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Drama

Challenger (1990): Cast & Plot

Challenger (1990) movie poster

Challenger is a 1990 drama directed by Glenn Jordan, starring Barry Bostwick as Commander Francis R. Scobee, Angela Bassett and Peter Boyle. It runs 2 hours 20 minutes.

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Read the plot summary
Challenger (1990) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 20m (140 min)
Director
Glenn Jordan
Genre
Drama
Original language
English
Studio
King Phoenix Entertainment
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Challenger About?

The premise of Challenger without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

The documentary profiles the astronauts, mission personnel and civilians connected to the January 28, 1986 launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger, which exploded seconds after liftoff. It centers on the safety inspections and the heated debate over the O‑ring design that was later identified as the cause of the disaster, blending technical analysis with personal recollections.

Challenger Themes & Keywords

· 33 tags
  • challenger tragedy
  • year 1986
  • woman wears a mask
  • explosion
  • safety
  • astronaut
  • space shuttle
  • oxygen mask
  • press conference
  • mission control
  • champagne
  • father son relationship
+21 more
  • saxophone
  • test pilot
  • bar
  • apple
  • hawaii
  • japanese american
  • husband wife relationship
  • schoolteacher
  • pilot
  • celebrity
  • ice
  • accident
  • tragedy
  • year 1985
  • flashback
  • one word title
  • space shuttle crash
  • 1980s
  • nasa
  • disaster
  • based on true story
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Cast & crew

Challenger Cast & Characters

Barry Bostwick leads the cast as Commander Francis R. Scobee, with Angela Bassett as Cheryl McNair and Peter Boyle as Roger Boisjoly. Directed by Glenn Jordan; 71 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Challenger

· 67 more
Show all 71 cast members
From the director

More from Glenn Jordan

More films directed by Glenn Jordan: Lucy, Midwives, Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter’s End and Night Ride Home.

Full filmography
Plot

Challenger Plot Summary

What happens in Challenger from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 6-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In a tense, emotionally charged arc that weaves past and present, the world of professional tennis becomes a stage for redemption, rivalry, and complicated love. Set against the backdrop of a late-summer 2019 in New Rochelle, this story follows Art Donaldson, a talented player fighting to re-enter the scene as a wild card at a Challenger event. He faces Patrick Zweig in a high-stakes final set, while his wife and coach, Tashi Duncan, watches from the stands with a mix of fierce expectation and quiet worry. They share a daughter, Lily, and their family life is a careful balance of discipline, devotion, and the remnants of past battles that still echo through every rally.

Full summary

The whole story of Challenger, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Challenger?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is Art Donaldson's wife and coach?
Cars

Cars in Challenger

9 cars on screen, including the 1983 Ford Econoline and the 1981 Ford Granada.

All 9 cars
  • 1983 Ford Econoline in Challenger 1983 Ford Econoline Minor role
  • 1981 Ford Granada in Challenger 1981 Ford Granada Minor role
  • Ford Mustang II in Challenger Ford Mustang II Minor role
  • 1986 Hyundai Excel in Challenger 1986 Hyundai Excel Minor role
Details

Challenger Also Known As

Also known as “Challenger - Lo shuttle della morte”.

Also known as
  • Challenger - Lo shuttle della morte

Seen Challenger?
More like this

Movies Like Challenger

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth, Return to Space and The Challengers.

FAQ

Challenger FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Challenger, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Challenger?

Challenger runs 2 hours 20 minutes (140 minutes).

When was Challenger released?

Challenger was released on February 25, 1990.

Who directed Challenger?

Challenger was directed by Glenn Jordan.

More films by Glenn Jordan

Who is in the cast of Challenger?

Challenger stars Barry Bostwick as Commander Francis R. Scobee, Angela Bassett as Cheryl McNair and Peter Boyle as Roger Boisjoly, among 71 credited actors.

Does Challenger have a post-credit scene?

No. Challenger has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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