The Manhattan Project
PG-13“Paul Stevens' high school science project has gotten a little out of hand. He just built an atomic bomb. Now he's got 11 hours to make sure it doesn't work.”
1986·118 min·Released
Studio: Gladden Entertainment
6.2TMDb
Available on
Theatrical Jun 13, 1986
🇺🇸
USA · English · USA
Overview
A gifted high school student steals plutonium from the secret nuclear weapons facility in his home town in order to construct his own nuclear bomb, win a national science fair, and expose the government's secrets.
Trailer
Crew
DirectorMarshall Brickman
WriterThomas Baum, Marshall Brickman
Cast
John Lithgow
John Mathewson
Christopher Collet
Paul Stephens
Cynthia Nixon
Jenny Anderman
Jill Eikenberry
Elizabeth Stephens
John Mahoney
Lt. Col. Conroy
Richard Jenkins
Radiation Controls Officer
Sully Boyar
Night Guard
Timothy Carhart
Relief Guard
Gregg Edelman
Science Teacher
JD Cullum
Eccles (as John David Cullum)
Abraham Unger
Roland (as Abe Unger)
Robert Sean Leonard
Max
Fred Melamed
Howard
Ned Eisenberg
C-4 Guy (uncredited)
Richard Council
Government Aide
Robert Schenkkan
Government Aide
Steve Blum
Laser Efficiency Kid (as Richard Cardona)
Sarah Burke
Jenny's Parent
Warren Manzi
Day Attendant
Paul Austin
General
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Keywords
helicopterbombplutoniumlaserheistfugitivenuclear bombscientisthomemade explosivescience fairschool projecthigh school kidsithaca
Details
Budget
$18M
Revenue
$4M
TMDb Votes
115
Added May 14, 2026Updated Jun 3, 2026