Junior (1994)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
An Austrian-American scientist agrees to undergo a male pregnancy using a newly developed fertility drug.
The story
Austrian research geneticist Dr. Alex Hesse and his OB/GYN colleague Dr. Larry Arbogast invent a fertility drug called 'Expectane' to reduce miscarriage chances. When the FDA denies human experimentation, they seek funding from a Canadian firm that requires a volunteer. To proceed, Larry convinces Alex to impregnate himself with an ovum codenamed 'Junior'. As Alex begins to experience the physical symptoms of pregnancy, he struggles with the reality of fatherhood. Despite initial hesitation, Alex decides to carry the pregnancy to term, leading to a series of complications as he attempts to hide his condition from the public.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Dr. Alex Hesse and Dr. Larry Arbogast invent 'Expectane,' a fertility drug. Seeking funding from Lyndon Pharmaceutical, Larry convinces Alex to become the test subject for an ovum named 'Junior.' Alex soon experiences morning sickness and a desire for fatherhood. He eventually decides to carry the pregnancy to term, keeping it a secret from his colleagues. He develops a relationship with Diana Reddin, the cryogenics expert who provided the ovum, and reveals his condition to Larry's ex-wife, Angela. When Diana discovers the ovum was hers, they reconcile. Alex eventually hides in a retreat for expectant mothers, disguised as a woman. During labor, a laboratory director named Banes tries to hijack the media attention for the 'world's first pregnant man.' Larry distracts the press, allowing Alex and Diana to reach the hospital. Alex gives birth to a baby girl, whom he and Diana name Junior. Meanwhile, Larry and Angela reconcile and decide to raise her son, Jake, as their own. One year later, the families vacation together, and the group considers having another child, with Larry being the reluctant candidate to carry it.
- First release year
- 1994
- Runtime (minutes)
- 109
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Ivan Reitman
- Writers
- Kevin Wade · writer; Chris Conrad · writer
- Cast and characters
- Arnold Schwarzenegger · Dr. Alexander "Alex" Hesse; Danny DeVito · Dr. Larry Arbogast; Emma Thompson · Dr. Diana Reddin; Frank Langella · Noah Banes; Pamela Reed · Angela; Aida Turturro · Louise; James Eckhouse · Ned Sneller; Megan Cavanagh · Willow
- Genres
- science fiction; comedy
- Themes
- fatherhood; scientific ethics; gender roles
- Tone and mood
- zany; poignant; comedic
- Premise and plot tags
- male pregnancy; science fiction; buddy comedy
- Reception
- The film received mixed reception, underperforming compared to previous collaborations between Reitman and Schwarzenegger. It was criticized for not delivering enough laughs for its high-concept premise, though some critics praised its character depth.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 39% · review count: 36; Metacritic · score: 59% · review count: 25; CinemaScore · score: B+ · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Original Song · Nomination (Patty Smyth's "Look What Love Has Done")
- Production trivia
- The film was originally developed under the title of Oh Baby.; Mel Gibson almost signed on for the role but pulled out due to his church's stance on the material.; The central concept of 'What if men could have babies?' stemmed from the writers' experience in Jungian therapy.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…