The Last Samurai_
"In the face of an enemy, in the heart of one man, lies the soul of a warrior."
Nathan Algren is an American hired to instruct the Japanese army in the ways of modern warfare, which finds him learning to respect the samurai and the honorable principles that rule them. Pressed to destroy the samurai's way of life in the name of modernization and open trade, Algren decides to become an ultimate warrior himself and to fight for their right to exist.
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
Prime Video
16 countries
Rakuten TV
9 countries
Max
3 countries
Netflix
3 countries
Claro tv+
1 country
Telecine Amazon Channel
1 country
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
The Last Samurai earned $456.8M worldwide on a $140.0M budget — a 226% return on investment.
Edward Zwick →
Year context
The Last Samurai was released 23 years ago in 2003.
CAST (20)
Tom Cruise
Nathan Algren
Ken Watanabe
Moritsugu Katsumoto
Timothy Spall
Simon Graham
Tony Goldwyn
Col. Benjamin Bagley
Hiroyuki Sanada
Ujio
Koyuki
Taka
Shin Koyamada
Nobutada
Billy Connolly
Zebulon Gant
Togo Igawa
General Hasegawa
Shichinosuke Nakamura
Emperor Meiji
Masato Harada
Omura
William Atherton
Winchester Rep
Chad Lindberg
Winchester Rep Assistant
Scott Wilson
Ambassador Swanbeck
RG
Ray Godshall Sr.
Convention Hall Attendee
Masashi Odate
Omura's Companion
John Koyama
Omura's Bodyguard
Satoshi Nikaido
N.C.O.
SW
Shintaro Wada
Young Recruit
Shun Sugata
Nakao
CREW
BOX OFFICE
$140.0M
Budget
$456.8M
Revenue
+226%
ROI
BLOCKBUSTER
Verdict
STUDIOS (2)
Bedford Falls Productions
Cruise/Wagner Productions
AWARDS (1)
B
National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
WON
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
154 min (2h 34m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
7.6/10 (7,352 votes)
Popularity
9
Budget
$140,000,000
Box Office
$456,800,000
Profit
+$316,800,000
IMDB
Trailer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Last Samurai about?
Nathan Algren is an American hired to instruct the Japanese army in the ways of modern warfare, which finds him learning to respect the samurai and the honorable principles that rule them. Pressed to destroy the samurai's way of life in the name of modernization and open trade, Algren decides to become an ultimate warrior himself and to fight for their right to exist.
How long is The Last Samurai?
The Last Samurai has a runtime of 154 minutes (2h 34m).
Who directed The Last Samurai?
The Last Samurai was directed by Edward Zwick.
Who stars in The Last Samurai?
The cast of The Last Samurai includes Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Timothy Spall, Tony Goldwyn, Hiroyuki Sanada.
How much did The Last Samurai make at the box office?
The Last Samurai earned $456,800,000 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $140,000,000.
What is the rating of The Last Samurai?
The Last Samurai has a rating of 7.6 out of 10 based on 7,352 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (3)
Drama
Action
War
KEYWORDS (36)
japan
samurai
swordplay
general
sense of guilt
war veteran
sword
war crimes
loss of loved one
self-discovery
arms deal
homeland
katana
emperor
language barrier
mountain village
foreign legion
insurgence
mercenary
campaign
war strategy
gettysburg
slaughter
soldier
period drama
alcoholic
u.s. soldier
japanese army
warrior
19th century
war trauma
vindictive
intense
antagonistic
mighty whitey
going native