Explorers

Name: Explorers
Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Family
Released: 1985-07-12
Duration: 1 h 49 min
Rating: 6.3
Cast: Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, Jason Presson, Amanda Peterson, Bobby Fite

1985·Movie·PG·109 min·★ 6.3(506)

Science Fiction Adventure Family More English titles

“The adventure begins in your own back yard.”

Middle schooler Ben spends his free time watching sci-fi films, playing video games and reading comic books. Surprisingly, his affinity for all things fantastical yields a real result – when he has a vivid dream about technology, his prodigy best friend Wolfgang manages to create a working spacecraft. Joined by their buddy Darren, the boys take off into outer space and encounter some very odd extraterrestrial life.

▶ Watch trailer

Where to watch Explorers in United States

Stream

Rent

Buy

Click a service to open Explorers there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.

Where is Explorers streaming around the world?

Country	Streaming on	Rent / Buy
United States	Kanopy, Hoopla	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies
India	—	Amazon Video
United Kingdom	—	Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video
Canada	—	Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Australia	SBS On Demand	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies
Germany	Pluto TV	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Sky Store
France	Molotov TV	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Canal VOD
Spain	—	Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video
Brazil	Pluto TV	—
Japan	—	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies

About Explorers

Explorers is a 1985 English-language science fiction, adventure and family film directed by Joe Dante. The cast is led by Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, Jason Presson. It has a runtime of 1h 49m. Viewers rate it 6.3/10 across 500 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla.

Explorers was produced by Paramount Pictures and made in United States of America. It was released on July 12, 1985, and carries a PG certification. Made on a budget of about $25 million, it went on to gross $10 million worldwide.

Director: Joe Dante
Writers: Eric Luke
Release date: July 12, 1985
Original language: English
Age rating: PG
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Budget: $25 million
Box office: $10 million
Production: Paramount Pictures

#spacecraft#dreams#washington dc, usa#space travel#bullying#alien#best friend#middle school#extraterrestrial life form#young love#circuit board

Explorers cast & crew

Explorers was directed by Joe Dante and written by Eric Luke.

The cast features Ethan Hawke as Ben Crandall, River Phoenix as Wolfgang Müller, Jason Presson as Darren Woods, Amanda Peterson as Lori Swenson, Bobby Fite as Steve Jackson, and Dana Ivey as Mrs. Müller.

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, cinematography is by John Hora, and it was produced by David Bombyk and Edward S. Feldman.

Is Explorers worth watching?

Explorers holds an audience score of 6.3/10 from 506 ratings, a solidly received science fiction films.

At 1h 49m, it's a standard feature-length watch.

If you enjoy science fiction, adventure, and family, Explorers is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch Explorers

In United States, you can stream Explorers on Kanopy and Hoopla, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. Click any service above to open it directly.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.