12 Monkeys

1995 film by Terry Gilliam the 2015 television adaptation 12 Monkeys (TV series) February 2026 12 Monkeys Twelve monkeysmp.jpg Theatrical release poster Terry Gilliam David Peoples Janet Peoples La Jetée Chris Marker Charles Roven Bruce Willis Madeleine Stowe Brad Pitt Christopher Plummer Roger Pratt Mick Audsley Paul Buckmaster Atlas Entertainment Classico Entertainment Universal Pictures 1995 12 29 129 minutes United Kingdom France Japanhttps://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/60124 12 Monkeys (1995) American Film Institute September 12, 2019 United Stateshttps://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/60124 12 Monkeys (1995) American Film Institute September 12, 2019 Germanyhttps://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/60124 12 Monkeys (1995) American Film Institute September 12, 2019 English $29 millionGerston Jill December 24, 1995 FILM; Terry Gilliam: Going Mainstream (Sort Of) https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/24/movies/film-terry-gilliam-going-mainstream-sort-of.html live The New York Times https://web.archive.org/web/20230404035132/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/24/movies/film-terry-gilliam-going-mainstream-sort-of.html April 4, 2023 November 7, 2023 $168.8 million0114746 12 Monkeys November 7, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230131163458/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0114746/ January 31, 2023 live 12 Monkeys is a 1995 science fiction thriller film directed by Terry Gilliam from a screenplay by David Peoples and Janet Peoples, based on Chris Marker's 1962 short film La Jetée. It stars Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, and Christopher Plummer. Set in a post-apocalyptic future devastated by disease, the film follows a convict who is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet. It is an international co-production between the United Kingdom, France, Japan, the United States and Germany. The film was theatrically released in the United States on December 29, 1995, by Universal Pictures. It received positive reviews from critics and grossed over $168.8 million worldwide against a $29 million budget. At the 68th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for Best Supporting Actor (for Pitt) and Best Costume Design. It garnered seven nominations at the 22nd Saturn Awards, winning three: Best Science Fiction Film, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Costumes. Pitt also won Best Supporting Actor at the 53rd Golden Globe Awards. Plot James Cole is a prisoner in a compound underneath the ruins of Philadelphia. He is selected by scientists for a mission to travel about 30 years into the past, to the year 1996, and collect information on the original strain of a virus that killed 99% of the human population in 1996 and 1997. Cole experiences recurring dreams in which a man is shot in an airport terminal. Cole is sent back in time and arrives in Baltimore in 1990, not 1996 as planned. He is arrested and committed to a psychiatric hospital on the diagnosis of Dr. Kathryn Railly. He encounters fellow inmate Jeffrey Goines, an outspoken critic of consumerism. Cole tells the hospital doctors he is searching for the Army of the Twelve Monkeys, the group that unleashed the virus in 1996, which is the past. During an escape attempt aided by Jeffrey, Cole is abruptly returned to the future. The scientists attempt to send Cole back to 1996, but he briefly arrives on a World War I battlefield, where he encounters another inmate from the future, José, before being shot in the leg. In 1996, Railly gives a lecture on the Cassandra Complex where she briefly encounters Dr. Peters, who mentions the destruction of the environment by humanity. After she departs, she is kidnapped in her car and told to drive to Philadelphia. The kidnapper turns out to be Cole. Railly offers him medical help and extracts the bullet from his leg. His investigation leads them to Jeffrey, who they discover is the leader of the Army of the Twelve Monkeys and the son of renowned virologist Dr. Leland Goines. Cole is abruptly returned to the future. Railly is told by police that the bullet from Cole's leg was from before the 1920s, which prompts her to identify Cole in a battlefield photograph from World War I that she's gathered during her research. She urges Leland to secure his lab against access by his son. Leland shares his intention to improve the lab's security with his assistant, Dr. Peters. Cole arrives in 1996 again and finds Railly. He tells her he believes himself delusional, while she says she's not sure any more. Railly leaves a voicemail on a number Cole says was given to him by the scientists. Cole tells her he has already heard her message, played to him by the scientists in the future. Cole and Railly decide to spend the following days together at the Florida