The Pelican Brief (1993)
| Theatrical Performance | ||
| Domestic Box Office | $100,768,056 | Details |
| International Box Office | $87,227,803 | |
| Worldwide Box Office | $187,995,859 | |
| OpusData ID: 4240100 More info... | ||
| Further financial details... | ||
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $16,864,404 (16.7% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 5.98 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 53.6% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Production Budget: | $45,000,000 (worldwide box office is 4.2 times production budget) |
| Theater counts: | 1,993 opening theaters/2,022 max. theaters, 6.7 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $276,463,042 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | December 17th, 1993 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Video Release: | February 10th, 2009 by Warner Home Video |
| MPA Rating: | PG-13 for momentary language and some violence. |
| Running Time: | 141 minutes |
| Plot point: | Lawyers |
| Subgenre: | Crime Thriller |
| Source: | Based on Fiction Book/Short Story |
| Genre: | Thriller/Suspense |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Warner Bros. |
| Production Countries: | United States |
| Languages: | English |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 17, 1993 | 1 | $16,864,404 | 1,993 | $8,462 | $16,864,404 | 1 | |
| Dec 24, 1993 | 1 | $11,124,936 | -34% | 2,008 | $5,540 | $35,997,562 | 2 |
| Dec 31, 1993 | 2 | $13,129,302 | +18% | 2,008 | $6,538 | $61,056,465 | 3 |
| Jan 7, 1994 | 2 | $8,569,419 | -35% | 2,022 | $4,238 | $73,502,364 | 4 |
| Jan 14, 1994 | 5 | $5,798,756 | -32% | 1,934 | $2,998 | $81,662,226 | 5 |
| Jan 21, 1994 | 6 | $3,711,685 | -36% | 1,809 | $2,052 | $86,562,317 | 6 |
| Jan 28, 1994 | 8 | $2,826,155 | -24% | 1,730 | $1,634 | $90,338,565 | 7 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 17, 1993 | 1 | $24,872,626 | 1,993 | $12,480 | $24,872,626 | 1 | |
| Dec 24, 1993 | 2 | $23,054,537 | -7% | 2,008 | $11,481 | $47,927,163 | 2 |
| Dec 31, 1993 | 2 | $17,005,782 | -26% | 2,008 | $8,469 | $64,932,945 | 3 |
| Jan 7, 1994 | 2 | $10,930,525 | -36% | 2,022 | $5,406 | $75,863,470 | 4 |
| Jan 14, 1994 | 5 | $6,987,162 | -36% | 1,934 | $3,613 | $82,850,632 | 5 |
| Jan 21, 1994 | 7 | $4,661,778 | -33% | 1,809 | $2,577 | $87,512,410 | 6 |
Leading
| Julia Roberts | Darby Shaw | |
| Denzel Washington | Gray Grantham |
Supporting
| Sam Shepard | Thomas Callahan | |
| John Heard | Gavin Verheek | |
| Tony Goldwyn | Fletcher Coal | |
| James Sikking | FBI Director Denton Voyles | |
| William Atherton | Bob Gminski | |
| Robert Culp | President | |
| Stanley Tucci | Khamel | |
| Hume Cronyn | Supreme Court Justice Rosenberg | |
| John Lithgow | Smith Keen | |
| Stanley Anderson | Edwin Sneller | |
| John Finn | Matthew Barr | |
| Anthony Heald | Marty Velmano | |
| Jake Weber | Charles Morgan, a.k.a. Garcia | |
| Nicholas Woodeson | Stump | |
| Casey Biggs | Eric East | |
| Cynthia Nixon | Alice Stark | |
| Christopher Murray | Rupert | |
| Sonny Jim Gaines | Sarge | |
| Kevin Geer | K.O. Lewis | |
| Joseph Chrest* | Song and Dance Man from Bar | |
| Richard Bauer | Managing Editor | |
| Michelle O'Neill | Sara Ann Morgan | |
