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MTDb › Best of › 1998 › Mighty Joe Young

Mighty Joe Young poster

Mighty Joe Young (1998)

“Survival is an instinct.”

6.3/10 · 905 votes 1h 54m pg ActionFantasyAdventureFamily

#93 of 123 films from 1998 #1446 of 2168 in action

Directed by Ron Underwood · Written by Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal

▶ Trailer, images & where to stream

Overview

As a child living in Africa, Jill Young saw her mother killed while protecting wild gorillas from poachers led by Andrei Strasser. Now an adult, Jill cares for an orphaned gorilla named Joe -- who, due to a genetic anomaly, is 15 feet tall. When Gregg O'Hara arrives from California and sees the animal, he convinces Jill that Joe would be safest at his wildlife refuge. But Strasser follows them to the U.S., intent on capturing Joe for himself.

Cast

Charlize Theronas Jill Young
Bill Paxtonas Gregg O'Hara
Rade Šerbedžijaas Strasser
Peter Firthas Garth
David Paymeras Harry Ruben
Regina Kingas Cecily Banks
Robert Wisdomas Kweli
Naveen Andrewsas Pindi
Lawrence Pressmanas Dr. Baker
Linda Purlas Dr. Ruth Young
Mika Booremas Young Jill Young
Geoffrey Blakeas Vern
Christian Clemensonas Jack
Cory Buckas Jason

Facts

Release dateDecember 25, 1998
Runtime114 min (1h 54m) — about the same as the 1998 average of 109 min
GenresAction, Fantasy, Adventure, Family
LanguageEN
Budget$90,000,000
IMDbtt0120751

More from Ron Underwood

TremorsTremors1990 · ★ 7.0 · 1h 36m City SlickersCity Slickers1991 · ★ 6.5 · 1h 54m The Adventures of Pluto NashThe Adventures of Pluto Nash2002 · ★ 4.4 · 1h 35m

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Questions

How long is Mighty Joe Young?
Mighty Joe Young runs 114 minutes (1h 54m).
Is Mighty Joe Young worth watching?
TMDB users give it 6.3/10 across 905 votes, which places it #93 of 123 films released in 1998 in this index (top 25%) and #1446 among 2168 action titles.
Who directed Mighty Joe Young?
Mighty Joe Young was directed by Ron Underwood. Other well-rated titles by the same director: Tremors (1990), City Slickers (1991), The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002).
Who stars in Mighty Joe Young?
Charlize Theron as Jill Young; Bill Paxton as Gregg O'Hara; Rade Šerbedžija as Strasser; Peter Firth as Garth; David Paymer as Harry Ruben; Regina King as Cecily Banks.
What is Mighty Joe Young rated?
It carries a pg certification in its home market. Ratings differ by country.
Where can I watch the trailer for Mighty Joe Young?
Open the title in the MTDb app for trailers, images and streaming links: https://mv.peoplentools.com/titles/47286.

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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.