Nightmare Alley
A desperate drifter who hides his father's corpse takes a night job at a traveling carnival, only to become entangled in the troupe’s dark deceptions and must outwit its ruthless owner while fighting for a chance at love and freedom.
“Man or beast.”
Synopsis
A charismatic carnival man skilled in influencing others through carefully chosen words becomes involved with a female psychologist who proves to be just as dangerous as he is.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 316+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by Cam MclauchlinShot by Dan LaustsenScored by Nathan JohnsonDesigned by Tamara DeverellSound by Greg Chapman Nm0152382Costumes by Luis SequeiraVFX by Dennis Berardi
Box Office
2021 · Box office
📉 Underperformed — grossed 0.7× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$39.6M
US & Canada: $11.3M — 29% of worldwide · International: $28.3M (71%)
Opening weekend: $2.8M — 25% of its US run.
Opening week (7-day): $4.1M — 36% of its US & Canada run.
Peak 2,145 theaters
Full synopsis
Versions & cuts
- extended· 159 min
Also known as
- El callejón de las almas perdidases
- La fiera delle illusioniit
- La fiera delle illusioni - Nightmare Alleyit
- (English)Nightmare Alley
- (Bulgarian)Улицата на кошмарите
Release dates around the world4 countries · showhide
- United StatesDec 1, 2021
- CanadaDec 17, 2021
- PhilippinesDec 17, 2021
- SingaporeJan 13, 2022
Companies
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Cast & Crew
316 unique people credited
Top billed cast
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
Ron Perlman
as Bruno
Mary Steenburgen
as Mrs. Kimball
David Strathairn
as Pete
Mark Povinelli
as The Major
Peter Macneill
as Judge Kimball
Holt Mccallany
as Anderson
Supporting cast
71Paul Anderson
as Geek #1
Lara Jean Chorostecki
as Louise Hoatley
Jim Beaver
as Sheriff Jedediah Judd
Clifton Collins Jr
as Funhouse Jack
Tim Blake Nelson
as Carny Boss
David Hewlett
as Dr. Elrood
Sarah Mennell
as Abigail
Mike Hill Nm2432825
as Dogboy Jojo
Caleb Ellsworth Clark
as Drunk #1
Dian Bachar
as Fee Fee the Birdgirl
Troy James
as The Snake Man
Matthew Maccallum
as Human Skeleton
Samantha Rodes
as Zizi the Pinhead
Jesse Buck
as Geek #2
Perry Mucci
as Hotel Manager
Bill Macdonald
as Stanton's Dad
Dan Lett
as Deputy #1
Catherine Mcgregor
as Copa Woman
Martin Julien
as Bus Station Shaving Man
Natalie Brown
as Lilith's Receptionist
Daniel Falk
as Patron #1
Tim Post
as Armed Guard #1
Will Conlon
as Armed Guard #2
Stephen Mchattie
as Hobo #1
James Collins
as Train Yard Man
Lili Connor
as Woman in Floral Dress
Danny Waugh
as Piano Player
Walter Rinaldi
as Drunk
Andrew Locke
as Train Worker
Calvin Desautels
as Policeman
Derrick Moore
as Stagehand
Linden Porco
as Brofo the Small
Grant Bradley
as Deputy #2
Dani Klupsch
as Geek Pit Patron
Vikki Ring
as Geek Pit Patron
Vanessa Botbyl
as Geek Pit Patron
Michael Bridgeman
as Geek Pit Patron
Charles Langille
as Geek Pit Patron
Paul Taylor
as Geek Pit Patron
Clyde Whitham
as Geek Pit Patron
Stu Arthur
as Deputy
Bob Bozek
as Pedestrian
Diana Brugos
as Carnival Worker
Kyle James Butler
as Millionaire
Frannypanties
as Blonde Peepshow Girl
William David Hobbs
as Office Worker
J Timothy Hunt
as Copa Photographer
Kim Janveau
as Ambrose Carnival Patron
Olia Kashevarova
as Geek Tent Patron
Liam Kinahan
as Bellboy
Raimo Kurppa
as Carny Worker
Jeff Lasky
as Bus Station Passenger
Christine Lauer
as Pedestrian
John Lopacki
as Army Soldier
Keith Lukowski
as Security Guard
Doug Macdougall
as Homeless Man
Diane Marzec
as Business Woman
Mandi Maxwell
as Carny Worker
Martin R Mlodozeniec
as Police Officer
Kaz Morgan
as Carny Worker
Drew Nelson
as Humphries
Emily Nixon
as Stan's Mom
Jim Pagiamtzis
as Passerby
Miranda Rose Pave
as Geek Tent Patron
Bobbie Peterson
as Salvation Army Chorus
Sylvain Plasse
as Carnival Patron
Romina Power
as Party Guest
Dominique Smith
as Loud Tent Patron
Kerry Streams
as Woman on Street
Neil Whitely
as Butler
Shannon Widdis
as Fair Attendee
Directors
1Writers
3Producers
12Alejandro G Inarritu
the producers wish to thank
Alfonso Cuaron
the producers wish to thank
Bradley Cooper
Producer, Producers
Derren Brown
the producers wish to thank
Felix Kay
the producers wish to thank
Guillermo Del Toro
Producer, Producers
J J Abrams
the producers wish to thank
J Miles Dale
Producer, Producers
John O Grady
associate producer
Laura Geucherian
finishing producer
T K Knowles
associate producer
Teller
the producers wish to thank
Other crew
225Nikki Alfonso
1st assistant accountant
Darleen Abbott
1st assistant accountant: Buffalo Unit
Harrison Perez
1st assistant editor
Luke Genik
1st assistant production
Angela Montgomery
2nd assistant accountant (uncredited)
Trevor Boyd
2nd assistant camera: Buffalo
Laura Kelly
accounting clerk
Walter Volpatto
additional colorist
Dave Muscat
additional colorist: directors cut
Adam Nazarenko
additional digital intermediate colorist
Dan Barone
additional on-set dresser: buffalo
Josh Collins
additional production assistant
Parents Guide
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Where to watch
Live · bot-verified- Paramount+Stream
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