- IMDb page: Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
- Rate: 7.5/10 total 108,245 votes
- Genre: Drama | History | Thriller
- Release Date: 11 January 2013 (USA)
- Runtime: 157 min
- Filming Location: Amman, Jordan
- Budget: $40,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross: $95,720,716 (USA) (29 March 2013)
- Director: Kathryn Bigelow
- Stars: Jessica Chastain, Mark Strong, Joel Edgerton | See full cast and crew
- Original Music By: Alexandre Desplat
- Soundtrack: Night Song
- Sound Mix: Dolby Digital | Datasat | SDDS
- Plot Keyword: Al Qaeda | Osama Bin Laden | Navy Seal | Prisoner | CIA
Writing Credits By:
Known Trivia
- Joel Edgerton was originally cast in a leading role, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts and was replaced by Jason Clarke. However, when the conflicts were resolved, Edgerton was able to return in another role.
- Rooney Mara was originally cast but had to drop out and was replaced by Jessica Chastain.
- At one point, Tom Hardy, Idris Elba and Guy Pearce were considered for different roles. Hardy was replaced by Mark Strong.
- “Zero Dark Thirty” in military terms means 12:30 AM. Zero Dark is midnight, 00:00 on a 24 hour clock, 30 being added to connote 30 minutes past. In the scene during the raid you can see Maya look at the clock being shown as 00:30.
- The movie was originally about the unsuccessful decade-long manhunt for Osama bin Laden. The screenplay was completely re-written after bin Laden was killed.
- James Cameron, ex-husband of eventual director Kathryn Bigelow, was previously in negotiations to direct the film, but dropped out to produce the sequels to Avatar.
- This is Jeremy Hindle ‘s first feature-film work as production designer. Hindle previously collaborated with Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser on numerous TV commercial shoots. Director Bigelow lauded Hindle for his remarkably precise re-creation of the huge bin Laden compound – built from scratch in the Jordanian desert – in less than three months.
- Jordan and the Indian city Chandigarh (capital of Punjab & Haryana states), near the Pakistani border, were used as stand-ins to duplicate scenes taking place in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Some second-unit film footage was also actually shot in Pakistan.
- In ‘No Easy Day,’ the first-hand account of the attack and killing of Osama bin Laden, written by a member of the SEALs team, the movie’s lead character of CIA agent Maya, is known only as ‘Jen.’
- The climactic sequence devoted to the raid on Osama’s compound runs about 25 minutes, only a few minutes less than the real-life SEALs assault.
Goofs: Factual errors: The breed of dog used in the actual capture of Osama Bin Laden was a Belgian Malinois. The breed of dog used in the movie is a German Shepherd.
Plot: A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May 2011. Full summary » »
Story: Maya is a CIA operative whose first experience is in the interrogation of prisoners following the Al Qaeda attacks against the U.S. on the 11th September 2001. She is a reluctant participant in extreme duress applied to the detainees, but believes that the truth may only be obtained through such tactics. For several years, she is single-minded in her pursuit of leads to uncover the whereabouts of Al Qaeda’s leader, Osama Bin Laden. Finally, in 2011, it appears that her work will pay off, and a U.S. Navy SEAL team is sent to kill or capture Bin Laden. But only Maya is confident Bin Laden is where she says he is. Written byJim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>
{tab=Synopsis}
Synopsis: Part 1: THE SAUDI GROUP
Two Years After Sept. 11, 2001 CIA BLACK SITE:
CIA Operative, Dan (Jason Clarke) walks into a dingy room where a terrorist financier, Ammar (Reda Kateb), is being held captive. Several other CIA members are present, but they are wearing balaclavas to shield their identities. Dan makes the rules clear to Ammar: If Ammar doesn’t do what Dan asks him to do, such as to look at him when he’s being addressed, Dan says he will hurt Ammar. Also, if Ammar steps off the mat he’s on, or lies about anything, Dan will hurt him for that too. Dan has Ammar put in additional restraints and beckons to one of the masked individuals to follow him outside. He orders his men not to talk to Ammar.
Outside, the masked individual removes the mask, revealing that she is a young CIA agent named Maya (Jessica Chastain). Dan apologizes for how intense the interrogation is, realizing that Maya has only recently come from Washington and is new to field operations. Dan explains that their process takes a while because Ammar needs to know how helpless he is. He offers to get her a coffee but she tells him that they should go back in. He offers to return her balaclava but she declines, noting that he’s not covering his face. She asks if Ammar is ever getting out. "Never" says Dan.
The pair go back in and Dan tells Ammar that he needs to understand his situation. He informs Ammar that he knows all about him, and has had plenty of opportunities to kill him, but let him live so they could have this talk. Ammar screams that Dan is nothing more than a garbage man for his corporation, but Dan retorts that Ammar is a terrorist who helped finance the September 11th attack in the USA, and was caught with explosives in his house when they came for him. Dan also makes it clear he doesn’t want to talk about Sept. 11, but instead wants to know about the "Saudi Group" that Ammar is associated with. Ammar refuses to talk, so Dan’s men set up mats and Dan forces him to the ground. Dan asks Maya to hands him a bucket of water and a towel so that Dan can water board Ammar. He asks Ammar to give him an email address, and demands to know when was the last time Ammar saw Bin Laden. At the end of the session, without receiving any additional information, Dan makes it clear to Ammar that in the end everyone breaks.
Maya sits in a waiting room. Dan brings their boss, station chief Joseph Bradley (Kyle Chandler), to meet her. She mentions that what she saw was a bit fucked up and Bradley is surprised, having assumed that she volunteered for this position. Bradley buzzes her into a secure wing and Dan asks Joseph if he thinks Maya is ready, but Bradley just points out that the CIA needs to break in the next generation.
