The Final Countdown
“Trapped outside the boundaries of time and space... 102 aircraft... 6,000 men... all missing.”
Synopsis
During routine manoeuvres near Hawaii in 1980, the aircraft-carrier USS Nimitz is caught in a strange vortex-like storm, throwing the ship back in time to 1941—mere hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Trailer #2Official
Type: Trailer • Published 2022-08-11
Top Cast
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Kirk Douglas
Capt. Matthew Yelland
Martin Sheen
Warren Lasky
Katharine Ross
Laurel Scott
James Farentino
Wing Commander Richard T. Owens
Ron O'Neal
Commander Dan Thurman
Charles Durning
Senator Samuel Chapman
Victor Mohica
Black Cloud
James Coleman
Lt. Perry
Soon-Tek Oh
Simura
Alvin Ing
Lt. Kajima
Lloyd Kaufman
LCdr. Kaufman
Dan Fitzgerald
Navy Doctor
Peter Douglas
Quartermaster
Joe Lowry
Cdr. Damon
Ted Richert
Tideman's Assistant
Mark Thomas
Marine Cpl. Kullman
Harold Bergman
Bellman
George Warren
Tideman's Bodyguard
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 1, 1980
Wide Cinema Exhibition
April 5, 2007
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$12M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$16.6M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.39x
+$4.6M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Don Taylor
- Screenplay & Story
- David Ambrose, Gerry Davis, Thomas Hunter, Peter Powell
- Original Score
- John Scott
- Original Title
- The Final Countdown
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- Russian, English, Japanese
- Runtime
- 1h 43m
- Production Budget
- $12M
- Worldwide Gross
- $16.6M
- Production Studios
- Bryna Productions, United Artists
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Don Taylor
David Ambrose, Gerry Davis, Thomas Hunter, Peter Powell
John Scott
Victor J. Kemper, Stan Lazan, David L. Butler
Robert K. Lambert
Richard R. St. Johns, Peter Douglas
Department Leadership Roster
Robert K. Lambert
Editor
David Ambrose
Screenplay
Gerry Davis
Screenplay
Thomas Hunter
Screenplay
John Scott
Original Music Composer
Peter Douglas
Producer
Victor J. Kemper
Director of Photography
Peter Powell
Screenplay
Don Taylor
Director
Ray Summers
Costume Design
Bill Couch
Stunt Coordinator
Fernando Carrere
Production Design
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 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Final Countdown.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Final Countdown.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Final Countdown
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Final Countdown about?
During routine manoeuvres near Hawaii in 1980, the aircraft-carrier USS Nimitz is caught in a strange vortex-like storm, throwing the ship back in time to 1941—mere hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Who directed The Final Countdown?
The Final Countdown was directed by Don Taylor.
Who stars in The Final Countdown?
The principal cast of The Final Countdown includes Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, Katharine Ross, James Farentino, Ron O'Neal.
When was The Final Countdown released and how long is it?
The Final Countdown was released in 1980 with a total runtime of 1h 43m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Final Countdown?
The Final Countdown had a reported production budget of $12M and grossed $16.6M at the worldwide box office (1.39 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for The Final Countdown?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Final Countdown was composed by John Scott.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Final Countdown?
The Final Countdown holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: TP; GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).