The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
“Nobody is beyond redemption.”
Synopsis
When brash Texas border officer Mike Norton wrongfully kills and buries the friend and ranch hand of Pete Perkins, the latter is reminded of a promise he made to bury his friend, Melquiades Estrada, in his Mexican home town. He kidnaps Norton and exhumes Estrada's corpse, and the odd caravan sets out on horseback for Mexico.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2012-08-24
Top Cast
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Tommy Lee Jones
Pete Perkins
Barry Pepper
Mike Norton
Dwight Yoakam
Sheriff Frank Belmont
January Jones
Lou Ann Norton
Melissa Leo
Rachel
Julio Cesar Cedillo
Melquiades Estrada
Levon Helm
Old Man with Radio
Mel Rodriguez
Captain Gomez
Cecilia Suárez
Rosa
Ignacio Guadalupe
Lucio
Vanessa Bauche
Mariana
Irineo Alvarez
Manuel
Guillermo Arriaga
Juan
Josh Berry
Border Patrolman
Rodger Boyce
Salesman
Sonny Carl Davis
Kruger
Richard Andrew Jones
Bob
Sean Hennigan
Chuck
Release History & Theatrical Window
Cannes Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
February 24, 2006
Wide Cinema Exhibition
August 6, 2006
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$15M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$12M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.8x
-$3M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Tommy Lee Jones
- Screenplay & Story
- Guillermo Arriaga
- Original Score
- Marco Beltrami
- Original Title
- The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
- Country of Origin
- United States of America, France, Mexico
- Spoken Languages
- English, Spanish
- Runtime
- 2h 1m
- Production Budget
- $15M
- Worldwide Gross
- $12M
- Production Studios
- EuropaCorp, The Javelina Film Company
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Tommy Lee Jones
Guillermo Arriaga
Marco Beltrami
Chris Menges
Roberto Silvi
Michael Fitzgerald, Luc Besson, Tommy Lee Jones, Pierre-Ange Le Pogam
Department Leadership Roster
Marco Beltrami
Original Music Composer
Roberto Silvi
Editor
Michael Fitzgerald
Producer
Tommy Lee Jones
Director
Chris Menges
Director of Photography
Luc Besson
Producer
Tommy Lee Jones
Producer
Pierre-Ange Le Pogam
Producer
Merideth Boswell
Production Design
Jam Abelanet
Visual Effects Supervisor
Kathy Kiatta
Costume Design
Lawrence Carroll
Visual Effects Supervisor
Clifford Happy
Stunt Coordinator
Guillermo Arriaga
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
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
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 The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada about?
When brash Texas border officer Mike Norton wrongfully kills and buries the friend and ranch hand of Pete Perkins, the latter is reminded of a promise he made to bury his friend, Melquiades Estrada, in his Mexican home town. He kidnaps Norton and exhumes Estrada's corpse, and the odd caravan sets out on horseback for Mexico.
Who directed The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada?
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada was directed by Tommy Lee Jones.
Who stars in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada?
The principal cast of The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada includes Tommy Lee Jones, Barry Pepper, Dwight Yoakam, January Jones, Melissa Leo.
When was The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada released and how long is it?
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada was released in 2005 with a total runtime of 2h 1m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada?
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada had a reported production budget of $15M and grossed $12M at the worldwide box office (0.8 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada was composed by Marco Beltrami.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada?
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); 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.).