer
David Shire
Original Music Composer
Nick McLean
Director of Photography
Frank Morriss
Editor
Dianne Wager
Production Design
Brent Maddock
Writer
Walter Scott
Stunt Coordinator
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
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
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 Short Circuit.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About Short Circuit
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Short Circuit about?
After a lightning bolt zaps a robot named Number 5, the lovable machine starts to think he's human and escapes the lab. Hot on his trail is his designer, Newton, who hopes to get to Number 5 before the military does. In the meantime, a spunky animal lover mistakes the robot for an alien and takes him in, teaching her new guest about life on Earth.
Who directed Short Circuit?
Short Circuit was directed by John Badham.
Who stars in Short Circuit?
The principal cast of Short Circuit includes Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens, Austin Pendleton, G.W. Bailey.
When was Short Circuit released and how long is it?
Short Circuit was released in 1986 with a total runtime of 1h 38m.
What was the box office and production budget of Short Circuit?
Short Circuit had a reported production budget of $10M and grossed $40.7M at the worldwide box office (4.07 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Short Circuit?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Short Circuit was composed by David Shire.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Short Circuit?
Short Circuit holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); 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.).