The Great Debaters
“When the nation was in need, he inspired them to give us hope.”
The true story of a brilliant but politically radical debate team coach who uses the power of words to transform a group of underdog African-American college students into a historical powerhouse that took on the Harvard elite.
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Cast
51 people
Denzel Whitaker
James Farmer Jr.
Known for
The Purge
Abduction
Denzel Washington
Melvin B. Tolson
Known for
The Equalizer
Training Day
Nate Parker
Henry Lowe
Known for
Non-Stop
The Birth of a Nation
Jurnee Smollett-Bell
Samantha Booke
Known for
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
Lovecraft Country
Georges Wilson
Samuel
Known for
Mesrine: Public Enemy #1
Tintin and the Mystery of the Golden Fleece
Forest Whitaker
Dr. James Farmer Sr.
Known for
Arrival
Taken 3
Kimberly Elise
Pearl Farmer
Known for
Ad Astra
John Q
Jermaine Williams
Hamilton Burgess
Known for
The Pitt
Ratched
Gina Ravera
Ruth Tolson
Known for
The Closer
Showgirls
John Heard
Sheriff Dozier
Known for
Home Alone
Awakenings
Devyn A. Tyler
Helen Farmer
Known for
The Purge
Snowfall
Trenton McClain Boyd
Nathaniel Farmer
Also in
Salad Days
Give Up the Ghost
Denzel Washington Director · Robert Eisele Screenplay Jeffrey Porro Story
Worldwide gross $30M · Budget $15M · United States release December 27, 2007
Box office
Budget
$15,000,000
Worldwide gross
$30,226,144
Gross vs. budget
2.0×
Production
Marshall Production
Production
The Weinstein Company
Production · Studio
Harpo Films
Production
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English
Release dates
United States · December 11, 2007
Premiere · Los Angeles, California
United States · December 27, 2007
Theatrical
Australia
May 13, 2008 · Physical · DVD
Brazil
January 25, 2008 · Theatrical
Canada
December 25, 2007 · Theatrical
Czechia
December 27, 2007 · Theatrical
Egypt
October 20, 2022 · Physical · DVD
Germany
November 7, 2011 · Physical · DVD
February 13, 2014 · Physical · Blu-ray
Greece
March 15, 2008 · Theatrical
Italy
May 13, 2008 · Physical · DVD
Japan
July 16, 2011 · TV
Netherlands
October 27, 2009 · Physical · DVD
Norway
December 9, 2009 · Physical · DVD
Poland
February 21, 2013 · Premiere · Afro-Ameryka Film Festival
March 17, 2016 · TV
Portugal
January 9, 2012 · Theatrical
Romania
May 6, 2011 · Theatrical
South Africa
August 22, 2011 · Physical · DVD
South Korea
December 12, 2022 · Digital
Sweden
December 2, 2009 · Physical · DVD
United Arab Emirates
August 22, 2011 · Physical · DVD
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Some details come from TheTVDB.