Maya settles at her desk and waits until she is brought into a small conference room where fellow CIA agents Jessica (Jennifer Ehle), Jack (Harold Perrineau), Thomas (Jeremy Strong), and J.J. (J.J. Kandel) are working on the latest intelligence reports. Dan points out that Ammar is withholding what he knows about the Saudi Group, while Jennifer gives updates on the latest leads. Maya points out that some of their assumptions are based on pre-9/11 behavior, rendered moot by the invasion of Afghanistan.
Morning prayers wake Maya from an uneasy sleep on her couch. She and Dan check in on Ammar, who is still suspended by rope and deprived of sleep courtesy of heavy metal music. Dan pulls up a chair and seats Ammar in it, providing him with a bottle of fruit juice and some food. He again asks Ammar about the Saudi Group and Ammar insists that he only handles money, that he doesn’t know who the guys that he finances are. Dan kicks the chair out from under Ammar and has Ammar pulled up by the ropes tied to his wrists, then rips down his pants, exposing him to Maya, and asking Ammar if he had shit himself.
Dan and the other agents leave, putting Maya alone in the room with Ammar. Ammar tells Maya that Dan is an animal and begs her for help. She tells him that he can help himself by being truthful. Dan returns with a dog collar and forces it around Ammar’s neck, then acting as though he’s Dan’s dog and needs to be walked. He drags him over to a box, smaller than a coffin, threatening to put Ammar in there if Ammar doesn’t tell him about the next planned attack. Ammar names several days of the week, but won’t specify a not a location, so Dan and the other men force him into the box and leave him there.
May 29, 2004.
A group of al Qaida terrorists shoot civilians in Khobar, Saudi Arabia, targeting non-Muslims and Americans. Jessica, Dan, and Maya watch the footage in the aftermath. Jessica tells Dan that the massacre is not on him, but Dan insists that since Ammar is their prisoner, the deaths are on him, and Maya. Jessica points out that there are still other plots in motion that they can wring out of Ammar, including a planned attack in the London-Heathrow area. Maya realizes that since Ammar has been in complete isolation, they can lie about the outcome of the Khobar attack and claim that it was thwarted as a result of what he had told them in his sleep-deprived state.
Ammar is brought out of his confinement and informed that his intel was good. Dan asks what Ammar did after the invasion. Ammar said the choice was to fight or run, and he wanted to kill Americans. He continues to talk about the members of the al Qaida cell, but in vague terms, until Dan makes it clear that he will put Ammar back in the box if Ammar doesn’t start naming names. Ammar spills all the details he can, including that his uncle once worked for Bin Laden and that Ammar had seen him in Karachi, with a letter from the shah, which said to keep working on the jihad and keep it renewed for a hundred years. Finally Ammar gives them a name: Abu Ahmed.
Part 2: ABU AHMED
Maya watches a computer monitor and studies old interrogation tapes, looking at each of the suspects and studying their stories. Apparently, Osama Bin Laden uses a complex network of carriers to relay messages to his supporters. She takes a break to make some food and Jessica walks in to ask how the search for the needle in the haystack is going. Jessica suggests that at the end of the day, everyone can be swayed with money, an idea that Maya questions since it doesn’t fit the motivations of a jihadist. But Jessica retorts that the weaker members would be swayed with money.
Putting on a dark colored wig to conceal her red hair, Maya is escorted to a CIA Black Site in Poland. Hakim (Fares Fares), a fellow agent and interpreter, brings her to their prisoner. They ask him a few questions and he claims that he had contact with a man known only as Fahraj. Maya is suspicious that the suspect is simply making it up until the prisoner names all of Fahraj’s children. He confirms that there was a network in place to pass messages on. Maya takes this information back to Bradley and gives him a report. Bradley points out that her hunt for Abu Ahmed has been fruitless because she doesn’t know his real name or where to find him. She retorts that the fact that everyone has heard of Abu Ahmed means that he is important. He tells her to let him know when there’s actionable intelligence so that they can order a strike.
London, England. July 7, 2005.
A double decker bus explodes. News footage of this latest AQ attack plays out on Bradley’s computer monitor and in Maya’s kitchen. On Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan, Dan feeds a pet monkey from his ice cream cone when he is informed that his detainee is ready. Maya is escorted into an ISI Detention Center in Pakistan. Her detainee is cooperative and tells her everything she wants to know about Abu Ahmed, a most trusted courier who cannot be found because he is one of the "disappeared ones."
A man has an object strapped to his leg and is told, God willing, they will not have to use it. We follow the man as he walks through a complex where children are playing. His walk is observed by Dan. Individuals dressed like Muslim woman in all black follow him as he goes to meet with Fahraj. The Muslim women are revealed to be soldiers who grab Fahraj and swarm around him, rifles pointed at his chest. Bradley presents Maya with paperwork and tells her that she has a one on one with Fahraj.
Dan escorts Fahraj to his cage a private cell with barbed wire around the sides. Dan says that he’s bad news for men like Fahraj and that Dan isn’t going to help him, he’s going to break him. Asked if he’s hungry, Fahraj has a tube shoved down his throat and blended food is forced down his throat. He is a difficult prisoner, so Maya asks Dan if he will take a crack at Fahraj but he says no, he’s done this long enough. He’s getting sent back to go to Washington and do something normal. He asks her to come back with him and be his number 2 but she says she won’t find Abu Ahmed from DC. Dan warns her that politics are changing and that she needs to make sure she’s not the last one holding the dog collar when the investigators arrive. And since everyone knows her in Pakistan she’s going to need to start watching her back.
