Denzel Washington
Worldwide gross, reported dollars, 1987 to today.$7.37bn in 2025 dollars.
Based on 38 of 63 films with known box office for Denzel Washington (60.3%). Appearances as themselves or in archive footage are not counted as films.
Hit rate 60.5%.
The biggest film is Gladiator II (2024), at $460.38m. The five biggest make up 29% of the total.
Photo: TMDB
The career, in four acts
Each film's money sits on its first release date. Inflation-adjusted figures use the year the money was earned.
Philadelphia, The Pelican Brief, Crimson Tide.
American Gangster, Inside Man, Déjà Vu.
Safe House, The Equalizer, The Equalizer 2.
Gladiator II, The Equalizer 3, The Little Things.
The nightly snapshot series · the time series behind the leaderboard, with its live pointShow
This series is pre-computed and does not yet respond to the appearance switches: it always counts every credited appearance.
Annual points through 2019, monthly from 2020, then daily snapshots from 5 August 2026, with the latest shown as live (dashed, see note below).
Note on the last point: historical points only count a film once its earliest release date is at least 90 days old. The live point (dashed line above) is ungated and includes films released within the last 90 days, so it can jump ahead of the historical curve rather than extend it smoothly.
No films currently sit inside that 90-day gate for Denzel Washington.
The biggest films
No. 1Gladiator II$460.38m2024 · Billed 2nd
No. 2American Gangster$267.99m2007 · Billed 1st
No. 3Safe House$207.88m2012 · Billed 1st
No. 4Philadelphia$201.32m1993 · Billed 2nd
No. 5The Equalizer$192.90m2014 · Billed 1st
No. 6The Equalizer 3$191.07m2023 · Billed 1st
No. 7The Equalizer 2$190.38m2018 · Billed 1st
No. 8The Pelican Brief$188.00m1993 · Billed 2nd
No. 9Inside Man$185.80m2006 · Billed 1st
No. 10Déjà Vu$181.04m2006 · Billed 1st
No. 11Unstoppable$165.72m2010 · Billed 1st
No. 12The Magnificent Seven$162.12m2016 · Billed 1st
Cameos and sources
No cameos
No named source calls any of Denzel Washington's credits a cameo, so the total and the rank are the same with cameos counted or not.
Our rule: a cameo is what a named source calls a cameo. Billing never decides. How cameos are decided
Where the numbers come from
Worldwide gross for 38 of 38 films. Primary source.
Re-releases, and the full total where The Numbers reports less. Not needed for Denzel Washington today.
Credits, billing, dates, posters. Second opinion on the gross: TMDB has a figure for 38 of 38 films, and 37 of those agree within 5%.
Cameo calls: a named source says the appearance is a cameo. Billing never decides. None of Denzel Washington's credits has a cameo call yet.
How the total is built
- Every film counts once, whatever the role.
- A film's gross is its original run plus re-releases.
- Inflation is adjusted from the year the money was earned, to 2025 dollars.
- Appearances as themselves and archive footage are not counted as films. Any box office they carry stays in the total unless that switch is off.
Credits by role
Actor (unclassified)
Director
62
4
Filmography
- Gladiator II 2024Macrinus · Billed 2nd$460.38m
- American Gangster 2007Frank Lucas · Billed 1st$267.99m
- Safe House 2012Tobin Frost · Billed 1st$207.88m
- Philadelphia 1993Joe Miller · Billed 2nd$201.32m
- The Equalizer 2014Robert McCall · Billed 1st$192.90m
- The Equalizer 3 2023Robert McCall · Billed 1st$191.07m
- The Equalizer 2 2018Robert McCall · Billed 1st$190.38m
- The Pelican Brief 1993Gray Grantham · Billed 2nd$188.00m
- Inside Man 2006Keith Frazier · Billed 1st$185.80m
- Déjà Vu 2006Doug Carlin · Billed 1st$181.04m
The receipts
Here is every film, every figure, and how we added it up.
- All time, worldwide, all roles
- in dollars as reported, not adjusted for inflation
Uncredited appearances: counted. Appearances as themselves: not counted. Cameos: not counted.
We counted 38 films. Together they earned $4.64bn. Each film is counted once. That is the 30th biggest total, all time, worldwide, out of the 30 people ranked on TopLiner. Ranks come from the leaderboard published on 1 November 2026.
How it adds up
Check it yourself: add up the 38 counted films below and you get $4.64bn.
Find every film. We looked for every title Denzel Washington is credited on. We found 83 titles. 20 are left out by the switches. That leaves 63 films.
Find the money. 38 of the 63 films have a box office figure. That is the money that cinema tickets brought in around the world. 24 have no figure we trust yet, so they add nothing. We never guess. 1 is not out yet.
Count each film once. If someone acts in a film and also directs it, the film still counts one time. 3 films here have more than one job for Denzel Washington.
Add it up. The 38 films together earned $4.64bn, in dollars as reported, not adjusted for inflation. Divide by 38 and the average is $122.08m a film.
