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Latest News

  1. 'Captain Phillips' Breakout Barkhad Abdi Living Off Per Diems (Report)

    'Captain Phillips' Breakout Barkhad Abdi Living Off Per Diems (Report)

    10:52 am PST 3/4/2014
    • Hilary Lewis
    Number of comments:

    The best supporting actor Oscar nominee was only paid $65,000 for his role in the Sony film, which he shot more than two years ago, and many of his clothes for the awards circuit were rented. READ MORE

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  2. Oscars: 7 Inside Jokes Explained

    Oscars: 7 Inside Jokes Explained

    12:18 pm PST 3/3/2014
    • Hilary Lewis
    Number of comments:

    Sunday night's ceremony featured jokes about L.A.'s weather, key moments in nominated movies like "Captain Phillips," "Dallas Buyers Club" and "The Wolf of Wall Street" and Sandra Bullock's wealth. READ MORE

    • 1
  3. The Race
    Brutally Honest Oscar Voter Ballot No. 3

    Brutally Honest Oscar Voter Ballot No. 3

    7:01 am PST 2/28/2014
    • Scott Feinberg
    Number of comments:

    A member of the Academy's executives branch talks THR's Scott Feinberg through his picks: "Gravity" is "spiritual," I'm voting for "the 'Captain Phillips' guy" and "Dallas Buyers" makeup succeeds in making stars "look like they're really dying!" READ MORE

    • 1
  4. OscarLytics, Part III: Math Predicts 'Gravity' Wins in Technical Categories

    OscarLytics, Part III: Math Predicts 'Gravity' Wins in Technical Categories

    9:55 am PST 2/27/2014
    • Ben Zauzmer
    Number of comments:

    Best production design remains a virtual toss up, with "The Great Gatsby," "12 Years a Slave," "American Hustle" and "Gravity" all vying for the win. READ MORE

    • 0
  5. In the Magazine
    FEINBERG FORECAST: Scott's Final Picks for Who Will Win at Sunday's Oscars (Analysis)

    FEINBERG FORECAST: Scott's Final Picks for Who Will Win at Sunday's Oscars (Analysis)

    8:00 pm PST 2/25/2014
    • Scott Feinberg
    Number of comments:

    THR's awards analyst Scott Feinberg, who predicted a field-leading 21 of the 24 Oscar winners last year, offers his final projections for all of this year's races. READ MORE

    • 1
  6. The Race
    Oscars: Inside the Last, Desperate Push to Win Over Voters Before Balloting Closes

    Oscars: Inside the Last, Desperate Push to Win Over Voters Before Balloting Closes

    2:33 pm PST 2/25/2014
    • Scott Feinberg
    Number of comments:

    From taking over the late-night talk shows to going anywhere a reporter and camera might follow —even the Vatican — this year's nominees have stopped at nothing to court votes during the final days of this year's cutthroat Oscar race. READ MORE

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  7. Two Americans Found Dead on 'Captain Phillips' Cargo Ship

    Two Americans Found Dead on 'Captain Phillips' Cargo Ship

    1:13 pm PST 2/19/2014
    • Erik Hayden
    Number of comments:

    The vessel was docked at Port Victoria in the Seychelles Islands at the time of the incident. READ MORE

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  8. Sound Mixers Reveal Misconceptions About Their Art and Views on Immersive Sound

    8:45 am PST 2/18/2014
    • Carolyn Giardina
    Number of comments:

    In advance of Saturday’s CAS Awards, THR caught up with sound mixers who worked on "Captain Phillips," "Gravity," "Inside Llewyn Davis" and "Iron Man 3." READ MORE

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  9. Behind the Screen
    'Captain Phillips,' 'Gravity,' 'The Great Gatsby' Win Sound Editors Awards

    'Captain Phillips,' 'Gravity,' 'The Great Gatsby' Win Sound Editors Awards

    11:06 pm PST 2/16/2014
    • Carolyn Giardina
    Number of comments:

    Also at the MPSE Golden Reel Awards, "Epic" wins best sound and music editing in an animated feature, while "Frozen" claims best music editing in a musical film. READ MORE

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  10. In the Magazine
    'Captain Phillips,' 'American Hustle' Editors Share the Secrets Behind Putting Those Films Together

    'Captain Phillips,' 'American Hustle' Editors Share the Secrets Behind Putting Those Films Together

    10:00 am PST 2/14/2014
    • Carolyn Giardina
    Number of comments:

    The film editors behind this year's Oscar-nominated movies open up about how their work shaped the finished product. READ MORE

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  11. Watch Video Leonardo DiCaprio, David O. Russell Celebrate at THR's Nominees Night Soiree

    Leonardo DiCaprio, David O. Russell Celebrate at THR's Nominees Night Soiree

    11:57 am PST 2/11/2014
    • THR Staff
    Number of comments:

    Other guests who made the scene at Monday night's Spago party included Sumner Redstone, Jeffrey Katzenberg, "Gravity" director Alfonso Cuaron, breakout stars Lupita Nyong'o and Barkhad Abdi, "Nebraska's" Bruce Dern, and "Before Midnight" adapted screenplay contenders Ethan Hawke, Richard Linklater and Julie Delpy. READ MORE

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    • 0
  12. Watch Video '12 Years a Slave' Writers Win USC Scripter Award

    '12 Years a Slave' Writers Win USC Scripter Award

    9:57 pm PST 2/8/2014
    • THR Staff
    Number of comments:

    Solomon Northup shares the honor with screenwriter John Ridley. READ MORE

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    • 1
  13. Behind the Screen
    'Captain Phillips,' 'American Hustle' Win American Cinema Editors Awards

    'Captain Phillips,' 'American Hustle' Win American Cinema Editors Awards

    11:17 pm PST 2/7/2014
    • Carolyn Giardina
    Number of comments:

    Eddie Award winners included "Frozen," "20 Feet From Stardom," "Breaking Bad," "Homeland," and the finale of "The Office." READ MORE

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  14. Behind the Screen
    ACE Preview: Editors on Shaping Some of the Year's Biggest Performances

    ACE Preview: Editors on Shaping Some of the Year's Biggest Performances

    11:45 am PST 2/4/2014
    • Carolyn Giardina
    Number of comments:

    THR talks with American Cinema Editors' Eddie Award nominees from "12 Years a Slave," "American Hustle," "Captain Phillips," "Gravity," "Her" and "Nebraska." READ MORE

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  15. Writers Guild Awards: Hosts Joke About Woody Allen Scandals, 'Her' and 'Captain Phillips' Take Top Film Prizes

    Writers Guild Awards: Hosts Joke About Woody Allen Scandals, 'Her' and 'Captain Phillips' Take Top Film Prizes

    11:28 pm PST 2/1/2014
    • Hilary Lewis
    • Stacey Wilson
    Number of comments:

    "Breaking Bad," "Veep," "House of Cards," "30 Rock" and "The Colbert Report" win TV trophies while David Simon, James Schamus and "The Simpsons" executive producer Sam Simon are honored. READ MORE

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  16. WGA Awards: The Winners

    WGA Awards: The Winners

    5:46 pm PST 2/1/2014
    • THR Staff
    Number of comments:

    UPDATED: "Her" wins for original screenplay and "Captain Phillips" nabs adapted screenplay, while "Breaking Bad" takes the drama series honor and "Veep" wins for comedy series. READ MORE

    • 1
  17. Watch Video 'Captain Phillips' Debuts at No. 1 on Home Entertainment Charts

    'Captain Phillips' Debuts at No. 1 on Home Entertainment Charts

    5:44 pm PST 1/29/2014
    • Thomas K. Arnold
    Number of comments:

    "The Butler" held steady at No. 2, while box office bomb "Machete Kills" soared into the top 10. READ MORE

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  18. ASC Awards: Sizing Up The Feature Nominees

    11:45 am PST 1/28/2014
    • Carolyn Giardina
    Number of comments:

    THR talks with the cinematographers for the ASC-nominated films, including "Gravity", "Inside Llewyn Davis" and "12 Years a Slave." READ MORE

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  19. In the Magazine
    Oscars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and More on Dealing With the Demands of Their Roles

    Oscars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and More on Dealing With the Demands of Their Roles

    8:00 am PST 1/27/2014
    • Gregg Kilday
    Number of comments:

    This year’s nominated actors and actresses spill all, from the biggest challenges to getting inside the heads of their (sometimes unlikable) characters. READ MORE

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  20. PGA Breakfast: Producers of 10 Nominated Films Reveal Behind-the-Scenes Drama

    PGA Breakfast: Producers of 10 Nominated Films Reveal Behind-the-Scenes Drama

    7:58 pm PST 1/18/2014
    • Alex Ben Block
    Number of comments:

    At the Producers Guild's annual nominees breakfast, Charles Roven, Spike Jonze, David Heyman and others shared stories and insights about how they got their movies made. READ MORE

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Summary

Captain Phillips is a multi-layered examination of the 2009 hijacking of the U.S. container ship Maersk Alabama by a crew of Somali pirates. It is — through director Paul Greengrass’s distinctive lens — simultaneously a pulse-pounding thriller, and a complex portrait of the myriad effects of globalization. The film focuses on the relationship between the Alabama’s commanding officer, Captain Richard Phillips (two time Academy Award®-winner Tom Hanks), and the Somali pirate captain, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), who takes him hostage. Phillips and Muse are set on an unstoppable collision course when Muse and his crew target Phillips’ unarmed ship; in the ensuing standoff, 145 miles off the Somali coast, both men will find themselves at the mercy of forces beyond their control.

Company Info

  • Columbia Pictures Studio
  • Michael De Luca Productions Production Company
  • Trigger Street Productions Production Company
  • Scott Rudin Productions Production Company