September 20, 2008, Marriott Hotel, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Jessica waits at a table and waves to Maya as she arrives, still attached to her phone. Maya apologizes for being late because of the check points. Jessica reminds Maya that they are socializing and pours her a glass of wine. Maya makes it clear that Abu Ahmed’s mystique confirms his importance. Suddenly, a bomb goes off outside the Marriott destroying most of the interior. Maya and Jessica struggle to find an exit, passing numerous staff and diners who have either been killed or wounded by the bomb. A truck outside had been stopped at a check point. The driver then detonated the truck’s payload of explosives.
Part 3: THE MEETING
Tribal Territories, Pakistan: A meeting of Bin Laden’s inner circle occurs while someone records it. Jessica walks up to Maya, ecstatic and proclaiming that the Jords have a mole. She shows Maya the video of the meeting and explains that a Jordanian doctor has made it into the inner circle. Bradley doesn’t buy it but the Jords claimed that money and patriotic duty would be enough to sway him from Bin Laden and the jihad. Maya points out that the guy is full of shit and they just have to meet him face to face. She helps Jessica convince Bradley to approve the operation.
Jessica tries to get the doctor to come to Islamabad, but the doctor refuses on the grounds that traveling out of the Muslim world would make him appear to be a flight risk. An interview of Obama talking about America’s moral stature plays in the background as Jessica tells Maya that the doctor would be willing to meet with Jessica in the Tribal territories. Maya points out that as a white woman Jessica would definitely be kidnapped. They brainstorm with a fellow agent who suggests Camp Chapman in Afghanistan as a safe area of compromise.
On the phone with Maya, Jessica decorates a cake for the doctor. Maya laughs and points out that Muslims don’t celebrate with cake. Jessica scolds her for being so literal and invites Maya out. Maya declines – it is Jessica’s lead and she deserves to run the show.
Jessica meets with a CIA agent, John, for drinks and they toast to the doctor their first big break since 9/11. She’s cross-checked all the information that they’ve been provided with and it checks out. The money that the doctor would stand to receive – $25 million, would buys a new life. John posits that the doctor is exaggerating his access to Bin Laden but Jessica points out that in 6 months to a year, the doctor could be treating Bin Laden. With the money on the table, the doctor will flip – or they’ll kill him.
December 30, 2009.
Jessica and the other interrogators wait out outside at the base and everyone is on edge. Jessica is excited about the meeting, but the doctor is late. Just when he looks like a no-show, a car appears on the horizon and gets stopped at a check point. Jessica insists that he be ushered through the check point without being searched, per the agreement they had made beforehand. The officer in charge of security reluctantly agrees and the car is driven in and an old man gets out. When the soldiers order him to take his hand out of his pockets, he detonates a bomb, killing everyone in the vicinity including Jessica and John.
Maya hears the news about the bombing and is distraught. Several co-workers come and talk to her, giving her updates including news that a detainee has confirmed Abu Ahmed as dead. Maya is on the edge of a breakdown. That night, Jack approaches her to console her about Jessica’s death and asks what she’s going to do now. She tells Jack that she’s going to smoke out everyone involved in the operation and kill Bin Laden.
George (Mark Strong) arrives to brief Maya and her co-workers in the aftermath of the bombing, angrily pointing out that they are losing the fight against their enemy. He yells that they haven’t done shit, that killing four of the 20 members of Bin Laden’s inner circle is a terrible success rate. He demands they do their jobs and bring him people to kill.
A young female agent who admires Maya, approaches her and hands her a file on a man called Ibrahim Sayeed, whose extended family was involved in terrorist activities. The agent tells Maya that it was a lead that had been on the backburner for a while, as a result of all the white noise. Maya goes over the Abu Ahmed files one more time and realizes that Sayeed and Abu Ahmed have many similar facial features, due to their family relations. Maya calls Dan in Washington and points out that Abu Ahmed might not be dead, since the three eldest brothers looked alike, that the picture they’ve been associating with him is wrong. Abu Ahmed is still in play. She asks him to move heaven and earth and get the Sayeed family’s phone number.
Dan goes to talk to "The Wolf" (Fredric Lehne), a shadowy high-ranking official in the U.S. government, and requests a couple hundred thousand dollars to break open Maya’s lead. The Wolf tells Dan that there is a lot of oversight going on and that the investigators will not stop until they have a body. Dan makes a deal with the Wolf. If the Wolf backs him financially, he will return the favor by defending the methods used to an oversight committee.
Kuwait City, Kuwait.
Dan meets with one of his highly placed contacts and buys him a Lamborghini in exchange for the Sayeed family’s phone number. Maya meets with Larry (Edgar Ramirez) from Ground Branch and has him start hunting for Abu Ahmed. Larry and Hakim go for a drive in the city and begin to trace the identity of the Sayeed brother who is likely Abu Ahmed.
May 1, 2010. Times Square.
In the aftermath of an attempted car bombing in NYC, Maya tries to talk to Bradley about the ground surveillance on the caller, which Bradley says they don’t have. Bradley wants to dismiss her lead because it is not relevant. He says he doesn’t give a shit about Bin Laden, he only cares about stopping the next attack. Their goal is to protect the homeland, but Bradley points out that Maya’s lead is only a fucking facilitator. Maya threatens Bradley, telling him to give her the team she needs or send her back to DC and face a hearing before congress to be the first station chief to be called before congress for subverting the effort to find and kill Bin Laden. Bradley tells her she’s fucking crazy but gives the order.
