The Negotiator
“He frees hostages for a living. Now he's taking hostages to survive.”
Synopsis
The police try to arrest expert hostage negotiator Danny Roman, who insists he's being framed for his partner's murder in what he believes is an elaborate conspiracy. Thinking there's evidence in the Internal Affairs offices that might clear him, he takes everyone in the office hostage and demands that another well-known negotiator be brought in to handle the situation and secretly investigate the conspiracy.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Negotiator (1998) Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2010-07-11
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Samuel L. Jackson
Lt. Danny Roman
Kevin Spacey
Lt. Chris Sabian
David Morse
Cdr. Adam Beck
Ron Rifkin
Cdr. Grant Frost
John Spencer
Chief Al Travis
J.T. Walsh
Insp. Terence Niebaum
Siobhan Fallon Hogan
Maggie
Paul Giamatti
Rudy
Regina Taylor
Karen Roman
Bruce Beatty
Markus
Michael Cudlitz
Palermo
Carlos Gómez
Eagle
Tim Kelleher
Argento
Dean Norris
Scott
Nestor Serrano
Hellman
Doug Spinuzza
Tonray
Leonard L. Thomas
Allen
Stephen Lee
Farley
Release History & Theatrical Window
São Paulo
Festival / Special Debut
July 29, 1998
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 24, 2018
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$50M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$44.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.89x
-$5.5M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- F. Gary Gray
- Screenplay & Story
- James DeMonaco, Kevin Fox
- Original Score
- Graeme Revell
- Original Title
- The Negotiator
- Country of Origin
- Germany, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 20m
- Production Budget
- $50M
- Worldwide Gross
- $44.5M
- Production Studios
- Regency Enterprises, Mandeville Films, Taurus Film
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
F. Gary Gray
James DeMonaco, Kevin Fox
Graeme Revell
Russell Carpenter
Christian Wagner
David Hoberman, Arnon Milchan, David Nicksay, Robert Stone, Webster Stone
Department Leadership Roster
David Hoberman
Producer
Arnon Milchan
Producer
F. Gary Gray
Director
James DeMonaco
Screenplay
Kevin Fox
Screenplay
Russell Carpenter
Director of Photography
Christian Wagner
Editor
Holger Gross
Production Design
Francine Jamison-Tanchuck
Costume Design
Joel Kramer
Stunt Coordinator
Graeme Revell
Original Music Composer
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 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 18 ans — 18+ 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 Negotiator.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Negotiator.
Movie Collection
My Movies
Master List In Progress
Home Invasion & Siege
Limelight Not Seen
Crime & Punishment
Favorite Actors
Similar Titles to The Negotiator
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
8.8
8.3
7.8
7.2
8.7
8.0
8.2
7.0
8.1
7.0
7.4
7.3
6.1
7.4
6.7
5.0
7.8
6.4
More Like The Negotiator
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Negotiator
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Negotiator about?
The police try to arrest expert hostage negotiator Danny Roman, who insists he's being framed for his partner's murder in what he believes is an elaborate conspiracy. Thinking there's evidence in the Internal Affairs offices that might clear him, he takes everyone in the office hostage and demands that another well-known negotiator be brought in to handle the situation and secretly investigate the conspiracy.
Who directed The Negotiator?
The Negotiator was directed by F. Gary Gray.
Who stars in The Negotiator?
The principal cast of The Negotiator includes Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, David Morse, Ron Rifkin, John Spencer.
When was The Negotiator released and how long is it?
The Negotiator was released in 1998 with a total runtime of 2h 20m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Negotiator?
The Negotiator had a reported production budget of $50M and grossed $44.5M at the worldwide box office (0.89 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for The Negotiator?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Negotiator was composed by Graeme Revell.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Negotiator?
The Negotiator holds official age classifications: AU: MA 15+; CA: 14A; DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: 18 (Interdit aux moins de 18 ans — 18+ only.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).