

The Professor and the Madman
The incredible true story that defined our world.
Professor James Murray begins work compiling words for the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary in the mid 19th century, and receives over 10,000 entries from a patient at Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, Dr. William Minor.
TMDB
7.1/10
1,326 votes
IMDb
Not rated yet
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- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $25M
- Box office
- $5M
- Language
- English
- based on novel or book
- professor
- lunatic asylum
- biography
- based on true story
- mental patient
- dictionary
- 19th century
Top billed cast


















Behind the camera
Director
Music
Produced in
France, Ireland, Mexico, United States of America, Iceland, Belgium
Where to watch
All optionsAvailability for United States. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.
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Videos
Release dates
United StatesUS
- Theatrical (limited)10 May 2019
- Digital / OTT10 May 2019
United KingdomGB
- Theatrical15Amazon6 Mar 2020
AustraliaAU
- TheatricalM20 Feb 2020
- Digital / OTTM1 Apr 2020
BrazilBR
- Theatrical14WMIX mj.gov.br18 Apr 2019
- Digital / OTT1427 Jun 2019
ChinaCN
- Theatrical24 Dec 2019
CroatiaHR
- Theatrical7 Mar 2019
DenmarkDK
- Theatrical1520 Jun 2019
FranceFR
- Physical29 Nov 2019
GermanyDE
- Physical125 Dec 2019
GreeceGR
- Theatrical28 Mar 2019
HungaryHU
- Theatrical1627 Jan 2022
ItalyIT
- Theatrical21 Mar 2019
Frequently asked questions
The Professor and the Madman was released on 7 March 2019.
Audience reviews
3- S4/10
SWITCH.
11/24/2019
In all likelihood, you will leave this film with a little more of an understanding of how the dictionary came to be, and a little more resentment for Gibson (one of the producers) for pushing this project to happen, regardless of its lacklustre subject. It's pleasant enough, but it's clear England must produce a certain number of period dramas a year and 2019 was just about to fall under the quota - thank god for the…
- M8/10
mitohobe
5/6/2021
I really like it. It had a story within a true Story. Which in my opinion made it a little complex and exciting. Good for young adults and up. Teenagers might not find it so compelling but that's just a short time in their life when they're looking for total entertainment and action. This is not that film but there is a great story to be told with a interesting backdrop of facts. Mel Gibson is excellent!! Be ready to…
- C7/10
CinemaSerf
3/28/2022
This is the best effort I've seen from Sean Penn since "Milk" almost twelve years ago. His portrayal of the schizophrenic William Chester Minor who, having spent almost 40 years of his life in Broadmoor psychiatric hospital, became one of the single most significant contributors to the orginal Oxford Dictionary of English is superb. He captures the flaws of this paranoid etymologist warts and all, and gels very well …
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