| Peter Carlin | Edward Linney | |
| Ralph Cosham | Justice Jensen | |
| Terrence P. Currier | Rosenberg's Nurse | |
| Edwin Newman | Edwin Newman | |
| Helen Carey | Federal Clerk | |
| Howard Shalwitz | Washington Herald Journalist | |
| Kyle Prue | News Desk Reporter | |
| Jewell Robinson | Senior Washington Herald Editor | |
| Kim Peter Kovac | Senior Washington Herald Editor | |
| Norman Aronovic | Senior Washington Herald Editor | |
| Carl Palmer | Cop in Cowboy Boots | |
| Carol Sutton | New Orleans Policewoman | |
| Scott Jefferson | Lt. Olsen | |
| Daniel Kamin | Hooten | |
| Mark McLaughlin | CIA Agent in Hotel Room | |
| Robert Pavlovich | CIA Agent in Hotel Room | |
| Magee Hickey | Magee Hickey | |
| Constance Yelverton | Clerk at Sheraton Hotel | |
| Kim Kettle | Gavin Verheek's Wife | |
| Ellie K. Wang | Reporter at National Cathedral | |
| Fran Dorn | University Registrar | |
| Karen Bralove | University Placement Clerk | |
| Teagle F. Bougere | Male University Student | |
| Carey Varner | Female University Student | |
| Saundra Quarterman | Laura Kass | |
| Cynthia Hood | Parklane Receptionist | |
| Alan Wade | Parklane Administrator | |
| Harold J. Surratt | Parklane Security Officer | |
| Paul Morella | White & Bazevich Attorney | |
| Ed Johnson | White & Blazevich Security Guard | |
| Jurian Hughes | White & Blazevich Receptionist | |
| Dick Stilwell | White & Blazevich Security | |
| Tom Quinn | Sara Ann Morgan's Father | |
| Beverly Brigham | Safe Deposit Teller | |
| Liza Sweeney Coleman | Female Pursuer with Gun | |
| Doug Coleman | Male Pursuer with Gun | |
| Michael Port | Tulane Law Student | |
| Shanna Connell | Tulane Law Student | |
| Gene Babb | Reporter | |
| Kyle D. Duvall | Reporter | |
| Karl Warren | Reporter | |
| Carrie Boren | Reporter | |
| James Earl Reed | Reporter |
Production and Technical Credits
| Alan J. Pakula | Director | |
| Alan J. Pakula | Screenwriter | |
| John Grisham | Story Creator | |
| Alan J. Pakula | Producer | |
| Pieter Jan Brugge | Producer | |
| Philip Rosenberg | Production Designer | |
| Tom Rolf | Editor | |
| Trudy Ship | Editor | |
| James Horner | Composer | |
| Stephen Goldblatt | Director of Photography | |
| Donald Laventhall | Associate Producer | |
| Peter Kohn | Assistant Director | |
| Celia D. Costas* | Unit Production Manager | |
| Robert Guerra | Art Director | |
| Lisa Fischer | Set Decorator | |
| Patrick Simpson | Set Decorator | |
| Albert Wolsky | Costume Designer | |
| Carlane Passman | Costume Supervisor | |
| George E. Little* | Costume Supervisor | |
| Vicki Hiatt | Associate Editor | |
| Marty Levenstein | Associate Editor | |
| James J. Sabat | Sound Mixer | |
| Richard Portman | Re-recording Mixer | |
| Rick Dior | Re-recording Mixer | |
| Michael Cerrone | Re-recording Mixer | |
| Ron Bochar | Re-recording Mixer | |
| Ron Bochar | Supervising Sound Editor | |
| Fred Rosenberg | Sound Editor | |
| Robert Hein | Dialogue Editor | |
| Magdaline Volaitis | Dialogue Editor | |
| Marissa Littlefield | Dialogue Editor | |
| Jim Henrikson | Music Editor | |
| Thomas Drescher | Music Editor | |
| Neal Martz | Special Make-up Effects | |
| Alixe Gordin | Casting Director | |
| Doug Coleman | Casting Director |