Rank everyone. We add up every person the same way. Then we sort them from the biggest total to the smallest. Denzel Washington has the 30th biggest total of the 30 people ranked on TopLiner.
23 of the 38 films earned $100 million or more (in dollars as reported).
Film by film: counted (38)
- Gladiator II 2024$460.38m
- American Gangster 2007$267.99m
- Safe House 2012$207.88m
- Philadelphia 1993$201.32m
- The Equalizer 2014$192.90m
- The Equalizer 3 2023$191.07m
Show all 38 counted filmsShow fewer
- The Equalizer 2 2018$190.38m
- The Pelican Brief 1993$188.00m
- Inside Man 2006$185.80m
- Déjà Vu 2006$181.04m
- Unstoppable 2010$165.72m
- The Magnificent Seven 2016$162.12m
- Flight 2012$160.56m
- Crimson Tide 1995$159.39m
- The Book of Eli 2010$158.75m
- The Bone Collector 1999$151.46m
- Remember the Titans 2000$136.77m
- 2 Guns 2013$132.49m
- Man on Fire 2004$130.97m
- The Siege 1998$116.63m
- Training Day 2001$104.51m
- John Q 2002$102.23m
- Courage Under Fire 1996$100.83m
- The Manchurian Candidate 2004$96.14m
- The Hurricane 1999$73.96m
- Fences 2016
Counted once, even though Denzel Washington had 2 jobs on it.
$64.28m - The Preacher's Wife 1996$56.43m
The Numbers: $56.43m · TMDB: $48.10m
- Out of Time 2003$55.49m
- Malcolm X 1992$48.17m
Domestic gross shown as primary: the worldwide total’s international component is a source placeholder, so it is effectively domestic only. Worldwide as reported: $48.17m (flagged unreliable).
- The Little Things 2021$30.84m
- The Great Debaters 2007
Counted once, even though Denzel Washington had 2 jobs on it.
$30.23mDomestic gross shown as primary: the worldwide total’s international component is a source placeholder, so it is effectively domestic only. Worldwide as reported: $30.26m (flagged unreliable).
- Glory 1989$26.83m
Domestic gross shown as primary: the worldwide total’s international component is a source placeholder, so it is effectively domestic only. Worldwide as reported: $26.83m (flagged unreliable).
- Cry Freedom 1987$25.90m
- Antwone Fisher 2002
Counted once, even though Denzel Washington had 2 jobs on it.
$23.37m - He Got Game 1998$22.41m
- Mo' Better Blues 1990$16.15m
Domestic gross shown as primary: the worldwide total’s international component is a source placeholder, so it is effectively domestic only. Worldwide as reported: $16.15m (flagged unreliable).
- Roman J. Israel, Esq. 2017$12.97m
- A Journal for Jordan 2021$6.68m
Not counted: no box office figure found (24)
- Highest 2 Lowest 2025
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Denzel Washington: Falling Forward 2025
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- The Tragedy of Macbeth 2021
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Chasing Trane 2017
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 2009
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Fallen 1998
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
Show all 24 films with no figureShow fewer
- Mother Goose: A Rappin' and Rhymin' Special 1997
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Devil in a Blue Dress 1995
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Virtuosity 1995
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Much Ado About Nothing 1993
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II 1992
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Jammin': Jelly Roll Morton on Broadway 1992
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Ricochet 1991
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Mississippi Masala 1991
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Rabbit Ears - Anansi 1991
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Rabbit Ears - John Henry 1990
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Heart Condition 1990
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- The Mighty Quinn 1989
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- The George McKenna Story 1988
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- For Queen & Country 1988
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Power 1986
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- License to Kill 1986
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- A Soldier's Story 1984
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
- Carbon Copy 1981
Not counted. We could not find a box office figure we trust, and we never guess.
Not counted: not in cinemas yet (1)
- Black Panther 3 2028
Not counted yet. It has not reached cinemas.
Not counted: left out by your switches (20)
- Denzel Washington: American Icon 2024
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- The Piano Lesson: Legacy and a Vision 2024
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- The Making of Gladiator II 2024
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- Whoopi Goldberg: The Winning Act 2022
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- Sidney 2022
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- Quentin Tarantino: From a Movie Buff to a Hollywood Legend 2021
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
Show all 20 films left out by the switchesShow fewer
- Giving Voice 2020
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King 2020
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- Denzel Washington: Reel Life 2018
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial 2009
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- Fallen Empire: Making 'American Gangster' 2008
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X' 2005
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- People Like Us: Making 'Philadelphia' 2004
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- The Evolution of an American Filmmaker 2003
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- Behind the Scenes of 'John Q' 2002
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- Straight from the Streets 2000
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- NBA at 50 1996
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- The Making of 'Crimson Tide' 1995
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! 1994
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
- Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute 1988
Left out because appearances as themselves are switched off.
TopLiner · the film bankability index · ranks from the leaderboard for 1 November 2026, published 1 November 2026 09:26 UTC. Totals, the chart and the filmography are worked out from the latest data each time this page is refreshed.