Want to know the best Denzel Washington movies? How about the worst Denzel Washington movies? Curious about Denzel Washington’s box office grosses or which Denzel Washington movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Denzel Washington movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences? Well you have come to the right place.
Denzel Washington is a two time Academy Award® winner actor. He first rose to prominence when he appeared in the television drama St. Elsewhere, playing Dr. Philip Chandler for six years. In the late 1980s he left television and became one of the most popular movie stars. He has been nominated seven times for the Academy Awards®….winning twice (Glory and Training Day). He has been nominated seven times for the Golden Globe® award….winning twice (Glory, and The Hurricane). This page will rank most of his movies from Best to Worst…including his latest movie, The Equalizer. Cameos, television appearances, videos and shorts were not included in the rankings.
His IMDb page shows over 60 acting credits since 1977. In the table below Ultimate Movie Rankings ranks his movies in 6 different sortable columns. Television roles, cameos, shorts and straight to dvd movies were not included in the rankings.
Denzel Washington Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
Year
Movie (Year)
Rating
S
Year Movie (Year) Rating S
2007
American Gangster (2007)
1995
Crimson Tide (1995)
1993
Philadelphia (1993)
2006
Inside Man (2006)
2000
Remember the Titans (2000)
2001
Training Day (2001)
AA Best Actor Win
1996
Courage Under Fire (1996)
1992
Malcolm X (1992)
AA Best Actor Nom
1993
The Pelican Brief (1993)
2016
Fences (2016)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Actor Nom
2012
Flight (2012)
AA Best Actor Nom
2024
Gladiator II (2024)
NP
2012
Safe House (2012)
1989
Glory (1989)
AA Best Supp Actor Win
1999
The Hurricane (1999)
AA Best Actor Nom
2010
Unstoppable (2010)
2004
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
1984
A Soldier's Story (1984)
AA Best Picture Nom
2014
The Equalizer (2014)
2023
The Equalizer 3 (2023)
2010
The Book of Eli (2010)
2018
The Equalizer 2 (2018)
1999
The Bone Collector (1999)
2016
The Magnificent Seven (2016)
2004
Man on Fire (2004)
1993
Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
2006
Deja Vu (2006)
2013
2 Guns (2013)
1996
The Preacher's Wife (1996)
1995
Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
2003
Out of Time (2003)
1998
He Got Game (1998)
2007
The Great Debaters (2007)
2009
The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)
2002
John Q (2002)
1998
The Siege (1998)
2002
Antwone Fisher (2002)
1991
Ricochet (1991)
1990
Mo' Better Blues (1990)
2021
The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
AA Best Actor Nom
1987
Cry Freedom (1987)
AA Best Supp Actor Nom
1991
Mississippi Masala (1991)
1998
Fallen (1998)
1989
The Mighty Quinn (1989)
2017
Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017)
AA Best Actor Nom
2021
The Little Things (2021)
1995
Virtuosity (1995)
2021
A Journal For Jordan (2021)
1986
Power (1986)
1981
Carbon Copy (1981)
1988
For Queen & Country (1988)
1990
Heart Condition (1990)
Denzel Washington Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort Denzel Washington movies by co-stars of his movies
- Sort Denzel Washington movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Denzel Washington movies by yearly domestic box office rank
- Sort Denzel Washington movies how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each Denzel Washington movie received.
