Bubble Boy is a 2001 American black comedy film directed by Blair Hayes, starring Jake Gyllenhaal in the title role. It was inspired by the 1976 movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble. A musical by the same name was written by the same authors and first performed in 2008.The film was released on August 24, 2001, where it received mixed reviews, with criticism primarily aimed at the film's humor, although Gyllenhaal received praise for his performance. Despite underperforming at the box office, it has become a cult film.