12 Years a Slave (2013)
The extraordinary true story of Solomon Northup.
In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist will forever alter his life.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 18 October 2013 |
| Genre | Drama, History |
| Director | Steve McQueen |
| Starring | Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o |
| Runtime | 134 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 8.9/10 · Metacritic 96/100 · Rotten Tomatoes 95% · IMDb 8.1/10 · TMDB users 7.9/10 |
| Budget | $20 million |
Where to watch 12 Years a Slave
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Rent or buy
You can rent 12 Years a Slave on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and Spectrum On Demand. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch 12 Years a Slave in 34 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Argentina | Prime Video $5199 ARS, Paramount+ |
| Australia | ARD/ZDF |
| Austria | Joyn free |
| Belgium | Netflix €10.99, Prime Video €4.99 |
| Belize | Prime Video |
| Bolivia | Prime Video, Paramount+ |
| Brazil | Prime Video R$19.90, Paramount+, Globoplay R$24.90 |
| Chile | Prime Video $6490 CLP, Paramount+ |
| Colombia | Prime Video $24900 COP, Paramount+ |
| Costa Rica | Prime Video, Paramount+ |
| Denmark | Prime Video 69 kr DKK, Viaplay 159 kr DKK, Max 129 kr DKK |
| Dominican Republic | Prime Video, Paramount+ |
| Ecuador | Prime Video $5.99, Paramount+ |
| El Salvador | Prime Video, Paramount+ |
| Finland | Prime Video €6.99, Viaplay €13.99, Max €11.99 |
| Germany | Joyn free |
| Guatemala | Prime Video, Paramount+ |
| Honduras | Prime Video |
| Italy | Prime Video €4.99, Skygo, Now TV |
| Japan | U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Mexico | Prime Video $99 MXN, Paramount+ |
| Netherlands | Netflix €9.99, Prime Video €4.99 |
| Nicaragua | Prime Video, Paramount+ |
| Norway | Prime Video 79 kr NOK, Viaplay 169 kr NOK, Max 149 kr NOK |
| Panama | Prime Video $5.99, Paramount+ |
| Paraguay | Prime Video, Paramount+ |
| Peru | Prime Video S/25.90, Paramount+ |
| San Marino | Prime Video |
| South Korea | Netflix ₩13500 |
| Spain | Netflix €14.99, Prime Video €4.99 |
| Sweden | Prime Video 69 kr SEK, Viaplay 169 kr SEK, Max 149 kr SEK |
| Uruguay | Prime Video $U249, Paramount+ |
| Vatican City | Prime Video |
| Venezuela | Prime Video, Paramount+ |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Steve McQueen’s 2013 drama is 134 minutes long. That is a long time to sit with the silence between commands. The film does not ask for your sympathy; it demands your endurance. It treats dignity as a muscle that can be torn, not a concept to be debated. The cruelty is shown in the details. It is a heavy watch, but the weight is the point. You leave the theater with the air feeling thinner than when you arrived.
What the critics said
Critics did not just like it; they surrendered. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 95% approval rating from 379 reviews, while Metacritic assigns a 96 Metascore, a mark that signals universal acclaim. It was the best-reviewed film of 2013. Paul MacInnes of The Guardian called it "a necessary one," a phrase that carries more weight than usual. The consensus is that the brutality is the point. Uncomfortable, yes, but brilliant.
How it did with audiences
It cost $20 million and took $188 million worldwide, a spread that film accountants call a triumph and anyone else calls a solid quarter. On TMDB, users rate it 7.9 out of 10, while IMDb users give it an 8.1/10 as of March 2026. The numbers suggest people watched it, rated it, and then moved on to their next obsession.
Awards
12 Years a Slave collected 14 awards and 9 nominations. It took home three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress. The film also claimed the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama and the BAFTA for Best Film. Chiwetel Ejiofor added an AACTA International Award for Best Actor to his shelf. The screenplay later ranked 54th on the WGA’s list of greatest 21st-century scripts. A tidy résumé for a story that refuses to be comfortable.
What came next for the cast
Chiwetel Ejiofor arrived with Children of Men and left for Doctor Strange. Benedict Cumberbatch stepped out of Sherlock and into the Avengers. Michael Fassbender traded Inglourious Basterds for X-Men. These are not causal links, just careers moving in different directions. One actor joins the Marvel machine, another drifts into sci-fi horror, and a third stays busy. The credits simply mark the time.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched 12 Years a Slave.
Sources
- 12 Years a Slave on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q3023357 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “12 Years a Slave (film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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