Jack approaches Maya in a bar and gives her a cell phone, telling her the suspect bought a new phone and they cloned a copy, so that whenever his phone rings this cloned phone will ring as well. Hakim, Larry, and a third agent follow the signal from the phone in Pakistan. After briefly being stopped, and threatened by locals who recognize them as not belonging there, they drive away and are able to find the owner of the cell phone. They ID him and photograph him and his vehicle.
A crowd of protesters outside the CIA facility in Pakistan protest against Bradley. Bradley had been named in a lawsuit by the family of a victim of a drone strike by the ISI. Bradley is recalled to the United States, removing him from his position. Maya tells him that the ISI fucked him, but he says nothing.
Larry and Hakim follow the suspect’s vehicle to a compound in Islamabad. As Maya leaves her house, a pair of terrorists emerge and open fire on her vehicle. The bulletproof glass catches the bullets and she reverses back into her driveway while the gate closes behind her, preventing the terrorists from finishing the job. The new station chief points out that she is now on a list, and once you’re on a terrorists list you don’t get off.
When Maya is given information on the compound, she realizes that is likely where Bin Laden is holed up.
Going up the chain of command, Maya meets with George and another analyst named Steve (Mark Duplass). Steve takes her into a private conference room to discuss what she is about to present to the Director of the CIA. He asks Maya if the Pakistanis are involved, but Maya points out that Bin Laden has no reason to seek the protection of the Pakistanis since they tried to have him killed too. The Director (James Gandolfini) arrives and Steve begins his presentation, with George answering the Director’s questions. Steve explains the house is about a mile away from the Pakistani’s equivalent to West Point. Maya corrects George’s estimation by saying 8/10ths of a mile The Director asks who Maya is and she says "I’m the motherfucker who found the house."
Maya goes to George’s office and writes on the see-through partition, "21," as in the number of days since they’ve found the house that George has not green-lit an operation. Soon 21 becomes "52."
Steve shows Maya some satellite imagery of the compound and points out that there are two males and three females, which means that there is likely a third family in the house, based on Muslim traditions. George meets with the head of the NSA (Stephen Dillane) who questions how they know Bin Laden is in the compound. George assesses all their attempts and the actions of the third, unidentified male, and points out that they are professional attempts to avoid detection. The only people who behave like this are at the head of al-Qaeda. The NSA head points out that there’s a 40% chance it’s a head of al-Qaeda, but it could easily be a drug dealer. George points out that they can’t ask anyone, since the detainee program went to hell.
Day 100.
George meets with the NSA head again and argues that this guy can’t be a drug dealer, since he does nothing related to heroin production and sends messengers to two cities highly associated with al-Qaeda. After the meeting, George approaches the NSA head and points out he doesn’t have the rhythm of the politics. The NSA head points out that if it were purely a political matter, he’d just tell George to go fuck himself, explaining that this operation was simply a matter of risk assessment. The NSA head said that this the intelligence in this case was shakier than when George’s predecessor pitched WMDs in Iraq. George asks him how they can quantify the risk of not making a move. The NSA head says that he’s not giving the go-ahead, but that the President would like to hear options in case he decides to go ahead.
Area 51, Nevada Air Force Base.
George, Dan, and Maya are flown out to meet with Seal Team Six and look at several old helicopters that are basically immune to radar. Seal Team Six thinks they will be going up against Gaddafi in Libya, but Maya explains that they are actually going after Bin Laden in Pakistan. Justin (Chris Pratt) is skeptical, as he was part of a mission back in 2007 that cost them guys and the target was a ghost. Patrick (Joel Edgerton), the squad leader, expresses his skepticism, but Maya makes it clear that Seal Team Six are the canaries who will go in, find Bin Laden and kill him for her, since she can’t get authorization to just drop a bomb on the place.
Day 129.
The CIA Director calls a meeting with George, Dan, Maya, The Wolf, and a consultant named Jeremy (John Barrowman), and they try and determine how accurate their Intel is. Dan says there’s a 60% chance there’s a high level target in the house, but he doesn’t know if its Bin Laden. George says 80%, but Jeremy asks Maya what she thinks. Maya says 100%, which impresses Jeremy and the Director. When they leave the room, the Director says they’re all cowed. Jeremy says that Maya’s "fucking smart," but the Director says: "we’re all fucking smart".
Maya eats lunch in a CIA cafeteria and the CIA Director approaches her. He asks her how long she’s been with the CIA and she tells him that she was recruited out of high school, so she’s been working for them for 12 years. He asks her what else she’s done for the CIA, aside from Bin Laden, and she says "nothing." He smiles and says, "you certainly have a flair for it."
Part 4: THE CANARIES
May 1, 2011. Forward Operating base, Afghanistan:
The choppers are being readied for the mission. Patrick, Justin, and the rest of Seal Team Six clean their weapons and fool around. Hakim and Maya are on site to oversee the operation. Maya watches Patrick and Justin play horse shoes and discuss whether or not the operation is based on good intel. Patrick points out that Maya’s confidence convinces him that this intelligence is accurate. Maya gets a call from George; its happening tonight.
Seal Team Six board three helicopters and fly from their base in Afghanistan to the compound in Islamabad. When they arrive, one of the helicopters power cuts and it crash lands onto a section of the compound. The soldiers are a little banged up but they are alive. They exit and begin to go through the compound, while one soldier remains behind to rig the downed hawk with explosives for their departure.
Going from building to building, the Seals kill anyone who has or appears to be going goes for a gun; all the men, and a few women. They round up the kids and put them together in a room with the women. While more and more neighborhood people head towards the compound, Hakim walks out and tells the crowd gathering that anyone who approaches further will be killed. Justin finds an office loaded with files and computers; an intelligence jackpot.
