Mighty Joe Young (1998 film)

Mighty Joe Young
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRon Underwood
Screenplay byMark Rosenthal
Lawrence Konner
Based onMighty Joe Young
1949 film
by Merian C. Cooper
Ruth Rose
Produced byTed Hartley
Tom Jacobson
Starring
CinematographyDonald Peterman
Oliver Wood
Edited byPaul Hirsch
Music byJames Horner
Production
companies
Distributed byBuena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date
  • December 25, 1998 (1998-12-25)
Running time
114 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$90 million
Box office$50.6 million (US)

Mighty Joe Young is a 1998 American live-action epic adventure film based on the 1949 film of the same name about a giant mountain gorilla brought to a wildlife preserve by a young woman who raised him and a zoologist to protect him from the threat of poachers until one decides to seek his revenge and capture and kill Joe. It was directed by Ron Underwood and starred Bill Paxton, Charlize Theron, Rade Šerbedžija, Naveen Andrews, Peter Firth, Regina King and David Paymer. Creature suit actor John Alexander played the title character, who in this version, is much larger than the original. The film received mixed reviews and was a box-office bomb, grossing $50.6 million in the United States against a $90 million production budget.