The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018): Cast & Where to Watch
The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a 2018 sci-fi thriller directed by Eli Roth, starring Jack Black as Jonathan Barnavelt, Colleen Camp and Owen Vaccaro. It is partly based on The House with a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs and Edward Gorey. It runs 1 hour 45 minutes and earned $131.5 million worldwide on a $42 million budget. Critics gave it 65% on Rotten Tomatoes and 57 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.1/10. Stream it on Netflix, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 45m (105 min)
- Director
- Eli Roth
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Universal Pictures
- Budget
- $42M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The House with a Clock in Its Walls About?
The premise of The House with a Clock in Its Walls without spoilers, adapted from The House with a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs and Edward Gorey. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.
A young orphan, Lewis, moves to New England to live with his eccentric Uncle Jonathan in a large, unusual house. He soon discovers the house contains a magical clock hidden within its walls, and learns that his uncle is a powerful wizard. With the help of the spirited neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman, Lewis must learn to control his own burgeoning magical abilities and protect the town from a dangerous, long-dormant evil that is unleashed by his unwitting actions.
The House with a Clock in Its Walls Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- magic
- witch
- witchcraft
- 1950s
- basketball
- mouse
- bowtie
- knapsack
- mage
- grief
- loss of father
- loss of mother
+38 more Show fewer
- child
- concentration camp
- steampunk
- based on novel
- year 1955
- cemetery
- baby
- secret passageway
- neighbor
- magician
- clock
- goggles
- cat
- warlock
- voice over letter
- letter
- bus
- pumpkin
- house
- armchair
- cookie
- photograph
- axe
- flashlight
- levitation
- popcorn
- book
- book of magic
- back from the dead
- dog
- dictionary
- stolen identity
- impersonation
- friendship
- coach
- transfer student
- bearded man
- gymnasium
Where to Watch The House with a Clock in Its Walls
Stream it on Netflix, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Stream 2
Netflix 
Netflix Standard with Ads 
Streaming availability in the US, powered by 
The House with a Clock in Its Walls Cast & Characters
Jack Black leads the cast as Jonathan Barnavelt, with Colleen Camp as Mrs. Hanchett and Owen Vaccaro as Lewis Barnavelt. Directed by Eli Roth; 16 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Eli Roth
-
Jack Black as Jonathan Barnavelt -
Colleen Camp as Mrs. Hanchett -
Owen Vaccaro as Lewis Barnavelt -
Cate Blanchett as Florence Zimmerman
Also Starring in The House with a Clock in Its Walls
· 12 more- Sunny Suljic Tarby Corrigan
- Lorenza Izzo Mother
- Kyle MacLachlan Isaac Izard
- Vanessa Anne Williams Rose Rita Pottinger
- Charles Green Soda Jerk
- Braxton Bjerken Woody Mingo
- Perla Middleton
- Renee Goldsberry
- Trinity L Beals
- Van Marten
- Alli Beckman
- Sandy Givelber
The House with a Clock in Its Walls Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The House with a Clock in Its Walls 65% on Rotten Tomatoes and 57 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.1/10. Our Echo Score gives it 64/100, strongest in art & craft (75) and weakest in rewatch factor (55).
The House with a Clock in Its Walls Echo Score Breakdown
The House with a Clock in Its Walls registers as a moderately engaging family fantasy that balances dark themes with playful elements. While many critics praised the film’s production values and leads’ charisma, others pointed to uneven pacing and a somewhat thin narrative. User feedback echoed mixed sentiments, with appreciation for the visual style alongside criticisms of predictability and tonal shifts. Overall, the film delivers a watchable adventure that satisfies genre expectations without fully achieving enduring impact.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 75
In terms of art and craft, the film presents a richly detailed production design that many reviews highlighted for its immersive sets and imaginative visual flourishes. The use of CGI received praise for monster sequences but was criticized as overwhelming or discordant. Cinematography adopts a gothic color palette that evokes classic fantasy while supporting the narrative’s mood. Overall, the art direction creates a visually engaging world despite occasional stylistic excess.
- Character & Emotion 72
When it comes to character and emotion, performances by the leads achieved consistent recognition for their charisma and depth. Cate Blanchett’s refined portrayal and Jack Black’s energetic presence anchored the narrative, while supporting roles added warmth. Some critics noted limited chemistry between main actors that tempered emotional engagement. Ultimately, the character depictions offer memorable moments of charm despite occasional lapses in interpersonal cohesion.
- Story & Flow 55
In terms of story and flow, the film’s narrative drew mixed reactions for pacing and originality. Several reviews criticized its predictable plot and thin development of key arcs, noting abrupt transitions and unexplored subplots. Others appreciated occasional twists and the framing of the central mystery but felt franchise setup diluted coherence. Overall, the storytelling offers engaging moments yet remains uneven and insufficiently compelling.
- Sensory Experience 65
When considering sensory experience, the film’s visual and auditory elements contribute to an immersive atmosphere. Reviews praised the high-definition imagery, striking color contrasts, and detailed set textures, while acknowledging that overuse of CGI sometimes disrupted tonal balance. Sound design and the musical score supported suspenseful moments, though occasional jokes undercut tension. In sum, the sensory presentation is vivid and dynamic, albeit with sporadic inconsistencies in mood integration.
