Actors at the Box Office: Denzel Washington
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Here's a new edition of "Actors at the Box Office", which seeks to explore the actors' trajectory at the box office and analyze their hits and bombs. I already talked about a few, and as I promised, it's Denzel Washington's turn.
#**Early Life**
At Fordham University, he played collegiate basketball as a guard under coach P. J. Carlesimo. After a period of indecision on which major to study and taking a semester off, Washington worked as creative arts director of the overnight summer camp at Camp Sloane YMCA in Lakeville, Connecticut. He participated in a staff talent show for the campers and a colleague suggested he try acting. He started with theater productions, before moving to TV acting roles.
#**1980s: All the Glory**
His first film role was in the comedy *Carbon Copy*, which didn't light the box office on fire. So he returned to some smaller productions. He only had supporting roles, such as in *A Soldier's Story*.
In 1982, Denzel landed a main role in the medical procedural *St. Elsewhere*, playing Dr. Phillip Chandler. He previously read for a main role in *The Jeffersons*, but his agent advised him against doing TV. But the reason why he ignored that advice for *St. Elsewhere* was because the show "had so many characters, you could get sort of lost in the sauce and be able to sneak out and do films. And it was a great show."
*St. Elsewhere* lasted 6 seasons, but it was never a huge hit throughout its run. It was always on the verge of cancellation. Even though he made a few films around here, Washington remained a main cast member for nearly all the episodes. The show itself might not be ultra popular, but it's well known for the "show was taking place inside an autistic kid's snow globe" ending.
In 1987, he got a break in film with his role in Richard Attenborough's *Cry Freedom*, where he played South African activist Steve Biko. While it was a box office disappointment, it earned a great response, and Denzel was highlighted as the film's strongest performer. He earned his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor here.
He closed the decade on a big note. He had a big role in the war epic *Glory*, playing a member of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the Union Army's earliest African American regiments in the American Civil War. The film was hailed as one of the greatest Civil War films ever made, and Denzel was deemed the best actor in the film. For this, he won the Oscar for Supporting Actor. An insane achievement, given that he didn't have a lot of noscripts under his name.
Denzel started with some rough notes, but ended as a recognizable and acclaimed name.
#**1990s: Denzel Is Here to Stay**
Denzel started the decade on a poor note with the panned failure *Heart Condition*. But at least he had a critical success with *Mo' Better Blues*, which marked his first collaboration with Spike Lee.
1991 was a non-event for him, with both *Mississippi Masala* and *Ricochet* fading quickly.
For years, studios tried to make a biopic on the life of Malcolm X. Eventually, progress came when Norman Jewison was attached as director, with Denzel starring (having played him in a play). Jewison was later replaced by Spike Lee, who claimed that he didn't consider anyone but Denzel to play Malcolm X.
Upon being cast in the film, Denzel interviewed people who knew Malcolm X, among them Betty Shabazz and two of his brothers. Although they had different upbringings, he tried to focus on what he had in common with his character: during the making of the film, he was close to Malcolm X's age when he was assassinated, both men were from large families, both of their fathers were ministers, and both were raised primarily by their mothers.
Despite its 200-minute runtime, *Malcolm X* was a modest financial success, becoming
https://preview.redd.it/w1iakml327bg1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=995fee5ef39c9b767e78f0504c55537387fcf000
https://preview.redd.it/i9w7983427bg1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=11aff4d59b25a4c1949592bfd0a48deadfab2e4a
Here's a new edition of "Actors at the Box Office", which seeks to explore the actors' trajectory at the box office and analyze their hits and bombs. I already talked about a few, and as I promised, it's Denzel Washington's turn.
#**Early Life**
At Fordham University, he played collegiate basketball as a guard under coach P. J. Carlesimo. After a period of indecision on which major to study and taking a semester off, Washington worked as creative arts director of the overnight summer camp at Camp Sloane YMCA in Lakeville, Connecticut. He participated in a staff talent show for the campers and a colleague suggested he try acting. He started with theater productions, before moving to TV acting roles.
#**1980s: All the Glory**
His first film role was in the comedy *Carbon Copy*, which didn't light the box office on fire. So he returned to some smaller productions. He only had supporting roles, such as in *A Soldier's Story*.
In 1982, Denzel landed a main role in the medical procedural *St. Elsewhere*, playing Dr. Phillip Chandler. He previously read for a main role in *The Jeffersons*, but his agent advised him against doing TV. But the reason why he ignored that advice for *St. Elsewhere* was because the show "had so many characters, you could get sort of lost in the sauce and be able to sneak out and do films. And it was a great show."
*St. Elsewhere* lasted 6 seasons, but it was never a huge hit throughout its run. It was always on the verge of cancellation. Even though he made a few films around here, Washington remained a main cast member for nearly all the episodes. The show itself might not be ultra popular, but it's well known for the "show was taking place inside an autistic kid's snow globe" ending.
In 1987, he got a break in film with his role in Richard Attenborough's *Cry Freedom*, where he played South African activist Steve Biko. While it was a box office disappointment, it earned a great response, and Denzel was highlighted as the film's strongest performer. He earned his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor here.
He closed the decade on a big note. He had a big role in the war epic *Glory*, playing a member of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the Union Army's earliest African American regiments in the American Civil War. The film was hailed as one of the greatest Civil War films ever made, and Denzel was deemed the best actor in the film. For this, he won the Oscar for Supporting Actor. An insane achievement, given that he didn't have a lot of noscripts under his name.
Denzel started with some rough notes, but ended as a recognizable and acclaimed name.
#**1990s: Denzel Is Here to Stay**
Denzel started the decade on a poor note with the panned failure *Heart Condition*. But at least he had a critical success with *Mo' Better Blues*, which marked his first collaboration with Spike Lee.
1991 was a non-event for him, with both *Mississippi Masala* and *Ricochet* fading quickly.
For years, studios tried to make a biopic on the life of Malcolm X. Eventually, progress came when Norman Jewison was attached as director, with Denzel starring (having played him in a play). Jewison was later replaced by Spike Lee, who claimed that he didn't consider anyone but Denzel to play Malcolm X.
Upon being cast in the film, Denzel interviewed people who knew Malcolm X, among them Betty Shabazz and two of his brothers. Although they had different upbringings, he tried to focus on what he had in common with his character: during the making of the film, he was close to Malcolm X's age when he was assassinated, both men were from large families, both of their fathers were ministers, and both were raised primarily by their mothers.
Despite its 200-minute runtime, *Malcolm X* was a modest financial success, becoming
Denzel's highest grossing film. On top of that, it earned critical acclaim. In particular, Denzel earned universal acclaim for his performance, lauded as one of the greatest biopic portrayals ever. He earned his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor, which he would lose to Al Pacino in *Scent of a Woman*. A decision that remains polarizing to this day.
1993 was a pretty great year for Denzel. He had three films and all were successful in different ways. *Much Ado About Nothing* was a very solid success, and often ranked among the greatest Shakespeare adaptations. He also starred opposite Julia Roberts in *The Pelican Brief*, adaptation of the popular John Grisham novel. Despite mixed reviews, it was a big success, earning almost $200 million worldwide. He also starred opposite Tom Hanks in the legal thriller *Philadelphia*, a critical and financial success, becoming his highest grossing film.
After a brief hiatus, he returned to the screen in 1995 with three films. While *Virtuosity* and *Devil in a Blue Dress* disappointed, he also had one of his most iconic films in here. That's *Crimson Tide*, where he starred opposite Gene Hackman and marked his first collaboration with director Tony Scott. It was a critical and financial success.
He teamed up with Whitney Houston on the Christmas comedy *The Preacher's Wife*, but it disappointed financially. Although his reteam with Edward Zwick on *Courage Under Fire* was a modest performer.
1998 was a disappointing year. He reteamed with Edward Zwick and Spike Lee on *The Siege* and *He Got Game*, but neither exactly performed as well as they could be. He also had a misfire in *Fallen*, although that would earn a cult following.
He closed the 90s on a very good note. He co-starred with Angelina Jolie in the serial killer drama *The Bone Collector*, which was a box office success despite negative reviews. He also played Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter, a former middleweight boxer who was wrongly convicted of a triple murder, in the biopic *The Hurricane*. While not a financial success, it was well received, and he earned another Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
In this decade, Denzel's career continued expanding. Not only in dramatic roles, but also in thrillers and action films. He was just getting started.
