Want to know the best Bryan Cranston movies? How about the worst Bryan Cranston movies? Curious about Bryan Cranston box office grosses or which Bryan Cranston movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Bryan Cranston movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences and which got the worst reviews? Well you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information.
Bryan Cranston (1956-) is an Oscar® nominated American actor. Cranston gained fame for his television work on three series: Seinfeld, Malcolm in the Middle and Breaking Bad. His movie career was taken off. For the last six years he has been appearing in more than 3 movies a year. His IMDb page shows 109 acting credits from 1968-2018. This page will rank 30 Bryan Cranston movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. His many television appearances and movies not released in North American theaters were not were not included in the rankings. This comes from a request made by Helakoski.
Bryan Cranston Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (0 to 5 stars) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
Year
Movie (Year)
Rating
S
Year Movie (Year) Rating S
2012
Argo (2012)
AA Best Picture Win
1998
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
AA Best Picture Nom
2016
Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)
Voice Only
2006
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
AA Best Picture Nom
2012
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012)
Voice Only
2014
Godzilla (2014)
2024
Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)
Voice Only
2011
Contagion (2011)
2017
The Upside (2017)
2011
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
2011
Drive (2011)
2018
Isle of Dogs (2018)
Voice Only
2017
The Disaster Artist (2017)
2012
John Carter (2012)
2017
Power Rangers (2017)
1995
Ghost in the Shell (1995)
2019
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)
Netflix
2016
Why Him? (2016)
2016
The Infiltrator (2016)
2023
Asteroid City (2023)
2025
The Phoenician Scheme (2025)
2015
Trumbo (2015)
AA Best Actor Nom
2012
Total Recall (2012)
2012
Red Tails (2012)
1987
Wings of Honneamise (1987)
2017
Last Flag Flying (2017)
2012
Rock of Ages (2012)
2022
Jerry and Marge Go Large (2022)
Paramount Plus
2020
The One And Only Ivan (2020)
HBO Movie
2016
Wakefield (2016)
2011
Detachment (2011)
2024
Argylle (2024)
2011
Larry Crowne (2011)
1994
Clean Slate (1994)
1987
Amazon Women on the Moon (1987)
2007
Hard Four (2007)
2016
Get A Job (2016)
2004
Illusion (2004)
2004
Seeing Other People (2004)
2013
Cold Comes The Night (2013)
2016
In Dubious Battle (2016)
1990
Corporate Affairs (1990)
2010
Love Ranch (2010)
Bryan Cranston 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 Bryan Cranston movies by co-stars of his movies.
- Sort Bryan Cranston movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Bryan Cranston movies by yearly domestic box office rank
- Sort Bryan Cranston movies how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations each Bryan Cranston movie received and how many Oscar® wins each Bryan Cranston movie won.
- Sort Bryan Cranston 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) | 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 | Argo (2012) AA Best Picture Win |
Ben Affleck & John Goodman |
136.0 | 213.6 | 364.80 | 22 | 90 | 07 / 03 | 99.9 | |
| 2 | Saving Private Ryan (1998) AA Best Picture Nom |
Tom Hanks & Directed by Steven Spielberg |
214.5 | 571.8 | 1,278.90 | 1 | 93 | 11 / 05 | 99.8 | |
| 4 | Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) Voice Only |
Dustin Hoffman | 143.5 | 207.4 | 753.10 | 20 | 79 | 00 / 00 | 97.0 | |
| 6 | Little Miss Sunshine (2006) AA Best Picture Nom |
Steve Carell & Alan Arkin |
59.9 | 113.8 | 191.00 | 51 | 88 | 04 / 02 | 95.3 | |
| 4 | Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) Voice Only |
Ben Stiller & Jessica Chastain |
216.4 | 339.8 | 1,165.40 | 10 | 72 | 00 / 00 | 95.1 | |
| 5 | Godzilla (2014) | Aaron Johnson | 200.7 | 307.0 | 809.50 | 13 | 70 | 00 / 00 | 94.6 | |
| 7 | Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024) Voice Only |
Jack Black & Dustin Hoffman |
193.6 | 193.6 | 546.00 | 12 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 91.1 | |
| 7 | Contagion (2011) | Matt Damon & Kate Winslet |
75.7 | 119.3 | 213.50 | 45 | 79 | 00 / 00 | 89.2 | |
| 8 | The Upside (2017) | Kevin Hart & Nicole Kidman |
108.3 | 150.9 | 170.20 | 27 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 88.2 | |
| 11 | The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) | Matthew McConaughey | 58.0 | 91.4 | 118.20 | 58 | 76 | 00 / 00 | 84.4 | |
| 10 | Drive (2011) | Ryan Gosling & Albert Brooks |
34.8 | 54.9 | 119.70 | 95 | 86 | 01 / 00 | 84.1 | |
| 9 | Isle of Dogs (2018) Voice Only |