Keys. On their way there, they learn that the Army of the Twelve Monkeys is an animal rights organization led by Jeffrey, and their graffiti "we did it" refers to liberating animals from the Philadelphia Zoo, not releasing the virus. At the airport, Cole records a message on the voicemail number, saying the Army of the Twelve Monkeys is a false lead and that he's not coming back. Railly comes across Dr. Peters at the airport and recognizes him through a newspaper photo alongside Leland. Cole comes across José, who tracked him down after his last message, and hands him a gun. Railly informs Cole of Peters, and Cole attempts to shoot him, but is shot dead by police. As Cole dies in Railly's arms, she makes eye contact with a young boy witnessing the scene. Peters boards his flight and takes a seat beside Jones, one of the scientists who orchestrated Cole's mission. Outside the airport, the young boy who observed the shooting, Cole, watches an airplane take off. Cast Bruce Willis as James Cole Joseph Melito as young James Cole Madeleine Stowe as Dr. Kathryn Railly Brad Pitt as Jeffrey Goines Christopher Plummer as Dr. Leland Goines Frank Gorshin as Dr. Fletcher Jon Seda as Jose Ernest Abuba as Engineer Bill Raymond as Microbiologist Simon Jones as Zoologist Bob Adrian as Geologist Carol Florence as Astrophysicist/Jones H. Michael Walls as Botanist David Morse as Dr. Peters Christopher Meloni as Lt. Halperin Vernon Campbell as Tiny Lisa Gay Hamilton as Teddy Annie Golden as Woman Cabbie Korstia Korchenko as Thug #1 Thomas Roy as a street preacher Production Development thumb|upright|12 Monkeys was directed by Terry Gilliam. The genesis of 12 Monkeys came from executive producer Robert Kosberg, who had been a fan of the French short film La Jetée (1962). Kosberg persuaded that film's director, Chris Marker, to let him pitch the project to Universal Pictures, seeing it as a perfect basis for a full-length science fiction film. Universal agreed to purchase the remake rights and hired David and Janet Peoples to write the screenplay.Nashawaty https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1219922_1,00.html They Call Him Mr. Pitch Entertainment Weekly July 28, 2006 April 10, 2012 October 16, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131016103131/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1219922_1,00.html dead Chris Producer Charles Roven chose Terry Gilliam to direct, because he believed the filmmaker's style was perfect for 12 Monkeys nonlinear storyline and time travel subplot. Gilliam had just abandoned a film adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities when he signed to direct 12 Monkeys, though Gilliam felt the script was "too complex" to take on.Ian Christie Terry Gilliam Terry Gilliam Gilliam on Gilliam 220–225 Faber and Faber 1999 0-571-20280-2 London https://archive.org/details/gilliamongilliam0000gill/page/220 https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/terry-gilliam-interview-zero-theorem-twitter-12-monkeys/ Terry Gilliam interview: Zero Theorem, Twitter, 12 Monkeys 14 March 2014 The film represents the second film for which Gilliam did not write or co-write the screenplay. Although he prefers to direct his own scripts, he was captivated by Peoples' "intriguing and intelligent script. The story is disconcerting. It deals with time, madness and a perception of what the world is or isn't. It is a study of madness and dreams, of death and re-birth, set in a world coming apart".DVD production notes Universal took longer than expected to approve 12 Monkeys, although Gilliam had two stars (Willis and Pitt) and a firm budget of $29.5 million (low for a Hollywood science fiction film). Universal's production of Waterworld (1995) had resulted in various cost overruns. To get 12 Monkeys approved for production, Gilliam persuaded Willis to lower his normal asking price.Gilliam on Gilliam, Christie, Gilliam, pp.226–230 Because of Universal's strict production incentives and his history with the studio on Brazil, Gilliam received final cut privilege. The Writers Guild of America was skeptical of the "inspired by" credit for La Jetée and Chris Marker. Gilliam said that he had not seen La Jetée when he made 12 Monkeys.Gilliam on Gilliam edited by Ian Christie. Faber and Faber, 1999. Page 73. In 2003, Marker said he felt the film was "magnificent".Douhaire Samuel Rivoire Annick https://www.filmcomment.com/article/marker-direct-an-interview-with-chris-marker/ Interview: Chris Marker Film Comment March 5, 2003 August 6, 2026 April 16, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260416054811/https://www.filmcomment.com/article/marker-direct-an-interview-with-chris-marker/ live Casting Gilliam's initial casting choices were Nick Nolte as James Cole and Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey Goines, but Universal objected. Other actors were suggested for the roles included Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise, but Gilliam rejected the choices.https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/12-monkeys-oral-history The oral history of 12 Monkeys, Terry Gilliam's time travel masterpiece 20 February 2024 Gilliam, who first met Bruce Willis while casting Jeff Bridges' role in The Fisher King (1991), believed Willis evoked Cole's characterization as being "somebody who is strong and dangerous but also vulnerable". Gilliam later stated that he wasn't originally interested in casting Willis because of the actor's mouth. Gilliam cast Madeleine Stowe as Dr. Kathryn Railly because he was impressed by her performance in Blink (1994). The director first met Stowe when he was casting his abandoned film adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities. "She has this incredible ethereal beauty and she's incredibly intelligent", Gilliam said of Stowe. "Those two things rest very easily with her, and the film needed those elements because it has to be romantic." Gilliam originally believed that Pitt was not right for the role of Jeffrey Goines, but the casting director convinced him otherwise. Pitt was cast for a comparatively small salary, as he was still relatively unknown at the time. By the time of 12 Monkeys release, Interview with the Vampire (1994), Legends of the Fall (1994), and Se7en (1995) had been released, making Pitt an A-list actor, which drew greater attention to the film and boosted its box-office standing. In Philadelphia, months before filming, Pitt spent weeks at Temple University's hospital, visiting and studying the psychiatric ward to prepare for his role. Filming thumb|The Senator Theatre was used as a filming location. Principal photography lasted from February 8 to May 6, 1995. Shooting on location in Philadelphia and Baltimore (including the Senator Theatre)Jeff Gordinier https://ew.com/article/1995/05/19/bruce-willis-proves-he-exudes-testosterone/ Brass Bald Entertainment Weekly May 19, 1995 2012-04-10 December 23, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201223203919/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,297297,00.html live in winter was fraught with weather problems. There were also technical glitches with the futuristic mechanical props. Because the film has a nonlinear storyline, continuity errors occurred, and some scenes had to be reshot. Gilliam also injured himself when he went horseback riding. Despite setbacks, the director managed to stay within the budget and was only a week behind his shooting schedule. "It was a tough shoot", acknowledged Jeffrey Beecroft, the film's production designer. "There wasn't a lot of money or enough time. Terry is a perfectionist, but he was really adamant about not going over budget. He got crucified for Munchausen, and that still haunts him." The filmmakers were not allowed access to sound stages; thus, they had to find abandoned buildings or landmarks to use.Terry Gilliam, Charles Roven, DVD audio commentary, 1998, Universal Home Video. The exteriors of the climactic airport scene were shot at the Baltimore–Washington International Airport, while the interior scenes were shot at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (formerly Reading Terminal). Filming at the psychiatric hospital was done at the Eastern State Penitentiary and Girard College. Some shots took place in abandoned motels in Camden, New Jersey.https://sojo1049.com/6-awesome-movies-shot-in-new-jersey/ 6 Awesome Movies Shot in New Jersey Heather DeLuca SoJO 104.9 February 28, 2016 February 28, 2019 April 9, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210409092459/https://sojo1049.com/6-awesome-movies-shot-in-new-jersey/ livehttps://www.nj.com/expo/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/02/5a666e5a959680/41-blockbuster-movies-you-didnt-know-filmed-in-new-jersey-.html 41 blockbuster movies you didn't know filmed in New Jersey Bobby Olivier NJ.com February 22, 2019 February 28, 2019 February 23, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190223075054/https://www.nj.com/expo/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/02/5a666e5a959680/41-blockbuster-movies-you-didnt-know-filmed-in-new-jersey-.html live 12 Monkeys was shot in the 1.85:1 format rather than anamorphic.https://theasc.com/articles/twelve-monkeys-dystopian-trip-through-time Twelve Monkeys: A Dystopian Trip Through Time Pizzello Stephen February 1, 2020 American Cinematographer American Society of Cinematographers November 7, 2023 live https://web.archive.org/web/20230209032542/https://theasc.com/articles/twelve-monkeys-dystopian-trip-through-time February 9, 2023 Design Gilliam used the same filmmaking style as he had in Brazil (1985), including the art direction and cinematography (specifically using Fresnel lenses). The appearance of the interrogation room where Cole is being interviewed by the scientists was based on