Being John Malkovich
“Ever wanted to be someone else? Now you can.”
Synopsis
One day at work, unsuccessful puppeteer Craig finds a portal into the head of actor John Malkovich. The portal soon becomes a passion for anybody who enters its mad and controlling world of overtaking another human body.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2022-01-05
Top Cast
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John Cusack
Craig Schwartz
Cameron Diaz
Lotte Schwartz
John Malkovich
John Horatio Malkovich
Catherine Keener
Maxine Lund
Orson Bean
Dr. Lester
Mary Kay Place
Floris
W. Earl Brown
First J.M. Inc. Customer
Carlos Jacott
Larry the Agent
Willie Garson
Guy in Restaurant
Byrne Piven
Captain Mertin
Gregory Sporleder
Drunk at Bar
Charlie Sheen
Charlie
Reggie Hayes
Don
K.K. Dodds
Wendy
Judith Wetzell
Tiny Woman
Octavia Spencer
Woman in Elevator
Ned Bellamy
Derek Mantini
Eric Weinstein
Father at Puppet Show
Release History & Theatrical Window
Venice Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
October 29, 1999
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 2, 2000
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$13M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$22.9M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.76x
+$9.9M 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
- Being John Malkovich
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- French, English
- Runtime
- 1h 53m
- Production Budget
- $13M
- Worldwide Gross
- $22.9M
- Production Studios
- Propaganda Films, Single Cell Pictures, Gramercy Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Spike Jonze
Charlie Kaufman
Carter Burwell
Lance Acord
Eric Zumbrunnen
Michael Stipe, Michael Kuhn, Sandy Stern, Steve Golin, Charlie Kaufman
Department Leadership Roster
Spike Jonze
Director
Michael Stipe
Producer
Lance Acord
Director of Photography
Sandy Stern
Producer
Steve Golin
Producer
K.K. Barrett
Production Design
Carter Burwell
Original Music Composer
Eric Zumbrunnen
Editor
Vincent Landay
Producer
Casey Storm
Costume Design
Dan Bradley
Stunt Coordinator
Charlie Kaufman
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
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 Being John Malkovich.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Being John Malkovich.
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Movie Collection
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: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
Favourite Movies (tmdb)
Watched
I watch way too much but not everything till the end.
Limelight Not Seen
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Frequently Asked Questions About Being John Malkovich
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Being John Malkovich about?
One day at work, unsuccessful puppeteer Craig finds a portal into the head of actor John Malkovich. The portal soon becomes a passion for anybody who enters its mad and controlling world of overtaking another human body.
Who directed Being John Malkovich?
Being John Malkovich was directed by Spike Jonze.
Who stars in Being John Malkovich?
The principal cast of Being John Malkovich includes John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, John Malkovich, Catherine Keener, Orson Bean.
When was Being John Malkovich released and how long is it?
Being John Malkovich was released in 1999 with a total runtime of 1h 53m.
What was the box office and production budget of Being John Malkovich?
Being John Malkovich had a reported production budget of $13M and grossed $22.9M at the worldwide box office (1.76 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for Being John Malkovich?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Being John Malkovich was composed by Carter Burwell.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Being John Malkovich?
Being John Malkovich 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.).