The Shape of Water
“A fairy tale for troubled times.”
Synopsis
An other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962, where a mute janitor working at a lab falls in love with an amphibious man being held captive there and devises a plan to help him escape.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official International TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2017-12-04
Top Cast
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Sally Hawkins
Elisa Esposito
Michael Shannon
Richard Strickland
Richard Jenkins
Giles
Octavia Spencer
Zelda Fuller
Michael Stuhlbarg
Dr. Robert Hoffstetler
Doug Jones
Amphibian Man
David Hewlett
Fleming
Nick Searcy
General Hoyt
Stewart Arnott
Bernard
Nigel Bennett
Mihalkov
Lauren Lee Smith
Elaine Strickland
Martin Roach
Brewster Fuller
Allegra Fulton
Yolanda
John Kapelos
Mr. Arzounian
Morgan Kelly
Pie Guy
Marvin Kaye
Burly Russian
Dru Viergever
Military Policeman
Wendy Lyon
Sally (Secretary)
Release History & Theatrical Window
Streaming Window: 81 DaysToronto International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
December 8, 2017
Wide Cinema Exhibition
February 27, 2018
VOD & Digital Platforms
March 13, 2018
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$19.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$195.3M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
10.02x
+$175.8M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Guillermo del Toro
- Screenplay & Story
- Vanessa Taylor, Guillermo del Toro
- Original Score
- Alexandre Desplat
- Original Title
- The Shape of Water
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, Russian
- Runtime
- 2h 3m
- Production Budget
- $19.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $195.3M
- Production Studios
- Double Dare You, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Bull Productions, TSG Entertainment
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Guillermo del Toro
Vanessa Taylor, Guillermo del Toro
Alexandre Desplat
Dan Laustsen, JP Locherer
Sidney Wolinsky
Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale
Department Leadership Roster
Dennis Berardi
Visual Effects Supervisor
Sidney Wolinsky
Editor
Guillermo del Toro
Producer
Vanessa Taylor
Screenplay
Luis Sequeira
Costume Design
Paul D. Austerberry
Production Design
Jean Frenette
Stunt Coordinator
J. Miles Dale
Producer
Alexandre Desplat
Original Music Composer
Guillermo del Toro
Director
Guillermo del Toro
Screenplay
Dan Laustsen
Director of Photography
Steve Lucescu
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 Shape of Water.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Shape of Water.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Shape of Water
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Shape of Water about?
An other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962, where a mute janitor working at a lab falls in love with an amphibious man being held captive there and devises a plan to help him escape.
Who directed The Shape of Water?
The Shape of Water was directed by Guillermo del Toro.
Who stars in The Shape of Water?
The principal cast of The Shape of Water includes Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Stuhlbarg.
When was The Shape of Water released and how long is it?
The Shape of Water was released in 2017 with a total runtime of 2h 3m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Shape of Water?
The Shape of Water had a reported production budget of $19.5M and grossed $195.3M at the worldwide box office (10.02 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Shape of Water?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Shape of Water was composed by Alexandre Desplat.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Shape of Water?
The Shape of Water holds official age classifications: AU: MA 15+; 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.).