The Mothman Prophecies
Added How We Rate
- Directed by
- Mark Pellington
- Written by
- Richard Hatem, John A. Keel
- Produced by
- Gary W. Goldstein, Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Richard S. Wright, Terry McKay, Ted Tannebaum
Why it’s HorroRated
Phones that ring at the wrong moment and voices with inside information carry most of the fright, and Mark Pellington wrings real unease out of that restraint. Richard Gere plays grief without fuss, while Laura Linney's level-headed sheriff supplies a warm human center. Keeping the creature mostly out of frame was the smart call, since your imagination does a better job than any effect could. At just under two hours it can drift, and the puzzle leaves plenty unanswered, so anyone craving a straight creature feature should look elsewhere. On an overcast night with a taste for real-world folklore, though, it delivers a satisfying chill.
Synopsis
Inspired by John Keel's 1975 book about strange happenings in a West Virginia river town, The Mothman Prophecies (2002) is Mark Pellington's supernatural horror film, scripted by Richard Hatem. Richard Gere plays John Klein, a grieving Washington Post columnist pulled into sightings of a winged figure and calls from a voice that knows too much, with Laura Linney as local sheriff Connie Mills and Will Patton, Debra Messing and Alan Bates in support. The film draws on events Keel placed around Point Pleasant in 1966 and 1967, with Pittsburgh and Kittanning, Pennsylvania, standing in for the location. It plays as a creeping paranoia mystery rather than a monster movie.
Filed under
Where to watch The Mothman Prophecies
- Subscription
- Netflix · Prime Video · Peacock · Shout! Factory · fuboTV
- Free
- Prime Video · Tubi · YouTube · The CW · Amazon MX Player
- Rent or buy
- Prime Video · Apple TV · YouTube · Google Play · Fandango at Home
Streaming in the US changes often. Listings from JustWatch via TMDB, checked November 10, 2026.See every option
Quick facts
- Release date
- January 25, 2002
- Runtime
- 1 hour 59 mins
- Country
- United States of America
- Language
- English
- Content rating
- PG-13
- Entry type
- Movie
Content notes
- Death of a spouse and eerie visions
- Large-scale tragedy
- Some sexuality
- Some language