#**2000s: "King Kong ain't got shit on me!"**
His first film in the new century was the sports drama *Remember the Titans*, playing coach Herman Boone. Buoyed by incredible word of mouth (an "A+" on CinemaScore), the film held incredibly well, earning $136 million worldwide. To this day, it remains one of his most iconic performances.
Subsequently, he starred in *Training Day*, playing corrupt LAPD Detective Alonzo Harris. It was a critical and financial success, with Denzel again earning incredible reviews. Despite losing or failing to get a nomination on some award precursors, Denzel shocked on March 24, 2002, when he won the Oscar for Best Actor. He made history by becoming the second African-American actor to win the category after Sidney Poitier.
With the amount of power he earned over the past years, he decided to try filmmaking. His first directorial noscript was *Antwone Fisher*, where he also stars. Despite positive reviews and audience response ("A+" on CinemaScore), the film wasn't a financial success. At the very least, he still had *John Q.* that year, which was a financial success despite negative reviews.
After the failure of *Out of Time*, he reteamed with Tony Scott on *Man on Fire*. The film was a box office success, and made even more money in DVD and VHS sales. Despite mixed reviews, it has become one of his most iconic films. He also starred in *The Manchurian Candidate*, but it became one of the year's biggest flops despite positive reviews.
2006 was a great year for him. He reunited with Spike Lee on the thriller *Inside Man*, which was one of his biggest films ever. And once again worked with Tony Scott on *Déjà Vu*, another financial success. Both films managed to make around $180 million worldwide.
In 2007, he tried directing again with the film
1993 was a pretty great year for Denzel. He had three films and all were successful in different ways. *Much Ado About Nothing* was a very solid success, and often ranked among the greatest Shakespeare adaptations. He also starred opposite Julia Roberts in *The Pelican Brief*, adaptation of the popular John Grisham novel. Despite mixed reviews, it was a big success, earning almost $200 million worldwide. He also starred opposite Tom Hanks in the legal thriller *Philadelphia*, a critical and financial success, becoming his highest grossing film.
After a brief hiatus, he returned to the screen in 1995 with three films. While *Virtuosity* and *Devil in a Blue Dress* disappointed, he also had one of his most iconic films in here. That's *Crimson Tide*, where he starred opposite Gene Hackman and marked his first collaboration with director Tony Scott. It was a critical and financial success.
He teamed up with Whitney Houston on the Christmas comedy *The Preacher's Wife*, but it disappointed financially. Although his reteam with Edward Zwick on *Courage Under Fire* was a modest performer.
1998 was a disappointing year. He reteamed with Edward Zwick and Spike Lee on *The Siege* and *He Got Game*, but neither exactly performed as well as they could be. He also had a misfire in *Fallen*, although that would earn a cult following.
He closed the 90s on a very good note. He co-starred with Angelina Jolie in the serial killer drama *The Bone Collector*, which was a box office success despite negative reviews. He also played Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter, a former middleweight boxer who was wrongly convicted of a triple murder, in the biopic *The Hurricane*. While not a financial success, it was well received, and he earned another Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
In this decade, Denzel's career continued expanding. Not only in dramatic roles, but also in thrillers and action films. He was just getting started.
#**2000s: "King Kong ain't got shit on me!"**
His first film in the new century was the sports drama *Remember the Titans*, playing coach Herman Boone. Buoyed by incredible word of mouth (an "A+" on CinemaScore), the film held incredibly well, earning $136 million worldwide. To this day, it remains one of his most iconic performances.
Subsequently, he starred in *Training Day*, playing corrupt LAPD Detective Alonzo Harris. It was a critical and financial success, with Denzel again earning incredible reviews. Despite losing or failing to get a nomination on some award precursors, Denzel shocked on March 24, 2002, when he won the Oscar for Best Actor. He made history by becoming the second African-American actor to win the category after Sidney Poitier.
With the amount of power he earned over the past years, he decided to try filmmaking. His first directorial noscript was *Antwone Fisher*, where he also stars. Despite positive reviews and audience response ("A+" on CinemaScore), the film wasn't a financial success. At the very least, he still had *John Q.* that year, which was a financial success despite negative reviews.
After the failure of *Out of Time*, he reteamed with Tony Scott on *Man on Fire*. The film was a box office success, and made even more money in DVD and VHS sales. Despite mixed reviews, it has become one of his most iconic films. He also starred in *The Manchurian Candidate*, but it became one of the year's biggest flops despite positive reviews.
2006 was a great year for him. He reunited with Spike Lee on the thriller *Inside Man*, which was one of his biggest films ever. And once again worked with Tony Scott on *Déjà Vu*, another financial success. Both films managed to make around $180 million worldwide.
In 2007, he tried directing again with the film
*The Great Debaters*. Like *Antwone Fisher*, good reviews but not a spectacular financial success. He also worked with Ridley Scott (after collaborating with his brother) on *American Gangster*, playing gangster Frank Lucas. The film over-performed projections with a $43 million debut, the biggest ever debut in Denzel's career. It closed with a fantastic $130 million domestically and $269 million worldwide, officially becoming his highest grossing film.
To cap off the decade, he reteamed with Tony Scott on the action thriller *The Taking of Pelham 123*. It earned mixed reviews, and made just $150 million against $100 million budget, failing to recoup its investment.
In this decade, Denzel made history by getting an Oscar for Best Actor. And as you can see, his popularity was still very strong, with this decade also spawning his biggest ever film at that point. Audiences clearly love him.
#**2010s: Flying High**
He reteamed with Antoine Fuqua on the post-apocalyptic thriller *The Book of Eli*, which made $157 million worldwide. He also worked again with Tony Scott for the fifth time on *Unstoppable*, which was another success. Unfortunately, that would mark the last time they would work together, as Scott died two years later.
In 2012, he starred in the thriller *Safe House* opposite Ryan Reynolds. The film earned mixed reviews, but it surprised by earning $208 million worldwide, becoming Denzel's second highest grossing film. He also starred in Robert Zemeckis' *Flight*, playing an alcoholic airline pilot who miraculously crash-lands his plane after a mechanical failure. It was a financial success, with Denzel earning high praise for his performance. He earned another Oscar nomination for Best Actor. And just like that, he had FIVE films in a row to hit $100 million worldwide. An impressive feat.
The following year, he teamed up with Mark Wahlberg on the action thriller *2 Guns*, which was another financial success.
In 2014, he starred in the adaptation of the iconic action TV series *The Equalizer*, reuniting him with Antoine Fuqua. Despite mixed reviews, it made $192 million worldwide, becoming another hit for Denzel. In the eyes of many, he was now "The Equalizer".
In 2016, he teamed up with Fuqua again, for a remake of *The Magnificent Seven*. Despite high anticipation, the film didn't really set things on fire, closing with just $162 million worldwide against a $90 million budget. But he also had another project: *Fences*. Not only as star, but also as director and producer. He starred in the 2010 Broadway revival, and was adamant in adapting it to film. The film was a solid success with $64 million, and earned acclaim. For this film, Denzel earned another nomination for Best Actor, as well as his first for Best Picture.
He then starred in Dan Gilroy's *Roman J. Israel, Esq.*, playing the role of Roman J. Israel, Esq. But it marked his worst financial performance in decades, closing with just $13 million. The film earned mixed reviews, but Denzel once again earned high praise. Despite failing with critics and audiences, Denzel still earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
If you have checked, Denzel's portfolio is extremely diverse, starring just in standalone productions with no franchise appeal. He says that this was not a deliberate choice, as in his own words "I haven’t been asked." He states that there were just two ocassions in his whole career where he was approached over reprising some of his roles. The first was an *Inside Man* sequel, where he was expected to return alongside Spike Lee, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster and Chiwetel Ejiofor, but the project was eventually cancelled. The other was a *Safe House* sequel, which he turned down because it didn't make any sense. Although he said he was "pissed" to learn that in the novel, John Creasy had a different fate in *Man on Fire** and starred in more novels, as he really wanted to play him again.
