

The Negotiator
He frees hostages for a living. Now he's taking hostages to survive.
The police try to arrest expert hostage negotiator Danny Roman, who insists he's being framed for his partner's murder in what he believes is an elaborate conspiracy. Thinking there's evidence in the Internal Affairs offices that might clear him, he takes everyone in the office hostage and demands that another well-known negotiator be brought in to handle the situation and secretly investigate the conspiracy.
TMDB
7.1/10
2,524 votes
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- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $50M
- Box office
- $44.5M
- Language
- English
- chicago, illinois
- corruption
- police
- hostage
- innocence
- pension
- hostage-taking
- murder
- conspiracy
- bullet wound
- urban setting
- negotiator
Top billed cast


















Behind the camera
Director
Writers
Music
Produced in
Germany, United States of America
Where to watch
All optionsAvailability for United States. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.
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Videos
Release dates
United StatesUS
- TheatricalR29 Jul 1998
United KingdomGB
- Theatrical1527 Nov 1998
United Arab EmiratesAE
- PhysicalBlu-ray24 Sept 2018
AustraliaAU
- TheatricalMA 15+21 Oct 1998
CanadaCA
- Theatrical14A29 Jul 1998
ArgentinaAR
- Theatrical1 Oct 1998
BelgiumBE
- Theatrical1821 Oct 2018
BrazilBR
- PremiereSão Paulo25 Sept 2018
- Theatrical1420 Nov 2018
BulgariaBG
- Theatrical22 Jan 1999
ColombiaCO
- Theatrical12 Aug 1998
CzechiaCZ
- Theatrical12+26 Nov 2018
DenmarkDK
- Theatrical153 Dec 1998
Frequently asked questions
The Negotiator was released on 29 July 1998.
Audience reviews
2- C7/10
CinemaSerf
7/8/2022
Samuel L. Jackson is renowned hostage negotiator "Roman" who is shocked to learn of the murder of his partner. A little further investigation reveals that he had been looking into a multi-million dollar pension fraud. Next thing he knows, "Roman" is being charged with his friend's killing and decides to turn the tables. He goes to the office of the Internal Affairs department, seizes some hostages, barricades himself…
- R8/10
RalphRahal
2/8/2025
The Negotiator is one of those classic thrillers that still holds up well today. The plot is engaging from the start, throwing you into a tense, high-stakes standoff where trust and deception play a big role. The pacing is solid, though it stretches a bit in parts, but the setup and execution make up for it. F. Gary Gray's direction keeps the tension tight, balancing action and drama without overcomplicating thin…
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