Drop Dead Fred flopped in cinemas and then found a second life on home video, and that split shapes what the record can confirm. The 1991 comedy, rated 6.0/10 on IMDb, still draws searches for a reboot, a sequel and a Netflix listing, yet sources settle far fewer of those questions than the searches assume.
Release year: 1991 · Runtime: 1 h 39 min · IMDb rating: IMDb 6.0/10 · Lead cast: Phoebe Cates, Rik Mayall · Co-star: Carrie Fisher · Genre: Comedy
Quick snapshot
- Released in 1991, with a US premiere on May 24, 1991 (IMDb (film database))
- Rated PG-13 and listed as a comedy (Netflix (official listing))
- Phoebe Cates and Rik Mayall star (Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry))
- No source in the research names a setting city (elCinema (film database))
- Listings disagree on runtime: elCinema (film database) gives 103 minutes, while Apple TV (platform listing) gives 1 h 39 min
- Netflix availability differs by country, according to Press Hive (feature article)
- May 24, 1991: US release (Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry)) (ReportDesk.uk (news blog))
- October 11, 1991: UK release (Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry)) (ReportDesk.uk (news blog))
- June 9, 2014: Rik Mayall’s death, according to ReportDesk.uk (news blog)
- Press Hive (feature article) reports that no sequel or remake is in active development
- The live Netflix title page is the check to run before watching (Netflix (official listing))
Nine facts, one pattern: the core credits and dates line up across major sources, while runtime and some release dates disagree from listing to listing.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Release year | 1991 (IMDb (film database)) |
| US theatrical release | May 24, 1991 (Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry)) |
| UK release | October 11, 1991 (Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry)) |
| Rating | PG-13 (Netflix (official listing)) |
| Runtime | 1 h 39 min (Apple TV (platform listing)); elCinema lists 103 minutes (elCinema (film database)) |
| Director | Ate de Jong (IMDb (film database)) |
| Lead cast | Phoebe Cates as Elizabeth Cronin; Rik Mayall as Drop Dead Fred (Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry)) |
| Writers | Carlos Davis, Anthony Fingleton, Elizabeth Livingston (IMDb (film database)) |
| Distributor | New Line Cinema (Apple TV (platform listing)) |
Did Tim Burton make Drop Dead Fred?
No source in the research credits Tim Burton on this film. The director credit goes to Ate de Jong on IMDb’s full credits, and Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry) describes the film the same way.
- Director: Ate de Jong (IMDb (film database))
- Writers: Carlos Davis, Anthony Fingleton and Elizabeth Livingston (IMDb (film database))
- Producer: Tim Bevan (IMDb (film database))
The implication: the director field is the place to check, and the record shows Ate de Jong there, not Burton.
What city is Drop Dead Fred in?
No source in the research names the film’s setting city. The Netflix (official listing) plot summary describes a heartbroken woman who revives her imaginary friend while she starts over, and the Apple TV (platform listing) description focuses on a young woman’s childhood friend causing mishaps. Neither names a place.
Readers looking for a real-world location will find no confirmed city in these listings, so any city named in a search snippet is a guess until a primary record names one.
The implication: the listings describe the story, not the place, so the setting stays a verification task rather than a settled fact.
Why did Drop Dead Fred flop?
The film is documented as a commercial flop, but none of the sources in the research explains why it underperformed.
- Opening weekend: a commercial flop with generally negative reviews (Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry))
- Metascore: 25 (TV Guide (listings site))
- IMDb rating: 6.0/10 (IMDb (film database))
- Later life: a hit with children who first saw it on VHS, according to Vodzilla (2018 film review)
A Metascore of 25 and an IMDb rating of 6.0/10 signal weak critical standing, but they cannot explain a box-office result. Anyone naming a single cause for the flop is repeating a claim the research does not support.
The pattern: the weak opening and the lasting cult following come from the same record, and none of these sources explains the gap between them.
Is there a Drop Dead Fred reboot?
No reboot, remake or sequel is confirmed in the research. The closest documented plan is from the late 2000s. According to Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry), Universal planned a remake with Russell Brand as the title character, and the project was quietly cancelled after the poor reception to Arthur.
Is there going to be a second Drop Dead Fred movie?
- No studio has announced a sequel, according to ReportDesk.uk (news blog)
- No sequel or remake is in active development, according to Press Hive (feature article)
- A 2024 remake rumor involving Finn Wolfhard was debunked by Dexerto, according to Press Hive (feature article)
Is there a new Drop Dead Fred coming out in 2026?
- Press Hive (feature article) reports no active project, so no 2026 release appears in the sources.
- Remake and sequel references in the research are search terms and older reports, not announced productions.
The implication: a new Drop Dead Fred would need an announcement from a studio or platform, and the sources here contain none. Treat the reboot as a search term rather than a production.
Is Drop Dead Fred available on Netflix?
Netflix (official listing) lists Drop Dead Fred as a 1991 PG-13 comedy starring Phoebe Cates, Rik Mayall and Marsha Mason, but its page states the title is not available to watch in the viewer’s country. The listing’s plot summary says that after her perfect life falls apart, a heartbroken woman unintentionally revives her mischievous imaginary friend as she tries to start over.
