Ghost (1990)
Before Sam was murdered, he told Molly he'd love and protect her forever.
After a young man is murdered, his spirit stays behind to warn his lover of impending danger, with the help of a reluctant psychic.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 13 July 1990 |
| Genre | Fantasy, Romance, Thriller |
| Director | Jerry Zucker |
| Starring | Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg |
| Runtime | 127 min |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes 76% · Rotten Tomatoes (average) 6.9/10 · Metacritic 52/100 · TMDB users 7.3/10 |
| Budget | $22 million |
Where to watch Ghost
Ghost is streaming on Paramount+ ($13.99 a month) in the US. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Paramount+ is $13.99 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 1 November 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
You can rent Ghost on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and JustWatch TV Store. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Ghost in 5 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Australia | Binge $19.00 AUD, Foxtel, ARD/ZDF |
| Canada | Paramount+ |
| India | Jiohotstar |
| Italy | Skygo, Now TV |
| Japan | Prime Video ¥600 JPY, Hulu, U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
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
Ghost is a 1990 fantasy romance that leans heavily on the thriller beat to keep the stakes high. It runs 127 minutes and relies on a premise that defies logic: the dead stick around to fix their lives. Jerry Zucker directs Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg through a plot where a murder victim stays behind to protect his lover. The tone balances genuine romance with supernatural peril. It is a film that knows it is a fantasy and commits to the bit. The ghost does not leave, and neither does the tension.
What the critics said
Critics were divided, though not violently so. Rotten Tomatoes lists a 76% approval rating as of February 2023, while Metacritic sits at 52 out of 100, a score that suggests the film lands in the middle. Roger Ebert gave it two-and-a-half stars, noting it is "no worse an offender than most ghost movies." David Ansen called it "a zippy pastiche." The consensus leans toward a poignant romance, even if the logic of the afterlife gets a bit fuzzy.
How it did with audiences
The budget was $22 million. It took in $506 million. That ratio is less a business plan and more a series of very lucky accidents involving a ghost in a tuxedo. On TMDB, users rate it 7.3 out of 10.
What came next for the cast
Tony Goldwyn went from Jason Lives to Oppenheimer. That is a wide jump. Patrick Swayze had Dirty Dancing behind him and Donnie Darko ahead. Demi Moore traded We're No Angels for The Substance. Whoopi Goldberg moved from Star Trek: The Next Generation to Sister Act. The timeline is a messy collage, not a straight line. Credits list what followed. They do not prove cause.
Where it left its mark
The pottery wheel scene became widely known and has been cited as "one of the most iconic moments of '90s cinema." It has been parodied in The Naked Gun 2½, Wallace and Gromit, Two and a Half Men, and Euphoria. The latter recreates the scene in the episode "You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can." Stage adaptations followed, with Ghost: The Musical premiering in Manchester in 2011 before moving to London. A Japanese remake, Ghost: In Your Arms Again, released in 2010, flips the gender of the ghost. Channing Tatum acquired the rights in 2023 to star in a new version. Even The Reading nods to the original. The wheel spins on.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Ghost.
Read more: Vertigo
Sources
- Ghost on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q49003 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Ghost (1990 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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