Shaft
“Still the man, any questions?”
New York police detective John Shaft arrests Walter Wade Jr. for a racially motivated slaying. But the only eyewitness disappears, and Wade jumps bail for Switzerland. Two years later Wade returns to face trial, confident his money and influence will get him acquitted -- especially since he's paid a drug kingpin to kill the witness.
Where to watch Shaft in United States
Can I watch Shaft in United States? Yes — you can stream Shaft in United States on Paramount Plus Essential, Starz Apple TV channel, and Kanopy, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
Paramount Plus Essential
Starz Apple TV channel
Kanopy
Hoopla
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
PlexClick a service to open Shaft there. Availability last verified on October 22, 2026.
Where is Shaft streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Paramount Plus Essential, Starz Apple TV channel, Kanopy, Hoopla | Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies |
| India | — | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video |
| United Kingdom | Sky Go | Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
| Canada | — | Apple TV Store, CosmoGo, YouTube |
| Australia | — | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, YouTube |
| Germany | — | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, YouTube |
| France | — | Apple TV Store, YouTube, Canal VOD |
| Spain | Amazon Prime Video, Movistar Plus+ Ficción Total , FlixOlé, FlixOlé Amazon Channel | — |
| Brazil | — | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video |
| Japan | — | Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, FOD |
About Shaft
Shaft is a 2000 English-language action, adventure and crime film directed by John Singleton. The cast is led by Samuel L. Jackson, Vanessa Williams, Jeffrey Wright. It has a runtime of 1h 39m. Viewers rate it 6.0/10 across 1500 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Paramount Plus Essential, Starz Apple TV channel, Kanopy.
Shaft was produced by Paramount Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions, and New Deal Productions and made in United States of America and Germany. It was released on June 15, 2000, and carries a R certification. Made on a budget of about $46 million, it went on to gross $108 million worldwide.
- Director
- John Singleton
- Writers
- John Singleton, Shane Salerno, Richard Price
- Release date
- June 15, 2000
- Original language
- English
- Age rating
- R
- Status
- Released
- Country
- United States of America, Germany
- Budget
- $46 million
- Box office
- $108 million
- Production
- Paramount Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions, New Deal Productions
Shaft cast & crew
Shaft was directed by John Singleton and written by John Singleton, Shane Salerno, and Richard Price.
The cast features Samuel L. Jackson as John Shaft, Vanessa Williams as Carmen Vasquez, Jeffrey Wright as Peoples Hernandez, Christian Bale as Walter Wade, Jr., Busta Rhymes as Rasaan, and Dan Hedaya as Jack Roselli.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by David Arnold, cinematography is by Donald E. Thorin, and it was produced by Mark Roybal and Paul Hall.
Is Shaft worth watching?
Shaft holds an audience score of 6.0/10 from 1,523 ratings, a solidly received action films.
At 1h 39m, it's an easy, time-light watch.
If you enjoy action, adventure, and crime, Shaft is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch Shaft
In United States, you can stream Shaft on Paramount Plus Essential, Starz Apple TV channel, 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.
Rate & review
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Cast of Shaft
Samuel L. Jackson
John Shaft
Vanessa Williams
Carmen Vasquez
Jeffrey Wright
Peoples Hernandez
Christian Bale
Walter Wade, Jr.
Busta Rhymes
Rasaan
Dan Hedaya
Jack Roselli
Toni Collette
Diane Palmieri
Richard Roundtree
"Uncle" John Shaft
Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Jimmy Groves
Josef Sommer
Curt Flemming
Lynne Thigpen
Carla Howard
Philip Bosco
Walter Wade Senior
More from the Shaft Collection
Shaft — FAQs
▸Where can I watch Shaft in United States?
Shaft is streaming on Paramount Plus Essential, Starz Apple TV channel, Kanopy, Hoopla in United States.
▸Is Shaft on Paramount Plus Essential?
Yes — Shaft is currently available on Paramount Plus Essential in United States.
▸What language is Shaft in?
Shaft is originally in English, with audio tracks including English, Spanish, German. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is Shaft?
Shaft runs 1 hours 39 minutes (99 minutes).
▸What is Shaft rated?
Shaft is rated R. It holds a 6.0/10 audience score from 1,523 ratings.
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