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Drama thriller

K-19: The Widowmaker (2002): Ratings, Box Office & Plot

K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) movie poster

K-19: The Widowmaker is a 2002 drama thriller directed by Kathryn Bigelow. It runs 2 hours 18 minutes and earned $65.7 million worldwide on a $100 million budget. Critics gave it 59% on Rotten Tomatoes and 58 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.7/10.

IMDb rating
6.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes
59%
worldwide gross
$65.7M
Metascore
58
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K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 18m (138 min)
Director
Kathryn Bigelow
Genres
Drama , History , Thriller
Original language
English
Budget
$100M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is K-19: The Widowmaker About?

The premise of K-19: The Widowmaker without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

During the height of the Cold War, Captain Alexei Vostrikov is unexpectedly tasked with taking command of the nuclear missile submarine K-19. He must quickly prepare the sub for its first mission, facing challenges from the experienced Captain Polenin and a crew under immense pressure. The film explores the tense atmosphere and difficult choices made as Vostrikov races against time, highlighting the human cost of readiness in a dangerous era. Inspired by a true story, this gripping drama portrays a critical moment in history.

K-19: The Widowmaker Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • nuclear submarine
  • nuclear accident
  • radiation sickness
  • radioactive contamination
  • nuclear disaster
  • submarine
  • nuclear reactor
  • cold war
  • radiation poisoning
  • submarine movie
  • nuclear power
  • radiation
+38 more
  • self sacrifice
  • radioactivity
  • accident
  • test launch
  • sea
  • courage
  • mutiny
  • based on true story
  • soviet union
  • soviet submarine
  • naval uniform
  • soviet navy
  • soviet military
  • underwater scene
  • american actor playing russian character
  • crew
  • captain
  • executive officer
  • patriotism
  • christening with champagne
  • christening a ship
  • national anthem
  • curse
  • stir crazy
  • submarine dive
  • chemical suit
  • containment
  • fire
  • nuclear test
  • new technology
  • playing soccer on ice
  • in case i die letter
  • motherland
  • water
  • radiation leak
  • coolant
  • hero
  • 1990s
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Crew

The Director of K-19: The Widowmaker

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

From the director

More from Kathryn Bigelow

More films directed by Kathryn Bigelow, best-rated first: The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, Near Dark and Strange Days.

Full filmography
Ratings

K-19: The Widowmaker Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave K-19: The Widowmaker 59% on Rotten Tomatoes and 58 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.7/10.

Plot

K-19: The Widowmaker Plot Summary

What happens in K-19: The Widowmaker from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1961, the Soviet Union embarks on a daring new venture with the launch of its first ballistic missile nuclear submarine, the K-19, under the command of Captain 2nd Rank Alexei Vostrikov. Accompanied by his executive officer, Captain 3rd Rank Mikhail Polenin, who had previously been the vessel’s original captain, they face a crucial mission against a backdrop of heightened tensions due to the U.S. deployment of nuclear submarines close to Soviet shores, necessitating a posture of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD).

Full summary

The whole story of K-19: The Widowmaker, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

K-19: The Widowmaker Box Office & Budget

K-19: The Widowmaker grossed $65.7 million worldwide on a $100 million budget, 66% of what it cost. $35.2 million came from the US and Canada and $30.5 million (46%) from the rest of the world.

2002 box office

Worldwide gross

$65.7M

66% of its budget back

US & Canada
$35.2M
International
$30.5M
Budget
$100M
US & Canada 54% Rest of the world 46%
Videos

K-19: The Widowmaker Trailers & Videos

The trailer of K-19: The Widowmaker.

K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]
Quiz

How Well Do You Know K-19: The Widowmaker?

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 the commanding officer of the K-19 submarine?

Cars

Cars in K-19: The Widowmaker

6 cars on screen, including the 1942 Dodge WC 58 and the 1959 GAZ M-13 Chaika.

All 6 cars
  • 1942 Dodge WC 58 in K-19: The Widowmaker 1942 Dodge WC 58 Minor role
  • 1959 GAZ M-13 Chaika in K-19: The Widowmaker 1959 GAZ M-13 Chaika Minor role
  • 1964 Simca Marmon MH 600 in K-19: The Widowmaker 1964 Simca Marmon MH 600 Minor role
  • AM General M-35 in K-19: The Widowmaker AM General M-35 Background role
Details

K-19: The Widowmaker Also Known As

26 alternative titles, including “K-19 - The Widowmaker” and “K 19”.

Also known as
  • K-19 - The Widowmaker
  • K 19
  • K-19 - Le piège des profondeurs
  • Υποβρύχιο Κ-19: Ο Φονιάς
  • K-19:寡妇制造者
  • K-19 – Showdown in der Tiefe
  • K-19 위도우메이커
  • K-19։ The Widowmaker
  • K-19 - Showdown in der Tiefe
  • K-19: Tehlikeli Saatler
  • K-19: O Fazedor de Viúvas
  • K-19 : Le Piège des profondeurs
+14 more
  • К-19
  • K-19: Stroj na smrt
  • Atomcsapda
  • קיי-19
  • K-19: 위도우메이커
  • K19
  • K-19: Submarinul ucigaş
  • ลึกมฤตยู นิวเคลียร์ล้างโลก
  • K-19: Tàu Ngầm Tử Thần
  • Tajna podmornice K-19
  • K-19: Stroj na smrť
  • ک.19 - زیردریایی قاتل
  • 轟天潛艦K-19
  • K-19 : Terreur sous la mer

Seen K-19: The Widowmaker?

FAQ

K-19: The Widowmaker FAQ: Box Office, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of K-19: The Widowmaker, each answered in a sentence.

How long is K-19: The Widowmaker?

K-19: The Widowmaker runs 2 hours 18 minutes (138 minutes).

When was K-19: The Widowmaker released?

K-19: The Widowmaker was released on July 19, 2002.

Who directed K-19: The Widowmaker?

K-19: The Widowmaker was directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

More films by Kathryn Bigelow

How much did K-19: The Widowmaker make at the box office?

K-19: The Widowmaker grossed $65.7 million worldwide ($35.2 million domestic, $30.5 million international) on a budget of $100 million.

How is K-19: The Widowmaker rated?

K-19: The Widowmaker has 6.7/10 on IMDb, 59% on Rotten Tomatoes, 58 on Metacritic and 65% on TMDB.

Does K-19: The Widowmaker have a post-credit scene?

No. K-19: The Widowmaker has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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