Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)
Adventure is waiting.
After their father is called into work, two young boys, Walter and Danny, are left in the care of their teenage sister, Lisa, and told they must stay inside. Walter and Danny, who anticipate a boring day, are shocked when they begin playing Zathura, a space-themed board game, which they realize has mystical powers when their house is shot into space. With the help of an astronaut, the boys attempt to return home.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 6 November 2005 |
| Genre | Science Fiction, Adventure, Family |
| Director | Jon Favreau |
| Starring | Josh Hutcherson, Jonah Bobo and Dax Shepard |
| Runtime | 101 min |
| Rated | PG |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 6.5/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 77% · Metacritic 67/100 · TMDB users 6.5/10 |
| Budget | $65 million |
Where to watch Zathura: A Space Adventure
Zathura: A Space Adventure is streaming on Netflix ($19.99 a month) in the US. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Netflix is $19.99 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 2 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 or buy Zathura: A Space Adventure on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Zathura: A Space Adventure in 20 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Algeria | Netflix about |
| Andorra | Netflix |
| Austria | Joyn free |
| Czechia | Canal+ |
| France | Netflix €14.99 |
| French Guiana | Netflix |
| French Polynesia | Netflix about |
| Germany | Joyn free |
| Italy | Netflix €13.99 |
| Malta | Netflix €8.99 |
| Mauritius | Netflix about |
| Monaco | Netflix |
| Morocco | Netflix |
| Portugal | Netflix €8.99 |
| San Marino | Netflix |
| Slovakia | Canal+ |
| South Korea | Watcha |
| Spain | Netflix €14.99 |
| Switzerland | Netflix CHF14.90 |
| Tunisia | Netflix about |
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
Jon Favreau’s 2005 film takes a standard board game and treats its rules with the deadly seriousness of a survival manual. The hook is simple: two boys and a house, launched into orbit because of a dice roll. It runs 101 minutes, which is a long time to be floating in zero gravity with a teenager trying to keep you alive. The tone is dryly funny, ignoring the obvious panic to focus on the absurdity of the situation. It works because it trusts the audience to laugh at the premise rather than explain it.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes sits at 77% as of January 2026. Metacritic landed on 67 out of 100 in August 2025, which translates to generally favorable reviews. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it 3 stars, noting it "works gloriously as space opera" despite missing genuine emotion. Justin Chang of Variety called it "arguably the best adaptation of a Chris Van Allsburg book." Some critics, however, compared it to Jumanji, specifically noting the absence of Robin Williams.
How it did with audiences
The budget hit $65 million. The box office returned $64 million. In accounting terms, that is a loss. In cinema, it is a long tail. It opened at $13.4 million, losing 62% of its audience the following weekend, partly because Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire took the spotlight. The domestic gross settled at $29.2 million, with another $35.8 million from international markets. TMDB users rate it 6.5 out of 10. A space adventure that traveled further than its ticket sales.
What came next for the cast
Josh Hutcherson stepped out of The Polar Express and American Splendor into the orbit of The Hunger Games. Kristen Stewart left behind Panic Room and Cold Creek Manor for the vampire-heavy world of Twilight and the arduous trip of Into the Wild. Dax Shepard traded the family chaos of Cheaper by the Dozen for the awkward comedy of Idiocracy and the quieter drama of The Judge. The timeline suggests momentum, but causality is a slippery thing.
Where it left its mark
Tim George of Den of Geek called it a terrific movie worthy of reappraisal in 2018. He highlighted the witty, efficient script and directorial whimsy, noting the focus on character over special effects. Jon Favreau described the release as an escape. He admitted the experience was sobering after the success of Elf, with business realities hitting him like a bucket of cold water. Jack Black has expressed interest in a remake or sequel. Hiram Garcia noted the game contains multiple universes, with the Bazaar serving as a central hub. That hub could even go into space.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Zathura: A Space Adventure.
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Sources
- Zathura: A Space Adventure on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q148326 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Zathura: A Space Adventure” 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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