Big Fish

Big Fish
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Tim Burton
Produced by	Richard D. Zanuck Bruce Cohen Dan Jinks
Screenplay by	John August
Based on	Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace
Starring	Ewan McGregor Albert Finney Billy Crudup Jessica Lange Helena Bonham Carter Alison Lohman Robert Guillaume Marion Cotillard Steve Buscemi Danny DeVito
Music by	Danny Elfman
Cinematography	Philippe Rousselot
Edited by	Chris Lebenzon
Production company	Jinks/Cohen Company The Zanuck Company
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	December 10, 2003 (2003-12-10)
Running time	125 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$70 million
Box office	$122.9 million

Big Fish is a 2003 American fantasy drama film based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Daniel Wallace. The film was directed by Tim Burton and stars Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, and Marion Cotillard. Other roles are performed by Steve Buscemi, Helena Bonham Carter, Matthew McGrory, and Danny DeVito among others. Edward Bloom (Finney), a former traveling salesman in the Southern United States with a gift for storytelling, is now confined to his deathbed. Will (Crudup), his estranged son, attempts to mend their relationship as Bloom relates tall tales of his eventful life as a young adult (portrayed by Ewan McGregor in the flashback scenes).

Screenwriter John August read a manuscript of the novel six months before it was published and convinced Columbia Pictures to acquire the rights. August began adapting the novel while producers negotiated with Steven Spielberg who planned to direct after finishing Minority Report (2002). Spielberg considered Jack Nicholson for the role of Edward Bloom, but eventually dropped the project to focus on Catch Me If You Can (2002). Tim Burton and Richard D. Zanuck took over after completing Planet of the Apes (2001) and brought Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney on board.