the work of Lebbeus Woods; these scenes were shot at three power stations (two in Philadelphia and one in Baltimore). Gilliam intended to show Cole being interviewed through a multi-screen interrogation TV set because he felt the machinery evoked a "nightmarish intervention of technology. You try to see the faces on the screens in front of you, but the real faces and voices are down there and you have these tiny voices in your ear. To me that's the world we live in, the way we communicate these days, through technical devices that pretend to be about communication but may not be".http://www.smart.co.uk/dreams/tgmonkex.htm Nick James Time and the Machine Sight and Sound April 1996 2012-04-10 November 12, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201112014332/http://www.smart.co.uk/dreams/tgmonkex.htm live The art department made sure that the 2035 underground world only used pre-1996 technology, to depict the bleakness of the future. Gilliam, Beecroft and set decorator Crispian Sallis went to several flea markets and salvage warehouses looking for materials to decorate the sets. The majority of visual effects sequences were created by Peerless Camera Company, which Gilliam founded in the late 1970s with Kent Houston, the film's visual effects supervisor. Additional digital compositing was done by The Mill, while Cinesite provided film scanning services. Music The film's score was composed, arranged, and conducted by English musician Paul Buckmaster. The main theme is based on Argentine tango musician/composer Astor Piazzolla's Suite Punta del Este.http://www.piazzolla.org/works2/suite.html Suite Punta del Este Ástor Piazzolla https://web.archive.org/web/20101007193223/http://piazzolla.org/works2/suite.html 2010-10-07 dead 2012-04-10 Themes Thematic elements right 30em Cole has been thrust from another world into ours and he's confronted by the confusion we live in, which most people somehow accept as normal. So he appears abnormal, and what's happening around him seems random and weird. Is he mad or are we? right — Director Terry Gilliam In the biographical novel Gilliam on Gilliam, director Terry Gilliam described the film as "very much about the twentieth century's inundation of information and about deciphering what among all this noise and imagery is useful and important to our lives"; these themes are expressed in conflicts between the protagonist and antagonistic elements in the relative 'past' and 'future'. References to time, time travel, and monkeys are scattered throughout the film, including the Woody Woodpecker cartoon, Time Tunnel (1969), playing on the TV in a hotel room, the Marx Brothers film Monkey Business (1931) on TV in the asylum, and the subplots involving monkeys (drug testing, news stories and animal rights). Allusions to other films and media 12 Monkeys is inspired by the French short film La Jetée (1962); as in La Jetée, characters are haunted by the images of their own deaths. Like La Jetée, 12 Monkeys contains references to Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958). Toward the end of the film, Cole and Railly hide in a theater showing a 24-hour Hitchcock marathon and watch scenes from Vertigo and The Birds. Railly then transforms herself with a blonde wig, as Judy (Kim Novak) transforms herself into blonde Madeleine in Vertigo; Cole sees her emerge within a red light, as Scottie (James Stewart) saw Judy emerge within a green light. Brief notes of Bernard Herrmann's film score can also be heard. Railly also wears the same coat Novak wore in the first part of Vertigo. The scene at Muir Woods National Monument, where Judy (as Madeleine) looks at the growth rings of a felled redwood and traces back events in her past life, resonates with larger themes in 12 Monkeys. Cole and Railly later have a similar conversation while the same music from Vertigo is repeated. The Muir Woods scene in Vertigo is also reenacted in La Jetée. In a previous scene in the film, Cole wakes up in a hospital bed with the scientists talking to him in chorus. This is a direct homage to the "Dry Bones" scene in Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective.SALON Reviews:12 Monkeys http://www.salon.com/05/reviews/monkey2.html Salon dead https://web.archive.org/web/20050531001122/http://www.salon.com/05/reviews/monkey2.html 2005-05-31 2012-04-10 James Cole is a notable Christ figure in the film.Anton Karl Kozlovic https://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art8-cinematicchrist.html https://web.archive.org/web/20050223221011/http://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art8-cinematicchrist.html 2005-02-23 The Structural Characteristics of the Cinematic Christ-figure Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 2016-01-06Roman Catholicism in Fantastic Film Blasphemy in the Name of Fantasy: The Films of Terry Gilliam in a Catholic Context Christopher McKittrick Regina Hansen