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The Iron Giant

Play trailer 1:00 Poster for The Iron Giant PG 1999 1h 26m Kids & Family Adventure Fantasy Action Animation Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
96% Tomatometer 143 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
In this animated adaptation of Ted Hughes' Cold War fable, a giant alien robot crash-lands near the small town of Rockwell, Maine, in 1957. Exploring the area, a local 9-year-old boy, Hogarth, discovers the robot, and soon forms an unlikely friendship with him. When a paranoid government agent, Kent Mansley, becomes determined to destroy the robot, Hogarth and beatnik Dean McCoppin must do what they can to save the misunderstood machine.
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The Iron Giant

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Critics Consensus

The endearing Iron Giant tackles ambitious topics and complex human relationships with a steady hand and beautifully animated direction from Brad Bird.

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Critics Reviews

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Adam Nayman The Ringer 06/18/2018
The Iron Giant captures and crystallizes its source material's anxious, humane spirit. It might be the most empathetic and exhilarating mainstream American animated feature ever made. Go to Full Review Kate Muir The Times (UK) 02/11/2016
4/5
Tender, moving and exciting for kids (and their secretly tearful parents). Go to Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian 02/11/2016
4/5
Watching this again 17 years after its original release, I savoured again the resemblances to Spielberg, Wilde and Brian Forbes's Whistle Down the Wind. Go to Full Review Don Shanahan Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast 04/12/2025
Every bit deserving of its instant classic standing. Go to Full Review Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies 09/24/2024
5/5
The Iron Giant more than holds up over a quarter-century after its release. Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 08/19/2023
Brad Bird’s cartoon fable in science fiction clothing and fairy tale trappings is a delightful throwback to the classic era of hand-drawn animated movies and delivers the most amazing little boy wish fulfillment fantasies. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Riley Jul 26 This movie was wonderful watched with Rena! She cried! See more Rebecca v 07/23/2025 One of the best animated movies ever made. See more chad 07/23/2025 What a great movie even better than I remember, everyone should go watch this now. Just do it. See more Jaime 07/23/2025 A classic that still stands high to this day See more SJS 08/11/2024 Underappreciated gem! A bit violent for a kid's film, similar to The Incredibles, but still great. Lots of humor, voice cast is terrific, and excellent animation. See more Kat 08/11/2024 Nostalgic throwback I was able to share with my son, who is the age I was when it first released. He loved it! A classic See more Read all reviews
The Iron Giant

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Cast & Crew

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Brad Bird

Director

Jennifer Aniston

Annie Hughes

Eli Marienthal

Hogarth Hughes

Harry Connick Jr.

Dean McCoppin

Vin Diesel

The Iron Giant

Christopher McDonald

Kent Mansley

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The Iron Giant

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The Iron Giant

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Movie Info

Synopsis In this animated adaptation of Ted Hughes' Cold War fable, a giant alien robot crash-lands near the small town of Rockwell, Maine, in 1957. Exploring the area, a local 9-year-old boy, Hogarth, discovers the robot, and soon forms an unlikely friendship with him. When a paranoid government agent, Kent Mansley, becomes determined to destroy the robot, Hogarth and beatnik Dean McCoppin must do what they can to save the misunderstood machine.
Director
Brad Bird
Producer
Des McAnuff, Allison Abbate
Screenwriter
Ted Hughes, Brad Bird, Tim McCanlies
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Warner Brothers, Warner Bros. Animation
Rating
PG (Mild Language|Fantasy Action)
Genre
Kids & Family, Adventure, Fantasy, Action, Animation
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 4, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 3, 2008
Runtime
1h 26m
Sound Mix
Surround