Adaptation.
“From the creator of Being John Malkovich, comes the story about the creator of Being John Malkovich.”
Synopsis
Charlie Kaufman is a confused L.A. screenwriter overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, sexual frustration, self-loathing, and by the screenwriting ambitions of his freeloading twin brother Donald. While struggling to adapt "The Orchid Thief," by Susan Orlean, Kaufman's life spins from pathetic to bizarre. The lives of Kaufman and Orlean's book become strangely intertwined as each one's search for passion collides with the other's.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official UK Re-Release TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2023-08-09
Top Cast
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Nicolas Cage
Charlie Kaufman / Donald Kaufman
Meryl Streep
Susan Orlean
Chris Cooper
John Laroche
Tilda Swinton
Valerie Thomas
Jay Tavare
Matthew Osceola
Litefoot
Russell
Roger Willie
Randy
Jim Beaver
Ranger Tony
Cara Seymour
Amelia Kavan
Doug Jones
Augustus Margary
Gary Farmer
Buster Baxley
Peter Jason
Defense Attorney
Gregory Itzin
Prosecutor
Curtis Hanson
Orlean's Husband
Agnes NaDene Baddoo
Orlean Dinner Guest
Paul Fortune
Orlean Dinner Guest
Paul Jasmin
Orlean Dinner Guest
Lisa Love
Orlean Dinner Guest
Release History & Theatrical Window
Vienna International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
December 6, 2002
Wide Cinema Exhibition
February 19, 2008
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$19M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$32.8M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.73x
+$13.8M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Spike Jonze
- Screenplay & Story
- Charlie Kaufman
- Original Score
- Carter Burwell
- Original Title
- Adaptation.
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, Latin
- Runtime
- 1h 55m
- Production Budget
- $19M
- Worldwide Gross
- $32.8M
- Production Studios
- Columbia Pictures, Propaganda Films, Good Machine, Intermedia, Beverly Detroit Studios, Clinica Estetico
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Spike Jonze
Charlie Kaufman, Susan Orlean
Carter Burwell
Lance Acord
Eric Zumbrunnen
Vincent Landay, Edward Saxon, Jonathan Demme, Charlie Kaufman, Peter Saraf
Department Leadership Roster
Lance Acord
Director of Photography
Eric Zumbrunnen
Editor
Vincent Landay
Producer
Edward Saxon
Producer
Casey Storm
Costume Design
Jonathan Demme
Producer
Spike Jonze
Director
Charlie Kaufman
Screenplay
K.K. Barrett
Production Design
Carter Burwell
Original Music Composer
Dan Bradley
Stunt Coordinator
Gray Marshall
Visual Effects Supervisor
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.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
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 Adaptation..
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Adaptation..
Limelight Watchlist
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: 2026-10-19 07:37:48 UTC+8)*
Roger Ebert's Great Movies
Every film from Roger Ebert's 'Great Movies' essays. 罗杰·伊伯特的伟大电影： 收录了已故美国著名国民级影评人罗杰·伊伯特（Roger Ebert）在其经典的《伟大电影》（Great Movies）系列专栏文章中推荐、评论过的所有影史经典佳作。 *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：* • [#092] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:37:12 UTC+8)*
Wait, You Haven't Seen...?
List of movies discussed on my Podcast, Wait, You Haven't Seen...? https://www.tvstravis.com/podcast/wyhs
Movie Collection
North American Cinema
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Frequently Asked Questions About Adaptation.
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Adaptation. about?
Charlie Kaufman is a confused L.A. screenwriter overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, sexual frustration, self-loathing, and by the screenwriting ambitions of his freeloading twin brother Donald. While struggling to adapt "The Orchid Thief," by Susan Orlean, Kaufman's life spins from pathetic to bizarre. The lives of Kaufman and Orlean's book become strangely intertwined as each one's search for passion collides with the other's.
Who directed Adaptation.?
Adaptation. was directed by Spike Jonze.
Who stars in Adaptation.?
The principal cast of Adaptation. includes Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, Tilda Swinton, Jay Tavare.
When was Adaptation. released and how long is it?
Adaptation. was released in 2002 with a total runtime of 1h 55m.
What was the box office and production budget of Adaptation.?
Adaptation. had a reported production budget of $19M and grossed $32.8M at the worldwide box office (1.73 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for Adaptation.?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Adaptation. was composed by Carter Burwell.
Is Adaptation. based on a book or true story?
Adaptation. is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Susan Orlean".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Adaptation.?
Adaptation. holds official age classifications: AU: MA 15+; 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.).