The Master
A tormented war veteran desperate to escape his violent past stumbles into a charismatic cult’s inner circle, where he must outwit the enigmatic leader and survive deadly betrayals to secure his own freedom.
Synopsis
Freddie, a volatile, heavy-drinking veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, finds a sense of family when he joins the ship of Lancaster Dodd, the charismatic leader who founded a new "religion" after World War II.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 421+ 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 Leslie JonesShot by Mihai Malaimare JrScored by Jonny GreenwoodDesigned by David CrankSound by Coya Elliott Nm0254208Costumes by Mark BridgesVFX by Andy Foster
Box Office
2012 · Box office
📉 Underperformed — grossed 0.9× 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
$28.3M
US & Canada: $16.4M — 58% of worldwide · International: $11.9M (42%)
Opening weekend: $736K — 4% of its US run. It had legs — it kept earning long after opening weekend.
Opening week (7-day): $1.1M — 6% of its US & Canada run.
Peak 5 theaters
Full synopsis
Also known as
- (English)The Master
- (Bulgarian)Учителят
Release dates around the world3 countries · showhide
- ItalySep 1, 2012
- CanadaSep 7, 2012
- United StatesSep 11, 2012
Companies
Community tags
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Cast & Crew
421 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Joaquin Phoenix
as Freddie Quell
Philip Seymour Hoffman
as Lancaster Dodd
Amy Adams
as Peggy Dodd
Jesse Plemons
as Val Dodd
Amy Adams Nm0010736
as Peggy Dodd
Price Carson
as V.A. Doctor
Mike Howard
as Rorschach Doctor
Sarah Shoshana David
as V.A. Nurse
Carly Hopkins
as as Dancer
Bruce Goodchild
as V.A. Doctor, Interview
Matt Hering
as V.A. Patient
Dan Anderson
as V.A. Patient
Supporting cast
190Andrew Koponen
as V.A. Patient
Jeffrey W Jenkins
as V.A. Patient
Patrick Wilder
as V.A. Patient
Ryan Curtis
as V.A. Patient
Jay Laurence
as V.A. Patient
Abraxas Adams
as V.A. Patient
Tina Bruna
as Portrait Customer
Kevin Hudnell
as Portrait Customer
Hunter Craig
as Portrait Customer
Ryder Craig
as Portrait Customer
Rodion Salnikov
as Portrait Customer
Emily Gilliam
as Portrait Customer
Kody Klein
as Portrait Customer
Amy Ferguson
as Martha the Salesgirl
W Earl Brown
as Fighting Businessman
Frank Bettag
as Frank
Ariel Felix
as Filipino Worker
Vladimir Velasco
as Filipino Worker
John Mark Reyes
as Filipino Worker
Brian Fong
as Filipino Worker
Diane Cortejo
as Young Filipino Woman
Leonida A Bautista
as Nana
Myrna De Dios
as Angry Filipino Woman
Katie Boland
as Young Woman
Ambyr Childers
as Elizabeth Dodd
Rami Malek
as Clark
Lorelai Hoey
as Baby
Martin Dew
as Norman Conrad
Joshua Close
as Wayne Gregory
Jillian Bell
as Susan Gregory
Kevin J Walsh
as Cliff Boyd
Lena Endre
as Mrs. Solstad
Madisen Beaty
as Doris Solstad
William O Brien
as Hiring Hall Voice
Kevin J O Connor
as Bill William
Patty Mccormack
as Mildred Drummond
Mimi Cozzens
as Chi Chi Crawford
Zan Overall
as Bartender
Barbara Brownell
as Margaret O'Brien
Brady Rubin
as Michelle Mortimer
Jill Andre
as Beatrice Campbell
Brigitte Hagerman
as New York Party Girl
Charley Morgan
as New York Lawyer
Christopher Evan Welch
as John More
Laura Dern
as Helen Sullivan
Barlow Jacobs
as James Sullivan
Gigi Benson
as Dancer
Liz Clare
as Dancer
Fiona Dourif
as Dancer
Audrey Finer
as Dancer
Megan Marie Fox
as Dancer
Baily Hopkins
as Dancer
Mari Kearney
as Dancer
Sarah Klaren
as Dancer
Ally Johnson
as Dancer
Brittany Kilcoyne Mcgregor
as Dancer
Larain Ring
as Dancer
David Warshofsky
as Philadelphia Police
Kimberly Ables Jindra
as Processing Patient
Theo Crisell
as Jail Bird
Tom Knickerbocker
as Judge
Eban Schletter
as Band (Piano)
Scott Rodgers
as Band (Drum)
Melora Walters
as Band (Voice)
Emily Jordan
as British Receptionist
Amanda Caryn Jobbins
as British Receptionist
Olivia Rosemarie Barham
as Pub Customer
Napoleon Ryan
as Pub Customer
Jennie Page
as Winn Manchester
Jaden Alexander
as UK Student
Mike Alfieri
as Dock Worker
Scott J Allen
as Dock Worker
Christine Ames
as Fervent Follower - Phoenix
Robert Amico
as Farm Foreman
Brad Anderson Smith
as NY Dock Worker
Stephen Anderson
as Sailor
Annacorey
as Madam Grace Love Interest
Lino Antonio
as Sailor
Michelle Antrobus
as Sailorette
James Barbour
as Master's Cadet
Brian Bell
