The Master
“Haunted by his past, a World War II veteran crosses paths with a mysterious movement called The Cause.”
Synopsis
Freddie, a volatile, heavy-drinking veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, finds some semblance of a family when he stumbles onto the ship of Lancaster Dodd, the charismatic leader of a new "religion" he forms after World War II.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official MUBI TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2022-10-03
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Joaquin Phoenix
Freddie Quell
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Lancaster Dodd
Amy Adams
Peggy Dodd
Rami Malek
Clark
Laura Dern
Helen Sullivan
Jesse Plemons
Val Dodd
Ambyr Childers
Elizabeth Dodd
Madisen Beaty
Doris Solstad
Kevin J. O'Connor
Bill White
Patty McCormack
Mildred Drummond
Lena Endre
Mrs. Solstad
Barbara Brownell
Margaret O'Brien
Amy Ferguson
Martha the Salesgirl
Jennifer Neala Page
Winn Manchester
Christopher Evan Welch
John More
Mike Howard
Rorschach Doctor
Frank Bettag
Frank
Mimi Cozzens
Chi Chi Crawford
Release History & Theatrical Window
Astor (with PTA Q&A)
Festival / Special Debut
September 14, 2012
Wide Cinema Exhibition
February 26, 2013
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$32M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$28.3M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.88x
-$3.7M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Paul Thomas Anderson
- Screenplay & Story
- Paul Thomas Anderson
- Original Score
- Jonny Greenwood
- Original Title
- The Master
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 17m
- Production Budget
- $32M
- Worldwide Gross
- $28.3M
- Production Studios
- Annapurna Pictures, Ghoulardi Film Company, JoAnne Sellar Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Paul Thomas Anderson
Paul Thomas Anderson
Jonny Greenwood
Mihai Malaimare Jr., Barry Idoine
Leslie Jones, Peter McNulty
Paul Thomas Anderson, Megan Ellison, Daniel Lupi, JoAnne Sellar, Adam Somner
Department Leadership Roster
Paul Thomas Anderson
Director
Paul Thomas Anderson
Writer
Jonny Greenwood
Original Music Composer
Mihai Malaimare Jr.
Director of Photography
Leslie Jones
Editor
David Crank
Production Design
Jack Fisk
Production Design
Mark Bridges
Costume Design
Peter McNulty
Editor
Garrett Warren
Stunt Coordinator
Paul Thomas Anderson
Producer
Megan Ellison
Producer
Daniel Lupi
Producer
JoAnne Sellar
Producer
Myke Schwartz
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 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 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 Master.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Master.
Movie Collection
watchlist
Favorite Actresses
TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:33:14 UTC+8)*
My Movies
Master List In Progress
Limelight Not Seen
Similar Titles to The Master
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
5.0
6.7
7.5
5.6
4.4
4.9
7.5
6.2
6.7
7.5
10.0
7.5
6.9
7.4
7.6
7.0
7.6
6.7
6.1
6.5
More Like The Master
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Master
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Master about?
Freddie, a volatile, heavy-drinking veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, finds some semblance of a family when he stumbles onto the ship of Lancaster Dodd, the charismatic leader of a new "religion" he forms after World War II.
Who directed The Master?
The Master was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Who stars in The Master?
The principal cast of The Master includes Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Rami Malek, Laura Dern.
When was The Master released and how long is it?
The Master was released in 2012 with a total runtime of 2h 17m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Master?
The Master had a reported production budget of $32M and grossed $28.3M at the worldwide box office (0.88 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for The Master?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Master was composed by Jonny Greenwood.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Master?
The Master holds official age classifications: AU: MA 15+; CA: 18A; DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: TP; GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).