Sudden Death (1995 film)

Sudden Death
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Peter Hyams
Produced by	Howard Baldwin Moshe Diamant
Screenplay by	Gene Quintano
Story by	Karen Elise Baldwin
Starring	Jean-Claude Van Damme Powers Boothe Raymond J. Barry Dorian Harewood
Music by	John Debney
Cinematography	Peter Hyams
Edited by	Steven Kemper
Production company	Shattered Productions
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	December 22, 1995 (1995-12-22)
Running time	110 minutes
Country	United States
Budget	$35 million
Box office	$68 million

Sudden Death is a 1995 American action film directed by Peter Hyams, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Powers Boothe, and Dorian Harewood. The film was released in the United States on December 22, 1995. Set in a hockey arena, the film was written by Gene Quintano, based on a story by Karen Elise Baldwin, the wife of Pittsburgh Penguins owner Howard Baldwin, who was a co-producer. It was the second collaboration between Van Damme and Hyams, after Timecop (1994).

The film was a box office disappointment in the United States, grossing less than $20.4 million at the box office on a $35 million budget. However, the film was a huge success internationally, particularly in Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom, making $68 million worldwide. In other countries, it made close to $50 million in profit with video sales. It received mixed to negative reviews at the time of its release, although retrospective reviews have been more positive and it is seen by many as one of Van Damme's best.

Darren McCord (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a French Canadian-born firefighter with the Pittsburgh Fire Bureau who suffered a personal crisis after he was unable to save a young girl from a house fire. Now removed from active duty, Darren has become demoted to being fire marshal for the Pittsburgh Civic Arena.

While attending Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks with his daughter Emily (Whittni Wright) and his son Tyler (Ross Malinger), he discovers a crime operation occurring in the arena. Soon a gang of terrorists led by former US government employee and fired CIA operative Joshua Foss (Powers Boothe) is holding U.S. Vice President Daniel Binder (Raymond J. Barry) and several other VIPs hostage in a luxury suite.