Cast and crew with above-the-line roles are marked in bold. The line marks the division between above-the-line and below-the-line roles.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $16,864,404 (16.7% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 5.98 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 53.6% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Production Budget: | $45,000,000 (worldwide box office is 4.2 times production budget) |
| Theater counts: | 1,993 opening theaters/2,022 max. theaters, 6.7 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $276,463,042 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | December 17th, 1993 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Video Release: | February 10th, 2009 by Warner Home Video |
| MPA Rating: | PG-13 for momentary language and some violence. |
| Running Time: | 141 minutes |
| Plot point: | Lawyers |
| Subgenre: | Crime Thriller |
| Source: | Based on Fiction Book/Short Story |
| Genre: | Thriller/Suspense |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Warner Bros. |
| Production Countries: | United States |
| Languages: | English |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 17, 1993 | 1 | $16,864,404 | 1,993 | $8,462 | $16,864,404 | 1 | |
| Dec 24, 1993 | 1 | $11,124,936 | -34% | 2,008 | $5,540 | $35,997,562 | 2 |
| Dec 31, 1993 | 2 | $13,129,302 | +18% | 2,008 | $6,538 | $61,056,465 | 3 |
| Jan 7, 1994 | 2 | $8,569,419 | -35% | 2,022 | $4,238 | $73,502,364 | 4 |
| Jan 14, 1994 | 5 | $5,798,756 | -32% | 1,934 | $2,998 | $81,662,226 | 5 |
| Jan 21, 1994 | 6 | $3,711,685 | -36% | 1,809 | $2,052 | $86,562,317 | 6 |
| Jan 28, 1994 | 8 | $2,826,155 | -24% | 1,730 | $1,634 | $90,338,565 | 7 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 17, 1993 | 1 | $24,872,626 | 1,993 | $12,480 | $24,872,626 | 1 | |
| Dec 24, 1993 | 2 | $23,054,537 | -7% | 2,008 | $11,481 | $47,927,163 | 2 |
| Dec 31, 1993 | 2 | $17,005,782 | -26% | 2,008 | $8,469 | $64,932,945 | 3 |
| Jan 7, 1994 | 2 | $10,930,525 | -36% | 2,022 | $5,406 | $75,863,470 | 4 |
| Jan 14, 1994 | 5 | $6,987,162 | -36% | 1,934 | $3,613 | $82,850,632 | 5 |
| Jan 21, 1994 | 7 | $4,661,778 | -33% | 1,809 | $2,577 | $87,512,410 | 6 |
Leading
| Julia Roberts | Darby Shaw | |
| Denzel Washington | Gray Grantham |
Supporting
| Sam Shepard | Thomas Callahan | |
| John Heard | Gavin Verheek | |
| Tony Goldwyn | Fletcher Coal | |
| James Sikking | FBI Director Denton Voyles | |
| William Atherton | Bob Gminski | |
| Robert Culp | President | |
| Stanley Tucci | Khamel | |
| Hume Cronyn | Supreme Court Justice Rosenberg | |
| John Lithgow | Smith Keen | |
| Stanley Anderson | Edwin Sneller | |
| John Finn | Matthew Barr | |
| Anthony Heald | Marty Velmano | |
| Jake Weber | Charles Morgan, a.k.a. Garcia | |
| Nicholas Woodeson | Stump | |
| Casey Biggs | Eric East | |
| Cynthia Nixon | Alice Stark | |
| Christopher Murray | Rupert | |
| Sonny Jim Gaines | Sarge | |
| Kevin Geer | K.O. Lewis | |
| Joseph Chrest* | Song and Dance Man from Bar | |
| Richard Bauer | Managing Editor | |
| Michelle O'Neill | Sara Ann Morgan | |
| Peter Carlin | Edward Linney | |
| Ralph Cosham | Justice Jensen | |
| Terrence P. Currier | Rosenberg's Nurse | |
