Want to know the best Forest Whitaker movies? How about the worst Forest Whitaker movies? Curious about Forest Whitaker box office grosses or which Forest Whitaker movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Forest Whitaker movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences? Well you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information.
Forest Whitaker (1961-) is an Oscar®-winning American actor, director and producer. Whitaker has earned a reputation for intensive character study work for films such as Bird, The Crying Game, Platoon, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, The Butler, Arrival and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. His latest blockbuster is 2018’s Black Panther.
His IMDb page shows over 139 acting credits since 1982. This page will rank Forest Whitaker movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television roles, cameos, shorts and straight to DVD movies were not included in the rankings.
Forest Whitaker Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
Year
Movie (Year)
Rating
S
Year Movie (Year) Rating S
1986
Platoon (1986)
AA Best Picture Win
2018
Black Panther (2018)
AA Best Picture Nom
1992
The Crying Game (1992)
AA Best Picture Nom
2016
Arrival (2016)
AA Best Picture Nom
1987
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
2016
Rogue One (2016)
1986
The Color of Money (1986)
1987
Stakeout (1987)
2002
Panic Room (2002)
2013
Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013)
1995
Waiting to Exhale (1995)
1996
Phenomenon (1996)
2009
Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
1982
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
1995
Species (1995)
2002
Phone Booth (2002)
2006
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
AA Best Actor Win
2007
The Great Debaters (2007)
1998
Hope Floats (1998)
2015
Southpaw (2015)
2015
Dope (2015)
2012
Ernest & Celestine (2012)
Voice Only
2008
Vantage Point (2008)
1995
Smoke (1995)
2025
The King Of Kings (2025)
Voice Only
1994
Jason's Lyric (1994)
2014
Taken 3 (2014)
2018
Sorry To Bother You (2018)
2021
Respect (2021)
1988
Bird (1988)
1999
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
2020
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
Netflix
1985
Vision Quest (1985)
1994
Blown Away (1994)
2013
Out of the Furnace (2013)
2023
Big George Foreman (2023)
2013
Zulu (2013)
2008
Street Kings (2008)
2013
The Last Stand (2013)
1992
Consenting Adults (1992)
1991
A Rage in Harlem (1991)
2009
Toys in the Attic (2009)
Voice Only
1989
Johnny Handsome (1989)
1982
Tag: The Assassination Game (1982)
1992
Article 99 (1992)
2010
The Experiment (2010)
2018
City of Lies (2018)
2009
Powder Blue (2009)
2018
Burden (2018)
1988
Bloodsport (1988)
1999
Light it Up (1999)
2009
Hurricane Season (2009)
2006
Everyone's Hero (2006)
Voice Only
1993
Last Light (1993)
Showtime Movies
2001
Green Dragon (2001)
1990
Downtown (1990)
1993
Body Snatchers (1993)
2005
A Little Trip To Heaven (2005)
2010
Our Family Wedding (2010)
2007
The Air I Breathe (2007)
Limited Release
2005
American Gun (2005)
2005
Mary (2005)
2008
Fragments/Winged Creatures (2007)
Film Festival Circuit Only
2017
The Forgiven (2017)
2013
Pawn (2013)
1994
Ready To Wear (1994)
1992
Diary of a Hitman (1992)
2014
Two Men In Town (2014)
Limited Release
2012
A Dark Truth (2012)
2013
Black Nativity (2013)
1998
Body Count (1998)
2004
Jiminy Glick in Lalawood (2004)
2010
Repo Men (2010)
2013
Repentance (2013)
2001
The Fourth Angel (2001)
Limited Release
2012
Freelancers (2012)
2011
Catch .44 (2011)
Limited Release
2007
Ripple Effect (2007)
1993
Bank Robber (1993)
2006
Even Money (2006)
2018
How It Ends (2018)
Netflix
2004
First Daughter (2004)
2000
Battlefield Earth (2000)
Forest Whitaker 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 Forest Whitaker movies by titles and their trailers
- Sort Forest Whitaker movies by his co-stars
- Sort Forest Whitaker movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Forest Whitaker movies by yearly domestic box office rank
- Sort Forest Whitaker movies by how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each Chadwick Boseman movie received.