Patrick and the others go through the main building. Jared, one of the other soldiers, takes a shot at a man on the third floor and downs him. Patrick walks up to the body and plants a few more bullets into the man’s body, removing his mask and radioing in that they have a possible positive ID. He takes a picture and they put him in a body bag. Their Squad commander radios in and tells them that they have four minutes to get back to the helicopters with the body and whatever Intel they can seize, as the Pakistan air force is responding to the crash.
Maya overhears a transmission providing verbal confirmation that the plan worked, "Geronimo, for God and Country." The Seals grab what they can and escape to the remaining two helicopters. They take off and detonate the downed air craft as a security measure to keep the stealth technology from being duplicated. The helicopters return to base and Patrick is congratulated for running a successful op. The intelligence seized by the Seals is neatly placed on tables. The Seals quietly congratulate themselves while Maya goes in to unzip the body bag, confirming that Bin Laden is dead. She steps outside to gather her thoughts and emotions.
A plane is waiting for Maya on the tarmac and she is told that she is the only passenger. The pilot comments that she must be really important. He asks her where she wants to go. As the planes hangar door closes, Maya begins to cry.
{tab=FullCast & Crew}
Produced By:
- Stephanie Antosca known as producer: Washington DC
- Kathryn Bigelow known as producer
- Mark Boal known as producer
- Matthew Budman known as co-producer
- Megan Ellison known as producer
- Jonathan Leven known as co-producer
- Tabrez Noorani known as line producer: India
- Pravesh Sahni known as associate producer: India
- Ted Schipper known as executive producer
- Greg Shapiro known as executive producer
- David Ticotin known as associate producer (as David A. Ticotin)
- Colin Wilson known as executive producer
FullCast & Crew:
- Jason Clarke known as Dan
- Reda Kateb known as Ammar
- Jessica Chastain known as Maya
- Kyle Chandler known as Joseph Bradley
- Jennifer Ehle known as Jessica
- Harold Perrineau known as Jack
- Jeremy Strong known as Thomas
- J.J. Kandel known as J.J.
- Wahab Sheikh known as Detainee on Monitor
- Alexander Karim known as Detainee on Monitor
- Nabil Elouahabi known as Detainee on Monitor
- Aymen Hamdouchi known as Detainee on Monitor
- Simon Abkarian known as Detainee on Monitor
- Ali Marhyar known as Interrogator on Monitor
- Parker Sawyers known as Interrogator on Monitor
- Akin Gazi known as Interrogator on Monitor
- Derek Siow known as Interrogator on Monitor
- Fares Fares known as Hakim
- Mohammad K. known as Cargo Ship Detainee
- Henry Garrett known as Bagram Guard
- Homayoun Ershadi known as Hassan Ghul
- Darshan Aulakh known as Pakistani Detention Center Guard
- Navdeep Singh known as Faraj Courier
- Yoav Levi known as Abu Faraj al-Libbi
- Sukhdeep Singh known as Pakistani Guard at Marriott
- Musa Sattari known as Human Khalil al-Balawi
- David Menkin known as Case Officer
- Scott Adkins known as John
- Eyad Zoubi known as Zied
- Julian Lewis Jones known as Blackwater Guard
- Christian Contreras known as C.I.A. Security
- Lauren Shaw known as Lauren
- Zachary Becker known as Embassy Tech
- Mark Strong known as George
- John Antonini known as Analyst at Embassy
- Jessica Collins known as Debbie
- Fredric Lehne known as The Wolf
- Ashraf Telfah known as Kuwaiti Businessman
- Édgar Ramírez known as Larry from Ground Branch (as Edgar Ramirez)
- Jonathan Olley known as Tech from Ground Branch
- Ben Lambert known as N.S.A. Tech
- Manraaj Singh known as Rawal Caller
- Tushaar Mehra known as Abu Ahmed
- Daniel Lapaine known as Tim – Station Chief
- Udayan Baijal known as Guard at Maya's Apartment
- Mark Duplass known as Steve
- James Gandolfini known as C.I.A. Director
- Stephen Dillane known as National Security Advisor
- John Schwab known as Deputy National Security Advisor
- Martin Delaney known as Assistant to National Security Advisor
- Nabil Koni known as Pakistani Doctor
- Anthony Edridge known as General in Hangar
- John Barrowman known as Jeremy
- Jeff Mash known as Deputy Director of C.I.A.