as Follower
Bill Blair
as Man at the Bar
Corey Booth
as Drunk Sailor
Brandon Borbeck
as Sailor
Denis Boulankine
as NY Driver
Patrick D Bridges
as Marine
Dan Brown
as Navy Buddy
Phillip Caires
as Sailor
Jonathan Carr
as Sailor
Cabran E Chamberlain
as Ship Worker
Steve Chapman
as Sailor
Scott Christy
as Union Worker
Aaron B W Collins
as Hiring Hall Worker
Clint Corley
as Follower
Nick Corvello
as WWII US Navy Veteran
Conner Cousins
as Follower
Zachary Culbertson
as Naval Patient
Thomas Dalby
as Dock Worker
Andy Dale
as Pub Patron
Jonathan Davila I
as US Army Veteran
Liam Davis
as Cult Follower
Rick L Dean
as Follower
Emma Degerstedt
as Mrs. Mattie Meyers
Ross Denyer
as Sailor
Seth Donavan
as Veteran
Elsi Eng
as Volunteer
Kay Ewing Donato
as Follower
Josh Fadem
as Young Man
Aaron Farb
Cathy Fielding
as Capwell's Lingerie Sales Clerk
Chanon Finley
as Girl in Back of Car
Jasmine Fletcher
as Follower
Shannon Freyer
as Ellen
Quint Gabriel
as U.K. Student
Martin Gagen
as Follower
Kerry Goodwin
as Phoenix Follower
Talaria Haast
as Core Follower
Courtney Howard
as Phoenix Follower
Dale Richard Howard
as Court Observer
John Huser
as Sailor
Brian Jagger
as New York Dock Greeter
Christina Jo Leigh
as Capwell's Bridal Consultant
Bobby Johnsen
as Sailor
Brian Keenan Johnston
as Bosun's Mate Johnson
Franklin Dennis Jones
as Judge
Spencer Kayden
as Dancer
Samantha Kelly
as Party Guest
Veronika Kurshinskaya
as Dancer, Party Guest, Cause Volunteer
Lindsay Lane
as New York Partier
Terry Lane
as Hiring Hall Dispatcher
Mark Lavell
as Dockworker
Darren Le Gallo
as Master's Dinner Guest
Paul Loverde
as Follower
Billy Lozowski
as Sneezing Sailor
Patterson Lundquist
as Party Guest
Josh Margulies
as Joey
Carl Marino
as NY Dock Worker
Richard Markman
as Party Guest
Dennis Mattai
as Phoenix Follower
John Mawson
as Phoenix Businessman
Heywood Mcguffee
as New York Follower
Ray Medved
as Dock Worker
Jesse Muick
as Dock Worker
Lourdes Nadres
as Filipino
Rene Napoli
as Shady the Bookie
Christian Harris Neeman
as Sailor
Stef Nico
as Cult Follower
Andrew Nitzke
as Soldier
Jefferson Nogueira
as Phoenix Follower
Brendan Norman
as Sailor
Montgomery Paulsen
as Dock Worker
David Alan Poe
as Hall Hiree
Allen Pontes
as Boston Dock Worker
Heather Power
as Student
Mike Jerome Putnam
as Lead Department Store Guard
Jeff Rankin
as Dock Worker
Raul Reformina
as Farmer
Linda Revelli
as Follower
Alexandra Tejeda Rieloff
as Party Guest
Mark Roman
as Follower
Vanessa Ross
as USO Girl
Timothy D Rossi
as Follower
Harold Rudolph
as Philadelphia Follower
Franklin Ruehl
as Follower
Dylan Saccoccio
as Lancaster Dodd Partisan
Andrew Schlessinger
as Andrew
Haley Schwalbe
as Portrait Customer
Joseph R Scott
as Navy Corpsman
Joel Shock
as Master's Cadet
Matthew Skomo
as Navy XO
Adam C Smith
as Follower
Jesse Soares
as US Army Veteran
Arne Starr
as Core Follower
Clayton Steacker
as US Army Veteran
Kate Stewart
as Follower
Thomas W Stewart
as Follower
Allison Stout
as The Nanny
Kellog Stover
as Follower
Michael A Templeton
as Follower Dancing
Jude Thomas
as Soldier
Paul Alexander Tidd
as Sailor
John H Tobin
as Follower
Najarra Townsend
as Sales Girl
Ian Trottier
as New Hire
Wyatt Turner
as Soldier, Party Guest
Darrin Vanderpan
as Hiring Hall Worker
Ken Venzke
as Boston Dock Worker
Leah Verrill
as Stripper
Bryan Westfall
as Follower
Steven Wiig
as Philadelphia Follower
Directors
1Writers
1Producers
10Adam Somner
executive producer
Albert Chi
co-producer
Andy Foster
visual effects producer: Method Studios
Cody Charfauros
producer: rotoscopy
Daniel Lupi
Producer, Producers
Joanne Sellar
Producer
Megan Ellison
Producer, Producers
Paul Thomas Anderson
Producer, Producers
Ted Schipper
executive producer
Will Weiske
co-producer
Other crew
215Kenneth C Barrows
65mm panavision technician (as Ken Barrows)
Jill Wattles
additional craft service assistant (uncredited)
Lynn Tully
additional hair stylist
Wesley Hodge
additional hair stylist
Aimee Corry
additional intern
Amelia Cohn
additional intern
Jerry Nagin
additional legal services
Holly Dorff
adr voice casting (as Holly Dorff Long)
Amanda Williams
assistant hair department head (as Amanda M. Williams)
Brad Bell
assistant location manager
Brian Patrick Kinney
assistant location manager
Eric Klosterman
assistant location manager
Parents Guide
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