| Middle schooler Ben spends his free time watching sci-fi films, playing video games and reading comic books. Surprisingly, his affinity for all things fantastical yields a real result – when he has a vivid dream about technology, his prodigy best friend Wolfgang manages to create a working spacecraft. Joined by their buddy Darren, the boys take off into outer space and encounter some very odd extraterrestrial life. | |
| Release Date: | Jul 12, 1985 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Joe Dante |
| Writer: | Eric Luke |
| Genres: | Family, Adventure, Science Fiction |
| Keywords | washington dc, usa, dreams, spacecraft, space travel, bullying, alien, best friend, middle school, extraterrestrial life form, young love, circuit board |
| Production Companies | Paramount Pictures |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $9,900,000
Budget: $25,000,000 |
| Updates |
Updated: Aug 09, 2025 Entered: Apr 13, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Ethan Hawke | Ben Crandall |
| River Phoenix | Wolfgang Müller |
| Jason Presson | Darren Woods |
| Amanda Peterson | Lori Swenson |
| Bobby Fite | Steve Jackson |
| Dana Ivey | Mrs. Müller |
| Bradley Gregg | Steve Jackson's Gang |
| Georg Olden | Steve Jackson's Gang |
| Chance Schwass | Steve Jackson's Gang |
| Danny Nucci | Nasty Kid at School |
| Taliesin Jaffe | Ludwig Müller |
| James Cromwell | Mr. Müller |
| Brooke Bundy | Science Teacher |
| Tricia Bartholome | Girl in Classroom |
| Eric Luke | Darren's Teacher |
| Robert Picardo | Starkiller / Wak / Wak and Neek's Father |
| Karen Mayo-Chandler | Starkiller's Girlfriend |
| Robert F. Boyle | Starkiller's Girlfriend's Father |
| John P. Navin, Jr. | Couple at Drive-In |
| Mary Hillstead | Couple at Drive-In |
| Simone Blue | Snack Bar Girl |
| Meshach Taylor | Gordon Miller |
| Dick Miller | Charlie Drake |
| Leslie Rickert | Neek |
| Mary Kay Place | Mrs. Crandall (uncredited) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Randy Glass | Chief Lighting Technician |
| Scott H. Eddo | Makeup Supervisor |
| Zoltan Elek | Makeup Artist |
| Bobby Belnap | Assistant Makeup Artist |
| Robert F. Boyle | Production Design |
| George R. Nelson | Set Decoration |
| Janet Brady | Stunts |
| Tony Laudati | Visual Effects |
| Paul Abascal | Hairstylist |
| Vincent Prentice | Makeup Artist |
| Frank Richwood | Art Direction |
| Arthur Morton | Orchestrator |
| Lane Leavitt | Stunts |
| Eric Luke | Screenplay |
| Jerry Goldsmith | Original Music Composer |
| John Hora | Director of Photography |
| Tina Hirsch | Editor |
| Rob Bottin | Makeup Effects Designer |
| Rosanna Norton | Costume Designer |
| Mark Mangini | Sound Effects |
| Bob Herron | Stunts |
| Kym Washington Longino | Stunts |
| Joe Dante | Director |
| Tom Jacobson | Unit Production Manager |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| David Bombyk | Producer |
| Edward S. Feldman | Producer |
| Michael Finnell | Executive Producer |
| Tom Jacobson | Associate Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
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