The Dead Zone (1983): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Dead Zone is a 1983 drama thriller directed by David Cronenberg, starring Christopher Walken and Brooke Adams. It is based on The Dead Zone by Stephen King. It runs 1 hour 43 minutes and earned $20.8 million worldwide. It earned 2 award nominations, including Best Actor at the Saturn Awards 1984. Critics gave it 69 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 43m (103 min)
- Director
- David Cronenberg
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- Based on
- The Dead Zone by Stephen King
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Dead Zone About?
The premise of The Dead Zone without spoilers, adapted from The Dead Zone by Stephen King. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Awakening from a coma, Johnny Smith finds he possesses psychic abilities and disturbing visions of the future. Struggling with loss and a changed reality, he becomes convinced that politician Greg Stillson represents a grave danger. Torn between his conscience and a sense of inescapable destiny, Johnny must confront the possibility of altering the course of history, even if it means making a profound sacrifice.
The Dead Zone Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- coma
- car accident
- vision
- evil politician
- corrupt politician
- rape
- senatorial campaign
- moral dilemma
- cult director
- stormy night
- truck car collision
- second sight
+38 more Show fewer
- marriage proposal
- ex fiance ex fiancee relationship
- character appears on tv
- title same as book
- nuclear launch
- insane man
- nuclear football
- three word title
- free will
- falling through ice
- hockey
- murder of a child
- death of a child
- murder of a police officer
- man wears eyeglasses
- clairvoyant
- clairvoyance
- apocalyptic vision
- traffic accident
- private clinic
- holocaust survivor
- recovery
- physical therapy
- 5 years in coma
- medical doctor
- journalist
- stroke
- serial killer
- sheriff's deputy
- gunshot wound
- psychic ability
- tutor
- populist politician
- extortion
- third party candidate
- congressional campaign
- campaign rally
- attempted assassination
The Dead Zone Cast
Christopher Walken leads the cast, with Brooke Adams. Directed by David Cronenberg.
-
Director David Cronenberg
More from David Cronenberg
More films directed by David Cronenberg, best-rated first: Dead Ringers, The Fly, Eastern Promises and The Shrouds.
The Dead Zone Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Dead Zone 69 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.
-
IMDb 7.2 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 69 Metascore
User score 7.9
See on Metacritic
The Dead Zone Plot Summary
What happens in The Dead Zone from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the quaint town of Castle Rock, Maine, school teacher Johnny Smith and his fiancée, Sarah, enjoy a day at an amusement park. However, their joyful outing takes a dark turn when Johnny, plagued by a sudden headache, insists on going home despite Sarah’s pleas to stay, stating, “some things are worth waiting for.” Tragically, his drive home leads to an accident where he blackouts after crashing into a jackknifed tanker.
Full summary
The whole story of The Dead Zone, scene by scene
The Dead Zone Box Office
The Dead Zone grossed $20.8 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$20.8M
- US & Canada
- $20.8M
The Dead Zone Awards & Nominations
The Dead Zone earned 2 award nominations, including Best Actor at the Saturn Awards 1984.
2 nominations1 ceremony
-
Saturn Awards 1984 2 nominations- Nominated Best Actor
- Nominated Best Director – David Cronenberg
The Dead Zone Trailers & Videos
4 videos: 3 trailers and 1 featurette.
- Trailer The Dead Zone (1983) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]
- Trailer Official Trailer
- Featurette Mick Garris on THE DEAD ZONE
How Well Do You Know The Dead Zone?
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 event causes Johnny Smith to fall into a coma?
Cars in The Dead Zone
23 cars on screen, including the 1982 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera and the 1960 Bentley S2.
-
1982 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Main role -
1960 Bentley S2 Important role -
1982 Buick Century Important role -
1961 GMC PD 4106 Important role
The Dead Zone Also Known As
37 alternative titles, including “Stephen King's The Dead Zone” and “A Hora da Zona Morta”.
- Also known as
-
- Stephen King's The Dead Zone
- A Hora da Zona Morta
- La zone neutre
- Viimeinen yhteys: The Dead Zone
- Viimeinen yhteys
- Deddo zôn
- Dodelijk dilemma
- Strefa śmierci
- Мертвая зона
- La zona morta
- Ölüm Bölgesi
- Dead Zone - Der Attentäter
+25 more Show fewer
- Stephen Kings Dead Zone
- 초인지대
- Dead Zone Der Attentaeter
- Մեռյալ Տարածք
- Zona de Perigo
- Mrtvá zóna
- La zona muerta
- 死亡地带
- デッド・ゾーン
- Den døde zone
- Zona moartă
- A holtsáv
- אזור הדמדומים
- Martwa Strefa
- Na Hora da Zona Morta
- Мъртвата зона
- 데드 존
- Mŕtva zóna, მკვდარი ზონა
- Мртва зона
- Мертва зона
- Mrtva zona
- Tylos zona
- มิติมรณะ
- 死亡禁地
- Mørke krefter
Seen The Dead Zone?
Movies Like The Dead Zone
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Dead Zone, Brain Dead and The Stand.
The Dead Zone FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of The Dead Zone, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Dead Zone?
The Dead Zone runs 1 hour 43 minutes (103 minutes).
When was The Dead Zone released?
The Dead Zone was released on October 21, 1983.
Who directed The Dead Zone?
The Dead Zone was directed by David Cronenberg.
More films by David Cronenberg Who is in the cast of The Dead Zone?
The Dead Zone stars Christopher Walken and Brooke Adams.
How much did The Dead Zone make at the box office?
The Dead Zone grossed $20.8 million worldwide.
How is The Dead Zone rated?
The Dead Zone has 7.2/10 on IMDb and 69 on Metacritic.
Is The Dead Zone based on a book?
Yes. The Dead Zone is adapted from The Dead Zone by Stephen King.
Was The Dead Zone nominated for any awards?
The Dead Zone received 2 nominations across 1 ceremony.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