McFarland 2011 978-0-7864-8724-0 34–35 The film is significant in the genre of science-fiction film noir, and it alludes to various "canonical noir" films.Transgressing Women: Investigating Space and the Body in Contemporary Noir Thrillers January 2005 Lancaster University Jamaluddin Bin Aziz Future Noir Release Home media Universal Pictures released 12 Monkeys on VHS on January 28, 1997.Amazon.com: 12 Monkeys : Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, Joseph Melito, Jon Seda, Michael Chance, Vernon Campbell, H. Michael Walls, Bob Adrian, Simon Jone... https://web.archive.org/web/20210409104810/https://www.amazon.com/12-Monkeys-VHS-Bruce-Willis/dp/6304080921 April 9, 2021 November 2021 It was also released on a "Signature Collection" LaserDisc of the film on February 18, 1997, containing an audio commentary by director Terry Gilliam and producer Charles Roven, The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of Twelve Monkeys (a making-of documentary), an archive of production art, and production notes.https://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/07155/42923/12-Monkeys LaserDisc Database – 12 Monkeys [42923] lddb.com February 28, 2019 April 9, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210409092737/https://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/07155/42923/12-Monkeys live It was first released on DVD on March 31, 1998, containing the same extras as the LaserDisc.https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007PALZ2 12 Monkeys (Special Edition) (1996) Amazon.com 2012-04-10 April 9, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210409092746/https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007PALZ2 live November 2021 It was re-released as a Special Edition DVD on May 10, 2005, with a new transfer of the film and identical extras.https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/15646/12-monkeys-special-edition/ 12 Monkeys: Special Edition DVD Talk February 28, 2019 April 9, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210409092747/https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/15646/12-monkeys-special-edition/ live It was also released on HD DVD on March 4, 2008, with the same extras. It was released on Blu-ray Disc on July 28, 2009, with the same extras. Arrow Films released a new Blu-ray of the film on October 15, 2018, containing a new transfer of the film, remastered in 4K from the original negative, all of the previous extras, as well as a vintage 1996 interview with Terry Gilliam, and an interview with Gilliam scholar Ian Christie.https://arrowfilms.com/product-detail/twelve-monkeys-blu-ray/FCD1821 Twelve Monkeys Blu-ray – Arrow Films arrowfilms.com February 28, 2019 April 9, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210409094441/https://arrowfilms.com/product-detail/twelve-monkeys-blu-ray/FCD1821 live Lebbeus Woods lawsuit Throughout the film, Cole is brought into an interrogation room and told to sit in a chair attached to a vertical rail on the wall. A spherical machine with screens of varying sizes showing close-ups of the faces of the scientists interrogating Cole, supported by a metal armature is suspended directly in front of him, probing for weaknesses as the inquisitors interrogate him. Architect Lebbeus Woods filed a lawsuit against Universal in February 1996, claiming that his work "Neomechanical Tower (Upper) Chamber" was used without permission. Woods won his lawsuit, requiring Universal to remove the scenes, but he ultimately allowed their inclusion in exchange for a "high six-figure cash settlement" from Universal.http://www.benedict.com/Visual/Monkeys/Monkeys.aspx https://web.archive.org/web/20070202102337/http://benedict.com/visual/Monkeys/Monkeys.aspx February 2, 2007 Copyright Casebook: 12 Monkeys – Universal Studios and Lebbeus Woods Benedict.com dead 2012-04-10Woods v. Universal City Studios, Inc. https://web.archive.org/web/20210409092809/https://scholar.google.ca/scholar_case?case=15497279041078373388 April 9, 2021 , 920 F.Supp. 62 (S.D.N.Y. 1996) Trilogy claims After the release of The Zero Theorem in 2013, claims were made that Gilliam had meant it as part of a trilogy. A 2013 review for The Guardian said, "Calling it [The Zero Theorem] the third part of a trilogy formed by earlier dystopian satires Brazil and Twelve Monkeys [sic]";https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/sep/02/terry-gilliam-zero-theorem-internet-breakdown-real-relationships Terry Gilliam blames internet for the breakdown in 'real relationships' Pulver Andrew The Guardian September 2, 2013 September 7, 2013 September 7, 2013 https://archive.today/20130907164743/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/sep/02/terry-gilliam-zero-theorem-internet-breakdown-real-relationships live but in an interview with Alex Suskind for Indiewire in late 2014, Gilliam said, "Well, it's funny, this trilogy was