2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
An epic drama of adventure and exploration.
Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.
| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 2 April 1968 |
| Genre | Science Fiction, Mystery, Adventure |
| Director | Stanley Kubrick |
| Starring | Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood and William Sylvester |
| Runtime | 149 min |
| Rated | G |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 9.3/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 92% · Metacritic 84/100 · TMDB users 8.0/10 |
| Budget | $11 million |
| Box office | $146 million worldwide |
Where to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey
2001: A Space Odyssey is streaming on Max ($18.49 a month) in the US. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Max is $18.49 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 19 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Where to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey in 42 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Antigua & Barbuda | Max |
| Argentina | Max $9590 ARS |
| Australia | Max $15.99 AUD |
| Austria | Max €11.99 |
| Bahamas | Max |
| Barbados | Max |
| Belgium | Max €10.99 |
| Belize | Max |
| Bolivia | Max |
| Brazil | Max R$34.90 |
| Chile | Max $9590 CLP |
| Colombia | Max $24900 COP |
| Costa Rica | Max |
| Dominican Republic | Max |
| Ecuador | Max $8.29 |
| El Salvador | Max |
| France | Max €9.99 |
| Germany | Max €11.99 |
| Guatemala | Max |
| Guyana | Max |
| Honduras | Max |
| Ireland | Max |
| Jamaica | Max |
| Japan | Prime Video ¥600 JPY, Hulu, U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Liechtenstein | Max |
| Luxembourg | Max |
| Mexico | Max $149 MXN |
| Monaco | Max |
| New Zealand | Max |
| Nicaragua | Max |
| Panama | Max $8.29 |
| Paraguay | Max |
| Peru | Max S/35.90 |
| Portugal | Max €5.99 |
| South Korea | Wavve ₩10900 |
| St. Lucia | Max |
| Switzerland | Max CHF12.90 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | Max |
| Turks & Caicos Islands | Max |
| United Kingdom | Max £9.99 GBP |
| Uruguay | Max $U399 |
| Venezuela | Max |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Kubrick makes a 149-minute film that spends its first half in silence. The dialogue is sparse, the visuals are precise, and the pacing is deliberately slow. It is a mystery about a monolith, a computer, and the next step in human evolution. The hook is not the action, but the atmosphere. You do not watch it for answers; you watch it to see what happens when a machine decides you are the problem. It is a test of patience that rewards you with a vision of the future that still feels alien.
What the critics said
Critical opinion was split, often along geographic lines. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 92% Tomatometer score as of January 2025, while Metacritic sits at 84 out of 100 as of June 2025. The divide wasn't purely aesthetic. Keir Dullea recalls 250 people walking out of the New York premiere. In Los Angeles, Rock Hudson left early, muttering, "What is this bullshit?" Time magazine ran at least seven mini-reviews in 1968, each slightly more positive than the last. By December, it was "an epic film about the history and future of mankind." Penelope Gilliatt called it "hypnotically entertaining." That seems about right.
How it did with audiences
The budget was $10 million. It took in $191 million, a figure that stretches the definition of "quiet" to its breaking point. In the United States, it grossed $60 million, while the worldwide total sits at $146 million. On TMDB, users rate it 8 out of 10.
Awards
The film took home 7 awards from 9 nominations. Stanley Kubrick won for Best Visual Effects, Best Director, Best Foreign Production, and Best Dramatic Presentation. It also picked up a BAFTA for Best Sound. The Kansas City critics liked it enough to name it Best Film. The National Board of Review just listed it in their Top Ten. Acknowledgment, not necessarily adoration.
Where it left its mark
The film didn’t just enter the canon; it rewrote the rules. Critics and directors have long called it Kubrick’s masterpiece, a work that redefined how special effects and silence could carry a story. Its standing is less a surprise than a consensus. Sight & Sound ranked it first in their 2022 directors’ poll, a nod to a film that speaks in images rather than dialogue. The Library of Congress preserved it in 1991 for its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance. It is the monolith of cinema.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Sources
- 2001: A Space Odyssey on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q103474 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “2001: A Space Odyssey” 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
Watch it without paying for the whole year
Binge Boss tracks the movie you are on and tells you which services you need this month, and which you can cancel.
Add 2001: A Space Odyssey to your list