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Zodiac

Zodiac

There's more than one way to lose your life to a killer.

2007157 minRMidcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Director
David Fincher
Starring
Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Robert Downey Jr.

Police conduct a manhunt for the Zodiac Killer, a serial killer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area during the late 1960s and early 1970s, taunting police with letters, bloodstained clothing, and ciphers mailed to newspapers.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Zodiac?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Zodiac streaming on MGM+ via Prime Video, Paramount+ and Pluto TV (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Zodiac?

Zodiac earns 11 badges, led by Modern classic and Top 5% of films.

Show 3 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Zodiac worth watching?

Zodiac's Midcredits score is the 97th percentile of all films, from 2.9M ratings across 6 sources. 87% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

97th percentile

Better received than 97% of films

97th percentile among Crime97th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)95th
Approval (how many liked it)96th

78 /100

95th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Crime95th percentile among 2000s

Critics 79 · Audience 78

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

87% liked it

96th percentile of all films

96th percentile among Crime96th percentile among 2000s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Critics 90% · Audience 78%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 69 noms overall

99th percentile

2.9M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 2% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$65M
Opening weekend$13M
Domestic gross$33M
Worldwide gross$85M

Returned 1.3× its budget — 95th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors acknowledge Fincher's masterful craftsmanship and the film's meticulous, detail-driven approach, but they disagree on whether its methodical, anti-climactic tone makes for compelling cinema.

Fans praised

  • meticulous attention to period detail and production design
  • taut, suspenseful direction from Fincher without cheap thrills
  • strong ensemble acting from Gyllenhaal, Ruffalo, and Downey Jr.

Detractors panned

  • slow pacing, particularly in the middle act, making it feel overlong
  • lacks conventional suspense and thrills, more procedural than thriller
  • unsatisfying conclusion due to the unresolved real-life case

What stands out

Atmosphere95

immersive, gritty period atmosphere, hallmark of Fincher

Cinematography92

gritty, atmospheric 1970s San Francisco with Fincher's precise visual style

Acting88

strong ensemble including Gyllenhaal, Ruffalo, Downey Jr.; some find central performance forgettable (Cox hams it up)

OriginalityDivisive85

unique spin on true-crime by focusing on the investigators, not the killer

CharactersDivisive80

well-drawn obsession arcs, especially Graysmith and investigators; some say characters lack depth

Plot and storyDivisive72

faithful to the unsolved case, but meandering and unfocused for some

TensionDivisive70

sustained dread for fans, but detractors feel no thrills

PacingDivisive55

deliberate and methodical, some find it plodding and overlong

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 14 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Zodiac like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you can only half-watch or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, patience and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Cold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Multiple perspectives · 2% of films: The same events retold from different characters' points of view.
ToneThe film treats its factual material with grim seriousness and clinical detachment, never sensationalising the violence.
The rideThe film sustains a low-grade dread throughout, driven by the Zodiac's taunting letters and attack scenes, with a melancholic weight settling in as the case goes cold and characters burn out.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically but shifts focus among three key characters—a cartoonist, a reporter, and a detective—giving multiple perspectives on the same investigation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe unresolved case and the characters' obsessions linger, provoking reflection on truth and justice.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe film follows multiple investigators and a journalist's obsessive pursuit of an elusive serial killer, structured as an open-ended manhunt and expose that never yields a definitive answer.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfObsession
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% (this title) · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Obsession · 3% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsTruth · 4% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how the obsessive pursuit of the Zodiac consumes the lives of Graysmith, Avery, and Toschi, slowly eroding their careers and relationships even as they seek justice for the victims.
StanceThe film lays out the obsession and its costs without celebrating or condemning it, showing simply what the chase does to everyone involved.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanRuralDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · David Shire
SettingSan Francisco Bay Area and surrounding counties, 1969–1991
MusicShire's minimalist underscore weaves subtle tension through long investigation sequences without drawing attention to itself.

Content guide

Is Zodiac okay for kids?

R

Zodiac is rated R: “Rated R for some strong killings, language, drug material and brief sexual images” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (74/100), sexual content at mild (24/100), language at intense (62/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (62/100) and frightening material at severe (84/100). Overall it is heavier than 66% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 32 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland18
  • New ZealandR16
  • JapanPG-12
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina13
  • Belgium18
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hong KongIIB
  • Hungary16
  • IndiaUA
  • Israel14
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB15
  • MY18PL
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • PhilippinesR-13
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/12
  • Russia18+
  • SingaporeNC-16
  • Spain18
  • Sweden15
  • Taiwan6+
  • Türkiye16+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 80% of all filmsHeavier than 66% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 56%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 17%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 42%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 79%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 85%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: frightening material, violence, language, and drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Zodiac have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Zodiac?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Jake Gyllenhaal
as Robert Graysmith
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mark Ruffalo
as Inspector David Toschi
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Anthony Edwards
as Inspector William Armstrong
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Robert Downey Jr.
as Paul Avery
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Chloë Sevigny
as Melanie
Elias Koteas
as Sgt. Jack Mulanax
John Carroll Lynch
as Arthur Leigh Allen
Brian Cox
as Melvin Belli
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Dermot Mulroney
as Captain Marty Lee
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Charles Fleischer
as Bob Vaughn

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Zodiac?

Movies like Zodiac include The Zodiac (2005), Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru (2016) and The Little Things (2021). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by David Fincher, and most are stories about detectives.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its story type: police procedural. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Zodiac?

1K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: police procedural. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.