
2001: A Space Odyssey
When a mysterious artifact is uncovered on the Moon, a spacecraft manned by two humans and one supercomputer is sent to Jupiter to find its origins.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick · Adventure · Sci-Fi · 149 min · 1968
Trailer
Director
Stanley Kubrick
Studio
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer{{cite web / title=2001: A Space Odyssey / url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/23399 / website=AFI Catalog of Feature Films / access-date=14 March 2025
Release
12 May 1968
Runtime
149 min
Genres
Adventure, Sci-Fi
Full Plot
"2001" is a story of evolution. Sometime in the distant past, someone or something nudged evolution by placing a monolith on Earth (presumably elsewhere throughout the universe as well). Evolution then enabled humankind to reach the moon's surface, where yet another monolith is found, one that signals the monolith placers that humankind has evolved that far. Now a race begins between computers (HAL) and human (Bowman) to reach the monolith placers. The winner will achieve the next step in evolution, whatever that may be.
Cast & Characters
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $12.0M, 2001: A Space Odyssey has grossed $71.9M worldwide — about 6.0x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
2001: A Space Odyssey is part of TMDb's "The Space Odyssey Series."
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Stanley Kubrick has directed 7 films in our catalog, including The Shining, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
2001: A Space Odyssey
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that Stanley Kubrick was determined to make a "proverbial good science fiction movie" about extraterrestrial life?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that the film was initially going to be called "How the Solar System Was Won"?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
2001: A Space Odyssey holds 8.3/10 on IMDb (772,787 votes), 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.3/10 on IMDb (772,787 votes), 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 2001: A Space Odyssey's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
2001: A Space Odyssey holds a 90% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is 2001: A Space Odyssey's IMDb rating?+
2001: A Space Odyssey has a 8.3/10 rating on IMDb from 772,787 votes.
What is 2001: A Space Odyssey's Metacritic score?+
2001: A Space Odyssey has a Metascore of 84/100 on Metacritic.
Is 2001: A Space Odyssey good? What are critics saying?+
2001: A Space Odyssey holds 8.3/10 on IMDb (772,787 votes), 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84/100 on Metacritic.
How long is 2001: A Space Odyssey?+
2001: A Space Odyssey has a runtime of 149 min.
Who directed 2001: A Space Odyssey?+
2001: A Space Odyssey was directed by Stanley Kubrick.
Where can I watch 2001: A Space Odyssey?+
2001: A Space Odyssey is available to stream, rent, or buy on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Philo, YouTube TV, TCM, HBO Max, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Rakuten TV, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The reaction to "2001: A Space Odyssey" is varied but generally positive. Some reviewers praise the film's thought-provoking themes, visuals, and innovative storytelling, while others find it boring or lacking in depth. Many viewers have rewatched the movie as adults, discovering new layers of meaning or experiencing it for the first time, with some even considering it a classic masterpiece.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
There are many great predictions hinting to future (it is from 1968 - can you believe it?) innovations throughout the movie. I might not have found all them because I keep falling asleep while watching it but I will keep trying to find them all.
I believe that we should call it a modernism show, albeit exhibited in the form of a movie. While it might feel "boring", it forces you to rethink what philosophical level that a two-hour film can achieve. The focus on questions about life, intelligence, and time, is worth more a…
izgzhen · 8/10The eighth wonder of the world. Easily 30+ viewings since I was a little kid. Nothing new to say here; simply wanted to add another pair of hands to the ocean of applause for my absolute favorite thing, the only indisputably perfect movie, the answer to the question of Is Life Wo…
tmdb47633491 · 10/10I got this movie recently when it came out on Ultra HD Blu-ray simply because it was missing in my collection and, being a Sci-Fi fan, missing 2001 in my collection simply would not do. It is a movie that was made to rely almost entirely on the visuals. It could be said that it i…
Dark Jedi · 6/10_**Inscrutable space science-fiction as cinematic art**_ The discovery of an ancient extraterrestrial monolith on the Moon leads to a mission to Jupiter, but the astronauts have unexpected complications with their vessel’s onboard computer, HAL 9000. William Sylvester plays an of…
Wuchak · 8/10I saw it for the first time when I was in middle school. I thought it was the worst movie ever. Then, some time later, as an adult, I rewatched it and was amazed at how wonderful it was. It was so beautiful and magnificent that I could not believe it was made in 1968, and I thoug…
**A magnificent film, with beautiful music and great visuals... but smug, empty and unforgivably overrated.** Stanley Kubrick is, for me, one of those directors who so quickly impresses us with a great film, as it makes us doubt his competence with an absolutely pathetic trash. I…
Filipe Manuel Neto · 2/10From the opening bars of Richard Strauss's "Also spracht Zarathustra" you just know that this is going to be something unique - and that it is. Apes, playing by a puddle - occasionally engaging in some noisy territorial warfare with their neighbours until one morning, this great…
Absolute classic, must see, one of the best scifi movies ever made
JJJ222cool · 10/10This is the most pretentious crap ever made - but is it an amazing film? No. But it is an amazing _**piece of art**_. This is worthy of the label of film, but the label of film is not worthy of this. Kubrick has crafted a stellar and surreal experience, one of the greatest **_pie…
James · 8/10Pleasing on a technical level, even with barely anything to grasp story-wise. <em>'2001: A Space Odyssey'</em> looks and sounds exquisite, it really is seriously impressive in that regard for a film from 1968. That is, however, the only reason that this gets a passing rating from…
r96sk · 7/10Seeing _2001: A Space Odyssey_ on the big screen for the first time is an eye-opener. The vastness of space, the eerily precise shots of the spacecraft, and the careful pacing all come to life in a way a TV could never match. The immersive sound design, from the opening hum to th…
griggs79 · 9/10This is the second Stanley Kubrick movie I've seen that I didn't enjoy. The first was The Shining, which I found painfully slow and uninteresting. It annoyed me. And it's not because it was bad, but because everyone treats it like a masterpiece. I expected brilliance, tension, so…
Christopher Figaro · 6/10From an artistic point of view, I can certainly see the appeal of this movie. From its influence on media, as well. But, to me personally, that's about it. Very short summary: - Very artistic movie that has very nice visuals, great use of classical music and use of sound or lack…
RealZero · 4/10It's not for general entertainment and the audience is movie industry/enthusiasts. Movie critics and the people find effort to leave a review for it happen to be in the niche, therefore it has a high score. Sure, it this movie might have made some breakthrough in the industry. Bu…
i mean its alright. it hits a pretty okay point. yea. it was solid but nothing special. i agree with myself.
polfloe10 · 10/10






























