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Drama thriller

The Ghost Writer (2010): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Ghost Writer (2010) movie poster

The Ghost Writer is a 2010 drama thriller directed by Roman Polanski, starring Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan and Olivia Williams. It is based on The Ghost by Robert Harris. It runs 2 hours 8 minutes and earned $60.3 million worldwide on a $45 million budget. IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.

IMDb rating
7.2/10
worldwide gross
$60.3M
budget
$45M
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The Ghost Writer (2010) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 8m (128 min)
Director
Roman Polanski
Genres
Drama , Mystery , Thriller
Original language
English
Budget
$45M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Ghost Writer About?

The premise of The Ghost Writer without spoilers, adapted from The Ghost by Robert Harris. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A struggling writer, Gilliger Graham, returns to his family's old estate, a place steeped in literary history and shadowed by unresolved mysteries. While attempting to complete his father's abandoned novel, he uncovers disturbing secrets connected to his family’s past. As he pieces together the narrative, he finds himself increasingly entangled in a complex web of deceit and forced to confront long-buried demons and painful truths about his heritage.

The Ghost Writer Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • memoir
  • writer
  • political thriller
  • beach house
  • bicycling in the rain
  • cia central intelligence agency
  • car
  • war on terrorism
  • marital infidelity
  • bare chested man
  • passing a note
  • sex
+38 more
  • british prime minister
  • island
  • death
  • ghost writer
  • scandal
  • politics
  • actor
  • government
  • search
  • compound
  • contract
  • war crime
  • murder
  • secret
  • publisher
  • torture
  • prime minister
  • nameless character
  • usb memory stick
  • new york city
  • mob
  • offscreen murder
  • mockery
  • martha's vineyard
  • foreplay
  • political cover up
  • car chase
  • assassin
  • sleeping nude
  • google
  • single shot liquor bottle
  • american flag
  • fence
  • walking in the rain
  • eurocopter as350 squirrel
  • newscast
  • metal detector
  • sushi bar
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Cast & crew

The Ghost Writer Cast

Ewan McGregor leads the cast, with Pierce Brosnan and Olivia Williams. Directed by Roman Polanski.

From the director

More from Roman Polanski

More films directed by Roman Polanski, best-rated first: Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown, The Pianist and Tess.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Ghost Writer Reviews & Ratings

IMDb users rate The Ghost Writer 7.2/10.

Plot

The Ghost Writer Plot Summary

What happens in The Ghost Writer from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

An unnamed British ghostwriter (Ewan McGregor) is approached to finalize the memoirs of the former UK Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan). Strangely, his predecessor, Mike McAra, met his end under mysterious circumstances, with his abandoned vehicle found on a ferry and his body washed ashore, leading to speculation about suicide.

Upon arriving in the quaint yet secretive village of Old Haven, Massachusetts—where Lang resides with his wife, Ruth (Olivia Williams), and an entourage of security—the ghostwriter checks into a modest hotel. Lang’s assistant and lover, Amelia Bly (not cast here), imposes strict rules on the writer, particularly forbidding him from taking McAra’s unfinished manuscript outside, deeming it too perilous.

Full summary

The whole story of The Ghost Writer, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Ghost Writer Box Office & Budget

The Ghost Writer grossed $60.3 million worldwide on a $45 million budget, 1.3 times what it cost. $15.5 million came from the US and Canada and $44.8 million (74%) from the rest of the world.

2010 box office

Worldwide gross

$60.3M

1.3× its budget

US & Canada
$15.5M
International
$44.8M
Budget
$45M
US & Canada 26% Rest of the world 74%
Videos

The Ghost Writer Trailers & Videos

3 videos: 1 trailer and 2 featurettes.

Official Trailer
  • Featurette Ewan McGregor as 'The Ghost Writer'
  • Featurette Pierce & Ewan on "The Ghost Writer", Roman Polanski
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Ghost Writer?

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 plays the role of the ghostwriter in 'The Ghost Writer'?

Cars

Cars in The Ghost Writer

66 cars on screen, including the 2009 BMW X5 E70 and the 2005 Lincoln Navigator.

All 66 cars
  • 2009 BMW X5 E70 in The Ghost Writer 2009 BMW X5 E70 Main role
  • 2005 Lincoln Navigator in The Ghost Writer 2005 Lincoln Navigator Important role
  • 2003 Lincoln Town Car in The Ghost Writer 2003 Lincoln Town Car Important role
  • 2009 BMW 525d E60 in The Ghost Writer 2009 BMW 525d E60 Minor role
Details

The Ghost Writer Also Known As

31 alternative titles, including “L'écrivain fantôme” and “Nhà Văn Ma”.

Also known as
  • L'écrivain fantôme
  • Nhà Văn Ma
  • L'uomo nell'ombra
  • Der Ghostwriter
  • Muž ve stínu
  • O Escritor Fantasma
  • Skyggen
  • Szellemíró
  • Призрак
  • Hayalet Yazar
  • El escritor
  • 影子写手
+19 more
  • Autor widmo
  • סופר הצללים
  • Αόρατος Συγγραφέας
  • ゴーストライター
  • 유령 작가
  • Marioneta
  • Pisatelj v senci
  • Примара
  • 獵殺幽靈寫手
  • Писател в сянка
  • Muž v tieni
  • El escritor oculto
  • Vaiduoklis
  • SKYGGEN, უჩინარი მწერალი
  • Прывід пяра
  • 影子滅殺令
  • พลิกปริศนา สภาซ่อนเงื่อน
  • Người Chấp Bút
  • L’escriptor

Seen The Ghost Writer?

FAQ

The Ghost Writer FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of The Ghost Writer, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Ghost Writer?

The Ghost Writer runs 2 hours 8 minutes (128 minutes).

When was The Ghost Writer released?

The Ghost Writer was released on February 19, 2010.

Who directed The Ghost Writer?

The Ghost Writer was directed by Roman Polanski.

More films by Roman Polanski

Who is in the cast of The Ghost Writer?

The Ghost Writer stars Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan and Olivia Williams.

How much did The Ghost Writer make at the box office?

The Ghost Writer grossed $60.3 million worldwide ($15.5 million domestic, $44.8 million international) on a budget of $45 million.

How is The Ghost Writer rated?

The Ghost Writer has 7.2/10 on IMDb and 68% on TMDB.

Is The Ghost Writer based on a book?

Yes. The Ghost Writer is adapted from The Ghost by Robert Harris.

Does The Ghost Writer have a post-credit scene?

No. The Ghost Writer has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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