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)
2000
Remember the Titans (2000)
2006
Inside Man (2006)
2001
Training Day (2001)
AA Best Actor Win
1993
The Pelican Brief (1993)
1996
Courage Under Fire (1996)
1992
Malcolm X (1992)
AA Best Actor Nom
2016
Fences (2016)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Actor Nom
2012
Flight (2012)
AA Best Actor Nom
1989
Glory (1989)
AA Best Supp Actor Win
2024
Gladiator II (2024)
NP
1999
The Hurricane (1999)
AA Best Actor Nom
2012
Safe House (2012)
2010
Unstoppable (2010)
1984
A Soldier's Story (1984)
AA Best Picture Nom
2004
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
2014
The Equalizer (2014)
2023
The Equalizer 3 (2023)
2018
The Equalizer 2 (2018)
2010
The Book of Eli (2010)
1999
The Bone Collector (1999)
2016
The Magnificent Seven (2016)
1993
Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
2004
Man on Fire (2004)
2006
Deja Vu (2006)
2013
2 Guns (2013)
1995
Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
1996
The Preacher's Wife (1996)
2003
Out of Time (2003)
1998
He Got Game (1998)
2007
The Great Debaters (2007)
2009
The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)
2002
Antwone Fisher (2002)
1998
The Siege (1998)
1990
Mo' Better Blues (1990)
2002
John Q (2002)
1991
Ricochet (1991)
2021
The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
AA Best Actor Nom
1987
Cry Freedom (1987)
AA Best Supp Actor Nom
1991
Mississippi Masala (1991)
1989
The Mighty Quinn (1989)
1998
Fallen (1998)
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 | 203.9 | 417.50 | 18 | 81 | 02 / 00 | 97.9 | |
| 2 | Crimson Tide (1995) | Gene Hackman | 91.40 | 226.5 | 390.00 | 11 | 80 | 03 / 00 | 97.9 | |
| 3 | Philadelphia (1993) | Tom Hanks | 77.40 | 201.7 | 538.20 | 12 | 75 | 05 / 02 | 97.7 | |
| 4 | Remember the Titans (2000) | Will Patton | 115.70 | 231.3 | 273.40 | 18 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 94.5 | |
| 5 | Inside Man (2006) | Jodie Foster & Clive Owen |
88.50 | 145.0 | 302.10 | 23 | 83 | 00 / 00 | 94.1 | |
| 6 | Training Day (2001) AA Best Actor Win |
Ethan Hawke | 76.60 | 146.2 | 200.10 | 29 | 75 | 02 / 01 | 92.8 | |
| 7 | The Pelican Brief (1993) | Julia Roberts & Sam Shepard |
100.80 | 262.4 | 508.50 | 8 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 92.7 | |
| 8 | Courage Under Fire (1996) | Meg Ryan & Matt Damon |
59.00 | 144.0 | 246.00 | 24 | 79 | 00 / 00 | 92.6 | |
| 9 | Malcolm X (1992) AA Best Actor Nom |
Angela Bassett & Directed by Spike Lee |
48.20 | 125.1 | 125.10 | 32 | 83 | 02 / 00 | 92.4 | |
| 10 | Fences (2016) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Actor Nom |
Viola Davis | 57.70 | 71.9 | 80.30 | 58 | 87 | 05 / 01 | 91.9 | |
| 11 | Flight (2012) AA Best Actor Nom |
John Goodman | 93.80 | 127.0 | 219.10 | 33 | 78 | 02 / 00 | 91.4 | |
| 12 | Glory (1989) AA Best Supp Actor Win |
Matthew Broderick & Morgan Freeman |
26.80 | 72.8 | 72.80 | 43 | 86 | 05 / 03 | 90.1 | |
| 22 | Gladiator II (2024) | Pedro Pascal | 145.80 | 145.8 | 398.30 | 12 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 89.7 | NP |
| 13 | The Hurricane (1999) AA Best Actor Nom |
Deborah Kara Unger & Liev Schreiber |
50.70 | 108.0 | 157.60 | 48 | 80 | 01 / 00 | 89.5 | |
| 14 | Safe House (2012) | Ryan Reynolds | 126.40 | 171.1 | 281.80 | 25 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 89.4 | |
| 15 | Unstoppable (2010) | Chris Pine | 81.40 | 111.2 | 229.00 | 41 | 78 | 00 / 00 | 88.9 | |
| 16 | A Soldier's Story (1984) AA Best Picture Nom |
Adolph Caesar | 21.80 | 70.0 | 70.00 | 46 | 82 | 03 / 00 | 88.6 | |
| 17 | The Manchurian Candidate (2004) | Liev Schreiber & Meryl Streep |
66.00 | 114.5 | 166.80 | 45 | 76 | 00 / 00 | 88.5 | |