- Sort Denzel Washington movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Actual B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | B.O. Rank by Year | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | S |
| 1 | American Gangster (2007) | Russell Crowe | 130.20 | 222.3 | 455.10 | 18 | 81 | 02 / 00 | 97.7 | |
| 2 | Crimson Tide (1995) | Gene Hackman | 91.40 | 246.9 | 425.10 | 11 | 80 | 03 / 00 | 97.7 | |
| 3 | Philadelphia (1993) | Tom Hanks | 77.40 | 219.8 | 586.60 | 12 | 75 | 05 / 02 | 97.5 | |
| 5 | Inside Man (2006) | Jodie Foster & Clive Owen |
88.50 | 158.1 | 329.20 | 23 | 83 | 00 / 00 | 94.7 | |
| 4 | Remember the Titans (2000) | Will Patton | 115.70 | 252.1 | 298.00 | 18 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 94.0 | |
| 6 | Training Day (2001) AA Best Actor Win |
Ethan Hawke | 76.60 | 159.4 | 218.10 | 29 | 75 | 02 / 01 | 93.4 | |
| 8 | Courage Under Fire (1996) | Meg Ryan & Matt Damon |
59.00 | 156.9 | 268.10 | 24 | 79 | 00 / 00 | 93.2 | |
| 9 | Malcolm X (1992) AA Best Actor Nom |
Angela Bassett & Directed by Spike Lee |
48.20 | 136.4 | 136.40 | 32 | 83 | 02 / 00 | 92.7 | |
| 7 | The Pelican Brief (1993) | Julia Roberts & Sam Shepard |
100.80 | 286.0 | 554.20 | 8 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 92.0 | |
| 10 | Fences (2016) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Actor Nom |
Viola Davis | 57.70 | 78.4 | 87.50 | 58 | 87 | 05 / 01 | 91.7 | |
| 11 | Flight (2012) AA Best Actor Nom |
John Goodman | 93.80 | 138.4 | 238.80 | 33 | 78 | 02 / 00 | 91.7 | |
| 14 | Gladiator II (2024) | Pedro Pascal | 171.00 | 171.0 | 455.40 | 15 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 91.6 | NP |
| 14 | Safe House (2012) | Ryan Reynolds | 126.40 | 186.5 | 307.10 | 25 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 90.0 | |
| 12 | Glory (1989) AA Best Supp Actor Win |
Matthew Broderick & Morgan Freeman |
26.80 | 79.4 | 79.40 | 43 | 86 | 05 / 03 | 89.9 | |
| 13 | The Hurricane (1999) AA Best Actor Nom |
Deborah Kara Unger & Liev Schreiber |
50.70 | 117.7 | 171.70 | 48 | 80 | 01 / 00 | 89.6 | |
| 15 | Unstoppable (2010) | Chris Pine | 81.40 | 121.2 | 249.60 | 41 | 78 | 00 / 00 | 88.9 | |
| 17 | The Manchurian Candidate (2004) | Liev Schreiber & Meryl Streep |
66.00 | 124.8 | 181.80 | 45 | 76 | 00 / 00 | 88.6 | |
| 16 | A Soldier's Story (1984) AA Best Picture Nom |
Adolph Caesar | 21.80 | 76.3 | 76.30 | 46 | 82 | 03 / 00 | 88.2 | |
| 18 | The Equalizer (2014) | Chloe Moretz | 101.50 | 146.0 | 276.60 | 32 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 88.0 | |
| 19 | The Equalizer 3 (2023) | Dakota Fanning | 92.40 | 100.7 | 202.40 | 28 | 77 | 00 / 00 | 86.5 | |
| 21 | The Book of Eli (2010) | Mila Kunis & Ray Stevenson & Gary |
94.80 | 141.2 | 234.00 | 34 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 86.4 | |
| 20 | The Equalizer 2 (2018) | Melissa Leo & Bill Pullman |
102.10 | 130.9 | 236.00 | 31 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 86.3 | |
| 23 | The Bone Collector (1999) | Angelina Jolie & Queen Latifah |
66.50 | 154.5 | 351.80 | 33 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 85.8 | |
| 24 | The Magnificent Seven (2016) | Chris Pratt & Ethan Hawke |
93.40 | 126.9 | 220.50 | 33 | 65 | 00 / 00 | 85.3 | |
| 26 | Man on Fire (2004) | Christopher Walken & Directed by Tony Scott |
77.90 | 147.4 | 246.50 | 34 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 84.0 | |
| 25 | Much Ado About Nothing (1993) | Michael Keaton & Keanu Reeves |
22.50 | 64.0 | 64.00 | 69 | 82 | 00 / 00 | 83.4 | |
| 27 | Deja Vu (2006) | Val Kilmer & Directed by Tony Scott |
64.00 | 114.4 | 322.40 | 42 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 82.2 | |
| 28 | 2 Guns (2013) | Mark Wahlberg | 75.60 | 109.3 | 190.70 | 45 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 81.3 | |
