Tropic Thunder (2008)
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A group of self-absorbed actors set out to make the most expensive war film ever. When budgets skyrocket and schedules fall far behind, the director tries to save the production by leading his cast into the jungles of Southeast Asia, where they inadvertently encounter real danger.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 9 August 2008 |
| Genre | Comedy, War, Action, Adventure |
| Director | Ben Stiller |
| Starring | Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black |
| Runtime | 107 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 7.1/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 82% · Metacritic 71/100 · IMDb 7.1/10 · TMDB users 6.7/10 |
| Budget | $92 million |
| Box office | $196 million worldwide |
Where to watch Tropic Thunder
Tropic Thunder is streaming on Apple TV+ ($14.99 a month) in the US. It is also on Paramount+ ($13.99 a month) and Tubi. 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 29 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
You can rent Tropic Thunder 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 Tropic Thunder in 27 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Argentina | Paramount+ |
| Australia | Paramount+, ARD/ZDF |
| Austria | Paramount+ |
| Bolivia | Paramount+ |
| Brazil | Paramount+ |
| Chile | Paramount+, Clarovideo |
| Colombia | Paramount+, Clarovideo |
| Costa Rica | Paramount+ |
| Cuba | Prime Video |
| Dominican Republic | Paramount+ |
| Ecuador | Paramount+ |
| El Salvador | Paramount+ |
| France | Paramount+ |
| Germany | Paramount+ |
| Guatemala | Paramount+ |
| Italy | Paramount+ |
| Japan | U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Mexico | Paramount+, Clarovideo |
| Nicaragua | Paramount+ |
| Panama | Paramount+ |
| Paraguay | Paramount+ |
| Peru | Paramount+ |
| Portugal | Max €9.99 |
| Switzerland | Paramount+ |
| United Kingdom | Paramount+ |
| Uruguay | Paramount+ |
| Venezuela | 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
Tropic Thunder is a 2008 war comedy about a movie crew that goes off-script in the jungle. Ben Stiller directs and stars as Tugg Speedman. The production falls apart when Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black join the chaos. It is 107 minutes of men who take acting too seriously. The humor comes from the gap between their delusion and the reality. It is loud, it is silly, and it refuses to take itself seriously.
What the critics said
The scores are solid enough to suggest the film worked, even if the consensus is frayed. Rotten Tomatoes reports an 82% Tomatometer score as of August 2024, alongside a 7.1/10 average. Metacritic lands on 71 out of 100, which it categorizes as generally favorable. Roger Ebert gave it 3.5 out of 4 stars, calling it "considerably better" than the director’s previous effort. Not everyone shared that enthusiasm. Todd McCarthy of Variety found the antics "pretty thin" outside the lead performances.
How it did with audiences
Tropic Thunder cost $92 million and took in $111 million in the United States and $196 million worldwide. That is a solid return on investment, assuming the studio liked the guy in the mud. On TMDB, users rate it 6.7 out of 10. IMDb gives it a 7.1/10 as of February 2026. Audiences watched a war movie about a war movie and decided the confusion was part of the point.
What came next for the cast
Downey Jr. moved from Zodiac to the Avengers films. Stiller moved from Meet the Parents to the Night at the Museum sequels. Black moved from The School of Rock to Jumanji, then into A Minecraft Movie. The credits cannot say the war film caused that shift. They can say what followed.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Tropic Thunder.
Sources
- Tropic Thunder on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q380981 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Tropic Thunder” 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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