So he capped off the decade by finally breaking that perception and starring in his first ever sequel. That was *The Equalizer 2*, which he said was pretty
To cap off the decade, he reteamed with Tony Scott on the action thriller *The Taking of Pelham 123*. It earned mixed reviews, and made just $150 million against $100 million budget, failing to recoup its investment.
In this decade, Denzel made history by getting an Oscar for Best Actor. And as you can see, his popularity was still very strong, with this decade also spawning his biggest ever film at that point. Audiences clearly love him.
#**2010s: Flying High**
He reteamed with Antoine Fuqua on the post-apocalyptic thriller *The Book of Eli*, which made $157 million worldwide. He also worked again with Tony Scott for the fifth time on *Unstoppable*, which was another success. Unfortunately, that would mark the last time they would work together, as Scott died two years later.
In 2012, he starred in the thriller *Safe House* opposite Ryan Reynolds. The film earned mixed reviews, but it surprised by earning $208 million worldwide, becoming Denzel's second highest grossing film. He also starred in Robert Zemeckis' *Flight*, playing an alcoholic airline pilot who miraculously crash-lands his plane after a mechanical failure. It was a financial success, with Denzel earning high praise for his performance. He earned another Oscar nomination for Best Actor. And just like that, he had FIVE films in a row to hit $100 million worldwide. An impressive feat.
The following year, he teamed up with Mark Wahlberg on the action thriller *2 Guns*, which was another financial success.
In 2014, he starred in the adaptation of the iconic action TV series *The Equalizer*, reuniting him with Antoine Fuqua. Despite mixed reviews, it made $192 million worldwide, becoming another hit for Denzel. In the eyes of many, he was now "The Equalizer".
In 2016, he teamed up with Fuqua again, for a remake of *The Magnificent Seven*. Despite high anticipation, the film didn't really set things on fire, closing with just $162 million worldwide against a $90 million budget. But he also had another project: *Fences*. Not only as star, but also as director and producer. He starred in the 2010 Broadway revival, and was adamant in adapting it to film. The film was a solid success with $64 million, and earned acclaim. For this film, Denzel earned another nomination for Best Actor, as well as his first for Best Picture.
He then starred in Dan Gilroy's *Roman J. Israel, Esq.*, playing the role of Roman J. Israel, Esq. But it marked his worst financial performance in decades, closing with just $13 million. The film earned mixed reviews, but Denzel once again earned high praise. Despite failing with critics and audiences, Denzel still earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
If you have checked, Denzel's portfolio is extremely diverse, starring just in standalone productions with no franchise appeal. He says that this was not a deliberate choice, as in his own words "I haven’t been asked." He states that there were just two ocassions in his whole career where he was approached over reprising some of his roles. The first was an *Inside Man* sequel, where he was expected to return alongside Spike Lee, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster and Chiwetel Ejiofor, but the project was eventually cancelled. The other was a *Safe House* sequel, which he turned down because it didn't make any sense. Although he said he was "pissed" to learn that in the novel, John Creasy had a different fate in *Man on Fire** and starred in more novels, as he really wanted to play him again.
So he capped off the decade by finally breaking that perception and starring in his first ever sequel. That was *The Equalizer 2*, which he said was pretty
much perfect as a sequel, as it made sense to make more. Despite mixed reviews, it earned pretty much around what the original made.
An incredibly profitable decade for Denzel. Nearly all his films were successes, and he continued getting some Oscar love. Man hasn't lost his touch.
#**2020s: Let the Man Cook**
His first film was the noir thriller *The Little Things*. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Warner Bros. decided to release all their 2021 noscripts on theaters and on HBO Max at the same time. As such, the film flopped with just $30 million and earned negative reviews. He also had another directorial effort, *A Journal for Jordan*, which was a critical and financial failure.
But that same year, he played Lord Macbeth in Joel Coen's *The Tragedy of Macbeth*. After a brief limited run in theaters, the film debuted in Apple TV+. It earned critical acclaim, and Denzel earned another Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
In 2023, he concluded the *Equalizer* trilogy. It earned a better reception than the prior films, and it earned $191 million worldwide, once again incredibly steady with the other films.
In 2024, he reteamed with Ridley Scott. He starred in *Gladiator II*, playing the main antagonist in the film. Even though the film wasn't as well received as the first, Denzel earned acclaim for his performance. And with $462 million worldwide, it easily became his highest grossing film ever.
This year, he was seen in Spike Lee's *Highest 2 Lowest*, a "re-imagining" of Akira Kurosawa's *High and Low*, which debuted in Apple TV+. It earned a positive critical response, although audience response has been very polarizing.
He has a few projects lined up. He's currently filming the heist thriller *Here Comes the Flood*, opposite Robert Pattinson and Daisy Edgar-Jones, and directed by Fernando Meirelles for Netflix. He is also set to play Carthaginian general Hannibal in an upcoming Netflix film with Antoine Fuqua directing, a decision that drew controversy. And he also confirmed that he will have a role in *Black Panther III*, as he really wants to work with Ryan Coogler.
While promoting *Gladiator II*, Denzel said that he has six projects he wants to complete: his return to theater with *Othello*, an *Othello* film, a *King Lear* project (not specified if it's a film or a play), *Hannibal*, a film with Steve McQueen, and *Black Panther III*. When he completes these, he plans to retire.
#**HIGHEST GROSSING FILMS**
No. | Movie | Year | Studio | Domestic Total | Overseas Total | Worldwide Total | Budget |
----------|----------|:--------:|----------|:--------:|:--------:|:--------:|:--------:
1 | *Gladiator II* | 2024 | Paramount | $172,438,016 | $289,742,701 | $462,180,717 | $210M
2 | *American Gangster* | 2007 | Universal | $130,164,645 | $139,590,785 | $269,755,430 | $100M
3 | *Safe House* | 2012 | Universal | $126,373,434 | $81,702,771 | $208,076,205 | $85M
4 | *Philadelphia* | 1993 | TriStar | $77,446,440 | $129,232,000 | $206,678,440 | $26M
5 | *The Pelican Brief* | 1993 | Warner Bros. | $100,768,056 | $94,500,000 | $195,268,056 | $45M
6 | *The Equalizer* | 2014 | Sony | $101,530,738 | $90,800,000 | $192,330,738 | $55M
7 | *The Equalizer 3* | 2023 | Sony | $92,373,751 | $98,693,809 | $191,067,560 | $70M
8 | *The Equalizer 2* | 2018 | Sony | $102,084,362 | $88,315,795 | $190,400,157 | $62M
9 | *Inside Man* | 2006 | Universal | $88,513,495 | $97,490,096 | $186,003,591 | $45M
10 | *Déjà Vu* | 2006 | Disney | $64,038,616 | $116,518,934 | $180,557,550 | $75M
11 | *Unstoppable* | 2010 | 20th Century Fox | $81,562,942 | $86,242,524 | $167,805,466 | $80M
12 | *The Magnificent Seven* | 2016 | Sony | $93,432,655 | $68,927,981 | $162,360,695 | $90M
13 | *Flight* | 2012 | Paramount | $93,772,375 | $68,000,000 | $161,772,375 | $31M
14 | *Crimson Tide* | 1995 | Disney | $91,387,195 | $66,000,000 | $157,387,195 | $53M
15 | *The Book of Eli* | 2010 | Warner Bros. | $94,835,059 | $62,272,696 | $157,107,755 | $80M
16 | *The Bone Collector* | 1999 | Universal / Sony | $66,518,655 | $84,975,000 | $151,493,655 | $48M
17 | *The Taking of
An incredibly profitable decade for Denzel. Nearly all his films were successes, and he continued getting some Oscar love. Man hasn't lost his touch.
#**2020s: Let the Man Cook**
His first film was the noir thriller *The Little Things*. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Warner Bros. decided to release all their 2021 noscripts on theaters and on HBO Max at the same time. As such, the film flopped with just $30 million and earned negative reviews. He also had another directorial effort, *A Journal for Jordan*, which was a critical and financial failure.
But that same year, he played Lord Macbeth in Joel Coen's *The Tragedy of Macbeth*. After a brief limited run in theaters, the film debuted in Apple TV+. It earned critical acclaim, and Denzel earned another Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
In 2023, he concluded the *Equalizer* trilogy. It earned a better reception than the prior films, and it earned $191 million worldwide, once again incredibly steady with the other films.
