Battle Beyond the Stars

Battle Beyond the Stars
Directed byJimmy T. Murakami
Screenplay byJohn Sayles
Story byJohn Sayles
Anne Dyer
Based on
Seven Samurai
by
Produced byEd Carlin
Starring
CinematographyDaniel Lacambre
Edited byAllan Holzman
R. J. Kizer
Music byJames Horner
Production
company
Distributed byNew World Pictures (US)
Orion Pictures (International; through Warner Bros.)
Release date
  • July 25, 1980 (1980-07-25) (US)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2 million
Box office$11 million or $3.6 million ( U.S. collection)

Battle Beyond the Stars is a 1980 American space opera film directed by Jimmy T. Murakami, produced and distributed by Roger Corman's New World Pictures. It is a science fiction-themed interpretation of The Magnificent Seven (1960; itself a Western film version of Seven Samurai; 1954) in outer space. The film stars Richard Thomas, Robert Vaughn, George Peppard, John Saxon, Sybil Danning, Darlanne Fluegel, Sam Jaffe, Jeff Corey, Morgan Woodward, Earl Boen, and Lynn Carlin.

In keeping with Corman's longstanding cultivation of emergent talents, the screenplay was written by John Sayles (then transitioning from an aborted literary career under the producer's aegis), with an early score from James Horner and special effects designed by nascent filmmaker James Cameron.

The film was theatrically released by New World Pictures on July 25, 1980. It was a decent box office success, despite receiving mixed reviews from critics. It was nominated for five Saturn Awards, including Best Science Fiction Film and Best Special Effects, with Sybil Danning winning a special award for Outstanding Achievement.