Heaven Can Wait (1978): cast, story & where to watch
1978 · Film · ★ 6.5
Released in 1978, Heaven Can Wait is a comedy, fantasy and romance film directed by Buck Henry, running about 101 minutes.
What it’s about. Joe Pendleton is a quarterback preparing to lead his team to the superbowl when he is almost killed in an accident. An overanxious angel plucks him to heaven only to discover that he wasn't ready to die, and that his body has been cremated. A new body must be found, and that of a recently-murdered millionaire is chosen. His wife and accountant—the murderers—are confused by this development, as he buys the L.A. Rams in order to once again quarterback them into the Superbowl.
Who’s in it. Heaven Can Wait stars Warren Beatty as Joe Pendleton, Julie Christie as Betty Logan, James Mason as Mr. Jordan and Jack Warden as Max Corkle, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.5/10, Heaven Can Wait has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $98.8M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on MGM Plus and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Heaven Can Wait page.
If you liked it. Fans of Heaven Can Wait tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Heaven Can Wait (1978)?
- In US, Heaven Can Wait is available to stream on MGM Plus, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Heaven Can Wait worth watching?
- Heaven Can Wait holds an audience score of 6.5 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy, fantasy and romance. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Heaven Can Wait?
- Heaven Can Wait stars Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, James Mason, Jack Warden and Charles Grodin.
- When was Heaven Can Wait released?
- Heaven Can Wait was released in 1978, with a runtime of about 101 minutes.