| 30 | The Preacher's Wife (1996) | Whitney Houston & Directed by Penny Marshall |
48.10 | 127.9 | 127.90 | 33 | 55 | 01 / 00 | 80.7 | |
| 29 | Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) | Don Cheadle | 16.10 | 43.6 | 73.30 | 90 | 81 | 00 / 00 | 79.5 | |
| 31 | Out of Time (2003) | Eva Mendes | 41.10 | 80.1 | 108.10 | 70 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 78.2 | |
| 32 | He Got Game (1998) | Milla Jovovich | 21.60 | 54.0 | 56.10 | 79 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 77.4 | |
| 33 | The Great Debaters (2007) | Forest Whitaker & John Heard |
30.20 | 51.6 | 51.60 | 85 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 77.2 | |
| 34 | The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) | John Travolta | 65.50 | 102.5 | 235.30 | 49 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 76.9 | |
| 35 | John Q (2002) | Robert Duvall | 71.80 | 145.4 | 207.10 | 37 | 41 | 00 / 00 | 74.1 | |
| 36 | The Siege (1998) | Bruce Willis & Annette Bening |
41.00 | 102.7 | 292.30 | 48 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 74.0 | |
| 35 | Antwone Fisher (2002) | Derek Luke & Viola Davis |
21.10 | 42.7 | 47.30 | 107 | 74 | 00 / 00 | 73.7 | |
| 39 | Ricochet (1991) | John Lithgow | 21.80 | 60.7 | 60.70 | 61 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 71.9 | |
| 37 | Mo' Better Blues (1990) | Samuel L. Jackson & Wesley Snipes |
16.20 | 44.9 | 44.90 | 75 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 71.8 | |
| 40 | The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) AA Best Actor Nom |
Frances McDormand | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.70 | 198 | 81 | 03 / 00 | 70.2 | |
| 41 | Cry Freedom (1987) AA Best Supp Actor Nom |
Kevin Kline | 5.90 | 17.7 | 77.80 | 98 | 72 | 03 / 00 | 65.5 | |
| 42 | Mississippi Masala (1991) | Directed by Mira Nair | 7.30 | 20.4 | 20.40 | 110 | 72 | 00 / 00 | 64.0 | |
| 44 | Fallen (1998) | John Goodman | 25.20 | 63.2 | 63.20 | 71 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 57.4 | |
| 43 | The Mighty Quinn (1989) | Robert Townsend | 4.60 | 13.5 | 13.50 | 113 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 56.4 | |
| 45 | Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017) AA Best Actor Nom |
Colin Farrell | 12.00 | 15.7 | 17.10 | 119 | 62 | 01 / 00 | 46.2 | |
| 46 | The Little Things (2021) | Jared Leto & Rami Malek |
15.20 | 17.5 | 34.20 | 53 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 43.3 | |
| 47 | Virtuosity (1995) | Russell Crowe | 24.00 | 65.0 | 77.40 | 71 | 43 | 00 / 00 | 36.8 | |
| 48 | A Journal For Jordan (2021) | Michael B. Jordan & Directed by Denzel Washington |
6.40 | 7.4 | 7.50 | 73 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 32.0 | |
| 49 | Power (1986) | Richard Gere & Gene Hackman |
3.80 | 12.0 | 12.00 | 121 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 30.9 | |
| 50 | Carbon Copy (1981) | George Segal | 9.60 | 40.4 | 40.40 | 77 | 47 | 00 / 00 | 29.0 | |
| 51 | For Queen & Country (1988) | Sean Chapman | 0.20 | 0.5 | 0.50 | 237 | 50 | 00 / 00 | 12.9 | |
| 52 | Heart Condition (1990) | Bob Hoskins | 4.10 | 11.5 | 11.50 | 127 | 29 | 00 / 00 | 1.3 |
Denzel Washington Adjusted World Wide Box Office Grosses
Check out Steve’s Denzel Washington You Tube Video
Denzel is the man. Nice article. Gotta go with Man on Fire and Unstoppable as my favorites
Hey Shaun….thanks for stopping by.
Loved Training Day and American Gangster, Unstoppable in next couple of weeks, also looking forward to finally seeing Safe House.
I think Safe House is pretty good I think you will like it.
My favorite is The Pelican Brief with Julia Roberts
Hey Bern1960….his Pelican Brief is his biggest hit…so I think it is safe to say many other people think the same
Hey dude…I agree that was a good one.
yo antwone fisher was amazing.