They Live

Name: They Live
Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Thriller
Released: 1988-11-04
Duration: 1 h 33 min
Rating: 7.3
Cast: Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster, George Buck Flower, Peter Jason

1988·Movie·R·93 min·★ 7.3(3,489)

Science Fiction Action Thriller More English titles

“You see them on the street. You watch them on TV. You might even vote for one this fall. You think they're people just like you. You're wrong. Dead wrong.”

A lone drifter stumbles upon a unique pair of sunglasses that reveal aliens are systematically gaining control of the Earth by masquerading as humans and lulling the public into submission.

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Where to watch They Live in United States

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Click a service to open They Live there. Availability last verified on June 23, 2026.

Where is They Live streaming around the world?

Country	Streaming on	Rent / Buy
United States	YouTube Free	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies
India	—	Amazon Video
United Kingdom	Studiocanal Presents Amazon Channel	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies
Canada	—	Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, CosmoGo
Australia	MUBI, Rialto Amazon Channel, MUBI Amazon Channel	—
Germany	—	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies
France	Molotov TV	Apple TV Store, Canal VOD, Orange VOD
Spain	Shadowz Amazon Channel	Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video
Brazil	Filmicca	Apple TV Store
Japan	U-NEXT, Indie Films by Realto Amazon Channel	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store

About They Live

They Live is a 1988 English-language science fiction, action and thriller film directed by John Carpenter. The cast is led by Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster. It has a runtime of 1h 33m. Viewers rate it 7.3/10 across 3500 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on YouTube Free.

They Live was produced by Alive Films and Larry Franco Productions and made in United States of America. It was released on November 4, 1988, and carries a R certification. Made on a budget of about $4 million, it went on to gross $13 million worldwide.

Director: John Carpenter
Writers: John Carpenter
Release date: November 4, 1988
Original language: English
Age rating: R
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Budget: $4 million
Box office: $13 million
Production: Alive Films, Larry Franco Productions

#capitalism#dystopia#villainess#alien#social commentary#los angeles, california#alien invasion#biting#sunglasses#glasses#brawl#aggressive#thoughtful#subliminal message

They Live cast & crew

They Live was directed by John Carpenter and written by John Carpenter.

The cast features Roddy Piper as John Nada, Keith David as Frank Armitage, Meg Foster as Holly Thompsen, George Buck Flower as Drifter, Peter Jason as Gilbert, and Raymond St. Jacques as Street Preacher.

Behind the camera, the score was composed by John Carpenter, cinematography is by Gary B. Kibbe, and it was produced by Larry Franco and Shep Gordon.

Is They Live worth watching?

They Live holds an audience score of 7.3/10 from 3,489 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed science fiction films.

At 1h 33m, it's an easy, time-light watch.

If you enjoy science fiction, action, and thriller, They Live is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch They Live

In United States, you can stream They Live on YouTube Free, 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.