Rollerball (1975 film)

Rollerball is a 1975 American dystopian science-fiction sports film directed and produced by Norman Jewison, and starring James Caan, John Houseman, Maud Adams, John Beck, Moses Gunn and Ralph Richardson. The screenplay, written by William Harrison, adapted his own short story "Roller Ball Murder", which had first appeared in the September 1973 issue of Esquire.

Set in a near future world ruled by a corporatocracy, the film centers on the titular sport — an often-brutal spectacle used to help placate the populace. Jonathan E. (Caan), the sport's top player, finds himself at odds with the ruling powers, when his popularity threatens to hurt their grip on power.

The film was released by United Artists on June 25, 1975. Rollerball was a box office success, and critical reviews were initially mixed but have warmed somewhat over time, and the film inspired a wave of similar, dystopian-themed sports films. A remake of the same name was released in 2002.