| 18 | The Equalizer (2014) | Chloe Moretz | 101.50 | 134.0 | 253.80 | 32 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 87.7 | |
| 19 | The Equalizer 3 (2023) | Dakota Fanning | 92.40 | 92.4 | 185.70 | 29 | 77 | 00 / 00 | 86.6 | |
| 20 | The Equalizer 2 (2018) | Melissa Leo & Bill Pullman |
102.10 | 120.8 | 217.70 | 31 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 86.2 | |
| 21 | The Book of Eli (2010) | Mila Kunis & Ray Stevenson & Gary |
94.80 | 129.6 | 214.70 | 34 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 86.1 | |
| 23 | The Bone Collector (1999) | Angelina Jolie & Queen Latifah |
66.50 | 141.7 | 322.70 | 33 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 85.3 | |
| 24 | The Magnificent Seven (2016) | Chris Pratt & Ethan Hawke |
93.40 | 116.4 | 202.30 | 33 | 65 | 00 / 00 | 85.1 | |
| 25 | Much Ado About Nothing (1993) | Michael Keaton & Keanu Reeves |
22.50 | 58.7 | 58.70 | 69 | 82 | 00 / 00 | 83.9 | |
| 26 | Man on Fire (2004) | Christopher Walken & Directed by Tony Scott |
77.90 | 135.2 | 226.20 | 34 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 83.4 | |
| 27 | Deja Vu (2006) | Val Kilmer & Directed by Tony Scott |
64.00 | 104.9 | 295.80 | 42 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 82.0 | |
| 28 | 2 Guns (2013) | Mark Wahlberg | 75.60 | 100.3 | 174.90 | 45 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 81.1 | |
| 29 | Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) | Don Cheadle | 16.10 | 40.0 | 67.30 | 90 | 81 | 00 / 00 | 80.2 | |
| 30 | The Preacher's Wife (1996) | Whitney Houston & Directed by Penny Marshall |
48.10 | 117.3 | 117.30 | 33 | 55 | 01 / 00 | 80.0 | |
| 31 | Out of Time (2003) | Eva Mendes | 41.10 | 73.5 | 99.20 | 70 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 78.2 | |
| 32 | He Got Game (1998) | Milla Jovovich | 21.60 | 49.6 | 51.50 | 79 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 77.9 | |
| 33 | The Great Debaters (2007) | Forest Whitaker & John Heard |
30.20 | 47.4 | 47.40 | 85 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 77.5 | |
| 34 | The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) | John Travolta | 65.50 | 94.1 | 215.80 | 49 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 76.2 | |
| 35 | Antwone Fisher (2002) | Derek Luke & Viola Davis |
21.10 | 39.2 | 43.40 | 107 | 74 | 00 / 00 | 74.1 | |
| 36 | The Siege (1998) | Bruce Willis & Annette Bening |
41.00 | 94.2 | 268.20 | 48 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 73.0 | |
| 37 | Mo' Better Blues (1990) | Samuel L. Jackson & Wesley Snipes |
16.20 | 41.2 | 41.20 | 75 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 72.0 | |
| 38 | John Q (2002) | Robert Duvall | 71.80 | 133.4 | 190.00 | 37 | 41 | 00 / 00 | 71.8 | |
| 39 | Ricochet (1991) | John Lithgow | 21.80 | 55.7 | 55.70 | 61 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 71.7 | |
| 40 | The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) AA Best Actor Nom |
Frances McDormand | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.60 | 198 | 81 | 03 / 00 | 71.7 | |
| 41 | Cry Freedom (1987) AA Best Supp Actor Nom |
Kevin Kline | 5.90 | 16.3 | 71.40 | 98 | 72 | 03 / 00 | 66.2 | |
| 42 | Mississippi Masala (1991) | Directed by Mira Nair | 7.30 | 18.7 | 18.70 | 110 | 72 | 00 / 00 | 64.7 | |
| 43 | The Mighty Quinn (1989) | Robert Townsend | 4.60 | 12.4 | 12.40 | 113 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 56.8 | |
| 44 | Fallen (1998) | John Goodman | 25.20 | 58.0 | 58.00 | 71 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 55.9 | |
| 45 | Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017) AA Best Actor Nom |
