Shaft
Detective John Shaft must track down a wealthy, well‑connected killer who’s hired a drug lord to silence the only witness before a high‑stakes murder trial can take place.
“Still the man, any questions?”
Synopsis
New York police detective John Shaft arrests Walter Wade Jr. for a racially motivated murder. However, the only eyewitness to the crime vanishes, and Wade jumps bail and flees to Switzerland. Two years later, Wade returns to stand trial, certain that his wealth and connections will secure his acquittal—particularly since he has hired a drug kingpin to eliminate the witness.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 266+ 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 John BloomShot by Donald E ThorinScored by David ArnoldDesigned by Patrizia Von BrandensteinSound by Michael BarryStunts by Roy FarfelVFX by Randall Balsmeyer
Box Office
2000 · Box office
⚖️ Fell short of break-even — grossed 2.3× 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
$107.6M
US & Canada: $70.3M — 65% of worldwide · International: $37.3M (35%)
Opening weekend: $21.7M — 31% of its US run.
Opening week (7-day): $29.6M — 42% of its US & Canada run.
Peak 2,337 theaters
Also known as
- Shaft – Noch Fragen?de
- (Bulgarian)Шафт
Release dates around the world5 countries · showhide
- United StatesJun 16, 2000
- SwitzerlandAug 1, 2000
- BulgariaSep 1, 2000
- South KoreaSep 9, 2000
- United KingdomSep 15, 2000
Companies
Community tags
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Cast & Crew
266 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Samuel L Jackson
as John Shaft
Vanessa Williams
as Carmen Vasquez
Christian Bale
as Walter Wade, Jr.
Jeffrey Wright
as Peoples Hernandez
Busta Rhymes
as Rasaan
Dan Hedaya
as Jack Roselli
Toni Collette
as Diane Palmieri
Richard Roundtree
as Uncle John Shaft
Ruben Santiago Hudson
as Jimmy Groves
Josef Sommer
as Curt Fleming
Lynne Thigpen
as Carla Howard
Philip Bosco
as Walter Wade, Sr.
Supporting cast
92Pat Hingle
as Hon. Dennis Bradford
Lee Tergesen
as Luger
Daniel Von Bargen
as Lt. Kearney
Francisco Coqui Taveras
as Lucifer
Sonja Sohn
as Alice
Peter Mcrobbie
as Lt. Cromartie
Zach Grenier
as Harrison Loeb
Richard Cocchiaro
as Frank Palmieri
Ron Castellano
as Mike Palmieri
Freddie Ricks
as Big Raymond
Sixto Ramos
as Bonehead
Andre Royo
as Tattoo
Richard Barboza
as Dominican
Mekhi Phifer
as Trey Howard
Gano Grills
as Cornbread
Catherine Kellner
as Ivy
Philip Rudolph
as Uniform Sergeant
Angela Pietropinto
as Mrs. Ann Palmieri
Joe Quintero
as Assistant D.A. Hector Torres
Lanette Ware
as Terry
Stu Large Riley
as Leon
Mark Zeisler
as D.A. Andrew Nicoli
Capital Jay
as Golem
Bonz Malone
as Malik
Henry G Thomas
as Malik's Crew
Brian Oswald Talbot
as Malik's Crew
Preston Thomas
as Malik's Crew
Marshall T Broughton
as Malik's Crew
Ann Ducati
as Aunt Toni DeCarlo
Lisa Cooley
as News Anchor
Elizabeth Banks
as Trey's Friend
Scott Lucy
as Trey's Friend
Chris Orr
as Walter's Friend
Christopher Orr
as Walter's Friend
Evan Farmer
as Walter's Friend
Will Chase
as Walter's Friend
Jeff Branson
as Walter's Friend
Jerome Preston Bates
as Desk Sergeant
John Elsen
as Uniform Cop in Metronome
Nadine Mozon
as Abused Woman
Lawrence Taylor
as Lamont
Caprice Benedetti
as Karen
John Cunningham
as Judge
Louie Leonardo
as Pistolero
Tony Rhune
as Pistolero
Fidel Vicioso
as Pistolero
F Valentino Morales
as Enforcer
Myron Primes
as Young Blood
Universal
as Young Blood
Travis Brandon Rosa
as Fighting Boy
Matthew Wallace
as Fighting Boy
Luis Torres
as Fat Man
John Wojda
as Construction Worker
Ahmed Al Khan
as Bystander at Metronome
Amer Al Khan
as Bystander at Metronome
Rashid Feleyfel
as Bystander at Metronome
Gordon Parks
as Lenox Lounge Patron
Joan Baker
as Uncle John Shaft's Girlfriend
William H Burns
as Arresting Officer
Gabe Castillo
Nicholas J Coleman
as Bystander at Metronome
Johanna Estevez
as Girlfriend
Todd Fredericks
as Bystander at Metronome
Carson Grant
as Police Officer
Mary Ann Hannon
as Walter Wade's Housekeeper
Isaac Hayes
as Mr. P
Doug Hutchison
as Plane Door Opener
Spencer Kayden
as Lenox Lounge Patron
Deacon Ledges
Dede Lovejoy
as Police Officer
Carl Low
as Dominican #5
John E Mack
as Paramedic
Riley G Matthews Jr
as Desk & Cell Officer
Thomas Mejia
as Peoples Crew
Mercedes Mercado
as Waitress
Dorian Missick
as Young Man
Kevin O Donnell
as Club Kid
Nik Pjeternikaj
as Detective
Robert Resto
as Bystander at Metronome
Gloria Reuben
as Sgt. Council
Roman Rivera
Dawn Robinson
as Lenox Lounge Patron
Christina Rouner
as Lenox Lounge Patron
Errol Sandiford
as Correction Officer
Mustafa Shakir
as Protester
Akilah Shedrick
as Neighbor
Cue Shepherd
as Sexy Girl
John Singleton
as Bored Cop with Tea Cup
Peter Stickles
as Mickey Hunt
Al Thompson
as Pistolero
Lou Torres
as Fatman
Marc Yarrish
as TV Anchor
Directors
2Writers
5Producers
15Adam Schroeder
executive producer
Anthony Bodden
assistant to producer / consultant: grassroots
Eric Steel
co-producer
Jane P Brawley
the producers wish to thank: New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting (as Jane Brawley)
John Battist
the producers wish to thank: N.Y.P.D. Movie & TV Unit (as Lt. John Battist)
John Singleton
Producer, Producers
John Singleton Nm0005436
Producer
Joyce Saffir
the producers wish to thank: New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting
Katherine Welton
the producers wish to thank: New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting
Kathy Kelehan
visual effects producer
Mark Roybal
associate producer
Michael Blakey
music producer
Paul Hall
Producers, executive producer
Scott Rudin
Producer, Producers
Steve Nicolaides
executive producer
Other crew
149Bac Delorme
additional second second assistant director
Jill Graves Power
additional set costumer
Lee Dichter
additional sound re-recording mixer
Bobbi Banks
adr editor
Bob Baron
adr mixer
Greg Crawford
adr mixer: Atlanta
David H Kramer
adr voice casting
Gray Miller
animator
Adam Geiger
apprentice editor
Liba Daniels
art department researcher
Dennis Bradford
Art Director
Michael Vasquez
assistant auditor
Parents Guide
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