The Pelican Brief
“Two Supreme Court Justices have been assassinated. One lone law student has stumbled upon the truth. An investigative journalist wants her story. Everybody else wants her dead.”
Synopsis
A law student's theory about the recent deaths of two Supreme Court justices embroils her in a far-reaching web of murder, corruption, and greed.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Pelican Brief - Original Theatrical TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2014-07-08
Top Cast
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Julia Roberts
Darby Shaw
Denzel Washington
Gray Grantham
Sam Shepard
Thomas Callahan
John Heard
Gavin Vereek
Tony Goldwyn
Fletcher Coal
James B. Sikking
Denton Voyles
William Atherton
Bob Gminski
Robert Culp
The President
Stanley Tucci
Khamel
Hume Cronyn
Justice Rosenberg
John Lithgow
Smith Keen
Anthony Heald
Marty Velmano
Nicholas Woodeson
Stump
Stanley Anderson
Edwin Sneller
John Finn
Matthew Barr
Cynthia Nixon
Alice Stark
Jake Weber
Curtis Morgan
Casey Biggs
Eric East
Release History & Theatrical Window
Westwood, California
Festival / Special Debut
December 16, 1993
Wide Cinema Exhibition
June 25, 1997
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$45M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$195.3M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
4.34x
+$150.3M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Alan J. Pakula
- Screenplay & Story
- Alan J. Pakula
- Original Score
- James Horner
- Original Title
- The Pelican Brief
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 21m
- Production Budget
- $45M
- Worldwide Gross
- $195.3M
- Production Studios
- Warner Bros. Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Alan J. Pakula
Alan J. Pakula, John Grisham
James Horner
Stephen Goldblatt
Tom Rolf, Trudy Ship
Pieter Jan Brugge, Alan J. Pakula
Department Leadership Roster
Pieter Jan Brugge
Producer
Stephen Goldblatt
Director of Photography
Tom Rolf
Editor
Trudy Ship
Editor
Alan J. Pakula
Screenplay
Alan J. Pakula
Producer
Alan J. Pakula
Director
Philip Rosenberg
Production Design
James Horner
Original Music Composer
Albert Wolsky
Costume Design
Doug Coleman
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
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 12 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Pelican Brief.
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Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Pelican Brief.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Pelican Brief
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Pelican Brief about?
A law student's theory about the recent deaths of two Supreme Court justices embroils her in a far-reaching web of murder, corruption, and greed.
Who directed The Pelican Brief?
The Pelican Brief was directed by Alan J. Pakula.
Who stars in The Pelican Brief?
The principal cast of The Pelican Brief includes Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Sam Shepard, John Heard, Tony Goldwyn.
When was The Pelican Brief released and how long is it?
The Pelican Brief was released in 1993 with a total runtime of 2h 21m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Pelican Brief?
The Pelican Brief had a reported production budget of $45M and grossed $195.3M at the worldwide box office (4.34 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Pelican Brief?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Pelican Brief was composed by James Horner.
Is The Pelican Brief based on a book or true story?
The Pelican Brief is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "John Grisham".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Pelican Brief?
The Pelican Brief 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: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 12 (Suitable only for 12 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).