- Joel Edgerton known as Patrick – Squadron Team Leader
- Chris Pratt known as Justin – DEVGRU
- Taylor Kinney known as Jared – DEVGRU
- Callan Mulvey known as Saber – DEVGRU
- Siaosi Fonua known as Henry – DEVGRU
- Phil Somerville known as Phil – DEVGRU
- Nash Edgerton known as Nate – DEVGRU EOD
- Mike Colter known as Mike – DEVGRU
- Frank Grillo known as Squadron Commanding Officer
- Brett Praed known as DEVGRU Operator
- Aron Eastwood known as DEVGRU Operator
- Heemi Browstow known as DEVGRU Operator
- Chris Scarf known as DEVGRU Operator
- Barrie Rice known as DEVGRU Operator
- Robert Young known as DEVGRU Operator (as Rob Young)
- Spencer Coursen known as DEVGRU Operator
- Chris Perry known as DEVGRU Operator
- Alex Corbet Burcher known as DEVGRU Operator
- Robert G. Eastman known as DEVGRU Operator
- Tim Martin known as DEVGRU Operator
- Mitchell Hall known as DEVGRU Operator
- P.t. known as DEVGRU Operator
- Alan Pietruszewski known as Pilot
- Kevin LaRosa Jr. known as Pilot (as Kevin La Rosa II)
- M.D. Selig known as Pilot (as Michael David Selig)
- Benjamin John Parrillo known as Pilot (as Ben Parrillo)
- Christopher Stanley known as Admiral Bill McCraven
- Hadeel Shqair known as Abu Ahmed's Wife
- Noureddine Haijjoujou known as Abrar (as Noureddine Hajjoujou)
- Nour Alkawaja known as Abrar's Wife
- Malika Sayd known as UBL Wife
- Siham Rida known as UBL Wife
- Monia Moula known as UBL Wife (as Moula Mounia)
- Zalfa Seurat known as UBL Wife
- Tarick Hadouch known as Khalid (as Tarick Haddouch)
- Ricky Sekhon known as UBL
- Mark Valley known as C-130 Pilot
- Lee Asquith-Coe known as Sean Cohen (uncredited)
- Greg Bennett known as CIA Agent (uncredited)
- James Garson Chick known as Navy Seal (uncredited)
- Grant Chism known as CIA Employee (uncredited)
- Tommy Dallace known as Navy Seal Commander (uncredited)
- Nick Donald known as CIA Agent (uncredited)
- Jo Hart known as CIA Operative (uncredited)
- James Lowe known as CIA Agent (uncredited)
- Damien Moreno known as Shooter #2 (uncredited)
- Nathan Nolan known as Prince Pilot 52 (uncredited)
- Barack Obama known as Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Michael C. Pierce known as American Businessman (uncredited)
- Alan D. Purwin known as Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)
- Jasper Salon known as CIA Tech (uncredited)
- Senem Temiz known as CIA Agent (uncredited)
- Omid Zader known as Shooter #1 (uncredited)
..{tab=Supporting Department}Makeup Department:
- Nada Alagha known as assistant makeup artist: Jordan (as Nada Al-Agha)
- Renata Gilbert known as key hair stylist: second unit
- Renata Gilbert known as key makeup artist: second unit
- Yelka Gutierrez known as makeup artist: Jordan
- Virginia Holmes known as key hairdresser: India
- Virginia Holmes known as key makeup artist: India
- Mahmoud Karjoghly known as hairdresser: Jordan (as Mahmoud Karajogly)
- Natasha Nikolic known as hair stylist (as Natasha Nikolic-Dunlop)
- Natasha Nikolic known as makeup artist (as Natasha Nikolic-Dunlop)
- Daniel Parker known as key hair designer
- Daniel Parker known as key makeup designer
- Lesley Smith known as key hair stylist
- Lesley Smith known as key makeup artist
- Corinne Bossu known as makeup artist: dailies (uncredited)
Art Department:
- Elena Albanese known as art department assistant: re-shoot
- Maudie Andrews known as assistant set decorator
- Samudrika Arora known as set decoration buyer: India
- Matthew Broderick known as on-set props
- Roy Chapman known as prop master
- Sunil Chhabra known as prop master: India
- Louis Joseph Comeau IV known as art department assistant: re-shoot
- David Conway known as props
- Dean Dunham known as scenic painter: Jordan
- Colin Ellis known as props
- Muffin Green known as prop master: UK
- Rhys Ifan known as art director: Jordan
- Samy Keilani known as construction manager: Jordan
- Karim Kheir known as property buyer: Jordan
- Chris Kitisakkul known as graphic artist
- Yogendra Kumar known as propman: India (as Yogender Kumar)
- Abdul Qader Miqdadi known as signwriter: Jordan
- Dilip More known as art director: India
- Brian Morris known as scenic painter: Jordan
- Mitch Niclas known as chargehand dressing
- Maye Nufal known as construction coordinator: Jordan
- Samer Raie known as assistant art director: Jordan
- Malcolm Roberts known as construction coordinator: UK
- Gurubaksh Singh known as graphics: India (as Gurubaksh Singh Raj)
- Michael Standish known as production buyer
- Warren Stickley known as prop master
- Amanda Ward known as stunt props
- Samir Zaidan known as assistant construction manager: Jordan
- Nasser Zoubi known as property buyer: Jordan
- Alex Boswell known as chargehand dressing props: India (uncredited)
- Christopher Brändström known as concept artist (uncredited)
- Christopher Carlson known as assistant set decorator (uncredited)
- Todd Cherniawsky known as art director: helicopter (uncredited)
- Ryan Church known as concept designer (uncredited)
- Andres Cubillan known as assistant art director (uncredited)
- Martin J. Gibbons known as construction coordinator (uncredited)
- Barry Gibbs known as property master (uncredited)
- Michael A. Heath known as prop paperwork (uncredited)
- Jason Hopperton known as chargehand dressing prop (uncredited)
- Onkar Khot known as art department assistant (uncredited)
- Thierry Labbe known as leadman: Los Angeles (uncredited)
- Emad Al Muhtaseb known as painter (uncredited)
- Edward Nua known as propmaker foreman (uncredited)
- Mitch Polley known as props (uncredited)
- Lee Ross known as lead scenic (uncredited)
- Mark Smith known as dressing props (uncredited)
- Gary Thomas known as storyboard artist (uncredited)
..{tab=Company}
Production Companies:
- Columbia Pictures (presents)
- Annapurna Pictures (as Annapurna)
- First Light Production (as First Light)
Other Companies:
- Compuhire computer playback