Four listings, one pattern: availability depends on region, and the two third-party reports disagree on the United States.
| Source | What it says about streaming | Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix (official listing) | Listed, but not available to watch in the viewer’s country | Tier 1 |
| Tubi (streaming platform) | Listed as a 1991 PG-13 comedy, with content unavailable at the time of capture | Tier 2 |
| StoryShift (tech and entertainment site) | Says the film is on Netflix in the UK as of 2025 and not in the US, according to StoryShift | Tier 3, low confidence |
| Press Hive (feature article) | Says Netflix carries the film in some regions, including the US and UK as of December 2025 | Tier 3, low confidence |
For a rental or purchase, JustWatch (streaming guide) lists Amazon Video, Apple TV and Fandango At Home, and Fandango At Home (rental storefront) lists a $3.99 rental and a $14.99 purchase price.
What happens with Fred in Drop Dead Diva?
- The research does not document Fred’s role in Drop Dead Diva.
- Any link between the film’s character and the series is an open question, not a confirmed storyline.
The catch: the Netflix question has no single answer, because the official listing and the regional reports point in different directions.
Steps to confirm streaming availability
- Open the Netflix (official listing) page and read the availability line for your country.
- Check JustWatch (streaming guide) for the rental and purchase options in your region.
- Note any listing that disagrees with the 1991 release dates and the 1 h 39 min runtime above, since the sources conflict on both.
The implication: a live check beats any cached list, because regional catalogs change and none of the sources here can speak for your country.
Timeline of key dates
- May 24, 1991: US theatrical release, per IMDb (film database) and Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry)
- October 11, 1991: UK release, per Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry)
- Late 2000s to early 2010s: Universal’s remake plan with Russell Brand, cancelled according to Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry)
- June 9, 2014: Rik Mayall dies, according to ReportDesk.uk (news blog)
The implication: the dated record ends with a cancelled plan and a 2014 death, with no dated announcement of a new project.
Confirmed facts versus open questions
Confirmed facts
- Released in 1991 (IMDb (film database))
- Phoebe Cates and Rik Mayall star (Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry))
- Rated PG-13 (Netflix (official listing))
- Directed by Ate de Jong (IMDb (film database) full credits)
What’s unclear
- Setting city: no source names one
- Runtime: 1 h 39 min on Apple TV (platform listing), but elCinema (film database) gives 103 minutes
- US Netflix availability: StoryShift and Press Hive disagree
- Reboot or sequel: none confirmed, and the cancelled Universal remake is the only documented plan
- Reasons for the weak reception: no cause is documented
- Fred’s role in Drop Dead Diva: not documented
The implication: the four firm items all come from listings or credits, while the six open items each lack a primary record, so this page treats them as checks rather than answers.
Voices on the record
The quotes below come from secondary outlets, so each one carries its publisher.
Drop Dead Fred wound up being his one and only Hollywood starring role after the film’s box-office failure and a joyless publicity tour in the States.
Mark Harrison, film reviewer, Vodzilla (2018 film review)
While there was fleeting talk of a remake before Mayall’s sad passing in 2014, it should always have been obvious that this is reboot-proof.
Mark Harrison, film reviewer, Vodzilla (2018 film review)
Paraphrased, not verbatim: the film is a black comedy about facing your inner child.
Ate de Jong, director, as paraphrased by ReportDesk.uk (news blog)
The implication: both reviewer lines are opinion from a secondary outlet, so they show how the film is remembered, not what it earned.
What to check before you watch
The 1991 release, the PG-13 rating and the Ate de Jong director credit are firm, according to IMDb (film database) and Netflix (official listing). The open questions left are the setting, the cause of the weak opening, and whether any new version is coming, and the research does not contain a primary record for any of them. Viewers in the US and UK who skip the live Netflix check risk subscribing to a title the sources cannot confirm, so renting from a storefront that JustWatch (streaming guide) lists is the safer route.
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Frequently asked questions
Who stars in Drop Dead Fred?
Phoebe Cates plays Elizabeth Cronin and Rik Mayall plays Drop Dead Fred, with Marsha Mason, Carrie Fisher and Tim Matheson in supporting roles, according to Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry).
What is Drop Dead Fred about?
According to the Netflix (official listing) plot summary, a heartbroken woman unintentionally revives her mischievous imaginary friend as she tries to start over after her perfect life falls apart.
When was Drop Dead Fred released?
The US release was May 24, 1991, per IMDb (film database), and the UK release was October 11, 1991, per Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry). Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator) lists April 19, 1991, a conflicting date.
How long is Drop Dead Fred?
The Apple TV (platform listing) runtime is 1 h 39 min, while other listings range from 98 to 103 minutes, and elCinema (film database) gives 103 minutes.
What is the IMDb rating of Drop Dead Fred?
Drop Dead Fred has a rating of 6.0/10 on IMDb (film database).
Is there a Drop Dead Fred trailer?
The research contains no trailer link or trailer listing, so this page cannot point to one.
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Edward Davies Bennett is Editor-in-Chief and Responsible Publisher at Insight Britain, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and the corrections process.