Monster
“Based on a true story.”
Synopsis
In 1989, prostitute Aileen Wuornos befriends and enters a relationship with a young woman named Selby. Determined to straighten out her life, Aileen's limited education lands her back on the corner. She's raped by a trick, who she kills. A string of murder and robbery follows that ultimately leads Aileen to becoming America's first female serial killer.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Patty Jenkins on filming MONSTEROfficial
Type: Featurette • Published 2020-08-23
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Charlize Theron
Aileen Wuornos
Christina Ricci
Selby Wall
Bruce Dern
Thomas
Lee Tergesen
Vincent Corey
Annie Corley
Donna
Pruitt Taylor Vince
Gene / Stuttering "John"
Marco St. John
Evan / Undercover "John"
Marc Macaulay
Will / Daddy "John"
Scott Wilson
Horton / Last "John"
Rus Blackwell
Cop
Tim Ware
Chuck
Stephan Jones
Lawyer
Brett Rice
Charles
Kaitlin Riley
Teenage Aileen
Cree Ivey
7-Year-Old Aileen
Catherine Mangan
Justy
Magdalena Manville
Bar Lap Girl
T. Robert Pigott
Bartender
Release History & Theatrical Window
Dublin Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
December 24, 2003
Wide Cinema Exhibition
December 20, 2011
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$8M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$58.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
7.31x
+$50.5M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Patty Jenkins
- Screenplay & Story
- Patty Jenkins
- Original Score
- BT
- Original Title
- Monster
- Country of Origin
- United States of America, Germany
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 49m
- Production Budget
- $8M
- Worldwide Gross
- $58.5M
- Production Studios
- Media 8 Entertainment, DEJ Productions, K/W Productions, Denver & Delilah Productions, VIP Medienfonds 2, MDP Worldwide, Taurus Film
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Patty Jenkins
Patty Jenkins
BT
Steven Bernstein, Stephen Campbell, Guy Livneh, Tom Richmond
Jane Kurson, Arthur Coburn
Mark Damon, Charlize Theron, Andreas Grosch, Brad Wyman, Andreas Schmid
Department Leadership Roster
Patty Jenkins
Director
Jane Kurson
Editor
Mark Damon
Producer
Charlize Theron
Producer
BT
Original Music Composer
Rhona Meyers
Costume Design
Brad Wyman
Producer
Arthur Coburn
Editor
Clark Peterson
Producer
Donald Kushner
Producer
Steven Bernstein
Director of Photography
Edward T. McAvoy
Production Design
Kane Hodder
Stunt Coordinator
Christopher Dusendschon
Visual Effects Supervisor
Patty Jenkins
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 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Monster.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Monster.
My Movies
Movies that I personally own on VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K, and Digital.
Movie Collection
Limelight Watchlist
Favorite Actresses
LGBTQ+
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
Marcelo's International movies list
Similar Titles to Monster
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
5.8
7.3
7.0
7.3
1.4
7.8
7.3
5.5
6.3
6.0
6.0
8.3
6.6
6.7
6.9
6.6
6.6
6.0
More Like Monster
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Monster
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Monster about?
In 1989, prostitute Aileen Wuornos befriends and enters a relationship with a young woman named Selby. Determined to straighten out her life, Aileen's limited education lands her back on the corner. She's raped by a trick, who she kills. A string of murder and robbery follows that ultimately leads Aileen to becoming America's first female serial killer.
Who directed Monster?
Monster was directed by Patty Jenkins.
Who stars in Monster?
The principal cast of Monster includes Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, Lee Tergesen, Annie Corley.
When was Monster released and how long is it?
Monster was released in 2003 with a total runtime of 1h 49m.
What was the box office and production budget of Monster?
Monster had a reported production budget of $8M and grossed $58.5M at the worldwide box office (7.31 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Monster?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Monster was composed by BT.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Monster?
Monster holds official age classifications: AU: MA 15+; DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).