How long is Short Circuit?

Short Circuit is 1 h 38 min long (98 minutes). If you start it at 8:00 pm it ends at 9:38 pm; add about 20 minutes if you watch trailers first.

What is Short Circuit rated?

Short Circuit is rated PG in the US.

Where can I stream Short Circuit?

In the US, as of 2026-11-04: Hulu (subscription), Hoopla (free). Availability changes often; this page loads the live list for your country (streaming availability by JustWatch).

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Where to watch Short Circuit (1986) tonight

Short Circuit (1986) runs 1 h 38 min, is rated PG in the US and averages 6.7 from 1,707 TMDB members. After a lightning bolt zaps a robot named Number 5, the lovable machine starts to think he's human and escapes the lab. Hot on his trail is his designer, Newton, who hopes to get to Number 5 before the military does. In the meantime, a spunky animal lover mistakes the robot for an alien and takes him in, teaching her new guest about life on Earth.

Runtime: 1 h 38 min — ends 9:38 pm if you start at 8:00 pm
Rated: PG (US)
Genres: Science Fiction, Comedy, Family
Released: May 9, 1986
TMDB rating: 6.7 / 10 from 1,707 votes
Director: John Badham
Starring: Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens, Austin Pendleton
Language: English

Good for a group? Yes — a crowd movie.Science Fiction and Comedy hold a room: people can talk, laugh or scream over it and still follow what is going on.

Where to watch it tonight

Availability loads live for your country. See where Short Circuit streams (JustWatch via TMDB) →

Streaming availability by JustWatch. In the US, as of 2026-11-04: Hulu (subscription), Hoopla (free).

Questions people ask

How long is Short Circuit?: Short Circuit is 1 h 38 min long (98 minutes). If you start it at 8:00 pm it ends at 9:38 pm; add about 20 minutes if you watch trailers first.
What is Short Circuit rated?: Short Circuit is rated PG in the US.
Is Short Circuit a good movie to watch with a group?: Yes — a crowd movie. Science Fiction and Comedy hold a room: people can talk, laugh or scream over it and still follow what is going on.
Where can I stream Short Circuit?: In the US, as of 2026-11-04: Hulu (subscription), Hoopla (free). Availability changes often; this page loads the live list for your country (streaming availability by JustWatch).

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Short Circuit on TMDB · This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

Lights Down is a free tool: tell it your streaming services and how long you have, and it ranks what you can stream tonight, with a this-or-that, a roll, a bracket and a wheel. Movie data from TMDB; streaming availability by JustWatch. Page updated 2026-11-05. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Lights Down is a Somebody Decide program. How the data works · Legal & privacy · Tonight's lists