The Happening_
"We've sensed it. We've seen the signs. Now...it's happening."
When a deadly airborne virus threatens to wipe out the northeastern United States, teacher Elliot Moore and his wife Alma flee from contaminated cities into the countryside in a fight to discover the truth. Is it terrorism, the accidental release of some toxic military bio weapon -- or something even more sinister?
Starring
Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo
Box Office
$163.4M
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
The Happening earned $163.4M worldwide on a $60.0M budget — a 172% return on investment.
Year context
The Happening was released 18 years ago in 2008.
The Happening is a Thriller, Science Fiction film with a runtime of 1h 30m.
CAST (20)
Mark Wahlberg
Elliot Moore
Zooey Deschanel
Alma Moore
John Leguizamo
Julian
Ashlyn Sanchez
Jess
Betty Buckley
Mrs. Jones
Spencer Breslin
Josh
Robert Bailey Jr.
Jared
Frank Collison
Nursery Owner
Jeremy Strong
Private Auster
Alan Ruck
Principal
Victoria Clark
Nursery Owner's Wife
M. Night Shyamalan
Joey (voice)
Alison Folland
Woman Reading on Bench with Hair Pin
Kristen Connolly
Woman Reading on Bench
Cornell Womack
Construction Foreman
Curtis McClarin
Construction Crew Member
Robert Lenzi
Jake
Derege Harding
Train Conductor
Roberto Lombardi
Father in Elliot's Group
Kerry O'Malley
Woman on Cell Phone
BOX OFFICE
$60.0M
Budget
$163.4M
Revenue
+172%
ROI
BLOCKBUSTER
Verdict
STUDIOS (3)
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
90 min (1h 30m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
5.4/10 (3,868 votes)
Popularity
4
Budget
$60,000,000
Box Office
$163,403,799
Profit
+$103,403,799
IMDB
Trailer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Happening about?
When a deadly airborne virus threatens to wipe out the northeastern United States, teacher Elliot Moore and his wife Alma flee from contaminated cities into the countryside in a fight to discover the truth. Is it terrorism, the accidental release of some toxic military bio weapon -- or something even more sinister?
How long is The Happening?
The Happening has a runtime of 90 minutes (1h 30m).
Who stars in The Happening?
The cast of The Happening includes Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Ashlyn Sanchez, Betty Buckley.
How much did The Happening make at the box office?
The Happening earned $163,403,799 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $60,000,000.
What is the rating of The Happening?
The Happening has a rating of 5.4 out of 10 based on 3,868 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Thriller
Science Fiction
KEYWORDS (12)
suicide
husband wife relationship
tree
natural disaster
crisis
park
nature
strange behavior
virus
unexplained
toxin
unprecedented