never something I ever said, but it's been repeated so often it's clearly true [laughs]. I don't know who started it but once it started it never stopped".Alex Suskind Interview: Terry Gilliam On The Zero Theorem, Avoiding Facebook, Don Quixote And His Upcoming Autobiography http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/interview-terry-gilliam-on-the-zero-theorem-avoiding-facebook-don-quixote-and-his-upcoming-autobiography-20140917 IndieWire March 4, 2015 2014-09-17 https://web.archive.org/web/20150225234056/http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/interview-terry-gilliam-on-the-zero-theorem-avoiding-facebook-don-quixote-and-his-upcoming-autobiography-20140917 February 25, 2015 dead Reception Box office 12 Monkeys grossed $57.14 million in the United States and Canada, and $111.69 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $168.83 million. The film held the No. 1 spot on box office charts for two weeks in January, before dropping due to competition from From Dusk till Dawn, Mr. Holland's Opus, and Black Sheep.12-Monkeys 12 Monkeys November 8, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20220622205336/https://m.the-numbers.com/movie/12-Monkeys June 22, 2022 live Critical response thumb|upright|Brad Pitt received critical acclaim and his first Academy Award nomination. 88 7.6 73 The plot's a bit of a jumble, but excellent performances and mind-blowing plot twists make 12 Monkeys a kooky, effective experience. yes November 8, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230629125012/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/12_monkeys June 29, 2023 live Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the episode series season film a score of 75 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.12 Monkeys https://www.metacritic.com/movie/twelve-monkeys Metacritic Fandom, Inc. November 8, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230206231353/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/twelve-monkeys February 6, 2023 live Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale. https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ CinemaScore 12 MONKEYS (1995) B cinemascore.com March 25, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ December 20, 2018 dead The film's startling depiction of the world in 2035—where human life has been driven underground by a 1990s viral outbreak that annihilated 99% of human life—may not always make sense. But 12 Monkeys rattles with insightful sound and fury, and its bleak visions are hard to shake. —Peter Stack, writing for the San Francisco ChronicleStack, Peter (5 January 1996). '12 Monkeys' Is Not Exactly a Barrel of Laughs / Willis, Pitt in grimy futuristic thriller about killer virus. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2015-07-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20210409092622/https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/12-Monkeys-Is-Not-Exactly-a-Barrel-of-Laughs-3000037.php April 9, 2021 right left 40em Roger Ebert found 12 Monkeys depiction of the future similar to Blade Runner (1982, also scripted by David Peoples) and Brazil (1985, also directed by Terry Gilliam). "The film is a celebration of madness and doom, with a hero who tries to prevail against the chaos of his condition, and is inadequate", Ebert wrote. "This vision is a cold, dark, damp one, and even the romance between Willis and Stowe feels desperate rather than joyous. All of this is done very well, and the more you know about movies (especially the technical side), the more you're likely to admire it. [...] And as entertainment, it appeals more to the mind than to the senses."Roger Ebert Roger Ebert https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/12-monkeys-1996 12 Monkeys Chicago Sun-Times 2022-06-13 Janet Maslin of The New York Times stated, "This apocalyptic nightmare, a vigorous work of dark, surprise-filled science fiction, is much tougher and less fanciful than the director's films have often been. [...] 12 Monkeys is fierce and disturbing, with a plot that skillfully resists following any familiar course. The film's hero fears that he's half-crazy, and for two hours Mr. Gilliam artfully keeps his audience feeling the same way."Maslin Janet December 27, 1995 FILM REVIEW; A Time Traveler With Bad News https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/27/movies/film-review-a-time-traveler-with-bad-news.html live The New York Times https://web.archive.org/web/20230202234500/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/27/movies/film-review-a-time-traveler-with-bad-news.html February 2, 2023 November 8, 2023 Desson Thomson of The Washington Post praised the art direction and set design. "Willis and Pitt's performances, Gilliam's atmospherics and an exhilarating momentum easily outweigh such trifling flaws in the script", Thomson wrote.Desson Howe Desson