๐ŸŽž MTDbBest ofBy yearBy genreBy runtimeBrowse (app)

MTDb โ€บ Best of โ€บ 2021 โ€บ Nightmare Alley

Nightmare Alley poster

Nightmare Alley (2021)

โ€œMan or beast.โ€

6.9/10 ยท 3,505 votes 2h 31m r ThrillerDramaCrime

#111 of 248 films from 2021 #719 of 2475 in thriller

Directed by Guillermo del Toro ยท Written by Guillermo del Toro, William Lindsay Gresham, Kim Morgan

โ–ถ Trailer, images & where to stream

Overview

An ambitious carnival man with a talent for manipulating people with a few well-chosen words hooks up with a female psychologist who is even more dangerous than he is.

Cast

Bradley Cooperas Stanton Carlisle
Cate Blanchettas Dr. Lilith Ritter
Toni Colletteas Zeena the Seer
Willem Dafoeas Clem Hoatley
Richard Jenkinsas Ezra Grindle
Rooney Maraas Molly Cahill
Ron Perlmanas Bruno
Mary Steenburgenas Mrs. Kimball
David Strathairnas Pete
Mark Povinellias The Major
Peter MacNeillas Judge Kimball
Holt McCallanyas Anderson
Paul Andersonas Geek #1
Lara Jean Chorosteckias Louise Hoatley

Facts

Release dateDecember 2, 2021
Runtime151 min (2h 31m) โ€” longer as the 2021 average of 110 min
GenresThriller, Drama, Crime
LanguageEN
Budget$60,000,000
Box office$39,629,195 (0.7ร— budget)
IMDbtt7740496

More from Guillermo del Toro

Guillermo del Toro's PinocchioGuillermo del Toro's Pinocchio2022 ยท โ˜… 8.0 ยท 1h 57m Pan's LabyrinthPan's Labyrinth2006 ยท โ˜… 7.8 ยท 1h 58m FrankensteinFrankenstein2025 ยท โ˜… 7.6 ยท 2h 30m The Shape of WaterThe Shape of Water2017 ยท โ˜… 7.2 ยท 2h 3m Pacific RimPacific Rim2013 ยท โ˜… 7.0 ยท 2h 11m Hellboy II: The Golden ArmyHellboy II: The Golden Army2008 ยท โ˜… 6.8 ยท 2h 0m Crimson PeakCrimson Peak2015 ยท โ˜… 6.7 ยท 1h 59m CronosCronos1993 ยท โ˜… 6.7 ยท 1h 34m

If you liked Nightmare Alley

Same genre, released within a few years, sorted by TMDB rating.

The Shadow's EdgeThe Shadow's Edge2025 ยท โ˜… 8.3 ยท 2h 22m JokerJoker2019 ยท โ˜… 8.1 ยท 2h 2m PrisonersPrisoners2013 ยท โ˜… 8.1 ยท 2h 33m Better DaysBetter Days2019 ยท โ˜… 8.1 ยท 2h 15m Bad GeniusBad Genius2017 ยท โ˜… 7.9 ยท 2h 10m Sherlock: The Abominable BrideSherlock: The Abominable Bride2016 ยท โ˜… 7.8 ยท 1h 30m ShopliftersShoplifters2018 ยท โ˜… 7.8 ยท 2h 0m NightcrawlerNightcrawler2014 ยท โ˜… 7.7 ยท 1h 58m

Questions

How long is Nightmare Alley?
Nightmare Alley runs 151 minutes (2h 31m), which is long for a thriller โ€” plan for it.
Is Nightmare Alley worth watching?
TMDB users give it 6.9/10 across 3,505 votes, which places it #111 of 248 films released in 2021 in this index (top 56%) and #719 among 2475 thriller titles.
Who directed Nightmare Alley?
Nightmare Alley was directed by Guillermo del Toro. Other well-rated titles by the same director: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022), Pan's Labyrinth (2006), Frankenstein (2025).
Who stars in Nightmare Alley?
Bradley Cooper as Stanton Carlisle; Cate Blanchett as Dr. Lilith Ritter; Toni Collette as Zeena the Seer; Willem Dafoe as Clem Hoatley; Richard Jenkins as Ezra Grindle; Rooney Mara as Molly Cahill.
What is Nightmare Alley rated?
It carries a r certification in its home market. Ratings differ by country.
Where can I watch the trailer for Nightmare Alley?
Open the title in the MTDb app for trailers, images and streaming links: https://mv.peoplentools.com/titles/15876.

Browse

Best of 2021Best thrillerThriller of the 2020sBest dramaDrama of the 2020sBest crimeCrime of the 2020sAll lists
MTDbยทBest films by year, genre and runtimeยทA century in numbersยทBrowse and watch trailers

Film data and images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Ratings are TMDB user scores as of 2026-10-05.