Bill Murray & Edward Norton |
32.0 | 43.7 | 87.50 | 83 | 89 | 02 / 00 | 84.1 | |
| 12 | The Disaster Artist (2017) | James Franco & Seth Rogen |
21.1 | 29.4 | 40.40 | 96 | 86 | 01 / 00 | 79.8 | |
| 13 | John Carter (2012) | Taylor Kitsch | 73.1 | 114.8 | 444.10 | 41 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 79.5 | |
| 16 | Power Rangers (2017) | Elizabeth Banks | 85.4 | 119.0 | 198.40 | 37 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 75.6 | |
| 14 | Ghost in the Shell (1995) | Richard Epcar | 0.5 | 1.5 | 1.50 | 209 | 84 | 00 / 00 | 71.3 | |
| 15 | El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019) Netflix |
Aaron Paul | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 340 | 85 | 00 / 00 | 71.1 | |
| 19 | Why Him? (2016) | James Franco | 60.3 | 87.2 | 170.60 | 55 | 53 | 00 / 00 | 66.5 | |
| 17 | The Infiltrator (2016) | Diane Kruger | 15.4 | 22.3 | 22.30 | 122 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 63.4 | |
| 20 | Asteroid City (2023) | Tom Hanks & Directed by Wes Anderson |
28.2 | 32.6 | 62.50 | 67 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 62.7 | |
| 22 | The Phoenician Scheme (2025) | Tom Hanks & Directed by Wes Anderson |
19.6 | 19.6 | 39.20 | 77 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 62.4 | |
| 21 | Trumbo (2015) AA Best Actor Nom |
Helen Mirren & John Goodman |
7.9 | 11.7 | 12.20 | 128 | 72 | 01 / 00 | 61.8 | |
| 22 | Total Recall (2012) | Colin Farrell | 58.9 | 92.5 | 311.70 | 55 | 47 | 00 / 00 | 60.4 | |
| 24 | Red Tails (2012) | Cuba Gooding Jr. | 49.9 | 78.3 | 79.10 | 65 | 49 | 00 / 00 | 58.1 | |
| 24 | Wings of Honneamise (1987) | David Thomas | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.20 | 249 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 55.4 | |
| 26 | Last Flag Flying (2017) | Steve Carell | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.40 | 185 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 53.2 | |
| 27 | Rock of Ages (2012) | Tom Cruise & Alec Baldwin |
38.5 | 60.5 | 93.30 | 81 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 53.2 | |
| 28 | Jerry and Marge Go Large (2022) Paramount Plus |
Annette Bening | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 343 | 70 | 00 / 00 | 51.3 | |
| 29 | The One And Only Ivan (2020) HBO Movie |
Angelina Jolie | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 246 | 69 | 01 / 00 | 49.9 | |
| 28 | Wakefield (2016) | Jennifer Garner | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.40 | 227 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 46.1 | |
| 29 | Detachment (2011) | James Caan & Adrien Brody |
0.1 | 0.1 | 5.90 | 252 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 44.0 | |
| 31 | Argylle (2024) | Sam Rockwell & Henry Cavill |
45.2 | 45.2 | 96.20 | 39 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 43.2 | |
| 33 | Larry Crowne (2011) | Tom Hanks & Julia Roberts |
35.6 | 56.1 | 113.50 | 92 | 47 | 00 / 00 | 38.7 | |
| 32 | Clean Slate (1994) | Dana Carvey & James Earl Jones |
7.4 | 22.5 | 22.50 | 128 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 31.9 | |
| 34 | Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) | Michelle Pfeiffer & Carrie Fisher |
0.5 | 1.8 | 1.80 | 198 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 30.3 | |
| 36 | Hard Four (2007) | Dabney Coleman | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 316 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 23.5 | |
| 38 | Get A Job (2016) | Anna Kendrick | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 412 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 20.0 | |
| 36 | Illusion (2004) | Kirk Douglas | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 331 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 20.0 | |
| 37 | Seeing Other People (2004) | Jay Mohr | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.20 | 283 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 15.6 | |
| 38 | Cold Comes The Night (2013) | Alice Eve | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.30 | 226 | 51 | 00 / 00 | 14.2 | |
| 39 | In Dubious Battle (2016) | Nat Wolff & James Franco |
0.1 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 392 | 51 | 00 / 00 | 13.9 | |
| 40 | Corporate Affairs (1990) | Peter Scolari | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.00 | 189 | 49 | 00 / 00 | 12.5 | |
| 41 | Love Ranch (2010) | Helen Mirren & Joe Pesci |
0.1 | 0.2 | 0.20 | 242 | 44 | 00 / 00 | 6.8 |
Stats and Possibly Interesting Things From The Above Bryan Cranston Table
- Five Bryan Cranston movies crossed the magical $100 million domestic gross mark. That is a percentage of 16.67% of his movies listed. Saving Private Ryan (1998) was easily his biggest box office hit when looking at adjusted domestic box office gross.
