Films Bad Times at the El Royale

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Bad Times at the El Royale poster

Film · 2018

Bad Times at the El Royale

Directed by Drew Goddard · starring Jonathan Whitesell, Cynthia Erivo and Manny Jacinto

  • 2 h 21 min
  • Thriller · Suspense
  • USA
  • Released in the UK 11 October 2018
  • 6.9 Users16 votes
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Synopsis

Set in the 60s, 'Bad Times at the El Royale' tells the story of seven strangers, each with a secret, which met at El Royale, an abandoned hotel on the shores of Lake Tahoe, California, a ruinous site with a dark past. Over the course of one fateful night, everyone will have a last shot at redemption before everything goes to hell. After 'The Cabin the Woods', Chris Hemsworth reunites with Drew Goddard to star in this exciting and hypnotic new thriller. Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cynthia Erivo, Lewis Pullman and Jeff Bridges, among many other stars, complete the ensemble cast of the film that had its world premiere during the latest edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival and will be released in the UK and US this fall.

Where to watch Bad Times at the El Royale

All the options

Available now in the UK:

Availability checked on 8 November 2026.

The essentials

Runtime
141 min2 hours and 21 minutes
Budget
$32m20th Century Studios
Box office
$17.5m0.5 times its budget
How long is Bad Times at the El Royale?
2 hours and 21 minutes (141 minutes).
When was Bad Times at the El Royale released in the UK?
It was released in the UK on 11 October 2018.
Who directed Bad Times at the El Royale?
Drew Goddard.
Who is in Bad Times at the El Royale?
It stars Jonathan Whitesell, Cynthia Erivo, Manny Jacinto and Jeff Bridges.
Where can I watch Bad Times at the El Royale?
In the UK it is available with a subscription on Disney+ and to rent on Apple TV and Prime Video.
How much did Bad Times at the El Royale make?
It took $17.5 million in US. It cost $32 million.
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Cast

Full cast (22)
Director
Drew Goddard
Writers
Drew Goddard
Music
Michael Giacchino
Producers
Drew Goddard
Cinematography
Seamus McGarvey

Videos and trailers

All 5 videos
'Bad Times at the El Royale' Trailer with Spanish Subtitles 2:277 June 2018

Photos and posters

All 7 photos

Reviews

All 5 reviews
6.9 16 votes
  • 100 %
  • 96 %
  • 86 %
  • 750 %
  • 619 %
  • ≤519 %

What the critics say

  • VarietyPeter Debruge A worthwhile watch, even if for most, the script?s payoff isn?t enough to justify the pacing problems. Read
  • Rolling StonePeter Travers It could have been creepier, wittier, sharper in its construction and packed with bombshell revelations that would have made its payoff actually pay off. Read
  • The Hollywood ReporterSheri Linden It's great to look at, nearly giddy with pop-culture love, and its particulars are intriguing. But those pieces ? by turns weird, soulful and exhilarating ? merely accumulate, when they should be… Read

Box office

Weekend by weekend
  • Budget $32m
  • US $17.5m
  • UK £987,030

Soundtrack

All 19 songs
  1. 26 Miles (Santa Catalina)The Four Preps Spotify
  2. Twenty-Five MilesEdwin Starr Spotify
  3. Bend Me Shape MeAmerican Breed Spotify
  4. This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)Cynthia Erivo Spotify

Trivia

  • Reunion

    The film is the second collaboration between the director, Drew Goddard, and Chris Hemworth. Both worked together in 'The Cabin in the Woods' (2012).

  • Top Secret

    Goddard's process of selling the spec was under heavy secrecy with the script only going to top studio execs for the potential buyers had to read off a tablet and then return it when done.

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