In 2024, he reteamed with Ridley Scott. He starred in *Gladiator II*, playing the main antagonist in the film. Even though the film wasn't as well received as the first, Denzel earned acclaim for his performance. And with $462 million worldwide, it easily became his highest grossing film ever.
This year, he was seen in Spike Lee's *Highest 2 Lowest*, a "re-imagining" of Akira Kurosawa's *High and Low*, which debuted in Apple TV+. It earned a positive critical response, although audience response has been very polarizing.
He has a few projects lined up. He's currently filming the heist thriller *Here Comes the Flood*, opposite Robert Pattinson and Daisy Edgar-Jones, and directed by Fernando Meirelles for Netflix. He is also set to play Carthaginian general Hannibal in an upcoming Netflix film with Antoine Fuqua directing, a decision that drew controversy. And he also confirmed that he will have a role in *Black Panther III*, as he really wants to work with Ryan Coogler.
While promoting *Gladiator II*, Denzel said that he has six projects he wants to complete: his return to theater with *Othello*, an *Othello* film, a *King Lear* project (not specified if it's a film or a play), *Hannibal*, a film with Steve McQueen, and *Black Panther III*. When he completes these, he plans to retire.
#**HIGHEST GROSSING FILMS**
No. | Movie | Year | Studio | Domestic Total | Overseas Total | Worldwide Total | Budget |
----------|----------|:--------:|----------|:--------:|:--------:|:--------:|:--------:
1 | *Gladiator II* | 2024 | Paramount | $172,438,016 | $289,742,701 | $462,180,717 | $210M
2 | *American Gangster* | 2007 | Universal | $130,164,645 | $139,590,785 | $269,755,430 | $100M
3 | *Safe House* | 2012 | Universal | $126,373,434 | $81,702,771 | $208,076,205 | $85M
4 | *Philadelphia* | 1993 | TriStar | $77,446,440 | $129,232,000 | $206,678,440 | $26M
5 | *The Pelican Brief* | 1993 | Warner Bros. | $100,768,056 | $94,500,000 | $195,268,056 | $45M
6 | *The Equalizer* | 2014 | Sony | $101,530,738 | $90,800,000 | $192,330,738 | $55M
7 | *The Equalizer 3* | 2023 | Sony | $92,373,751 | $98,693,809 | $191,067,560 | $70M
8 | *The Equalizer 2* | 2018 | Sony | $102,084,362 | $88,315,795 | $190,400,157 | $62M
9 | *Inside Man* | 2006 | Universal | $88,513,495 | $97,490,096 | $186,003,591 | $45M
10 | *Déjà Vu* | 2006 | Disney | $64,038,616 | $116,518,934 | $180,557,550 | $75M
11 | *Unstoppable* | 2010 | 20th Century Fox | $81,562,942 | $86,242,524 | $167,805,466 | $80M
12 | *The Magnificent Seven* | 2016 | Sony | $93,432,655 | $68,927,981 | $162,360,695 | $90M
13 | *Flight* | 2012 | Paramount | $93,772,375 | $68,000,000 | $161,772,375 | $31M
14 | *Crimson Tide* | 1995 | Disney | $91,387,195 | $66,000,000 | $157,387,195 | $53M
15 | *The Book of Eli* | 2010 | Warner Bros. | $94,835,059 | $62,272,696 | $157,107,755 | $80M
16 | *The Bone Collector* | 1999 | Universal / Sony | $66,518,655 | $84,975,000 | $151,493,655 | $48M
17 | *The Taking of
Pelham 123* | 2009 | Sony | $65,452,312 | $84,713,814 | $150,166,126 | $100M
18 | *Remember the Titans* | 2000 | Disney | $115,719,751 | $21,051,932 | $136,771,683 | $30M
19 | *2 Guns* | 2013 | Universal | $75,612,460 | $56,327,951 | $131,940,411 | $61M
20 | *Man on Fire* | 2004 | 20th Century Fox | $77,911,774 | $52,923,078 | $130,834,852 | $60M
21 | *The Siege* | 1998 | 20th Century Fox | $40,981,289 | $75,691,623 | $116,672,912 | $70M
22 | *Training Day* | 2001 | Warner Bros. | $76,631,907 | $28,244,326 | $104,876,233 | $45M
23 | *John Q.* | 2002 | New Line Cinema | $71,756,802 | $30,487,968 | $102,244,770 | $36M
24 | *Courage Under Fire* | 1996 | 20th Century Fox | $59,003,384 | $41,829,761 | $100,833,145 | $46M
25 | *The Manchurian Candidate* | 2004 | Paramount | $65,955,630 | $30,150,280 | $96,105,910 | $80M
26 | *The Hurricane* | 1999 | Universal | $50,699,241 | $23,257,000 | $73,956,241 | $50M
27 | *Malcolm X* | 1992 | Warner Bros. | $48,169,910 | $24,933,000 | $73,102,910 | $35M
28 | *Fences* | 2016 | Paramount | $57,682,904 | $6,731,857 | $64,414,761 | $24M
29 | *The Preacher's Wife* | 1996 | Disney | $48,102,795 | $8,329,851 | $56,432,646 | $60M
30 | *Out of Time* | 2003 | Metro-Goldwyn Mayer | $41,088,845 | $14,406,718 | $55,495,563 | $50M
31 | *Much Ado About Nothing* | 1993 | The Samuel Goldwyn Company | $22,549,338 | $20,500,000 | $43,049,338 | $11M
32 | *Virtuosity* | 1995 | Paramount | $24,047,675 | $13,000,000 | $37,047,675 | $30M
33 | *Cry Freedom* | 1987 | Universal | $5,899,797 | $26,000,000 | $31,899,797 | $29M
34 | *The Little Things* | 2021 | Warner Bros. | $15,342,746 | $15,500,000 | $30,842,746 | $30M
35 | *The Great Debaters* | 2007 | Metro-Goldwyn Mayer | $30,236,407 | $35,149 | $30,271,556 | $15M
36 | *Glory* | 1989 | TriStar | $26,979,166 | $0 | $26,979,166 | $18M
37 | *Fallen* | 1998 | Warner Bros. | $25,232,289 | $0 | $25,232,289 | $46M
38 | *Antwone Fisher* | 2002 | Searchlight | $21,078,145 | $2,289,441 | $23,367,586 | $12.5M
39 | *Devil in a Blue Dress* | 1995 | Sony | $16,140,822 | $6,000,000 | $22,140,822 | $22M
40 | *A Soldier's Story* | 1984 | Columbia | $21,821,347 | $0 | $21,821,347 | $6M
41 | *Ricochet* | 1991 | Warner Bros. | $21,756,163 | $0 | $21,756,163 | $19M
42 | *He Got Game* | 1998 | Disney | $21,567,853 | $0 | $21,567,853 | $25M
43 | *Mo' Better Blues* | 1990 | Universal | $16,153,593 | $0 | $16,153,593 | $10M
44 | *Roman J. Israel, Esq.* | 2017 | Sony | $11,962,778 | $1,063,082 | $13,025,860 | $22M
45 | *Carbon Copy* | 1981 | Embassy | $9,566,593 | $0 | $9,566,593 | $6M
46 | *Mississippi Masala* | 1991 | The Samuel Goldwyn Company | $7,332,515 | $0 | $7,332,515 | $5M
47 | *The Mighty Quinn* | 1989 | Metro-Goldwyn Mayer | $4,557,214 | $0 | $4,557,214 | N/A
48 | *Heart Condition* | 1990 | New Line Cinema | $4,134,992 | $0 | $4,134,992 | $9M
49 | *Power* | 1986 | 20th Century Fox | $3,800,000 | $0 | $3,800,000 | $14M
50 | *For Queen & Country* | 1989 | Atlantic Releasing | $191,051 | $0 | $191,051 | $3.5M
He has starred in 52 released films, but only 50 have reported box office numbers. Across those 50 films, he has made $5,028,831,904 worldwide. That's $100,576,638 per film.
