Imagine your worst nightmare...machines take over the world!
When a comet passes close to the earth, machines all over the world come alive and go on homicidal rampages. A group of people at a desolate truck stop are held hostage by a gang of murderous 18-wheelers. The frightened people set out to defeat the killer machines…Or be killed by them.
Maximum Overdrive (1986) is a horror, action and science fiction film directed by Stephen King, released on July 13, 1986 with a runtime of 1h 38m. It stars Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington and Yeardley Smith. Viewers rate it 5.8 out of 10 across 891 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Maximum Overdrive before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for Maximum Overdrive.
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer
Clip
Behind the Scenes
Emilio Estevez
as Bill Robinson
Pat Hingle
as Hendershot
Laura Harrington
as Brett
Yeardley Smith
as Connie
John Short
as Curt
Ellen McElduff
as Wanda June
J.C. Quinn
as Duncan
Christopher Murney
as Camp Loman
Holter Graham
as Deke
Frankie Faison
as Handy
Pat Miller
as Joe
Jack Canon
as Max
Directed by Stephen King, written by Stephen King and Stephen King, produced by Martha De Laurentiis.
Average viewer score of 5.8/10 from 891 ratings.
I really don’t get the hate on this movie. It’s brilliant. Sure, the director (Stephen King) was coked up, and some of the acting is over-the-top (“we made you!”), but this is a brilliant premise with great execution. It’s totally 80s, but that’s a strength, not a weakness. It also has a killer soundtrack by AC/DC.
Reviewed on January 31, 2026
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Maximum Overdrive (1986) is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads and MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of Maximum Overdrive (1986) includes Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington, Yeardley Smith and John Short. The film was directed by Stephen King. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Maximum Overdrive was released on July 13, 1986 and runs for 1h 38m.
Maximum Overdrive (1986) holds an average rating of 5.8 out of 10 from 891 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy horror, action and science fiction films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Maximum Overdrive trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
