Primal Fear (film)
Updated: 12/16/2025, 8:49:34 PM Wikipedia source
Primal Fear is a 1996 American crime legal drama mystery thriller film directed by Gregory Hoblit, based on the 1993 novel of the same name by William Diehl, written by Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman. It stars Richard Gere, Laura Linney, John Mahoney, Alfre Woodard, Frances McDormand, and Edward Norton in his film debut. The film follows a Chicago-based defense attorney who believes that his client, an altar boy, is not guilty of murdering a Catholic bishop. The film was a box office success and received positive reviews, with Norton's performance earning critical praise. Norton won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Infobox
Directed by
Gregory Hoblit
Screenplay by
mw- Steve Shagan Ann Biderman
Based on
Primal Fearby William Diehl
Produced by
Gary Lucchesi Howard W. Koch Jr.
Starring
Richard Gere Laura Linney John Mahoney Alfre Woodard Frances McDormand Edward Norton
Cinematography
Michael Chapman
Edited by
David Rosenbloom
Music by
James Newton Howard
Productioncompany
Rysher Entertainment
Distributed by
Paramount Pictures
Release dates
April 1, 1996 (1996-04-01) (Los Angeles) April 5, 1996 (1996-04-05) (United States)
Running time
130 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$30 million
Box office
$102.6 million
Tables
· Reception › Accolades
20/20 Awards
20/20 Awards
Award
20/20 Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
Edward Norton
Result
Nominated
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
Nominated
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
Award
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
Category
Top Box Office Films
Nominee(s)
James Newton Howard
Result
Won
Awards Circuit Community Awards
Awards Circuit Community Awards
Award
Awards Circuit Community Awards
Category
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominee(s)
Edward Norton
Result
Runner-up
Honorable Mentions
Honorable Mentions
Award
Honorable Mentions
Category
Gregory Hoblit
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
Award
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
Edward Norton
Result
Won
British Academy Film Awards
British Academy Film Awards
Award
British Academy Film Awards
Category
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Casting Society of America
Casting Society of America
Award
Casting Society of America
Category
Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Drama
Nominee(s)
Deborah Aquila and Jane Shannon-Smith
Result
Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Award
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
Edward Norton
Result
Nominated
Most Promising Actor
Most Promising Actor
Award
Most Promising Actor
Category
Won
Critics Choice Awards
Critics Choice Awards
Award
Critics Choice Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
Won
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Nominee(s)
Won
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Award
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
Won
MTV Movie Awards
MTV Movie Awards
Award
MTV Movie Awards
Category
Best Villain
Nominee(s)
Nominated
National Society of Film Critics Awards
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Award
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
3rd Place
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Award
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
Won
Satellite Awards
Satellite Awards
Award
Satellite Awards
Category
Best DVD Extras
Nominee(s)
Primal Fear – Hard Evidence Edition
Result
Nominated
Saturn Awards
Saturn Awards
Award
Saturn Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
Edward Norton
Result
Nominated
Society of Texas Film Critics Awards
Society of Texas Film Critics Awards
Award
Society of Texas Film Critics Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
Won
Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards
Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards
Award
Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
Won
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| 20/20 Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Edward Norton | Nominated | |
| Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | ||
| ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards | Top Box Office Films | James Newton Howard | Won | |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Edward Norton | Runner-up | |
| Honorable Mentions | Gregory Hoblit | Nominated | ||
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Edward Norton | Won | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Nominated | ||
| Casting Society of America | Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Drama | Deborah Aquila and Jane Shannon-Smith | Nominated | |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Edward Norton | Nominated | |
| Most Promising Actor | Won | |||
| Critics Choice Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | ||
| Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Won | ||
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Won | ||
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Won | ||
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Won | ||
| MTV Movie Awards | Best Villain | Nominated | ||
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Supporting Actor | 3rd Place | ||
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Won | ||
| Satellite Awards | Best DVD Extras | Primal Fear – Hard Evidence Edition | Nominated | |
| Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Edward Norton | Nominated | |
| Society of Texas Film Critics Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Won | ||
| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Won |
References
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- HFPAhttps://www.goldenglobes.com/film/primal-fear
- kcfcc.orghttps://kcfcc.org/kcfcc-award-winners-1990-99/
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/16/movies/los-angeles-critics-honor-secrets-and-lies.html
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/bard-tops-mtv-list-1117434620/
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-01-06-ca-15965-story.html
- Online Film & Television Associationhttp://www.oftaawards.com/film-awards/1st-annual-film-awards-1996/
- "2009 | Categories | International Press Academy"https://www.pressacademy.com/award_cat/2009/
- The Austin Chroniclehttp://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:525916
- sefca.nethttps://www.sefca.net/winners#/1996
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