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Drama thriller

Sudden Death (1995): Cast, Box Office & Plot

Sudden Death (1995) movie poster

Sudden Death is a 1995 drama thriller directed by Peter Hyams, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as Darren Francis Thomas McCord, Powers Boothe and Thomas Saccio. It runs 1 hour 50 minutes and earned $64.4 million worldwide.

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Sudden Death (1995) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 50m (110 min)
Director
Peter Hyams
Genres
Drama , Thriller , Crime , Action
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Sudden Death About?

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

During a championship hockey game, a father's daughter is seized by armed kidnappers who demand a billion dollars before the final buzzer. He launches a desperate plan, infiltrating the arena, battling the captors and racing against a timed explosive that will detonate if the game ends without his rescue.

Sudden Death Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • hockey
  • ice hockey
  • chicago blackhawks
  • die hard scenario
  • death in title
  • two word title
  • fbi federal bureau of investigation
  • child in jeopardy
  • cia central intelligence agency
  • evacuation
  • bravery
  • cult film
+38 more
  • survival
  • conspiracy
  • hostile takeover
  • psychotronic film
  • assassination attempt
  • rooftop
  • bomb
  • villain
  • evil man
  • wisecrack humor
  • good versus evil
  • ice rink
  • courage
  • prologue
  • flash forward
  • locker room
  • near death experience
  • pistol
  • car bomb
  • attempted murder
  • henchman
  • unlikely hero
  • security guard
  • final showdown
  • murder
  • death
  • chef
  • brutality
  • mercilessness
  • heroism
  • held at gunpoint
  • fear
  • escape
  • deception
  • betrayal
  • double cross
  • blood
  • paranoia
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Cast & crew

Sudden Death Cast & Characters

Jean-Claude Van Damme leads the cast as Darren Francis Thomas McCord, with Powers Boothe as Joshua Foss and Thomas Saccio as Foss Helicopter Pilot. Directed by Peter Hyams; 73 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Sudden Death

· 69 more
Show all 73 cast members
From the director

More from Peter Hyams

More films directed by Peter Hyams, best-rated first: 2010, Narrow Margin, The Star Chamber and The Relic.

Full filmography
Plot

Sudden Death Plot Summary

What happens in Sudden Death from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Darren McCord, Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Pittsburgh firefighter who has risen to the role of fire marshal at the Civic Arena, carrying the weight of a past tragedy where he failed to save a young girl. The 1995 Stanley Cup Finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks unfolds around him, a high-stakes backdrop that blends sports spectacle with a ruthless hostage crisis. Joshua Foss, Powers Boothe, the mastermind behind the operation, has wired the arena with explosives and funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into offshore accounts. Darren moves through the chaos with his children—Tyler McCord Ross Malinger and Emily McCord Whittni Wright—as a birthday gift for Tyler, setting the stage for a desperate bid to protect his family amid the mayhem.

Full summary

The whole story of Sudden Death, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Sudden Death Box Office

Sudden Death grossed $64.4 million worldwide. $20.4 million came from the US and Canada and $44 million (68%) from the rest of the world.

1995 box office

Worldwide gross

$64.4M

US & Canada
$20.4M
International
$44M
US & Canada 32% Rest of the world 68%
Videos

Sudden Death Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Sudden Death.

Sudden Death (1995) Original Trailer [FHD]
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Sudden Death?

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

Which actor portrays fire marshal Darren McCord?

Cars

Cars in Sudden Death

42 cars on screen, including the 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and the 1979 Buick Riviera.

All 42 cars
  • 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme in Sudden Death 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Important role
  • 1979 Buick Riviera in Sudden Death 1979 Buick Riviera Minor role
  • 1980 Buick Riviera in Sudden Death 1980 Buick Riviera Minor role
  • 1978 Cadillac Seville in Sudden Death 1978 Cadillac Seville Minor role
Details

Sudden Death Also Known As

31 alternative titles, including “Внезапная смерть” and “Suspense en prolongation”.

Also known as
  • Внезапная смерть
  • Suspense en prolongation
  • Äkkikuolema
  • Ξαφνική απειλή
  • Iznenadna smrt
  • Staigi mirtis
  • Sudden Death - Terror på overtid
  • Moarte instantanee
  • Nenadna smrt
  • Náhla smrt
  • Ani ölüm
  • 突然死亡
+19 more
  • Iskold terror på overtid
  • ซัดเดน เดท ตัดเส้นตายท้านรก
  • Muerte súbita
  • Mort Subite
  • A rischio della vita
  • Morte Súbita
  • Hirtelen halál
  • Náhlá smrt
  • Nagła śmierć
  • משחק על זמן
  • Внезапна смърт
  • Раптова смерть
  • 서든 데쓰
  • Náhla smrť
  • サドン・デス
  • مرگ ناگهانی
  • Cái Chết Bất Ngờ
  • Terror på overtid
  • 絕命殺陣

Seen Sudden Death?

FAQ

Sudden Death FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of Sudden Death, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Sudden Death?

Sudden Death runs 1 hour 50 minutes (110 minutes).

When was Sudden Death released?

Sudden Death was released on October 26, 1995.

Who directed Sudden Death?

Sudden Death was directed by Peter Hyams.

More films by Peter Hyams

Who is in the cast of Sudden Death?

Sudden Death stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Darren Francis Thomas McCord, Powers Boothe as Joshua Foss and Thomas Saccio as Foss Helicopter Pilot, among 73 credited actors.

How much did Sudden Death make at the box office?

Sudden Death grossed $64.4 million worldwide ($20.4 million domestic, $44 million international).

Does Sudden Death have a post-credit scene?

No. Sudden Death has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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