- United Arab for Tourism Investment Company catering: Jordan
- India Take One Productions production services: India
- Final Word, The loop group
- Sony Pictures Studios post sound facilities (as Sony Pictures Studios, Culver City, California)
- Trevanna Post post-production accounting services
- Studio Acousti additional recording (as Studio Acousti, Paris)
- Abbey Road Studios music recording (as Abbey Road Studios, London)
- Studio de la Grande Armée music mixing (as Studio de la Grande Armee, Paris)
- Company 3 digital intermediate
- Blt:Av title design
- Angellotti Company, The publicist
- Stone Management product placement
- Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India, The special thanks (as Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India)
- Administration of Union Territory of Chandigarh special thanks
- Chandigarh Police special thanks
- PEC University of Technology Chandigarh special thanks (as PEC University of Technology Chandigarh Formerly Punjab Engineering College)
- Royal Film Commission, The special thanks (as Royal Film Commission, Jordan)
- Pinewood Shepperton Studios special thanks
- 5.11 producers also wish to thank
- Apple producers also wish to thank
- Atlantic Signal producers also wish to thank
- Cyalume Technologies producers also wish to thank
- Ducati producers also wish to thank
- Garmin producers also wish to thank
- General Dynamics producers also wish to thank
- Inert Products producers also wish to thank
- K9 Storm producers also wish to thank
- Leatherman Tool Group producers also wish to thank
- London Bridge Trading Co. producers also wish to thank (as London Bridge Trading Company)
- Modern Warfare producers also wish to thank
- Ops-Core producers also wish to thank
- Salomon Group producers also wish to thank (as Salomon)
- Suunto producers also wish to thank
- Thales Communications producers also wish to thank
- VT Miltope producers also wish to thank
- Glover Park Group producers also wish to thank
- Flying Pictures aerial services provided by
- Slate grip and electrical equipment provided by: Jordan (as Slate in Jordan)
- Pictorvision Eclipse Cineflex and Wescam camera systems provided by
- Getty Images photos provided by
- ITN Source video and audio clips provided by
- AP Archive video and audio clips provided by
- T3Media/CBS News video and audio clips provided by
- ABC News Video Source video and audio clips provided by (as ABCNews Videosource)
- Fox News Archive video and audio clips provided by
- ITN Source/Reuters video and audio clips provided by
- Outpost Films video and audio clips provided by
- NBC Universal Archive video and audio clips provided by
- AVID editing
- Deluxe prints
- Dolby Digital in selected theatres
- Datasat Digital Entertainment in selected theatres (as Datasat Digital Sound)
- SDDS Sony Dynamic Digital Sound in selected theatres
- Panavision UK cameras and lenses (as Panavision)
- Digilab Services digital film workflow (as Digilab)
- Argentina Video Home package design and summary (Argentina)
- Casting Collective extras casting (uncredited)
- Codex Digital digital recording equipment (uncredited)
- Cunning Stunts Limited stunt equipment (uncredited)
- De Lane Lea ADR recording (uncredited)
- Dynamic International Freight Services freight forwarders (uncredited)
- H & H Films camera equipment provided by (uncredited)
- House Media Company production services in Poland (uncredited)
- Imagenation Abu Dhabi FZ funding (uncredited)
- Madison Gate Records soundtrack (uncredited)
- PJF Productions subtitles (uncredited)
- Pivotal Post Avid HD Editing Equipment Provided By (uncredited)
- Platform Studios phantom hd gold provided by (uncredited)
- Scallywag Travel travel agent (uncredited)
- Studio Line post-production sound services (ISDN/ADR) (uncredited)
Distributors:
- A-Film Distribution (2013) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Alliance Films (2013) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Audio Visual Entertainment (2013) (Greece) (theatrical)
- Columbia Pictures (2012) (USA) (theatrical)
- Distribution Company (2013) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- GAGA (2013) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Golden Village Pictures (2013) (Singapore) (theatrical)
- Sony Pictures Releasing (2012) (USA) (theatrical)
- Universal Pictures International (UPI) (2013) (Germany) (theatrical)
- Universal Pictures International (UPI) (2013) (France) (theatrical)
- Argentina Video Home (2013) (Argentina) (DVD)
- Golden Scene (2013) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
- Golden Scene (2013) (Hong Kong) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
- Panorama Media (2012) (Non-USA) (all media)
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2013) (USA) (DVD)
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2013) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
- Universal Pictures (2012) (Non-USA) (all media) (only in UK, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Scandinavia, South Africa, Spain)
- Zon Audiovisuais (2013) (Portugal) (all media)
..{tab=Other Stuff}
Special Effects:
- Image Engine Design (visual effects) (as Image Engine)
- Arch 9 Films (visual effects)
- XY & Z Visual Effects (visual effects)
- Territory (on-screen graphics) (uncredited)
Visual Effects by:
- Lee Alexander known as lead matchmover: Image Engine
- Geoff Anderson known as visual effects producer: Image Engine
- Reuben Barkataki known as composite artist: Image Design
- Jamie Baxter known as compositor: XY & Z Visual Effects
- Trinh Baxter known as compositor: XY & Z Visual Effects
- Denny Bigras known as animator: Image Design
- Jeremy Burns known as compositing supervisor: Arch 9 Films
- Brian Burritt known as lighting artist: Image Design
- Stephen Chan known as visual effects on set matchmover: Image Engine
- Chun-Ping Chao known as composite artist: Image Design (as Chun-Ping)
