History
Biographical drama
The Aviator (2004): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Aviator is a 2004 biographical drama directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett and Kate Beckinsale. It runs 2 hours 50 minutes and earned $213.7 million worldwide on a $110 million budget. It won 5 Oscars, including Actress in a Supporting Role and Art Direction, and 15 awards in all. Critics gave it 77 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.5/10.
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- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 50m (170 min)
- Director
- Martin Scorsese
- Original language
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English - Studio
- Miramax Films
- Budget
- $110M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
The story
What Is The Aviator About?
The premise of The Aviator without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
The film portrays the extraordinary life of Howard Hughes, showcasing his ascent as a groundbreaking filmmaker, ambitious entrepreneur, and visionary in aviation. It explores his remarkable achievements alongside a descent into personal struggles, revealing the challenges he faced while battling debilitating phobias and depression. The narrative follows Hughes as he balances a life of immense wealth and extravagance with a growing internal conflict, ultimately exposing the vulnerability hidden behind his public persona.
The Aviator Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- obsessive compulsive disorder
- test flight
- film producer
- howard hughes character
- mental illness
- california
- based on true story
- aviator
- katharine hepburn character
- downward spiral
- aviation
- billionaire
+38 more Show fewer
- phobia
- spruce goose
- tycoon
- flying boat
- eccentricity
- wealth
- urination
- isolation
- hughes aircraft
- commercial aviation history
- coconut grove
- multi millionaire
- flight engineer
- test pilot
- airline industry
- mother son relationship
- los angeles california
- connecticut
- world war two
- playboy
- nervous breakdown
- hearing loss
- movie producer
- hollywood california
- airplane
- ava gardner character
- bathing
- reference to frank sinatra
- reference to artie shaw
- reference to buck rogers
- reference to linda darnell
- reference to joan crawford
- reference to bette davis
- reference to claudette colbert
- reference to irene dunne
- reference to ann sheridan
- reference to charles lindbergh
- reference to wiley post
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Cast & crew
The Aviator Cast
Leonardo DiCaprio leads the cast, with Cate Blanchett and Kate Beckinsale. Directed by Martin Scorsese.
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Director Martin Scorsese
From the director
More from Martin Scorsese
More films directed by Martin Scorsese, best-rated first: Goodfellas, The Irishman, Mean Streets and Raging Bull.
Ratings
The Aviator Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Aviator 77 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.5/10.
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IMDb 7.5 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 77 Metascore
User score 7.7
See on Metacritic
Plot
The Aviator Plot Summary
What happens in The Aviator from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the year 1914, young Howard Hughes is bathed by his concerned mother, who warns him about the dangers of disease, declaring, “You are not safe.” Fast forward to 1927, now a wealthy heir residing in California, Howard, portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio, is deeply engrossed in directing the ambitious film Hell’s Angels at just 22 years old. To manage the family business, he brings on Noah Dietrich to oversee the Hughes Tool Company.
Full summary
The whole story of The Aviator, scene by scene
Box office
The Aviator Box Office & Budget
The Aviator grossed $213.7 million worldwide on a $110 million budget, 1.9 times what it cost. $102.6 million came from the US and Canada and $111.1 million (52%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$213.7M
1.9× its budget
- US & Canada
- $102.6M
- International
- $111.1M
- Budget
- $110M
US & Canada 48%
Rest of the world 52%
Awards
The Aviator Awards & Nominations
The Aviator won 5 Oscars, including Actress in a Supporting Role and Art Direction, and 15 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Oscars 2005, with 5 wins from 11 nominations.
