Midnight Express
“Walk into the incredible true experience of Billy Hayes. And bring all the courage you can.”
Billy Hayes is caught attempting to smuggle drugs out of a country. The courts decide to make an example of him, sentencing him to more than 30 years in prison. Hayes has two opportunities for release: the appeals made by his lawyer, his family, and the American government, or the "Midnight Express".
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Cast
22 people
Brad Davis
Billy Hayes
Known for
Querelle
Sybil
Irene Miracle
Susan
Known for
Inferno
Puppetmaster
Bo Hopkins
Tex
Known for
From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money
Hillbilly Elegy
Paolo Bonacelli
Rifki
Known for
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom
The American
Paul L. Smith
Hamidou
Known for
Red Sonja
Maverick
Randy Quaid
Jimmy Booth
Known for
Brokeback Mountain
Independence Day
Norbert Weisser
Erich
Known for
Schindler's List
The Thing
John Hurt
Max
Known for
Alien
V for Vendetta
Mike Kellin
Mr. Hayes
Known for
Sleepaway Camp
Just Before Dawn
Franco Diogene
Yesil
Known for
The Country Boy
7 Kilos in 7 Days
Michael Ensign
Stanley Daniels
Known for
Ghostbusters
Solaris
Gigi Ballista
Chief Judge
Known for
Horse Fever
Giovannona Long-Thigh
Alan Parker Director · Oliver Stone Screenplay William Hoffer Author
Worldwide gross $35M · Budget $2.3M · United States release October 6, 1978
Box office
Budget
$2,300,000
Worldwide gross
$35,000,000
Gross vs. budget
15.2×
Production
Columbia Pictures
Production · Studio
Casablanca Filmworks
Production
United Kingdom · United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English · French · Maltese · Turkish
Release dates
France · May 18, 1978
Premiere · Cannes Film Festival
United States · October 6, 1978
Limited theatrical · New York City, New York
United States
October 27, 1978 · Theatrical
Argentina
April 3, 1980 · Theatrical
Australia
December 7, 1978 · Theatrical
Belgium
September 28, 1978 · Limited theatrical · Gent
Brazil
October 6, 1978 · Theatrical
Canada
September 20, 1978 · Premiere · Toronto International Film Festival
October 27, 1978 · Theatrical
China
June 1, 2001 · Premiere · Shanghai International Film Festival
Colombia
May 10, 1979 · Theatrical
Denmark
October 27, 1978 · Theatrical
Egypt
September 23, 2021 · Physical · DVD
Finland
September 1, 1978 · Theatrical · (cut)
France
September 13, 1978 · Theatrical
April 20, 1999 · Physical · DVD
September 9, 2009 · Physical · Blu-Ray
December 10, 2016 · Digital · VOD
June 1, 2021 · Digital · Netflix
Germany
September 29, 1979 · Theatrical · West Germany
Greece
September 20, 1978 · Theatrical
July 16, 2026 · Theatrical · Re-Issue
Hong Kong SAR China
November 30, 2022 · Digital
Ireland
September 22, 1978 · Theatrical
Israel
August 25, 2010 · Physical · Blu-ray
Italy
October 28, 1978 · Theatrical
Japan
October 21, 1978 · Theatrical
Mexico
June 19, 1980 · Theatrical
Netherlands
August 31, 1978 · Theatrical
March 30, 2002 · TV · Net 5
October 2, 2008 · Physical · DVD
April 18, 2012 · Physical · Blu ray
Norway
August 31, 1978 · Limited theatrical
Poland
December 1, 2022 · Digital
Singapore
December 2, 2018 · Premiere · Singapore International Film Festival
South Korea
August 31, 1996 · Theatrical
Spain
September 12, 1978 · Limited theatrical
December 18, 1978 · Theatrical
Sweden
September 16, 1978 · Theatrical
Taiwan
November 30, 2022 · Digital
Thailand
November 30, 2022 · Digital
Türkiye
December 1, 2022 · Digital
United Arab Emirates
January 11, 2017 · Digital
United Kingdom
October 6, 1978 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.