| Edwin Newman | Edwin Newman | |
| Helen Carey | Federal Clerk | |
| Howard Shalwitz | Washington Herald Journalist | |
| Kyle Prue | News Desk Reporter | |
| Jewell Robinson | Senior Washington Herald Editor | |
| Kim Peter Kovac | Senior Washington Herald Editor | |
| Norman Aronovic | Senior Washington Herald Editor | |
| Carl Palmer | Cop in Cowboy Boots | |
| Carol Sutton | New Orleans Policewoman | |
| Scott Jefferson | Lt. Olsen | |
| Daniel Kamin | Hooten | |
| Mark McLaughlin | CIA Agent in Hotel Room | |
| Robert Pavlovich | CIA Agent in Hotel Room | |
| Magee Hickey | Magee Hickey | |
| Constance Yelverton | Clerk at Sheraton Hotel | |
| Kim Kettle | Gavin Verheek's Wife | |
| Ellie K. Wang | Reporter at National Cathedral | |
| Fran Dorn | University Registrar | |
| Karen Bralove | University Placement Clerk | |
| Teagle F. Bougere | Male University Student | |
| Carey Varner | Female University Student | |
| Saundra Quarterman | Laura Kass | |
| Cynthia Hood | Parklane Receptionist | |
| Alan Wade | Parklane Administrator | |
| Harold J. Surratt | Parklane Security Officer | |
| Paul Morella | White & Bazevich Attorney | |
| Ed Johnson | White & Blazevich Security Guard | |
| Jurian Hughes | White & Blazevich Receptionist | |
| Dick Stilwell | White & Blazevich Security | |
| Tom Quinn | Sara Ann Morgan's Father | |
| Beverly Brigham | Safe Deposit Teller | |
| Liza Sweeney Coleman | Female Pursuer with Gun | |
| Doug Coleman | Male Pursuer with Gun | |
| Michael Port | Tulane Law Student | |
| Shanna Connell | Tulane Law Student | |
| Gene Babb | Reporter | |
| Kyle D. Duvall | Reporter | |
| Karl Warren | Reporter | |
| Carrie Boren | Reporter | |
| James Earl Reed | Reporter |
Production and Technical Credits
| Alan J. Pakula | Director | |
| Alan J. Pakula | Screenwriter | |
| John Grisham | Story Creator | |
| Alan J. Pakula | Producer | |
| Pieter Jan Brugge | Producer | |
| Philip Rosenberg | Production Designer | |
| Tom Rolf | Editor | |
| Trudy Ship | Editor | |
| James Horner | Composer | |
| Stephen Goldblatt | Director of Photography | |
| Donald Laventhall | Associate Producer | |
| Peter Kohn | Assistant Director | |
| Celia D. Costas* | Unit Production Manager | |
| Robert Guerra | Art Director | |
| Lisa Fischer | Set Decorator | |
| Patrick Simpson | Set Decorator | |
| Albert Wolsky | Costume Designer | |
| Carlane Passman | Costume Supervisor | |
| George E. Little* | Costume Supervisor | |
| Vicki Hiatt | Associate Editor | |
| Marty Levenstein | Associate Editor | |
| James J. Sabat | Sound Mixer | |
| Richard Portman | Re-recording Mixer | |
| Rick Dior | Re-recording Mixer | |
| Michael Cerrone | Re-recording Mixer | |
| Ron Bochar | Re-recording Mixer | |
| Ron Bochar | Supervising Sound Editor | |
| Fred Rosenberg | Sound Editor | |
| Robert Hein | Dialogue Editor | |
| Magdaline Volaitis | Dialogue Editor | |
| Marissa Littlefield | Dialogue Editor | |
| Jim Henrikson | Music Editor | |
| Thomas Drescher | Music Editor | |
| Neal Martz | Special Make-up Effects | |
| Alixe Gordin | Casting Director | |
| Doug Coleman | Casting Director |
Cast and crew with above-the-line roles are marked in bold. The line marks the division between above-the-line and below-the-line roles.