Backdraft is a 1991 American crime drama action movie. It was directed by Ron Howard. The movie is about firefighters in the Chicago metropolitan area. Kurt Russell and William Baldwin star as firefighters of the Chicago Fire Department. Donald Sutherland and Robert De Niro also act in the movie. Backdraft was released in May 1991. It was well liked by the critics. It did well in the box office, earning over $152 million worldwide.