- An average Bryan Cranston movie grosses $64.00 million in adjusted box office gross.
- Using RottenTomatoes.com’s 60% fresh meter. 18 Bryan Cranston movies are rated as good movies…or 60.00% of his movies. Saving Private Ryan (1998) is his highest rated movie while Love Ranch (2010) was his lowest rated movie.
- Six Bryan Cranston movies received at least one Oscar® nomination in any category…..or 20.00% of his movies.
- Three Bryan Cranston movies won at least one Oscar® in any category…..or 10.00% of his movies.
- An average Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score is 40.00. 12 Bryan Cranston movies scored higher than that average….or 40.00% of his movies. Saving Private Ryan (1998) got the the highest UMR Score while Love Ranch (2010) got the lowest UMR Score.
Possibly Interesting Facts About Bryan Cranston
1. Bryan Lee Cranston was born in Hollywood, California in 1956.
2. Bryan Cranston was an amateur boxer before concentrating on his acting career.
3. Bryan Cranston was an ordained minister when he was in college as a part-time job.
4. Bryan Cranston’s acting heroes are Dick Van Dyke, Jack Lemmon, Rod Steiger and Spencer Tracy.
5. Bryan Cranston has starred in three movies that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar®: 1998’s Saving Private Ryan, 2006’s Little Miss Sunshine and 2012’s Argo. Argo won.
6. Bryan Cranston has been married two times and has one child.
7. Bryan Cranston’s favorite movie is 1954’s On The Waterfront.
8. Bryan Cranston was named one of the “Eight Actors Who Turn Television into Art“. This was based on his 4 time Emmy® award winning role on Breaking Bad.
9. Bryan Cranston has appeared in both Tom Hanks directed movies: 1996’s That Thing That You Do and 2011’s Larry Crowne.
Check out Bryan Cranston’s career compared to current and classic actors. Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time
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One of the best actors working today. From Seinfeld to Trumbo he is amazing!
Hey Tamrah…I agree with your comment 100%. Like a fine wine he seems to be getting better with age.
1 STEVE It’s a moot point in my view whether Trumbo should have been made as a TV movie or for cinematic release because on the one hand as Bruce’s table has demonstrated it didn’t have a big movie-house audience and in fact certainly over here it was not given a mainstream release and I saw it at the local small art house that doesn’t show the big commercial films.
2 However regardless of the medium it came though I’m glad that it DID come and certainly from a purely artistic viewpoint it merited a cinematic release as Bryan and others were nominated for Oscars,Golden Globes etc and obviously t none of that would have happened if Trumbo had been made for TV.
“I want to be remembered for more than just one summer’s commercial blockbuster!” [Rosemary Clooney’s famous nephew]
3 However can we get another prolonged debate going in the matter so that Bryan might rise to the top of the Work Horse’s day charts in the way that Lupino achieved that for Sylvia Sidney?
I agree with you Bob.
Walter White gets his very own UMR page, nice!
I first really noticed Bryan Cranston as the dad in the hit series Malcolm in the Middle, which I quite enjoyed. So it was a bit of a shock when I watched Breaking Bad and saw how brilliant this actor is. So good in fact that I doubt any of his movie performances even come close to how good he was as Walter White.
He was good in Trumbo, the film was interesting but it lacked that spark of greatness and it could easily have premiered as a TV movie. Ditto Anthony Hopkins as/in Hitchcock.