- Rewatch Factor 55
Regarding rewatch factor, responses varied on the film’s lasting appeal and replay value. Some viewers found visual details and character moments worth revisiting, particularly key magical set pieces and lead performances. Others described the plot as easily predictable and lacking sufficient depth to encourage repeat viewings. Consequently, the rewatch potential is moderate, appealing primarily to fans of the genre or the principal cast.
-
IMDb 6.1 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 65% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 45%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 57 Metascore
User score 5.9
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 63% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 2.7 /5
43 ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.3 /5
See on Movie Insider
The House with a Clock in Its Walls Plot Summary & Ending Explained
What happens in The House with a Clock in Its Walls from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In 1955, ten-year-old Lewis Barnavelt (Owen Vaccaro) arrives in New Zebedee, Michigan, to live with his uncle Jonathan (Jack Black) after a tragic car accident takes the lives of his parents. Upon his arrival at Jonathan’s home, Lewis quickly meets Florence Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett), Jonathan’s neighbor and dear friend, sparking an immediate rapport fueled by affectionate banter. The sole memento Lewis has of his parents is a magic 8-ball, an item he cherishes deeply.
Full summary
The whole story of The House with a Clock in Its Walls, scene by scene, with the ending explained
The House with a Clock in Its Walls Box Office & Budget
The House with a Clock in Its Walls grossed $131.5 million worldwide on a $42 million budget, 3.1 times what it cost. $68.5 million came from the US and Canada and $63 million (48%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$131.5M
3.1× its budget
- US & Canada
- $68.5M
- International
- $63M
- Budget
- $42M
The House with a Clock in Its Walls Trailers & Videos
3 videos: 2 trailers and 1 clip.
- Trailer Official Trailer 2
- Clip "Home, Sweet, Home" - Extended Preview
How Well Do You Know The House with a Clock in Its Walls?
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 tragic event leaves Lewis Barnavelt orphaned?
The House with a Clock in Its Walls Also Known As
39 alternative titles, including “Tayna doma s chasami” and “墙上有一个钟的房子”.
- Also known as
-
- Tayna doma s chasami
- 墙上有一个钟的房子
- 墙里有钟的房子
- La prophétie de l’horloge
- Das Haus der geheimnisvollen Uhren
- 벽 속에 숨은 마법시계
- La Prophétie de l'Horloge
- Тайна дома с часами
- Il mistero della casa del tempo
- La casa del reloj en la pared
- Будинок з годинником у стінах
- Мистерията на къщата с часовника
+27 more Show fewer
- O Mistério do Relógio na Parede
- 魔鐘奇幻屋
- 滴答屋
- To Σπίτι Με το Ρολόι στον Τοίχο
- הבית עם השעון המסתורי
- Čarodějovy hodiny
- Namo su laikrodžiais paslaptis
- A végzet órája
- O Mistério da Casa do Relógio
- Talo jossa kello tikittää
- Eski Evdeki Büyülü Saat
- Zegar czarnoksiężnika
- Tajomstvo domu s hodinami
- Ngôi Nhà Có Chiếc Đồng Hồ Ma Thuật
- Кућа магичног сата
- Huset med den mystiska klockan
- Misterul ceasului din perete
- La pendule d'Halloween
- Hiša čarobne ure
- La casa con un reloj en sus paredes
- Müstilise kellaga maja
- บ้านเวทมนตร์และนาฬิกาอาถรรพ์
- Māja ar pulksteni sienās
- ルイスと不思議の時計, სახლი საათებით
- La casa del rellotge dins de la paret
- Horman Erlojua duen Etxea
- Kuća magičnog sata
Seen The House with a Clock in Its Walls?
Movies Like The House with a Clock in Its Walls
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Witches, House and The Strange House.
The House with a Clock in Its Walls FAQ: Where to Watch & Cast
Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office, ratings and the book behind it of The House with a Clock in Its Walls, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The House with a Clock in Its Walls?
The House with a Clock in Its Walls runs 1 hour 45 minutes (105 minutes).
When was The House with a Clock in Its Walls released?
The House with a Clock in Its Walls was released on September 21, 2018.
Who directed The House with a Clock in Its Walls?
The House with a Clock in Its Walls was directed by Eli Roth.
More films by Eli Roth Who is in the cast of The House with a Clock in Its Walls?
The House with a Clock in Its Walls stars Jack Black as Jonathan Barnavelt, Colleen Camp as Mrs. Hanchett and Owen Vaccaro as Lewis Barnavelt, among 16 credited actors.
Where can I watch The House with a Clock in Its Walls?
In the US, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is streaming on Netflix and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
How much did The House with a Clock in Its Walls make at the box office?
The House with a Clock in Its Walls grossed $131.5 million worldwide ($68.5 million domestic, $63 million international) on a budget of $42 million.
How is The House with a Clock in Its Walls rated?
The House with a Clock in Its Walls has 6.1/10 on IMDb, 65% on Rotten Tomatoes, 57 on Metacritic and 63% on TMDB.
Is The House with a Clock in Its Walls based on a book?
Yes. The House with a Clock in Its Walls is partly adapted from The House with a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs and Edward Gorey.
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