#**ADJUSTED DOMESTIC GROSSES**
No. | Movie | Year | Studio | Domestic Total | Adjusted Domestic Total |
----------|----------|:--------:|----------|:--------:|:--------:|
1 | *The Pelican Brief* | 1993 | Warner Bros. | $100,768,056 | $226,028,677
2 | *Remember the Titans* | 2000 | Disney | $115,719,751 | $217,812,526
3 | *American Gangster* | 2007 | Universal | $130,164,645 | $203,476,502
4 | *Crimson Tide* | 1995 | Disney | $91,387,195 | $194,360,895
5 | *Safe House* | 2012 | Universal | $126,373,434 | $178,403,661
6 | *Gladiator II* | 2024 | Paramount | $172,438,016 | $178,173,141
7 | *Philadelphia* | 1993 | TriStar | $77,446,440 | $173,716,920
8 | *Inside Man* | 2006 | Universal | $88,513,495 | $142,307,395
9 | *The Book of Eli* | 2010 | Warner Bros. | $94,835,059 | $140,964,380
10 | *Training Day* | 2001 | Warner Bros. | $76,631,907 | $140,328,174
11 | *The Equalizer* | 2014 | Sony |
18 | *Remember the Titans* | 2000 | Disney | $115,719,751 | $21,051,932 | $136,771,683 | $30M
19 | *2 Guns* | 2013 | Universal | $75,612,460 | $56,327,951 | $131,940,411 | $61M
20 | *Man on Fire* | 2004 | 20th Century Fox | $77,911,774 | $52,923,078 | $130,834,852 | $60M
21 | *The Siege* | 1998 | 20th Century Fox | $40,981,289 | $75,691,623 | $116,672,912 | $70M
22 | *Training Day* | 2001 | Warner Bros. | $76,631,907 | $28,244,326 | $104,876,233 | $45M
23 | *John Q.* | 2002 | New Line Cinema | $71,756,802 | $30,487,968 | $102,244,770 | $36M
24 | *Courage Under Fire* | 1996 | 20th Century Fox | $59,003,384 | $41,829,761 | $100,833,145 | $46M
25 | *The Manchurian Candidate* | 2004 | Paramount | $65,955,630 | $30,150,280 | $96,105,910 | $80M
26 | *The Hurricane* | 1999 | Universal | $50,699,241 | $23,257,000 | $73,956,241 | $50M
27 | *Malcolm X* | 1992 | Warner Bros. | $48,169,910 | $24,933,000 | $73,102,910 | $35M
28 | *Fences* | 2016 | Paramount | $57,682,904 | $6,731,857 | $64,414,761 | $24M
29 | *The Preacher's Wife* | 1996 | Disney | $48,102,795 | $8,329,851 | $56,432,646 | $60M
30 | *Out of Time* | 2003 | Metro-Goldwyn Mayer | $41,088,845 | $14,406,718 | $55,495,563 | $50M
31 | *Much Ado About Nothing* | 1993 | The Samuel Goldwyn Company | $22,549,338 | $20,500,000 | $43,049,338 | $11M
32 | *Virtuosity* | 1995 | Paramount | $24,047,675 | $13,000,000 | $37,047,675 | $30M
33 | *Cry Freedom* | 1987 | Universal | $5,899,797 | $26,000,000 | $31,899,797 | $29M
34 | *The Little Things* | 2021 | Warner Bros. | $15,342,746 | $15,500,000 | $30,842,746 | $30M
35 | *The Great Debaters* | 2007 | Metro-Goldwyn Mayer | $30,236,407 | $35,149 | $30,271,556 | $15M
36 | *Glory* | 1989 | TriStar | $26,979,166 | $0 | $26,979,166 | $18M
37 | *Fallen* | 1998 | Warner Bros. | $25,232,289 | $0 | $25,232,289 | $46M
38 | *Antwone Fisher* | 2002 | Searchlight | $21,078,145 | $2,289,441 | $23,367,586 | $12.5M
39 | *Devil in a Blue Dress* | 1995 | Sony | $16,140,822 | $6,000,000 | $22,140,822 | $22M
40 | *A Soldier's Story* | 1984 | Columbia | $21,821,347 | $0 | $21,821,347 | $6M
41 | *Ricochet* | 1991 | Warner Bros. | $21,756,163 | $0 | $21,756,163 | $19M
42 | *He Got Game* | 1998 | Disney | $21,567,853 | $0 | $21,567,853 | $25M
43 | *Mo' Better Blues* | 1990 | Universal | $16,153,593 | $0 | $16,153,593 | $10M
44 | *Roman J. Israel, Esq.* | 2017 | Sony | $11,962,778 | $1,063,082 | $13,025,860 | $22M
45 | *Carbon Copy* | 1981 | Embassy | $9,566,593 | $0 | $9,566,593 | $6M
46 | *Mississippi Masala* | 1991 | The Samuel Goldwyn Company | $7,332,515 | $0 | $7,332,515 | $5M
47 | *The Mighty Quinn* | 1989 | Metro-Goldwyn Mayer | $4,557,214 | $0 | $4,557,214 | N/A
48 | *Heart Condition* | 1990 | New Line Cinema | $4,134,992 | $0 | $4,134,992 | $9M
49 | *Power* | 1986 | 20th Century Fox | $3,800,000 | $0 | $3,800,000 | $14M
50 | *For Queen & Country* | 1989 | Atlantic Releasing | $191,051 | $0 | $191,051 | $3.5M
He has starred in 52 released films, but only 50 have reported box office numbers. Across those 50 films, he has made $5,028,831,904 worldwide. That's $100,576,638 per film.
#**ADJUSTED DOMESTIC GROSSES**
No. | Movie | Year | Studio | Domestic Total | Adjusted Domestic Total |
----------|----------|:--------:|----------|:--------:|:--------:|
1 | *The Pelican Brief* | 1993 | Warner Bros. | $100,768,056 | $226,028,677
2 | *Remember the Titans* | 2000 | Disney | $115,719,751 | $217,812,526
3 | *American Gangster* | 2007 | Universal | $130,164,645 | $203,476,502
4 | *Crimson Tide* | 1995 | Disney | $91,387,195 | $194,360,895
5 | *Safe House* | 2012 | Universal | $126,373,434 | $178,403,661
6 | *Gladiator II* | 2024 | Paramount | $172,438,016 | $178,173,141
7 | *Philadelphia* | 1993 | TriStar | $77,446,440 | $173,716,920
8 | *Inside Man* | 2006 | Universal | $88,513,495 | $142,307,395
9 | *The Book of Eli* | 2010 | Warner Bros. | $94,835,059 | $140,964,380
10 | *Training Day* | 2001 | Warner Bros. | $76,631,907 | $140,328,174
11 | *The Equalizer* | 2014 | Sony |
$101,530,738 | $139,008,625
12 | *Man on Fire* | 2004 | 20th Century Fox | $77,911,774 | $133,684,065
13 | *Flight* | 2012 | Paramount | $93,772,375 | $132,380,156
14 | *The Equalizer 2* | 2018 | Sony | $102,084,362 | $131,767,683
15 | *The Bone Collector* | 1999 | Universal | $66,518,655 | $129,412,722
16 | *John Q.* | 2002 | New Line Cinema | $71,756,802 | $129,282,702
17 | *The Magnificent Seven* | 2016 | Sony | $93,432,655 | $126,177,898
18 | *Courage Under Fire* | 1996 | 20th Century Fox | $59,003,384 | $121,888,431
19 | *Unstoppable* | 2010 | 20th Century Fox | $81,562,942 | $121,236,489
20 | *The Manchurian Candidate* | 2004 | Paramount | $65,955,630 | $113,169,246
21 | *Malcolm X* | 1992 | Warner Bros. | $48,169,910 | $111,282,448
22 | *2 Guns* | 2013 | Universal | $75,612,460 | $105,202,512
23 | *Déjà Vu* | 2006 | Disney | $64,038,616 | $102,957,957
24 | *The Preacher's Wife* | 1996 | Disney | $48,102,795 | $99,370,134
25 | *The Taking of Pelham 123* | 2009 | Sony | $65,452,312 | $98,885,200
26 | *The Hurricane* | 1999 | Universal | $50,699,241 | $98,635,890
27 | *The Equalizer 3* | 2023 | Sony | $92,373,751 | $98,261,136
28 | *The Siege* | 1998 | 20th Century Fox | $40,981,289 | $81,490,413
29 | *Fences* | 2016 | Paramount | $57,682,904 | $77,898,970
30 | *Out of Time* | 2003 | Metro-Goldwyn Mayer | $41,088,845 | $72,379,340
31 | *Glory* | 1989 | TriStar | $26,979,166 | $70,520,493
32 | *A Soldier's Story* | 1984 | Columbia | $21,821,347 | $68,072,941
33 | *Ricochet* | 1991 | Warner Bros. | $21,756,163 | $51,774,236
34 | *Virtuosity* | 1995 | Paramount | $24,047,675 | $51,144,229
35 | *Much Ado About Nothing* | 1993 | The Samuel Goldwyn Company | $22,549,338 | $50,579,491
36 | *Fallen* | 1998 | Warner Bros. | $25,232,289 | $50,173,864
37 | *The Great Debaters* | 2007 | Metro-Goldwyn Mayer | $30,236,407 | $47,266,278
38 | *He Got Game* | 1998 | Disney | $21,567,853 | $42,887,212
39 | *Mo' Better Blues* | 1990 | Universal | $16,153,593 | $40,059,180
40 | *Antwone Fisher* | 2002 | Searchlight | $21,078,145 | $37,976,045
41 | *Devil in a Blue Dress* | 1995 | Sony | $16,140,822 | $34,328,054
42 | *Carbon Copy* | 1981 | Embassy | $9,566,593 | $34,111,586
43 | *The Little Things* | 2021 | Warner Bros. | $15,342,746 | $18,352,295
44 | *Mississippi Masala* | 1991 | The Samuel Goldwyn Company | $7,332,515 | $17,449,555
45 | *Cry Freedom* | 1987 | Universal | $5,899,797 | $16,833,221
46 | *Roman J. Israel, Esq.* | 2017 | Sony | $11,962,778 | $15,818,372
47 | *The Mighty Quinn* | 1989 | Metro-Goldwyn Mayer | $4,557,214 | $11,912,042
48 | *Power* | 1986 | 20th Century Fox | $3,800,000 | $11,237,806
49 | *Heart Condition* | 1990 | New Line Cinema | $4,134,992 | $10,254,337
50 | *For Queen & Country* | 1989 | Atlantic Releasing | $191,051 | $499,385
#**The Verdict**
Incredibly reliable.
