The movie was adapted by Melissa Mathison, Jeanne Rosenberg and William D. Wittliff fromn the classic children's novel by Walter Farley. It was directed by Carroll Ballard.
It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Mickey Rooney) and Best Film Editing.
The movie was followed in 1983 by a sequel, The Black Stallion Returns. There was also a television series in 1990, starring Richard Ian Cox and Mickey Rooney.