15 wins41 nominations6 ceremonies
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Oscars 2005 5 wins · 11 nominations- Won Actress in a Supporting Role – Cate Blanchett
- Won Art Direction
- Won Cinematography
- Won Costume Design
- Won Film Editing
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BAFTA 2005 4 wins · 14 nominations- Won Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Cate Blanchett
- Won Best Film
- Won Best Makeup and Hair
- Won Best Production Design
- Nominated Best Actor in a Leading Role – Leonardo DiCaprio
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Golden Globes 2005 3 wins · 6 nominations- Won Best Motion Picture – Drama
- Won Best Original Score – Motion Picture – Howard Shore
- Won Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actor) – Leonardo DiCaprio
- Nominated Best Director – Motion Picture – Martin Scorsese
- Nominated Best Screenplay – Motion Picture – John Logan
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Critics' Choice 2005 2 wins · 6 nominations- Won Best Composer – Howard Shore
- Won Best Director – Martin Scorsese
- Nominated Best Actor – Leonardo DiCaprio
- Nominated Best Picture
- Nominated Best Supporting Actress – Cate Blanchett
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Actor Awards (SAG) 2005 1 win · 3 nominations- Won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role – Cate Blanchett
- Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
- Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role – Leonardo DiCaprio
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DGA Awards 2005 1 nomination- Nominated Feature Film – Martin Scorsese
Videos
The Aviator Trailers & Videos
9 videos: 1 trailer and 8 clips.
- Clip The Aviator | 'I Am Not For Sale' (HD) - Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Beckinsale | MIRAMAX
- Clip The Aviator | 'Nine Holes' (HD) - Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett | MIRAMAX
- Clip The Aviator | 'Slipped My Mind' (HD) - Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett | MIRAMAX
- Clip The Aviator | 'Too Much Howard Hughes’ (HD) - Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett | MIRAMAX
Quiz
How Well Do You Know The Aviator?
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
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What childhood warning does Howard Hughes receive from his mother?
Cars
Cars in The Aviator
24 cars on screen, including the 1939 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 and the 1942 Cadillac Fleetwood 75.
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1939 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 Minor role -
1942 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 Minor role -
1936 Chevrolet Master Minor role -
1940 Chevrolet Special De Luxe Minor role
Details
The Aviator Also Known As
31 alternative titles, including “Aviatorŭt” and “Iptamenos kroisos”.
- Also known as
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- Aviatorŭt
- Iptamenos kroisos
- Авијатичар
- El aviador
- Ավիատորը
- Aviátor
- Göklerin Hakimi
- O Aviador
- Lentäjä
- Авиатор
- 飞行家
- Letec
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- บินรัก บันลือโลก
- Ιπτάμενος Κροίσος
- הטייס
- アビエイター
- Aviatorul
- Авіатор
- هوانورد
- Авиаторът
- Aviaator - valguses ja varjus
- Avijatičar
- Aviatorius
- Letalec
- 에비에이터
- L’aviador
- L'aviateur
- Aviators
- 神鬼玩家
- 娛樂大亨
- Phi Công Tỷ Phú, ავიატორი
Seen The Aviator?
More like this
Movies Like The Aviator
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Amazing Howard Hughes, The Pilot and The High and the Mighty.
From the blog
Articles About The Aviator
Our article about The Aviator: “The Art of the Biopic: Telling Real-Life Stories on Screen”.
FAQ
The Aviator FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Aviator, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Aviator?
The Aviator runs 2 hours 50 minutes (170 minutes).
When was The Aviator released?
The Aviator was released on December 17, 2004.
Who directed The Aviator?
The Aviator was directed by Martin Scorsese.
More films by Martin Scorsese Who is in the cast of The Aviator?
The Aviator stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett and Kate Beckinsale.
How much did The Aviator make at the box office?
The Aviator grossed $213.7 million worldwide ($102.6 million domestic, $111.1 million international) on a budget of $110 million.
How is The Aviator rated?
The Aviator has 7.5/10 on IMDb and 77 on Metacritic.
What awards did The Aviator win?
The Aviator won 15 awards from 41 nominations, including Actress in a Supporting Role at the Oscars 2005.
Does The Aviator have a post-credit scene?
No. The Aviator has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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