It didn't take long to establish Denzel as a breakout star. *St. Elsewhere* was a great launching pad, undoubtedly becoming the biggest star to emerge from that show. Then *Glory* solidified that he was a fucking great actor with a bright future ahead. I'm sure I'm not the only one who considers that Denzel losing the Oscar for *Malcolm X* is one of the biggest mistakes the Academy made.
Denzel is truly the definition of "movie star". He can play pretty much everything you can ask him to do. Whether it's a hero, a bad guy, or something in between, he excels at everything. He's got range, whether if it's a drama, a legal thriller, a political thriller, an action film, a sword-and-sandals epic, a sci-fi film, a sports drama, etc. Even with prestige roles early in his career, Denzel decided to transition as an action star. You can thank Tony Scott for opening those doors. And it greatly paid off, as he's now considered one of the most badass stars.
In his filmography, you can see he's found some recurring collaborators. Most prominently, Spike Lee, Tony Scott and Antoine Fuqua. All of them have convinced Denzel to work with them multiple times, and you can see that he has a lot of fun making these films. Such a shame, then, that Tony Scott
12 | *Man on Fire* | 2004 | 20th Century Fox | $77,911,774 | $133,684,065
13 | *Flight* | 2012 | Paramount | $93,772,375 | $132,380,156
14 | *The Equalizer 2* | 2018 | Sony | $102,084,362 | $131,767,683
15 | *The Bone Collector* | 1999 | Universal | $66,518,655 | $129,412,722
16 | *John Q.* | 2002 | New Line Cinema | $71,756,802 | $129,282,702
17 | *The Magnificent Seven* | 2016 | Sony | $93,432,655 | $126,177,898
18 | *Courage Under Fire* | 1996 | 20th Century Fox | $59,003,384 | $121,888,431
19 | *Unstoppable* | 2010 | 20th Century Fox | $81,562,942 | $121,236,489
20 | *The Manchurian Candidate* | 2004 | Paramount | $65,955,630 | $113,169,246
21 | *Malcolm X* | 1992 | Warner Bros. | $48,169,910 | $111,282,448
22 | *2 Guns* | 2013 | Universal | $75,612,460 | $105,202,512
23 | *Déjà Vu* | 2006 | Disney | $64,038,616 | $102,957,957
24 | *The Preacher's Wife* | 1996 | Disney | $48,102,795 | $99,370,134
25 | *The Taking of Pelham 123* | 2009 | Sony | $65,452,312 | $98,885,200
26 | *The Hurricane* | 1999 | Universal | $50,699,241 | $98,635,890
27 | *The Equalizer 3* | 2023 | Sony | $92,373,751 | $98,261,136
28 | *The Siege* | 1998 | 20th Century Fox | $40,981,289 | $81,490,413
29 | *Fences* | 2016 | Paramount | $57,682,904 | $77,898,970
30 | *Out of Time* | 2003 | Metro-Goldwyn Mayer | $41,088,845 | $72,379,340
31 | *Glory* | 1989 | TriStar | $26,979,166 | $70,520,493
32 | *A Soldier's Story* | 1984 | Columbia | $21,821,347 | $68,072,941
33 | *Ricochet* | 1991 | Warner Bros. | $21,756,163 | $51,774,236
34 | *Virtuosity* | 1995 | Paramount | $24,047,675 | $51,144,229
35 | *Much Ado About Nothing* | 1993 | The Samuel Goldwyn Company | $22,549,338 | $50,579,491
36 | *Fallen* | 1998 | Warner Bros. | $25,232,289 | $50,173,864
37 | *The Great Debaters* | 2007 | Metro-Goldwyn Mayer | $30,236,407 | $47,266,278
38 | *He Got Game* | 1998 | Disney | $21,567,853 | $42,887,212
39 | *Mo' Better Blues* | 1990 | Universal | $16,153,593 | $40,059,180
40 | *Antwone Fisher* | 2002 | Searchlight | $21,078,145 | $37,976,045
41 | *Devil in a Blue Dress* | 1995 | Sony | $16,140,822 | $34,328,054
42 | *Carbon Copy* | 1981 | Embassy | $9,566,593 | $34,111,586
43 | *The Little Things* | 2021 | Warner Bros. | $15,342,746 | $18,352,295
44 | *Mississippi Masala* | 1991 | The Samuel Goldwyn Company | $7,332,515 | $17,449,555
45 | *Cry Freedom* | 1987 | Universal | $5,899,797 | $16,833,221
46 | *Roman J. Israel, Esq.* | 2017 | Sony | $11,962,778 | $15,818,372
47 | *The Mighty Quinn* | 1989 | Metro-Goldwyn Mayer | $4,557,214 | $11,912,042
48 | *Power* | 1986 | 20th Century Fox | $3,800,000 | $11,237,806
49 | *Heart Condition* | 1990 | New Line Cinema | $4,134,992 | $10,254,337
50 | *For Queen & Country* | 1989 | Atlantic Releasing | $191,051 | $499,385
#**The Verdict**
Incredibly reliable.
It didn't take long to establish Denzel as a breakout star. *St. Elsewhere* was a great launching pad, undoubtedly becoming the biggest star to emerge from that show. Then *Glory* solidified that he was a fucking great actor with a bright future ahead. I'm sure I'm not the only one who considers that Denzel losing the Oscar for *Malcolm X* is one of the biggest mistakes the Academy made.
Denzel is truly the definition of "movie star". He can play pretty much everything you can ask him to do. Whether it's a hero, a bad guy, or something in between, he excels at everything. He's got range, whether if it's a drama, a legal thriller, a political thriller, an action film, a sword-and-sandals epic, a sci-fi film, a sports drama, etc. Even with prestige roles early in his career, Denzel decided to transition as an action star. You can thank Tony Scott for opening those doors. And it greatly paid off, as he's now considered one of the most badass stars.
In his filmography, you can see he's found some recurring collaborators. Most prominently, Spike Lee, Tony Scott and Antoine Fuqua. All of them have convinced Denzel to work with them multiple times, and you can see that he has a lot of fun making these films. Such a shame, then, that Tony Scott
is no longer with us. They still had so many films left to do together.
