The Descendants
“The South Pacific ain't that terrific.”
Synopsis
With his wife Elizabeth on life support after a boating accident, Hawaiian land baron Matt King takes his daughters on a trip from Oahu to Kauai to confront a young real estate broker, who was having an affair with Elizabeth before her misfortune.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Descendants - Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2011-11-21
Top Cast
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George Clooney
Matt King
Shailene Woodley
Alexandra King
Amara Miller
Scottie King
Nick Krause
Sid
Patricia Hastie
Elizabeth King
Grace A. Cruz
Scottie's Teacher
Kim Gennaula
School Counselor
Karen Kuioka Hironaga
Barb Higgins
Carmen Kaichi
Lani Higgins
Kaui Hart Hemmings
Matt's Secretary Noe
Beau Bridges
Cousin Hugh
Matt Corboy
Cousin Ralph
Matt Esecson
Cousin Hal
Michael Ontkean
Cousin Milo
Stanton Johnston
Cousin Stan
Jon McManus
Cousin Six
Hugh Foster
Cousin Wink
Tiare R. Finney
Cousin Connie
Release History & Theatrical Window
Gent International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
November 18, 2011
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 30, 2012
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$20M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$177.2M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
8.86x
+$157.2M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Alexander Payne
- Screenplay & Story
- Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
- Original Score
- Jeff Peterson
- Original Title
- The Descendants
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 55m
- Production Budget
- $20M
- Worldwide Gross
- $177.2M
- Production Studios
- Dune Entertainment, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Ad Hominem Enterprises
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Alexander Payne
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, Kaui Hart Hemmings
Jeff Peterson
Phedon Papamichael
Kevin Tent
Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
Department Leadership Roster
Alexander Payne
Director
Alexander Payne
Screenplay
Nat Faxon
Screenplay
Jim Rash
Screenplay
Jim Burke
Producer
Alexander Payne
Producer
Jim Taylor
Producer
Phedon Papamichael
Director of Photography
Kevin Tent
Editor
Jane Ann Stewart
Production Design
Jeff Peterson
Original Music Composer
Wendy Chuck
Costume Design
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.
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
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 Descendants.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Descendants.
סרטים מתעדכן
List created by QlickPlay for Kodi.
North American Cinema
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金球奖最佳剧情片
Golden Globe Best Drama 金球奖历届最佳剧情片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:43:13 UTC+8)*
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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)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Descendants
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Descendants about?
With his wife Elizabeth on life support after a boating accident, Hawaiian land baron Matt King takes his daughters on a trip from Oahu to Kauai to confront a young real estate broker, who was having an affair with Elizabeth before her misfortune.
Who directed The Descendants?
The Descendants was directed by Alexander Payne.
Who stars in The Descendants?
The principal cast of The Descendants includes George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Patricia Hastie.
When was The Descendants released and how long is it?
The Descendants was released in 2011 with a total runtime of 1h 55m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Descendants?
The Descendants had a reported production budget of $20M and grossed $177.2M at the worldwide box office (8.86 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Descendants?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Descendants was composed by Jeff Peterson.
Is The Descendants based on a book or true story?
The Descendants is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Kaui Hart Hemmings".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Descendants?
The Descendants holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: 14A; DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).