Film · 2016

A Hologram for the King

Name: A Hologram for the King
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: 2016-04-22
Duration: 97 min
Rating: 5.6
Cast: Khalid Laith, Dhafer L'Abidine, Tom Hanks, Sarita Choudhury, Tom Skerritt

Directed by Tom Tykwer · starring Khalid Laith, Dhafer L'Abidine and Tom Hanks

1 h 37 min
Drama · Comedy
Germany USA
Released in the UK 19 May 2016

5.7 AverageMovieNCo
5.6 Users14 votes
5.9 Critics6 reviews

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Synopsis

In a growing city in the middle of Saudi Arabia, finds himself Alan Clay. Alan is a struggling man, who has a lot of debts, and a wife that lives in permanent fury. And as if that wasn't enough... he´s not sure he can pay his daughter's college tuition. Now, he is about to have a meeting that could change his life forever...

The movie reunites twice Oscar Award winner Tom Hanks with the director of 'Cloud Atlas', Tom Tykwer. Among the other members of the cast we can find Tom Skerritt ('Top Gun') and Sarita Choudhury ('The Hunger Games: Mockingjay'). The original soundtrack of the film is composed by Johnny Klimek and the movie script is based on the novel of the same name written by Dave Eggers.

Where to watch A Hologram for the King

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Available now in the UK:

Availability checked on 8 November 2026.

The essentials

Runtime: 97 min1 hour and 37 minutes
Budget: $35mX-Filme Creative Pool
Box office: $3.9m0.1 times its budget

How long is A Hologram for the King?: 1 hour and 37 minutes (97 minutes).
When was A Hologram for the King released in the UK?: It was released in the UK on 19 May 2016.
Who directed A Hologram for the King?: Tom Tykwer.
Who is in A Hologram for the King?: It stars Khalid Laith, Dhafer L'Abidine, Tom Hanks and Sarita Choudhury.
Where can I watch A Hologram for the King?: In the UK it is available with the Prime Video channel on MGM+ and to rent on Apple TV.
How much did A Hologram for the King make?: It took $3.9 million in US. It cost $35 million.

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Cast

Full cast (18)

Director: Tom Tykwer
Writers: Tom Tykwer
Music: Tom Tykwer
Producers: Tom Hanks, Bill Johnson, Stefan Arndt, Uwe Schott

Videos and trailers

See the video

'A Hologram for the King' trailer 2:3012 March 2016

Photos and posters

All 15 photos

+7 photosand 2 posters

Reviews

All 6 reviews

5.6 14 votes

107 %
90 %
80 %
77 %
636 %
≤550 %

What the critics say average 5.9 from 6 outlets

8.7 Chicago Sun-TimesRichard Roeper A beautiful and eccentric waking dream (...) This is quite simply a beautiful film to behold. Read
6.5 New York TimesStephen Holden It takes an actor with the finesse of Tom Hanks to turn a story of confusion, perplexity, frustration and panic into an agreeably uncomfortable comedy. Read
6.0 The Washington PostAnn Hornaday It's that rare fish-out-of-water story in which the fish miraculously manages to stop needing water, and learns to crave air instead. Read

Box office

Weekend by weekend

Budget $35m
US $3.9m
UK £693,825

Soundtrack

All 15 songs

Once in a LifetimeTalking Heads, Sung, Tom Hanks Spotify
You're The InspirationChicago, C, Universal Music, MGB Songs, PeerMusic III Ltd Spotify
Turn to StoneElectric Light Orchestra Spotify
Never Can Say GoodbyeThe Communards Spotify

Trivia

This is the second time that Tom Hanks and Ben Whishaw have been in a film together the first being 'Cloud Atlas'.
Ben Whishaw was also in 'Cloud Atlas' with Tom Hanks and Tom Tykwer.
Tom Hanks starts his role off playing Adam Clay a down-on-his-luck American businessman doing a mock music video on the Talking Heads' 'Once In a Lifetime'.