WarGames (1983): cast, story & where to watch
1983 · Film · ★ 7.1
Released in 1983, WarGames is an action, thriller, drama and adventure film directed by John Badham, running about 114 minutes. “Is it a game, or is it real?” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. High School student David Lightman has a talent for hacking. But while trying to hack into a computer system to play unreleased video games, he unwittingly taps into the Defense Department's war computer and initiates a confrontation of global proportions. Together with his girlfriend and a wizardly computer genius, David must race against time to outwit his opponent and prevent a nuclear Armageddon.
Who’s in it. WarGames stars Matthew Broderick as David Lightman, Dabney Coleman as McKittrick, John Wood as Stephen Falken and Ally Sheedy as Jennifer, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.1/10, WarGames has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $124.6M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo and MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch WarGames page.
If you liked it. Fans of WarGames tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch WarGames (1983)?
- In US, WarGames is available to stream on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel and Philo, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is WarGames worth watching?
- WarGames holds an audience score of 7.1 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action, thriller, drama and adventure. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in WarGames?
- WarGames stars Matthew Broderick, Dabney Coleman, John Wood, Ally Sheedy and Barry Corbin.
- When was WarGames released?
- WarGames was released in 1983, with a runtime of about 114 minutes.