War of the Worlds (2005 film)
Updated: 12/11/2025, 8:12:38 AM Wikipedia source
War of the Worlds is a 2005 American science fiction action-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Josh Friedman and David Koepp, based on H. G. Wells' 1898 novel, The War of the Worlds. Tom Cruise stars in the main role alongside Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, and Tim Robbins, with narration by Morgan Freeman. It follows an American dock worker who must look after his estranged children as he struggles to protect and reunite them with their mother when extraterrestrials invade Earth and devastate cities with giant war machines. Produced by Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, and Cruise/Wagner Productions, the film was shot in 73 days, using five different sound stages as well as locations in California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. It was surrounded by a secrecy campaign so few details would be leaked before its release. Tie-in promotions were made with several companies, including Hitachi. War of the Worlds premiered at the Ziegfeld Theatre on June 23, 2005, and was released theatrically by Paramount Pictures on June 29. The film received generally positive reviews, with praise for effectively capturing the thrilling and suspenseful elements of Wells' novel while modernizing the action and effects to resonate with contemporary audiences. It was also a commercial success, grossing over $603 million worldwide against a $132 million production budget, making it the fourth-most successful film of 2005. It earned Academy Awards nominations for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing.
Infobox
Directed by
Steven Spielberg
Screenplay by
mw- Josh Friedman David Koepp
Based on
The War of the Worldsby H. G. Wells
Produced by
Kathleen Kennedy Colin Wilson
Starring
Tom Cruise Dakota Fanning Miranda Otto Tim Robbins
Cinematography
Janusz Kamiński
Edited by
Michael Kahn
Music by
John Williams
Productioncompanies
Paramount Pictures DreamWorks Pictures Amblin Entertainment Cruise/Wagner Productions
Distributed by
Paramount Pictures[a]
Release dates
June 23, 2005 (2005-06-23) (Ziegfeld Theatre) June 29, 2005 (2005-06-29) (United States)
Running time
117 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$132 million
Box office
$603.9 million
Tables
· Accolades
Golden Trailer Awards
Golden Trailer Awards
Award
Golden Trailer Awards
Date of the ceremony
26 May 2005
Category
Summer 2005 Blockbuster
Recipients
War of the Worlds
Result
Won
Best Action
Best Action
Award
Best Action
Date of the ceremony
Won
Teen Choice Awards
Teen Choice Awards
Award
Teen Choice Awards
Date of the ceremony
16 August 2005
Category
Choice Summer Movie
Recipients
Nominated
Irish Film & Television Academy
Irish Film & Television Academy
Award
Irish Film & Television Academy
Date of the ceremony
5 November 2005
Category
Best International Actress
Recipients
Dakota Fanning
Result
Nominated
Satellite Awards
Satellite Awards
Award
Satellite Awards
Date of the ceremony
17 December 2005
Category
Best Editing
Recipients
Michael Kahn
Result
Nominated
Best Visual Effects
Best Visual Effects
Award
Best Visual Effects
Date of the ceremony
Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Randal M. Dutra, and Dan Sudick
Category
Nominated
Outstanding Overall DVD
Outstanding Overall DVD
Award
Outstanding Overall DVD
Date of the ceremony
War of the Worlds
Category
Nominated
St. Louis Film Critics Association
St. Louis Film Critics Association
Award
St. Louis Film Critics Association
Date of the ceremony
8 January 2006
Category
Best Cinematography or Visual/Special Effects
Recipients
Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Randal M. Dutra, and Dan Sudick
Result
Nominated
Critics' Choice Movie Awards
Critics' Choice Movie Awards
Award
Critics' Choice Movie Awards
Date of the ceremony
9 January 2006
Category
Best Young Performer
Recipients
Dakota Fanning
Result
Won
Central Ohio Film Critics Association
Central Ohio Film Critics Association
Award
Central Ohio Film Critics Association
Date of the ceremony
12 January 2006
Category
Best Sound Design
Recipients
War of the Worlds
Result
Won
Visual Effects Society
Visual Effects Society
Award
Visual Effects Society
Date of the ceremony
16 February 2006
Category
Best Single Visual Effect of the Year
Recipients
"Fleeing the Neighborhood" – Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Sandra Scott, and Marshall Krasser
Result
Won
Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project
Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project
Award
Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project
Date of the ceremony
Ed Hirsh, Steve Gawley, Joshua Ong, and Russell Paul
Category
Won
Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in a Feature
Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in a Feature
Award
Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in a Feature
Date of the ceremony
Marshall Krasser, Michael Jamieson, Jeff Saltzman, and Regan Mcgee
Category
Won
Golden Raspberry Awards
Golden Raspberry Awards
Award
Golden Raspberry Awards
Date of the ceremony
4 March 2006
Category
Worst Actor
Recipients
Tom Cruise
Result
Nominated
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Date of the ceremony
5 March 2006
