Denzel Washington’s Top 20 Highest-Grossing Movies (2024)

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The amazing thing about “American Gangster” is that it has so many quotable moments and everyone has their favorite. It’s why we keep coming back to it over and over.

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Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds isn’t a team we were expecting, but somehow their two different styles work in this fun, good vs. evil action film.

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What makes Washington so fantastic in “Philadelphia” is how you can still discover something new in his performance all these years later. He and Tom Hanks are perfection here.

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If you like government conspiracy thrillers and major movie stars, this ‘90s hit is probably one of your favorites. If we’re being honest, we weren’t expecting it to be this high.

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In his first outing as “The Equalizer,” Denzel entered the action hero conversation with a brutal, violent trip to a big box hardware store. We’ll never look at Home Depot or Lowe’s the same way again.

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This was meant to feel like a final chapter, but we’ll watch Washington “equalize” problems forever if he keeps making these awesome movies.

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Just in case you’re wondering, that’s a franchise total of $573,798,455. Half a billion dollars for an action franchise led by a Black actor is a major deal.

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Every time Spike Lee and Washington team up, it’s magic. The way “Inside Man” unravels its complicated web is beautiful and even more fun on subsequent viewings. And of course, in a ridiculously star-studded cast, Denzel is a spectacular anchor.

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Spoiler alert for a movie from 2006: the time travel plot is a lot. Don’t think too hard about it or you’ll get a headache.

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Not only were we not expecting this runaway train epic to crack the top 10, it’s also surprising to see how evenly split the box office is between domestic and international numbers. It brought in $81.5 million domestic and $86.2 million globally.

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Despite a cast that includes Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke, we’re giving all the credit for this western’s success to Washington.

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Washington delivers another classic performance in “Flight,” but we’re still not happy about his character’s fate.

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Washington and Gene Hackman go toe to toe in this thriller that somehow feels relevant again.

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Word on the street is we’re getting “Book of Eli” prequel series starring John Boyega. He’s an amazing actor who can definitely bring the emotional weight required for the role. But that doesn’t mean we don’t want a Washington cameo if possible.

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As quadriplegic forensics investigator Lincoln Rhyme, Washington brilliantly conveys his character’s emotional upheaval without venturing into pity or mockery.

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We’re not claiming this is one of his instant classics, but clearly some people enjoyed it. Even amongst John Travolta’s overacting, Washington is rock solid.

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If you don’t like “Remember the Titans” we have serious questions about all your life choices.

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Even when you’re a legend, they won’t all be winners. We’re totally blaming Mark Wahlberg for the lower box office total.

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If this were a list of Washington’s best action movies, “Man on Fire” would definitely be in the top five. It’s his unmatched ability to draw you in and make you truly feel every single one of Creasy’s emotions that makes him so great.

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Following the Sept. 11 attacks, this 1998 film about similar attacks in NYC leading to martial law sort of faded away, as it was a little too real in how it portrayed the United States’ response to the situation.