The Death & Life of John F. Donovan
Synopsis
A decade after the death of an American TV star, a young actor reminisces about the written correspondence he once shared with the former, as well as the impact those letters had on both their lives.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2019-07-08
Top Cast
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Kit Harington
John F. Donovan
Natalie Portman
Sam Turner
Jacob Tremblay
Rupert Turner
Susan Sarandon
Grace Donovan
Kathy Bates
Barbara Haggermaker
Ben Schnetzer
Rupert Turner (21 y.o.)
Thandiwe Newton
Journalist
Jared Keeso
James Donovan
Chris Zylka
Will Jefford Jr.
Amara Karan
Miss Kureshi
Emily Hampshire
Amy Bosworth
Michael Gambon
Man in Diner
Sarah Gadon
Liz Jones
Susan Almgren
Aunt Faith
Jane Wheeler
Aunt Anne
Craig Eldridge
Uncle Patrick
Lukas Rolfe
Cedric
Ari Millen
Big Billy
Release History & Theatrical Window
Streaming Window: 0 DaysToronto International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
December 13, 2019
Wide Cinema Exhibition
December 13, 2019
VOD & Digital Platforms
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$35M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$3.3M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.1x
-$31.7M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Xavier Dolan
- Screenplay & Story
- Xavier Dolan, Jacob Tierney
- Original Score
- Gabriel Yared
- Original Title
- The Death & Life of John F. Donovan
- Country of Origin
- Canada, United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- Czech, English
- Runtime
- 2h 3m
- Production Budget
- $35M
- Worldwide Gross
- $3.3M
- Production Studios
- Sons of Manual, Lyla Films, Warp Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Xavier Dolan
Xavier Dolan, Jacob Tierney
Gabriel Yared
André Turpin
Xavier Dolan, Mathieu Denis
Nancy Grant, Xavier Dolan, Lyse Lafontaine, Joe Iacono, Patrick Roy
Department Leadership Roster
Xavier Dolan
Director
Robert Bock
Visual Effects Supervisor
Jean-François Ferland
Visual Effects Supervisor
Nancy Grant
Producer
Colombe Raby
Production Design
Xavier Dolan
Producer
Lyse Lafontaine
Producer
Xavier Dolan
Editor
André Turpin
Director of Photography
Mathieu Denis
Editor
Pierre-Yves Gayraud
Costume Design
Michele Clapton
Costume Design
Xavier Dolan
Costume Design
Gabriel Yared
Original Music Composer
Xavier Dolan
Writer
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 — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Death & Life of John F. Donovan.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Death & Life of John F. Donovan
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Death & Life of John F. Donovan about?
A decade after the death of an American TV star, a young actor reminisces about the written correspondence he once shared with the former, as well as the impact those letters had on both their lives.
Who directed The Death & Life of John F. Donovan?
The Death & Life of John F. Donovan was directed by Xavier Dolan.
Who stars in The Death & Life of John F. Donovan?
The principal cast of The Death & Life of John F. Donovan includes Kit Harington, Natalie Portman, Jacob Tremblay, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates.
When was The Death & Life of John F. Donovan released and how long is it?
The Death & Life of John F. Donovan was released in 2019 with a total runtime of 2h 3m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Death & Life of John F. Donovan?
The Death & Life of John F. Donovan had a reported production budget of $35M and grossed $3.3M at the worldwide box office (0.1 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for The Death & Life of John F. Donovan?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Death & Life of John F. Donovan was composed by Gabriel Yared.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Death & Life of John F. Donovan?
The Death & Life of John F. Donovan holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: 14A; FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).