Idiocracy (2006)
In the future, intelligence is extinct.
To test its top-secret Human Hibernation Project, the Pentagon picks the most average European-Americans it can find - an Army private and a prostitute - and sends them to the year 2505 after a series of freak events. But when they arrive, they find a civilization so dumbed-down that they're the smartest people around.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 1 September 2006 |
| Genre | Comedy, Science Fiction, Adventure, Thriller |
| Director | Mike Judge |
| Starring | Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph and Dax Shepard |
| Runtime | 85 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes 71% · Rotten Tomatoes (average) 6.5/10 · Metacritic 66/100 · TMDB users 6.4/10 |
| Budget | $2 million |
| Box office | $495,303 worldwide |
Where to watch Idiocracy
Idiocracy is streaming on Prime Video ($13.98 a month) in the US. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Prime Video is $13.98 at list price.
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Rent or buy
You can rent or buy Idiocracy on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Idiocracy in 25 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Australia | Max $15.99 AUD |
| Austria | Prime Video €8.99, Disney+ €10.99 |
| Belgium | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Bulgaria | Disney+ €9.99 |
| Canada | Disney+ $15.99 CAD |
| Croatia | Disney+ €9.99 |
| Czechia | Disney+ 219 Kč |
| Denmark | Disney+ 119 kr DKK |
| Finland | Disney+ €11.99 |
| France | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Germany | Prime Video €8.99, Disney+ €10.99 |
| Hungary | Disney+ 2990 Ft |
| Ireland | Disney+ €11.99 |
| Italy | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Liechtenstein | Prime Video, Disney+ |
| Luxembourg | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Netherlands | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Norway | Disney+ 129 kr NOK |
| Poland | Prime Video 25.99 zł, Disney+ 34.99 zł |
| Portugal | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Romania | Disney+ 34.99 lei |
| San Marino | Disney+ |
| Sweden | Disney+ 129 kr SEK |
| Switzerland | Prime Video CHF8.90, Disney+ CHF16.90 |
| United Kingdom | Disney+ £11.99 GBP |
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What kind of watch this is
Mike Judge directs this 85-minute film, which treats intelligence as a perishable good. The premise is simple: an average soldier and a sex worker wake up in 2505 to find a civilization where they are the smartest people alive. It plays with the absurdity of reverse evolution, swapping genius for stupidity. The humor relies on the shock of normalcy. It is a dry look at a world that has accidentally solved the problem of being average. The tagline nails it: intelligence is extinct.
What the critics said
Critics didn’t hate it, but they didn’t exactly cheer. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 71% as of March 2024, with an average rating of 6.5 out of 10 from October 2021. Metacritic lands on 66 out of 100 as of October 2025, which it labels generally favorable. The consensus notes it is frustratingly uneven yet enjoyable overall. Carina Chocano called the satire spot on, though she admitted the plot is silly. Joshua Rich gave it a D, noting the film asks us to reflect on a future where pop stars are the new Adam and Eve. It’s a smart lowbrow take that might be mistaken for its own target.
How it did with audiences
The budget was $2 million, yet the box office reads as $0 million in both the United States and worldwide. That is a peculiar kind of failure, where the money spent exceeds the money counted. On TMDB, users give it a 6.4 out of 10. The numbers suggest a film that was made, seen, and then politely forgotten by the accounting department.
What came next for the cast
Maya Rudolph moved from Gattaca to Bridesmaids, a jump that feels like a genre change. Terry Crews went from White Chicks to Deadpool 2, trading sketch comedy for superhero action. Luke Wilson and Dax Shepard filled the middle with steady, often funny leads. The credits show a shift in tone, but they cannot prove Idiocracy caused it. They only mark where the road bent.
Where it left its mark
The film’s satire aged into prophecy. Co-writer Etan Cohen and director Mike Judge noted in 2016 that the movie’s predictions were converging on accuracy. Judge compared Donald Trump to the fictional pro wrestler-turned-president Camacho, though he insisted he was "off by 490 years." Critics later drew parallels between Trump’s policies and the film’s political decisions. Memes kept the comparisons alive through 2025 and 2026. The New York Times eventually ranked it the film that best captured the American experience. It wasn’t a prediction; it was a warning.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Idiocracy.
Sources
- Idiocracy on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q1347609 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Idiocracy” 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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