Howe https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/twelvemonkeys.htm Gilliam's Barrel of 'Monkeys' Shines The Washington Post January 5, 1996 2012-04-10 September 24, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170924094633/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/twelvemonkeys.htm live Peter Travers from Rolling Stone magazine attributes the film's success to Gilliam's direction and Willis' performance.Peter Travers Peter Travers https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/12-monkeys-19950101 12 Monkeys Rolling Stone January 1, 1995 2012-04-10 September 19, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110919052345/http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/12-monkeys-19950101 live Internet reviewer James Berardinelli believed the filmmakers had an intelligent and creative motive for the time-travel subplot. Rather than being sent to change the past, James Cole is instead observing it to make a better future.James Berardinelli James Berardinelli http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/t/twelve_mon.html Twelve Monkeys ReelViews 2009-04-01 April 9, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210409092642/https://preview.reelviews.net/movies/t/twelve_mon.html live Richard Corliss of Time magazine felt the film's time-travel aspect and apocalyptic depiction of a bleak future were clichés. "In its frantic mix of chaos, carnage and zoo animals, 12 Monkeys is Jumanji for adults", Corliss wrote.Richard Corliss Richard Corliss http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983933,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20100722050616/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983933,00.html dead July 22, 2010 Back To The Bleak Future Time January 8, 1996 2012-04-10 Accolades Brad Pitt was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, but lost to Kevin Spacey for The Usual Suspects. Julie Weiss was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, but lost to James Acheson for Restoration.http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1996 The 68th Academy Awards (1996) Nominees and Winners Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 2012-12-01 April 2, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402004458/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1996 live However, Pitt won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.http://www.goldenglobes.com/film/twelve-monkeys 12 Monkeys Hollywood Foreign Press Association 2012-04-10 April 9, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210409103713/https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/twelve-monkeys live Terry Gilliam was honored for his direction at the 46th Berlin International Film Festival.Christie, Gilliam, pp. 231–233 The film also received positive notices from the science fiction community. It was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation1996 Hugo Awards Hugo Awards http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/1996-hugo-awards/ dead 2012-04-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20110507072949/http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/1996-hugo-awards/ May 7, 2011 and the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films awarded it the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film at the 22nd Saturn Awards. Pitt and Weiss won awards at the ceremony as well; Gilliam, Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, and writers David and Janet Peoples also received nominations.Past Saturn Awards Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films http://www.saturnawards.org/past.html#film dead 2012-04-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20080914184217/http://www.saturnawards.org/past.html September 14, 2008 Television series thumb|right|Actor Aaron Stanford, who portrays James Cole in the television adaptation 12 Monkeys (TV series) On August 26, 2013, Entertainment Weekly announced that Syfy was developing a 12 Monkeys television series based on the film. Production began in November 2013. The pilot was written by Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett, who had previously written for the series Terra Nova. Due to the series being labeled as "cast contingent", the series did not move forward until the roles of Cole and Goines were cast.Lynette Rice SyFy orders '12 Monkeys' pilot Entertainment Weekly http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/08/26/syfy-orders-12-monkeys-pilot August 26, 2013 August 27, 2013 December 30, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20141230134140/http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/08/26/syfy-orders-12-monkeys-pilot/ dead In April 2014, Syfy green-lit the first season, which consisted of 13 episodes, including the pilot filmed in 2013. The series premiered on January 16, 