24 films hitting $100 million worldwide is an impressive feat. How does that compare to other black stars like Will Smith and Eddie Murphy? Well... it's actually not as strong as those two in their prime. One thing to note is that Smith and Murphy were also popular overseas, and while Denzel can often show strength outside America, it's not as big as those two. Of Denzel's 24 films that hit $100 million, only 10 were overseas-heavy. In contrast, Smith also has 24 films above $100 million, but not only does have a much higher gross, but 21 of them were overseas-heavy. But Denzel proved that he can pretty much guarantee you at least $100 million worldwide on a blockbuster.
Denzel might not be as strong as Smith and Murphy at their prime. But when it comes to talent and range? Best black star? He's definitely a huge contender for that noscript.
Wanna know a crazy stat? He's been nominated for 10 Oscars (winning 2), 11 Golden Globes (winning 2), 8 SAGs (winning once), 2 Tonys (winning once), and 2 Emmys. Now can you guess how many BAFTA nominations he has earned? A grand total of... zero. Yep, despite the amount of critically acclaimed projects and performances, BAFTA just doesn't care for him. Why the fuck is that?
So that leaves the question: what's his best ever performance? It's a tough choice, as he's got a lot of incredible performances in here. But personally, I have to go with *Malcolm X*.
Hope you liked this edition. You can find this and more in the [wiki for this section.](https://www.reddit.com/r/boxoffice/wiki/actors-at-the-box-office)
The next actor will be **Keanu Reeves**. A rise, a fall, and another rise.
I asked you to choose who else should be in the run, and the comment with the most upvotes would be chosen. Well, we'll later talk about... >!Diane Keaton.!< A Legend.
This is the schedule for the following four:
Week | Actor | Reasoning
:-------:|:--------:|----------
January 10 | Keanu Reeves | Big wholesome.
January 17 | Armie Hammer | *Fresh* was a strange biopic.
January 24 | Michelle Pfeiffer | She deserves better than her past few projects.
January 31 | Diane Keaton | "Constantly. I'd say three times a week."
Who should be next after Keaton? That's up to you.
Last week, very few people bothered to talk about the post I made about Val Kilmer's career, instead choosing to just name who should be the next actor/actress to get a post. This has been happening for quite some time, but I feel it was time to address that aspect.
These posts take quite some time to make, so it's a bit disappointing to see that there's more priority to a future post than the actual post (and said post will go through the same stuff). So I'll have to establish a rule with this: if you want to make a suggestion for the next write-up, you're gonna have to make a comment with at least 300 characters (not words, characters, let's not get too crazy) about the post itself. Anything, as long as it has to do with what we're discussing here. Whether you like the actor or not, what's his best/work performance, etc. Anything.
Is it a bit exaggerated? Perhaps. Is it justified? Absolutely. It's just not fair to me in making these posts if people are going to ignore the whole point. And again, it's not 300 words. It's 300 characters. It's not a lot to ask, it's basically just a paragraph. If you leave a short comment about the post without naming a future write-up, that's fine. But any comment that suggests a name for a future write-up without following that rule will be ignored. Given that no one passed it last week, I decided to take the slot and give it to Diane Keaton, who got some high votes but didn't get a post. Perhaps it's time.
https://redd.it/1q3586s
@r_boxoffice
24 films hitting $100 million worldwide is an impressive feat. How does that compare to other black stars like Will Smith and Eddie Murphy? Well... it's actually not as strong as those two in their prime. One thing to note is that Smith and Murphy were also popular overseas, and while Denzel can often show strength outside America, it's not as big as those two. Of Denzel's 24 films that hit $100 million, only 10 were overseas-heavy. In contrast, Smith also has 24 films above $100 million, but not only does have a much higher gross, but 21 of them were overseas-heavy. But Denzel proved that he can pretty much guarantee you at least $100 million worldwide on a blockbuster.
Denzel might not be as strong as Smith and Murphy at their prime. But when it comes to talent and range? Best black star? He's definitely a huge contender for that noscript.
Wanna know a crazy stat? He's been nominated for 10 Oscars (winning 2), 11 Golden Globes (winning 2), 8 SAGs (winning once), 2 Tonys (winning once), and 2 Emmys. Now can you guess how many BAFTA nominations he has earned? A grand total of... zero. Yep, despite the amount of critically acclaimed projects and performances, BAFTA just doesn't care for him. Why the fuck is that?
So that leaves the question: what's his best ever performance? It's a tough choice, as he's got a lot of incredible performances in here. But personally, I have to go with *Malcolm X*.
Hope you liked this edition. You can find this and more in the [wiki for this section.](https://www.reddit.com/r/boxoffice/wiki/actors-at-the-box-office)
The next actor will be **Keanu Reeves**. A rise, a fall, and another rise.
I asked you to choose who else should be in the run, and the comment with the most upvotes would be chosen. Well, we'll later talk about... >!Diane Keaton.!< A Legend.
This is the schedule for the following four:
Week | Actor | Reasoning
:-------:|:--------:|----------
January 10 | Keanu Reeves | Big wholesome.
January 17 | Armie Hammer | *Fresh* was a strange biopic.
January 24 | Michelle Pfeiffer | She deserves better than her past few projects.
January 31 | Diane Keaton | "Constantly. I'd say three times a week."
Who should be next after Keaton? That's up to you.
Last week, very few people bothered to talk about the post I made about Val Kilmer's career, instead choosing to just name who should be the next actor/actress to get a post. This has been happening for quite some time, but I feel it was time to address that aspect.
These posts take quite some time to make, so it's a bit disappointing to see that there's more priority to a future post than the actual post (and said post will go through the same stuff). So I'll have to establish a rule with this: if you want to make a suggestion for the next write-up, you're gonna have to make a comment with at least 300 characters (not words, characters, let's not get too crazy) about the post itself. Anything, as long as it has to do with what we're discussing here. Whether you like the actor or not, what's his best/work performance, etc. Anything.
Is it a bit exaggerated? Perhaps. Is it justified? Absolutely. It's just not fair to me in making these posts if people are going to ignore the whole point. And again, it's not 300 words. It's 300 characters. It's not a lot to ask, it's basically just a paragraph. If you leave a short comment about the post without naming a future write-up, that's fine. But any comment that suggests a name for a future write-up without following that rule will be ignored. Given that no one passed it last week, I decided to take the slot and give it to Diane Keaton, who got some high votes but didn't get a post. Perhaps it's time.
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According to WGA, the noscript for J.J. Abrams' next film, starting Glen Powell and Jenna Ortega has been confirmed to be called The Great Beyond
https://directories.wga.org/project/1278674/the-great-beyond/
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From the boxoffice community on Reddit: According to WGA, the noscript for J.J. Abrams' next film, starting Glen Powell and Jenna…
Posted by Alternative-Cake-833 - 115 votes and 56 comments
Leonardo DiCaprio Wonders If ‘People Still Have the Appetite’ For Movie Theaters: Will They Become ‘Like Jazz Bars?’
https://variety.com/2026/film/news/leonardo-dicaprio-appetite-movie-theaters-1236622961/?utm_social_handle_id=12616252196&utm_social_post_id=641546740&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEeJlqxRNB3T5iz3kbDIY9RrSMX35_uJdROVRY2YsaE8u6DIxYi4JiaOHljxoA_aem_KjVXXM0ddRR6eUKTkgzqnA
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https://variety.com/2026/film/news/leonardo-dicaprio-appetite-movie-theaters-1236622961/?utm_social_handle_id=12616252196&utm_social_post_id=641546740&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEeJlqxRNB3T5iz3kbDIY9RrSMX35_uJdROVRY2YsaE8u6DIxYi4JiaOHljxoA_aem_KjVXXM0ddRR6eUKTkgzqnA
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Variety
Leonardo DiCaprio Wonders if ‘People Still Have the Appetite’ for Movie Theaters: Will They Become ‘Like Jazz Bars?’
Leonardo DiCaprio wonders if 'people still have the appetite' for movie theaters anymore.
Lionsgate & Hidden Pictures' The Housemaid grossed an estimated $5.25M on Friday (from 3,070 locations), which was a 0.3% increase from the previous Friday. Estimated total domestic gross stands at $66.11M.
