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Mystery thriller

The Dark Half (1993): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Dark Half (1993) movie poster

The Dark Half is a 1993 mystery thriller directed by George A. Romero, starring Timothy Hutton. It is based on The Dark Half by Stephen King. It runs 2 hours 2 minutes and earned $10.6 million worldwide. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Supporting Actress at the Saturn Awards 1994. Critics gave it 53 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.0/10.

IMDb rating
6.0/10
worldwide gross
$10.6M
award nomination
1
Metascore
53
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The Dark Half (1993) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 2m (122 min)
Director
George A. Romero
Genres
Mystery , Thriller , Horror
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Dark Half About?

The premise of The Dark Half without spoilers, adapted from The Dark Half by Stephen King. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Haunted by the success of his dark pseudonym, George Stark, writer Thad Beaumont pens a tell-all book exposing his alter ego. Soon after its publication, a series of gruesome murders begin to occur, each mirroring the violent events in Stark’s stories. As the body count rises, Thad and his wife, Liz, are forced to confront a horrifying reality: George Stark has seemingly come to life and is enacting a deadly revenge.

The Dark Half Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • doppelganger
  • parasitic twin
  • twin babies
  • alter ego
  • book
  • author
  • sparrow
  • protagonist and antagonist played by same actor
  • bird
  • animal attack
  • pencil
  • graveyard
+38 more
  • bird attack
  • dual role
  • based on the works of stephen king
  • husband wife relationship
  • volkswagen car
  • evil doppelganger
  • automatic writing
  • self mutilation
  • calling someone hoss
  • landline
  • answering machine
  • window washer
  • punting
  • attempted blackmail
  • nom de plume
  • pseudonym
  • prosthetic leg
  • photo shoot
  • hitchhiking
  • hitchhiker
  • hole in hand
  • dream
  • cat
  • police
  • blackmail
  • brain tumor
  • evil twin
  • straight razor
  • throat slit
  • independent film
  • based on novel
  • three word title
  • family relationships
  • psychopomp
  • cemetery
  • surrealism
  • metaphoric title
  • downward spiral
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Cast & crew

The Dark Half Cast

Timothy Hutton stars in The Dark Half. Directed by George A. Romero.

From the director

More from George A. Romero

More films directed by George A. Romero, best-rated first: Night of the Living Dead, Monkey Shines, Dawn of the Dead and Knightriders.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Dark Half Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Dark Half 53 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.0/10.

Plot

The Dark Half Plot Summary

What happens in The Dark Half 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

Castle Rock, Maine, 1968. A 13-year-old Thad Beaumont is an aspiring writer in junior high, where he immerses himself in crafting stories filled with violence. His mother supports his passion by gifting him a typewriter, but soon, Thad begins to suffer from intense headaches and hears eerie noises reminiscent of small birds screeching. One fateful day, as he waits for the school bus, he collapses, leading to a hospital visit where X-rays uncover a “mass” in his brain, initially thought to be a tumor requiring surgery. However, the shocking truth unfolds during the operation—it’s actually a fetus, complete with an eye, teeth, and fingernails, which is identified as Thad’s long-lost twin embryo that his body absorbed.

Full summary

The whole story of The Dark Half, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Dark Half Box Office

The Dark Half grossed $10.6 million worldwide.

1993 box office

Worldwide gross

$10.6M

US & Canada
$10.6M
Awards

The Dark Half Awards & Nominations

The Dark Half earned 1 award nomination, including Best Supporting Actress at the Saturn Awards 1994.

1 nomination1 ceremony

Videos

The Dark Half Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 clip.

Official Trailer
  • Clip Attacked by a Hitchhiker
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Dark Half?

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

What year does Thad Beaumont's story begin?

Cars

Cars in The Dark Half

27 cars on screen, including the 1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer and the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado.

All 27 cars
  • 1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer in The Dark Half 1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Important role
  • 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado in The Dark Half 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado Important role
  • 1967 Volkswagen Sedan Typ 1 in The Dark Half 1967 Volkswagen Sedan Typ 1 Important role
  • 1986 Chevrolet Caprice in The Dark Half 1986 Chevrolet Caprice Minor role
Details

The Dark Half Also Known As

24 alternative titles, including “A Metade Negra” and “La part des ténèbres”.

Also known as
  • A Metade Negra
  • La part des ténèbres
  • La Metà Oscura
  • The Dark Half - Stephen King
  • Temná půle
  • Stark - The Dark Half (1993)
  • Тёмная половина
  • La mitad siniestra
  • Stephen Kings Stark
  • La mitad oscura
  • A Face Oculta
  • Mørkets halvdel
+12 more
  • Halálos árnyék
  • החצי האפל
  • Temná polovina
  • Темна половина
  • Hayatı Emen Karanlık
  • Тъмната половина
  • Mroczna połowa
  • 人鬼双胞胎
  • ダーク・ハーフ
  • 다크 하프
  • Pimeä puoli
  • ผีชั่วไม่ยอมตาย

Seen The Dark Half?

FAQ

The Dark Half FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of The Dark Half, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Dark Half?

The Dark Half runs 2 hours 2 minutes (122 minutes).

When was The Dark Half released?

The Dark Half was released on April 23, 1993.

Who directed The Dark Half?

The Dark Half was directed by George A. Romero.

More films by George A. Romero

Who is in the cast of The Dark Half?

The Dark Half stars Timothy Hutton.

How much did The Dark Half make at the box office?

The Dark Half grossed $10.6 million worldwide.

How is The Dark Half rated?

The Dark Half has 6.0/10 on IMDb, 53 on Metacritic and 60% on TMDB.

Is The Dark Half based on a book?

Yes. The Dark Half is adapted from The Dark Half by Stephen King.

Was The Dark Half nominated for any awards?

The Dark Half received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.

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