2015.http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/04/04/syfy-greenlights-12-episodes-of-12-monkeys/251263/ https://web.archive.org/web/20140405022929/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/04/04/syfy-greenlights-12-episodes-of-12-monkeys/251263/ dead April 5, 2014 Syfy Greenlights 12 Episodes of '12 Monkeys' (Updated) TV by the Numbers Bibel, Sara April 4, 2014 April 5, 2014 On March 12, 2015, the series was renewed for a second season that began airing in April 2016.http://tvline.com/2015/03/12/12-monkeys-renewed-season-2-syfy/ 12 Monkeys Renewed for Season 2 TVLine Roots Kimberly March 12, 2015 March 12, 2015 April 9, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210409092837/https://tvline.com/2015/03/12/12-monkeys-renewed-season-2-syfy/ dead Actress Madeleine Stowe made an appearance in one Season 2 episode, being the only cast member of the film to appear on the series.Abrams Natalie '12 Monkeys' taps Madeleine Stowe for special season 2 role — exclusive https://ew.com/article/2016/02/25/12-monkeys-madeleine-stowe-season-2-syfy/ Entertainment Weekly 26 February 2025 en On June 29, 2016, the series was renewed for a 10-episode third season, set to premiere in 2017.https://www.ew.com/article/2016/06/29/12-monkeys-season-3-renewal 12 Monkeys renewed for season 3 — exclusive Entertainment Weekly Abrams Natalie June 29, 2016 July 17, 2016 April 9, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210409100525/https://ew.com/article/2016/06/29/12-monkeys-season-3-renewal/ live The third season aired over three consecutive nights, from May 19 to May 21, 2017. A fourth and final season was announced on March 16, 2017. The eleven-episode fourth season ran from June 15 to July 6, 2018.https://ew.com/tv/2017/03/16/12-monkeys-season-3-premiere-date-renewal/ '12 Monkeys' Renewed for Fourth and Final Season Natalie Abrams March 16, 2017 Entertainment Weekly March 16, 2017 April 9, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210409094519/https://ew.com/tv/2017/03/16/12-monkeys-season-3-premiere-date-renewal/ live References Further reading https://goombastomp.com/terry-gilliams-12-monkeys-is-more-relevant-than-ever/ Terry Gilliam's '12 Monkeys' is More Relevant Than Ever Ricky Fernandes da Conceição March 22, 2020 goombastomp.com June 6, 2020 External links https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/movies/12-monkeys 0114746 12 Monkeys script at DailyScript.com 12 Monkeys at BehaveNet (Movies) Category:1990s dystopian films Category:1995 English-language films Category:1990s films about time travel Category:1995 American films Category:1995 British films Category:1995 German films Category:1995 French films Category:1995 Japanese films Category:1995 films Category:1995 science fiction films Category:American dystopian films Category:American neo-noir films Category:American nonlinear narrative films Category:American post-apocalyptic films Category:American remakes of French films Category:American science fiction films Category:Apocalyptic films Category:Atlas Entertainment films Category:British dystopian films Category:British neo-noir films Category:British nonlinear narrative films Category:British post-apocalyptic films Category:British remakes of French films Category:British science fiction films Category:English-language science fiction films Category:Features based on short films Category:Fiction about eco-terrorism Category:Films about animal rights Category:Films about environmental issues Category:Films about viral outbreaks Category:Films adapted into television shows Category:Films directed by Terry Gilliam Category:Films featuring a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe winning performance Category:Films produced by Charles Roven Category:Films scored by Paul Buckmaster Category:Films set in 1990 Category:Films set in 1996 Category:Films set in 2035 Category:Films set in cinemas and movie theaters Category:Films set in Baltimore Category:Films set in Philadelphia Category:Films set in psychiatric hospitals Category:Films shot in Baltimore Category:Films shot in New Jersey Category:Films shot in Philadelphia Category:Films subject to a lawsuit Category:Films with screenplays by David Peoples Category:Films with screenplays by Janet Peoples Category:French dystopian films Category:French neo-noir films Category:French nonlinear narrative films Category:French post-apocalyptic films Category:French science fiction films Category:German dystopian films Category:German neo-noir films Category:German nonlinear narrative films Category:German post-apocalyptic films Category:German science fiction films Category:Japanese dystopian films Category:Japanese neo-noir films Category:Japanese nonlinear narrative films Category:Japanese post-apocalyptic films Category:Japanese science fiction films Category:Mutual Film Company films Category:Saturn Award–winning films Category:Universal Pictures films