The Towering Inferno
“One tiny spark becomes a night of blazing suspense.”
Synopsis
At the opening party of a colossal—but poorly constructed—skyscraper, a massive fire breaks out, threatening to destroy the tower and everyone in it.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Towering Inferno (1974) - Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2022-06-15
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Steve McQueen
Chief O'Hallorhan
Paul Newman
Doug Roberts
William Holden
Jim Duncan
Faye Dunaway
Susan
Fred Astaire
Harlee Claiborne
Susan Blakely
Patty
Richard Chamberlain
Simmons
Jennifer Jones
Lisolette
O. J. Simpson
Jernigan
Robert Vaughn
Senator Parker
Robert Wagner
Bigelow
Susan Flannery
Lorrie
Sheila Allen
Paula Ramsay
Norman Burton
Giddings
Jack Collins
Mayor Ramsay
Don Gordon
Kappy
Felton Perry
Scott
Gregory Sierra
Carlos
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 14, 1974
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 9, 1986
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$14M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$116M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
8.29x
+$102M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Guillermin
- Screenplay & Story
- Stirling Silliphant
- Original Score
- John Williams
- Original Title
- The Towering Inferno
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 45m
- Production Budget
- $14M
- Worldwide Gross
- $116M
- Production Studios
- Warner Bros. Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Irwin Allen Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Guillermin
Stirling Silliphant, Richard Martin Stern, Thomas N. Scortia, Frank M. Robinson
John Williams
Fred J. Koenekamp, Frank V. Phillips, Joseph F. Biroc
Harold F. Kress, Carl Kress
Irwin Allen
Department Leadership Roster
Irwin Allen
Producer
John Guillermin
Director
Stirling Silliphant
Screenplay
Harold F. Kress
Editor
William J. Creber
Production Design
Paul Zastupnevich
Costume Design
John Williams
Original Music Composer
Fred J. Koenekamp
Director of Photography
Carl Kress
Editor
Paul Stader
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Towering Inferno.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Towering Inferno.
abstainwatchlist
Movies
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)*
Filmsack Movie List
Filmsack Movie List of Films that the Filmsack Podcast has already covered. || http://filmsack.com || https://quicksack.li || https://quicksack.li/stats/
Marcelo's International movies list
videos
Similar Titles to The Towering Inferno
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
5.4
4.6
5.3
6.6
5.3
6.5
5.2
6.4
7.0
2.9
5.3
5.1
5.8
5.9
7.4
5.3
More Like The Towering Inferno
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Towering Inferno
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Towering Inferno about?
At the opening party of a colossal—but poorly constructed—skyscraper, a massive fire breaks out, threatening to destroy the tower and everyone in it.
Who directed The Towering Inferno?
The Towering Inferno was directed by John Guillermin.
Who stars in The Towering Inferno?
The principal cast of The Towering Inferno includes Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire.
When was The Towering Inferno released and how long is it?
The Towering Inferno was released in 1974 with a total runtime of 2h 45m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Towering Inferno?
The Towering Inferno had a reported production budget of $14M and grossed $116M at the worldwide box office (8.29 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Towering Inferno?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Towering Inferno was composed by John Williams.
Is The Towering Inferno based on a book or true story?
The Towering Inferno is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Richard Martin Stern", Novel: "Thomas N. Scortia", Novel: "Frank M. Robinson".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Towering Inferno?
The Towering Inferno holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).