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Lionsgate & Hidden Pictures' The Housemaid grossed an estimated $5.25M on Friday (from 3,070 locations), which was a 0.3% increase from the previous Friday. Estimated total domestic gross stands at $66.11M.
#TheHousemaidMovie #BoxOffice
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The official trailer for Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' already has the 5th highest percentage of likes for any Universal trailer on YouTube, with over 515k likes after 36 million views, and is on track to become the most liked trailer of Christopher Nolan's career.
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Box Office: ‘Avatar 3’ Flies Past $1B, Sleeper Hit ‘The Housemaid’ Delivers Sydney Sweeney a Win - James Cameron's threequel achieved the milestone Saturday at the New Year weekend box office.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/box-office-avatar-3-billion-the-housemaid-win-1236463156/
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https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/box-office-avatar-3-billion-the-housemaid-win-1236463156/
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The Hollywood Reporter
Box Office: ‘Avatar 3’ Flies Past $1B, Sleeper Hit ‘The Housemaid’ Delivers Sydney Sweeney a Win
James Cameron's threequel achieved the milestone Saturday at the New Year weekend box office. Other holiday victors include sleeper hit 'The Housemaid' and Timothée Chalamet's 'Marty Supreme.'
Disney now has 32 billion dollar-grossing films and 5th year with at least three $1B+ releases - both ALL TIME records, more than every other studio COMBINED
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From the boxoffice community on Reddit: Disney now has 32 billion dollar-grossing films and 5th year with at least three $1B+ releases…
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🇮🇹 Italian box office Saturday January 3: Buen Camino surpasses Tolo-Tolo and also becomes the highest grossing movie of 2020s, breaking Inside Out 2 record
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Despite a mixed year, with nearly 157 million cinema admissions France remains by far the leading European market.
https://www.cnc.fr/professionnels/communiques-de-presse/malgre-une-annee-en-demiteinte-avec-pres-de-157-millions-dentrees-dans-ses-salles-de-cinema-la-france-demeure-largement-le-premier-marche-europeen_2519012
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https://www.cnc.fr/professionnels/communiques-de-presse/malgre-une-annee-en-demiteinte-avec-pres-de-157-millions-dentrees-dans-ses-salles-de-cinema-la-france-demeure-largement-le-premier-marche-europeen_2519012
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Malgré une année en demi-teinte avec près de 157 millions d’entrées dans ses salles de cinéma, la France demeure largement le premier…
En 2025, la France affiche 156,79 millions d’entrées dans les salles de cinéma, en recul de 13,6 % par rapport à une année 2024 marquée par une très forte croissance. La part de marché des...
Disney celebrates as Zootopia 2 became fastest Hollywood animation to reach 10 billion yen in JAPAN box office on SAT after just 30 days of release. Faster than Frozen and Super Mario Bros.
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JAPAN box office weekend Jan 2-4. Zootopia 2 scored 2nd biggest 5th weekend for an Hollywood animation only behind Frozen.
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‘Avatar: Fire And Ash’ Burns Trail To $306M U.S. After $40M 3rd Weekend (-37%); ‘Zootopia 2’ 2nd With $19M (-4%); ‘The Housemaid’ Excellent Hold With $14.87M (-3%), 2026 Starts +29% Over ’25 – Sunday Box Office Update
https://deadline.com/2026/01/box-office-avatar-fire-and-ash-2026-first-weekend-1236660722/
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Deadline
‘Avatar: Fire And Ash’ Burning Trail To $302M U.S.; ‘Housemaid’ Holding Strong, 2026 Starts +22% Over ’25 – Saturday Box Office…
'Avatar: Fire and Ash' has a shot at crossing $300M at the U.S. box office during the first weekend of 2026.
'Avatar: Fire and Ash' ($140M) has passed 'F1' ($96.2M) for the highest reported worldwide IMAX gross among 2025 Hollywood releases.
IMAX grosses are reported inconsistently, usually only on weekends, so there's no account for what each film grossed for the last Monday-Thursday period after its last reported IMAX gross on the last Sunday.
Below are the most up to date reported IMAX grosses for each 2025 Hollywood release.
|Film|Global IMAX Opening|Total Reported IMAX Gross|Notes|
|:-|:-|:-|:-|
|Avatar: Fire and Ash|$43.6M|$140M|Through 3 weekends|
|F1|$27.7M|$96.2M|Through 10 weekends|
|Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning|$31M|$69.1M|Through 3 weekends|
|Zootopia 2|$32.1M|$56.6M|Through 3 weekends|
|Superman|$30.4M|$51.4M|Through 2 weekends|
|The Fantastic Four: First Steps|$26.6M|$43.9M|Through 2 weekends|
|Sinners|$11.1M|$39.2M|Through 2 weeks, plus an additional weekend re-release in IMAX 70MM in May, plus 1 week IMAX re-release in November|
|Wicked: For Good|$21.1M|$33.6M|Through 3 weekends|
|Thunderbolts*|$18.1M|$29M|Through 2 weekends|
|How To Train Your Dragon|$16.1M|$28.4M|Through 2 weekends|
|A Minecraft Movie|$19.4M|$26.5M|Through 2 weekends|
|Captain America: Brave New World|$18M|$26.3M|Through 3 weekends|
|Tron: Ares|$10.4M|$19.5M|Through 3 weekends|
|Weapons|$8.1M|$16.3M|Through 3 weekends|
|The Conjuring: Last Rites|$14.3M|$14.3M|Through 1 weekend|
|One Battle After Another|$7.5M|$12.8M|Through 2 weekends|
|Final Destination: Bloodlines|$7.6M|$11.0M|Through 1 weekend, plus 1 weekend in China in August|
|Predator: Badlands|$10.8M|$10.8M|Through 1 weekend|
|Mickey 17|$6.3M|$10.2M|Through 2 weekends|
|Snow White|$4.4M|$4.4M|Played for second week on at least some IMAX screens, but no reported gross|
|Becoming Led Zeppelin|$2.58M|$3.68M|Through 1 week, domestic only|
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IMAX grosses are reported inconsistently, usually only on weekends, so there's no account for what each film grossed for the last Monday-Thursday period after its last reported IMAX gross on the last Sunday.
Below are the most up to date reported IMAX grosses for each 2025 Hollywood release.
|Film|Global IMAX Opening|Total Reported IMAX Gross|Notes|
|:-|:-|:-|:-|
|Avatar: Fire and Ash|$43.6M|$140M|Through 3 weekends|
|F1|$27.7M|$96.2M|Through 10 weekends|
|Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning|$31M|$69.1M|Through 3 weekends|
|Zootopia 2|$32.1M|$56.6M|Through 3 weekends|
|Superman|$30.4M|$51.4M|Through 2 weekends|
|The Fantastic Four: First Steps|$26.6M|$43.9M|Through 2 weekends|
|Sinners|$11.1M|$39.2M|Through 2 weeks, plus an additional weekend re-release in IMAX 70MM in May, plus 1 week IMAX re-release in November|
|Wicked: For Good|$21.1M|$33.6M|Through 3 weekends|
|Thunderbolts*|$18.1M|$29M|Through 2 weekends|
|How To Train Your Dragon|$16.1M|$28.4M|Through 2 weekends|
|A Minecraft Movie|$19.4M|$26.5M|Through 2 weekends|
|Captain America: Brave New World|$18M|$26.3M|Through 3 weekends|
|Tron: Ares|$10.4M|$19.5M|Through 3 weekends|
|Weapons|$8.1M|$16.3M|Through 3 weekends|
|The Conjuring: Last Rites|$14.3M|$14.3M|Through 1 weekend|
|One Battle After Another|$7.5M|$12.8M|Through 2 weekends|
|Final Destination: Bloodlines|$7.6M|$11.0M|Through 1 weekend, plus 1 weekend in China in August|
|Predator: Badlands|$10.8M|$10.8M|Through 1 weekend|
|Mickey 17|$6.3M|$10.2M|Through 2 weekends|
|Snow White|$4.4M|$4.4M|Played for second week on at least some IMAX screens, but no reported gross|
|Becoming Led Zeppelin|$2.58M|$3.68M|Through 1 week, domestic only|
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