Category
Best Sound Editing
Recipients
Richard King
Result
Nominated
Best Sound Mixing
Best Sound Mixing
Award
Best Sound Mixing
Date of the ceremony
Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, and Ron Judkins
Category
Nominated
Best Visual Effects
Best Visual Effects
Award
Best Visual Effects
Date of the ceremony
Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Randal M. Dutra, and Dan Sudick
Category
Nominated
Empire Awards
Empire Awards
Award
Empire Awards
Date of the ceremony
13 March 2006
Category
Best Film
Recipients
War of the Worlds
Result
Nominated
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Date of the ceremony
Steven Spielberg
Category
Nominated
Scene of the Year
Scene of the Year
Award
Scene of the Year
Date of the ceremony
The Arrival
Category
Nominated
Saturn Awards
Saturn Awards
Award
Saturn Awards
Date of the ceremony
2 May 2006
Category
Best Science Fiction Film
Recipients
War of the Worlds
Result
Nominated
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Date of the ceremony
Steven Spielberg
Category
Nominated
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Date of the ceremony
Tom Cruise
Category
Nominated
Best Performance by a Younger Actor
Best Performance by a Younger Actor
Award
Best Performance by a Younger Actor
Date of the ceremony
Dakota Fanning
Category
Won
Best Writing
Best Writing
Award
Best Writing
Date of the ceremony
David Koepp
Category
Nominated
Best Music
Best Music
Award
Best Music
Date of the ceremony
John Williams
Category
Nominated
Best Special Effects
Best Special Effects
Award
Best Special Effects
Date of the ceremony
Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Randal M. Dutra, and Dan Sudick
Category
Nominated
BMI Film & TV Awards
BMI Film & TV Awards
Award
BMI Film & TV Awards
Date of the ceremony
17 May 2006
Category
Film Music Award
Recipients
John Williams
Result
Won
MTV Movie & TV Awards
MTV Movie & TV Awards
Award
MTV Movie & TV Awards
Date of the ceremony
3 June 2006
Category
Best Scared-As-Shit Performance
Recipients
Dakota Fanning
Result
Nominated
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Award
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Date of the ceremony
18 December 2006
Category
Youth in Film
Recipients
Won
| Award | Date of the ceremony | Category | Recipients | Result | Ref. |
| Golden Trailer Awards | 26 May 2005 | Summer 2005 Blockbuster | War of the Worlds | Won | |
| Best Action | Won | ||||
| Teen Choice Awards | 16 August 2005 | Choice Summer Movie | Nominated | ||
| Irish Film & Television Academy | 5 November 2005 | Best International Actress | Dakota Fanning | Nominated | |
| Satellite Awards | 17 December 2005 | Best Editing | Michael Kahn | Nominated | |
| Best Visual Effects | Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Randal M. Dutra, and Dan Sudick | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Overall DVD | War of the Worlds | Nominated | |||
| St. Louis Film Critics Association | 8 January 2006 | Best Cinematography or Visual/Special Effects | Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Randal M. Dutra, and Dan Sudick | Nominated | |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | 9 January 2006 | Best Young Performer | Dakota Fanning | Won | |
| Central Ohio Film Critics Association | 12 January 2006 | Best Sound Design | War of the Worlds | Won | |
| Visual Effects Society | 16 February 2006 | Best Single Visual Effect of the Year | "Fleeing the Neighborhood" – Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Sandra Scott, and Marshall Krasser | Won | |
| Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project | Ed Hirsh, Steve Gawley, Joshua Ong, and Russell Paul | Won | |||
| Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in a Feature | Marshall Krasser, Michael Jamieson, Jeff Saltzman, and Regan Mcgee | Won | |||
| Golden Raspberry Awards | 4 March 2006 | Worst Actor | Tom Cruise | Nominated | |
| Academy Awards | 5 March 2006 | Best Sound Editing | Richard King | Nominated | |
| Best Sound Mixing | Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, and Ron Judkins | Nominated | |||
| Best Visual Effects | Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Randal M. Dutra, and Dan Sudick | Nominated | |||
| Empire Awards | 13 March 2006 | Best Film | War of the Worlds | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Steven Spielberg | Nominated | |||
| Scene of the Year | The Arrival | Nominated | |||
| Saturn Awards | 2 May 2006 | Best Science Fiction Film | War of the Worlds | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Steven Spielberg | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor | Tom Cruise | Nominated | |||
| Best Performance by a Younger Actor | Dakota Fanning | Won | |||
| Best Writing | David Koepp | Nominated | |||
| Best Music | John Williams | Nominated | |||
| Best Special Effects | Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Randal M. Dutra, and Dan Sudick | Nominated | |||
| BMI Film & TV Awards | 17 May 2006 | Film Music Award | John Williams | Won | |
| MTV Movie & TV Awards | 3 June 2006 | Best Scared-As-Shit Performance | Dakota Fanning | Nominated | |
| Las Vegas Film Critics Society | 18 December 2006 | Youth in Film | Won |
References
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