I’ve seen 17 of the 30 films listed – favorites include – The Wings of Honneamise (one of the great animes), Ghost in the Shell, Godzilla, Argo, Drive, John Carter, Trumbo, Madagascar 3, Kung Fu Panda 3 and Saving Private Ryan.
Saving Private Ryan (the last great Spielberg movie) tops all the charts, as it should.
Good work as always Bruce. Vote Up.
Hey Steve
1. Glad you like this Walter White page.
2. I have seen 20 of his movies…but I admit….I do not remember his roles in all of the movies. Those will be hidden treasures the next time I watch movies like Little Miss Sunshine and Contagion…..though no way will I ever watch movies like Clean Slater or Love Ranch again.
3. Of your favories….seen them all except the two animated favorites…heck…I have never even heard of The Wings of Honneamise.
4. The one movie I would highly recommend is last year’s The Infiltrator….loved that movie and his performance….Benjamin Bratt is equally good in that one…..and has an amazing conclusion…which is based on a true story.
5. I liked his performance as Trumbo more than you….so in this fight….I am standing beside Mr. Bob. Glad he got an Oscar nomination for that one.
6. His part in Saving Private Ryan is small….but it is such a great movie….it had to be first.
As always…thanks for sharing your movie thoughts.
He is awesome in tv and movies; yet he is even more awesome on stage. His performance as LBJ was the best stage performance I have ever seen. I have a signed Cranston poster that I treasure.
Hey Lee…..that is awesome that you got to see him on stage as LBJ….he seems to be a big supporter of the stage…..I bet that signed poster is a treasured item. Good feedback.
1 By Coincidence a few weeks after watching Trumbo I saw the young Bryan Cranston in a routine supporting role in a 1987 episode of the TV series crime/courtroom Matlock starring Andy Griffith and nowhere in that very ordinary performance was there even a hint that Bryan was capable of the magnificent piece of acting that he did almost 30 years later as a mature performer in the 2015 Trumbo.
2 Much as I admire DeCaprio I was sad when Bryan’s Trumbo performance lost out to him in the Oscar stakes because the very leading players in movies like Leo can nearly always get another shot at earning an Academy Award whereas that doesn’t usually happen too often to perceived lesser lights like Cranston. Brian is though a multi Golden Globe nominee, actually won a Golden Globe for TV work and as Bruce points out is also a multi Emmy winner (and a nominee in addition to a winner) .
3 Such considerations along with Bryan’s prolific almost half century career in movies and TV well entitle him to this page and I very much welcome it. As is usual with a Cogerson profile of a performer this one too is highly informative and I was pleased to learn that in at least two respects in relation to entertainment Bryan and I were of roughly the same mind. Dick Van Dyke is one of his favourite actors and as I’ve said recently on the Peter Falk page Dick is also one of my three favourite TV actors. Also Bryan’s favourite movie On the Waterfront is certainly one of my own best-loved movies. I wonder though what Bryan thought of all that mumbling that Steve identified in the film !!
Hey Bob
1. Thanks for being the first to comment on our latest UMR page.
2. When Helakoski suggested this page….my first thought was…he is a tv actor……and probably only has a few movies…..boy was I wrong.
3. Since 2011…he has been one of the hardest working men in Hollywood. He has two movies already finished….one is the remake of Les Intouchables which was a massive worldwide hit a few years ago. I see another Oscar nomination coming….if Kevin Hart does not overwhelm Cranston.
4. I agree…he was amazing as Trumbo…..but there was no way he was going to win over Leo.
5. He has won almost ever acting award…Tony, Emmy, Golden Globe….only Oscar avoids him….not bad for a guy that I used to view as “A poor man’s Phil Hartman”.
6. I figured you would like that On The Waterfront was his favorite movie….once again proving that Brando is everywhere…lol.
Thanks for the visit and the comment.
HI BRUCE
1 What you are in reality saying is that Bryan is the Work Horse of MOVIES !
2 I wonder if Bryan’s Trumbo performance would back in the 1970s have gotten him onto Tricky Dicky’s Enemies List. Certainly according to the movie the real-life Trumbo was lucky that the Duke didn’t chin him !
I would say…of big budget high profile movies he is the Work Horse of Movies…..but when that title might belong to Danny Trejo….he makes almost 20 movies a year…granted nobody has heard or seen any of them……with the exception of the most awesome Bad Ass movies…lol.