Colin Farrell | 12.00 | 14.4 | 15.70 | 119 | 62 | 01 / 00 | 46.4 | |
| 46 | The Little Things (2021) | Jared Leto & Rami Malek |
15.20 | 16.1 | 31.30 | 53 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 43.2 | |
| 47 | Virtuosity (1995) | Russell Crowe | 24.00 | 59.6 | 71.00 | 71 | 43 | 00 / 00 | 33.8 | |
| 48 | A Journal For Jordan (2021) | Michael B. Jordan & Directed by Denzel Washington |
6.40 | 6.8 | 6.90 | 73 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 32.3 | |
| 49 | Power (1986) | Richard Gere & Gene Hackman |
3.80 | 11.0 | 11.00 | 121 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 30.5 | |
| 50 | Carbon Copy (1981) | George Segal | 9.60 | 37.1 | 37.10 | 77 | 47 | 00 / 00 | 27.8 | |
| 51 | For Queen & Country (1988) | Sean Chapman | 0.20 | 0.5 | 0.50 | 237 | 50 | 00 / 00 | 13.2 | |
| 52 | Heart Condition (1990) | Bob Hoskins | 4.10 | 10.5 | 10.50 | 127 | 29 | 00 / 00 | 1.2 |
Denzel Washington Adjusted World Wide Box Office Grosses
Check out Steve’s Denzel Washington You Tube Video
Cogerson….a Re-run here? Glad it came back out from hiding. You published this before I joined HP.
Denzel? The man can’t do a damned thing wrong. It would take far too long to try to choose a favorite. Every movie he has done, he has made fabulous. There are actors and then there’s DENZEL. The best part is, he’s also a hell of a great person, husband & father. Just watched “Out of Time” 2 nights ago….probably for the tenth time. I love Eva Mendez too.
Great page, Cogerson….looks like everything you do is perfect too!
Hey fpherj48…thanks for visiting one of my oldest hubs. I think this was my 4th or 5th hub ever. It has had a few updates but this is the first time Denzel had a new movie open since I wrote the page…so I figured it was time to share it.
I am glad you like his performances. He has been making one hit after another for so many years. I also enjoy Out of Time…..and I am looking forward to seeing Safe House…thanks for stopping by.
I liked him in Safe House, but it was pretty similar to some of his other roles. Ryan Reynolds (going against his normal tendencies) was more impressive to me. However, Reynolds character kind of reminded me of Ethan Hawke in Training Day.
Funny though, I was just thinking the other day that I haven’t seen you do much recently on Hubpages. Then I sign on and you come up first on my news feed thing lol.
Hey Nickalooch. Interesting minireview on Safe House. I imagine Ryan Reynolds was relieved that the movie performed so well at the box office.
John Q is amazing, but my favorite is the underrated Mo Better Blues. Washington playing off of Wesley Snipes is a fascinating; similar to Washington vs Hackman in Crimson Tide.
Hey trusouldj…I agree with you about John Q. I will have to check out Mo Better Blues as you make it sound like an interesting movie to watch. Thanks for checking out my Denzel review.
I absolutely loved Denzel in John Q among many other movies. In John Q he wasn’t backing down from the medical care his son needed and he got what he wanted. I was so proud of him! Denzel and cogerson BOTH get a VOTE UP!!!
I need to see more Denzel. Most of those movies I haven’t seen. I really didn’t like Trainig Day, thought it was overated,Man on Fire was awesome, Fallen needed a sequel.
Matthew Broadwick really impressed me in Glory. Didn’t think Feuriss Bueller could pull it off. Nothing he’s done before or since has been as powerful, not nearly.
Other actors for hub material? Lee Marvin, Fred Mcmurruy, Burt Lancastor, Kirk Douglas, Glenn Ford, Ernist Borgnine.
Other actresses, Barbara Standwick, Shirley Maclane, Shirley Temple, Jayne Mansfield, Lee Remick, Karen Black.