The Pelican Brief (1993)

The Pelican Brief
Theatrical Performance
Domestic Box Office $100,768,056Details
International Box Office $87,227,803Details
Worldwide Box Office $187,995,859
OpusData ID: 4240100
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

Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists

RecordRankAmount
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 801-900) 839 $100,768,056
All Time International Box Office (Rank 1,301-1,400) 1,325 $87,227,803
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 1,001-1,100) 1,037 $187,995,859

See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.


Movie Details

Domestic Releases: December 17th, 1993 (Wide) by Warner Bros.
Video Release: February 10th, 2009 by Warner Home Video
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for momentary language and some violence.
Running Time: 141 minutes
Comparisons: vs. Something to Talk About
Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Lawyers, 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

Ranking on other Records and Milestones

RecordRankAmountChart
Date		Days In
Release
Super Bowl (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 234 $8,111,341 Jan 28, 1994 45
Martin Luther King (All Movies, 3-Day) 249 $5,798,756 Jan 14, 1994 31
Martin Luther King (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 158 $16,643,001 Jan 14, 1994 31
New Year's Day (All Movies, 3-Day) 95 $13,129,302 Dec 31, 1993 17
New Year's Day (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 42 $37,136,263 Dec 31, 1993 17
Christmas (All Movies, 3-Day) 131 $11,124,936 Dec 24, 1993 10
Christmas (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 75 $31,466,913 Dec 24, 1993 10

Compare this performance with other movies…

Domestic Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 801-900) 839 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Inflation Adjusted Box Office (Rank 401-500) 424 $276,463,042
All Time Domestic Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 501-600) 560 $100,768,056
Top-grossing movies at the domestic box office first released in 1993 8 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Box Office for Based on Fiction Book/Short Story Movies (Rank 101-200) 181 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 501-600) 597 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Box Office for Contemporary Fiction Movies (Rank 301-400) 304 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Box Office for Thriller/Suspense Movies 45 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 301-400) 387 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Box Office for Warner Bros. Movies (Rank 101-200) 146 $100,768,056

Weekend Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
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

Daily Box Office Performance

Weekly Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
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

International Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time International Box Office (Rank 1,301-1,400) 1,325 $87,227,803
All Time International Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 901-1,000) 907 $87,227,803
Top 1993 Movies at the International Box Office 14 $87,227,803
All Time International Box Office for Based on Fiction Book/Short Story Movies (Rank 201-300) 286 $87,227,803
All Time International Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 901-1,000) 967 $87,227,803
All Time International Box Office for Contemporary Fiction Movies (Rank 501-600) 506 $87,227,803
All Time International Box Office for Thriller/Suspense Movies 83 $87,227,803
All Time International Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 501-600) 526 $87,227,803
All Time International Box Office for Warner Bros. Movies (Rank 201-300) 202 $87,227,803

Worldwide Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 1,001-1,100) 1,037 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 601-700) 696 $187,995,859
Top 1993 Movies at the Worldwide Box Office 10 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Based on Fiction Book/Short Story Movies (Rank 201-300) 222 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 701-800) 724 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Contemporary Fiction Movies (Rank 301-400) 363 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Thriller/Suspense Movies 64 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 401-500) 460 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Warner Bros. Movies (Rank 101-200) 171 $187,995,859

Leading Cast

Julia Roberts    Darby Shaw
Denzel Washington    Gray Grantham

Supporting Cast

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

For a description of the different acting role types we use to categorize acting perfomances, see our Glossary.

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

The bold credits above the line are the "above-the-line" credits, the other the "below-the-line" credits.


  1. Summary
  2. News
  3. Box Office
  4. International
  5. Video Sales
  6. Cast & Crew
  7. Trailer

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

Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists

RecordRankAmount
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 801-900) 839 $100,768,056
All Time International Box Office (Rank 1,301-1,400) 1,325 $87,227,803
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 1,001-1,100) 1,037 $187,995,859

See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.


Movie Details

Domestic Releases: December 17th, 1993 (Wide) by Warner Bros.
Video Release: February 10th, 2009 by Warner Home Video
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for momentary language and some violence.
Running Time: 141 minutes
Comparisons: vs. Something to Talk About
Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Lawyers, 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

Ranking on other Records and Milestones

RecordRankAmountChart
Date		Days In
Release
Super Bowl (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 234 $8,111,341 Jan 28, 1994 45
Martin Luther King (All Movies, 3-Day) 249 $5,798,756 Jan 14, 1994 31
Martin Luther King (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 158 $16,643,001 Jan 14, 1994 31
New Year's Day (All Movies, 3-Day) 95 $13,129,302 Dec 31, 1993 17
New Year's Day (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 42 $37,136,263 Dec 31, 1993 17
Christmas (All Movies, 3-Day) 131 $11,124,936 Dec 24, 1993 10
Christmas (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 75 $31,466,913 Dec 24, 1993 10

Leading Cast

Julia Roberts    Darby Shaw
Denzel Washington    Gray Grantham

Supporting Cast

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

For a description of the different acting role types we use to categorize acting perfomances, see our Glossary.

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

The bold credits above the line are the "above-the-line" credits, the other the "below-the-line" credits.

Compare this performance with other movies…

Domestic Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 801-900) 839 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Inflation Adjusted Box Office (Rank 401-500) 424 $276,463,042
All Time Domestic Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 501-600) 560 $100,768,056
Top-grossing movies at the domestic box office first released in 1993 8 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Box Office for Based on Fiction Book/Short Story Movies (Rank 101-200) 181 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 501-600) 597 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Box Office for Contemporary Fiction Movies (Rank 301-400) 304 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Box Office for Thriller/Suspense Movies 45 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 301-400) 387 $100,768,056
All Time Domestic Box Office for Warner Bros. Movies (Rank 101-200) 146 $100,768,056

Weekend Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
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

Daily Box Office Performance

Weekly Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
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

International Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time International Box Office (Rank 1,301-1,400) 1,325 $87,227,803
All Time International Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 901-1,000) 907 $87,227,803
Top 1993 Movies at the International Box Office 14 $87,227,803
All Time International Box Office for Based on Fiction Book/Short Story Movies (Rank 201-300) 286 $87,227,803
All Time International Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 901-1,000) 967 $87,227,803
All Time International Box Office for Contemporary Fiction Movies (Rank 501-600) 506 $87,227,803
All Time International Box Office for Thriller/Suspense Movies 83 $87,227,803
All Time International Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 501-600) 526 $87,227,803
All Time International Box Office for Warner Bros. Movies (Rank 201-300) 202 $87,227,803

Worldwide Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 1,001-1,100) 1,037 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 601-700) 696 $187,995,859
Top 1993 Movies at the Worldwide Box Office 10 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Based on Fiction Book/Short Story Movies (Rank 201-300) 222 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 701-800) 724 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Contemporary Fiction Movies (Rank 301-400) 363 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Thriller/Suspense Movies 64 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 401-500) 460 $187,995,859
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Warner Bros. Movies (Rank 101-200) 171 $187,995,859