- Nicolas Chombart known as lighting artist: Image Design
- Craig Crawford known as compositor: Arch 9 Films
- Moriba Duncan known as modeller: Image Design
- Paul Faulkes known as effects artist: Image Design
- Andy Feery known as effects artist: Image Design
- Sigurjón F. Gardarsson known as composite artist: Image Design (as Sigurjon Gardarsson)
- Steve Garrad known as visual effects executive producer: Image Engine (as Stephen Garrad)
- Jason Gross known as lighting artist: Image Design
- Sam Hancock known as effects artist: Image Design
- Chris Harvey known as visual effects supervisor: Image Engine
- Jeremy Hattingh known as visual effects plate supervisor: Image Engine
- Jean-Francois Houde known as composite artist: Image Design
- Marco Iozzi known as matte painter: Image Design
- Sam Johnston known as composite artist: Image Design
- Mathias Lautour known as lighting lead: Image Design (as Matthias Lautour)
- Mathias Lautour known as look development lead: Image Design (as Matthias Lautour)
- Jesus Lavin known as lead compositor: Image Engine
- Muhammad Marri known as texture artist: Image Engine
- Andy Martinez Calzadilla known as texture artist: Image Engine (as Andy Martinez)
- Kent Matheson known as matte painter: Image Design
- Tomoka Matsumura known as modeller: Image Design
- Jackie Mills known as roto lead: Image Design
- Hailey Moore known as texture artist
- Victoria Mowlam known as visual effects coordinator: Image Engine
- Thijs Noij known as composite artist: Image Design
- Jim Parsons known as composite artist: Image Design
- Ian Plumb known as composite artist: Image Design
- Eric Ponton known as composite artist: Image Design
- Barry Poon known as asset supervisor: Image Design
- Ricardo Quintero known as composite artist: Image Design
- Peter Rabel known as rigger: Image Design
- Vicki Silva known as composite artist: Image Design
- Mike Uguccioni known as visual effects supervisor: XY & Z Visual Effects
- Jayme Vandusen known as composite artist: Image Design
- Sebastian Weber known as animator: Image Design
- Matt Yeoman known as composite artist: Image Design
- Harry Yoon known as visual effects editor
- Gwen Zhang known as composite artist: Image Design
- Mei Chu known as roto/paint artist (uncredited)
- Johnson Chuang known as matchmove artist: Image Engine (uncredited)
- Miodrag Colombo known as senior compositor: Image Engine (uncredited)
- Natalia Diaz known as compositor (uncredited)
- Gillian George known as senior digital matte painter (uncredited)
- Neil Grey known as pipeline developer: Image Engine (uncredited)
- Alex Guri known as digital compositor (uncredited)
- David Hall known as visual effects editor (uncredited)
- Anita Ho known as visual effects coordinator: Image Engine (uncredited)
- Justin Holt known as lead texture painter: Image Engine (uncredited)
- Ivan Imanishi known as research & development: Image Engine (uncredited)
- Melissa Krystofiak known as digital modeler (uncredited)
- Nicha Kumkeaw known as compositor (uncredited)
- Matthias Lowry known as digital compositor (uncredited)
- Chris Lucas known as roto artist (uncredited)
- Greg Massie known as effects animator (uncredited)
- Sean Mattini known as visual effects coordinator (uncredited)
- Madeleine McAllan known as roto artist (uncredited)
- Zuzana Mikus known as technical assistant (uncredited)
- Henrique Moser known as digital compositor: Image Engine (uncredited)
- Aymeric Perceval known as digital compositor: Image Engine (uncredited)
- Prashant Raj known as roto/paint artist (uncredited)
- Steve Ross known as digital compositor (uncredited)
- Nicole Smith known as roto artist (uncredited)
- Jeff Tetzlaff known as senior artist: Image Engine (uncredited)
- Shivas Thilak Anthikkat known as paint & roto artist (uncredited)
- Ruslan Vasylev known as modeler (uncredited)
- Noel Wright known as compositor (uncredited)
Release Date:
- USA 19 December 2012 (limited)
- Spain 4 January 2013
- Canada 11 January 2013
- Philippines 11 January 2013
- Taiwan 11 January 2013
- USA 11 January 2013
- Croatia 17 January 2013
- Portugal 17 January 2013
- Republic of Macedonia 17 January 2013
- Slovenia 17 January 2013
- Egypt 23 January 2013
- France 23 January 2013
- Luxembourg 23 January 2013
- Kuwait 24 January 2013
- Lebanon 24 January 2013
- Netherlands 24 January 2013
- Serbia 24 January 2013
- Singapore 24 January 2013
- Sweden 24 January 2013 (Göteborg International Film Festival)
- United Arab Emirates 24 January 2013
- Finland 25 January 2013
- Ireland 25 January 2013
- UK 25 January 2013
- Uruguay 25 January 2013
- Argentina 29 January 2013 (Buenos Aires) (premiere)
- Belgium 30 January 2013
- Argentina 31 January 2013
- Australia 31 January 2013
- Germany 31 January 2013
- Israel 31 January 2013
- New Zealand 31 January 2013
- Thailand 31 January 2013
- Austria 1 February 2013
- Lithuania 1 February 2013
- Sweden 1 February 2013
- Denmark 7 February 2013
- Italy 7 February 2013
- Estonia 8 February 2013
- Iceland 8 February 2013
- Norway 8 February 2013
- Poland 8 February 2013
- Turkey 8 February 2013
- Mexico 14 February 2013
- Brazil 15 February 2013
- India 15 February 2013
- Japan 15 February 2013
- South Africa 15 February 2013
- Bolivia 21 February 2013
- Chile 21 February 2013
- Czech Republic 21 February 2013
- Greece 21 February 2013
- Hong Kong 21 February 2013
- Hungary 21 February 2013
- Peru 21 February 2013
- Russia 21 February 2013
- Slovakia 21 February 2013
- Bulgaria 22 February 2013
- Colombia 22 February 2013
- Nigeria 22 February 2013
- Romania 22 February 2013
- South Korea 7 March 2013
- Argentina 15 May 2013 (DVD premiere)
MPAA: Rated R for strong violence including brutal disturbing images, and for language
..{tab=Gallery}{/tabs}
Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database
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