In 1981, The Cannonball Run raced its way into cinemas. The action-comedy – about a collection of quirky characters who take part in a cross-country race – proved very popular with audiences, and took $160 million at the box office, from a budget of $18 million.

Due to the significant financial success of The Cannonball Run, the movie soon spawned sequels. But how many Cannonball Run movies are there?

For all the details and more, buckle up and read on!

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How many Cannonball Run movies are there?

Image: ©20th Century

To date, there are three entries in The Cannonball Run movie series. The films include:

  • The Cannonball Run (1981)
  • Cannonball Run II (1984)
  • Speed Zone (1989) (aka Cannonball Run III/Cannonball Fever)
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Are the Cannonball Run movies all part of the same series?

Image: ©20th Century

The Cannonball Run and Cannonball Run II are directly linked to each other, while Speed Zone is a loose sequel. Speed Zone was originally conceived as Cannonball Run III, but when lead star Burt Reynolds dropped out of the film, alterations were made to the project and it became a spiritual sequel, rather than a direct one.

The only cast member to appear across the series is Jamie Farr, who appears in all three movies in the role of The Sheik.

Hal Needham directed The Cannonball Run and Cannonball Run II, while Jim Drake directed Speed Zone.

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Who are the cast of the Cannonball Run movies?

Image: ©20th Century

Notable actors in the Cannonball Run movie series include Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Chan, Jamie Farr, Adrienne Barbeau, Peter Fonda, Ricardo Montalbán, Telly Savalas, Shirley MacLaine, Richard Kiel, Don Knotts, Henry Silva, Jim Nabors, Frank Sinatra, Melody Anderson, Peter Boyle, John Candy, Donna Dixon, Matt Frewer, Eugene Levy, Brooke Shields, and Alyssa Milano.

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What is the best Cannonball Run movie?

Image: ©Orion Pictures

According to IMDb, the Cannonball Run movies are ranked from best to least-best as follows:

  • The Cannonball Run (1981) – 6.3/10
  • Cannonball Run II (1984) – 5.1/10
  • Speed Zone (1989) – 4.5/10
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I hope this information about the Cannonball Run movie series has proved useful. Should you wish to dive into more movie posts, please check out the recommended reads below.

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