- Sort Forest Whitaker movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
| CreditRank | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Review % | Oscar Nom / Win | S | UMR Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CreditRank | 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 | S | UMR Score |
| 1 | Platoon (1986) AA Best Picture Win |
Charlie Sheen & Directed by Oliver Stone |
138.50 | 466.7 | 466.7 | 4 | 89 | 08 / 04 | 99.9 | |
| 2 | Black Panther (2018) AA Best Picture Nom |
Chadwick Boseman & Michael B. Jordan |
700.00 | 955.2 | 1,837.8 | 1 | 80 | 07 / 03 | 99.2 | |
| 3 | The Crying Game (1992) AA Best Picture Nom |
Stephen Rea & Jaye Davidson |
62.50 | 188.4 | 188.4 | 20 | 87 | 06 / 01 | 99.1 | |
| 4 | Arrival (2016) AA Best Picture Nom |
Amy Adams & Jeremy Renner |
100.50 | 145.3 | 293.9 | 30 | 90 | 08 / 01 | 98.2 | |
| 5 | Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) | Robin Williams | 123.90 | 396.2 | 396.2 | 4 | 80 | 01 / 00 | 97.4 | |
| 6 | Rogue One (2016) | Felecity Jones | 522.20 | 754.6 | 1,511.6 | 1 | 78 | 02 / 00 | 97.1 | |
| 7 | The Color of Money (1986) | Paul Newman & Tom Cruise |
52.30 | 176.2 | 176.2 | 13 | 82 | 04 / 01 | 96.8 | |
| 8 | Stakeout (1987) | Richard Dreyfuss & Emilio Estevez |
65.70 | 210.0 | 210.0 | 9 | 74 | 00 / 00 | 95.4 | |
| 9 | Panic Room (2002) | Jodie Foster & Kristen Stewart |
96.40 | 207.8 | 423.3 | 25 | 72 | 00 / 00 | 95.3 | |
| 10 | Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013) | Robin Williams & John Cusack |
116.60 | 179.3 | 271.5 | 29 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 91.7 | |
| 11 | Waiting to Exhale (1995) | Whitney Houston & Angela Bassett |
67.10 | 192.7 | 234.1 | 26 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 90.8 | |
| 12 | Phenomenon (1996) | John Travolta & Robert Duvall & <a href='https://www.ultimatemovierankings.com/john-travolta-movies |
104.60 | 295.9 | 295.9 | 12 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 88.5 | |
| 13 | Where the Wild Things Are (2009) | Mark Ruffalo & James Gandolfini |
77.20 | 128.7 | 166.9 | 39 | 74 | 00 / 00 | 88.1 | |
| 14 | Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) | Sean Penn & Directed by Cameron Crowe |
27.10 | 115.2 | 115.2 | 28 | 74 | 00 / 00 | 86.7 | |
| 15 | Species (1995) | Ben Kingsley & Natasha Henstridge |
60.10 | 172.6 | 325.8 | 30 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 84.9 | |
| 16 | Phone Booth (2002) | Colin Farrell | 46.60 | 100.4 | 210.9 | 53 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 81.6 | |
| 17 | The Last King of Scotland (2006) AA Best Actor Win |
James McAvoy & Kerry Washington |
17.60 | 33.4 | 91.9 | 122 | 83 | 01 / 01 | 79.6 | |
| 18 | The Great Debaters (2007) | Denzel Washington & John Heard |
30.20 | 54.9 | 54.9 | 85 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 77.6 | |
| 22 | Hope Floats (1998) | Sandra Bullock & Harry Connick Jr. |
60.10 | 160.1 | 217.1 | 34 | 42 | 00 / 00 | 77.4 | |
| 21 | Southpaw (2015) | Jake Gyllenhaal & Rachel McAdams |
52.40 | 77.7 | 136.4 | 53 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 76.6 | |
| 19 | Dope (2015) | Shameik Moore | 17.50 | 26.0 | 26.7 | 101 | 82 | 00 / 00 | 76.2 | |
| 20 | Ernest & Celestine (2012) Voice Only |
Lauren Bacall & Paul Giamatti |
0.30 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 236 | 88 | 01 / 00 | 75.5 | |
| 24 | Vantage Point (2008) | William Hurt & Dennis Quaid |
72.30 | 125.8 | 263.2 | 44 | 48 | 00 / 00 | 75.2 | |
| 23 | Smoke (1995) | William Hurt & Harvey Keitel |
8.40 | 24.0 | 39.8 | 119 | 80 | 00 / 00 | 73.9 | |
| 25 | The King Of Kings (2025) Voice Only |
Kenneth Branagh & Oscar Isaac |
60.30 | 60.3 | 76.3 | 35 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 72.8 | |
| 26 | Jason's Lyric (1994) | Jada Pinkett Smith | 20.90 | 63.9 | 63.9 | 66 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 70.8 | |
| 30 | Taken 3 (2014) | Liam Neeson | 89.30 | 136.6 | 499.5 | 38 | 40 | 00 / 00 | 70.4 | |
| 27 | Sorry To Bother You (2018) | Lakeith Stanfield | 17.50 | 23.9 | 23.9 | 109 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 69.1 | |
| 29 | Respect (2021) | Jennifer Hudson | 24.30 | 29.8 | 39.1 | 43 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 68.9 | |
| 28 | Bird (1988) | Directed by Clint Eastwood | 2.20 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 157 | 78 | 01 / 01 | 68.7 | |
| 31 | Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) | Henry Silva | 3.30 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 161 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 63.1 | |
| 32 | Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020) Netflix |
Hugh Bonneville | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 295 | 76 | 00 / 00 | 61.7 | |
| 33 | Vision Quest (1985) | Matthew Modine & Sports Movies |
13.00 | 45.8 | 45.8 | 67 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 55.9 | |
| 37 | Blown Away (1994) | Jeff Bridges & Tommy Lee Jones |
30.20 | 92.4 | 92.4 | 47 | 43 | 00 / 00 | 54.0 | |
| 34 | Out of the Furnace (2013) | Christian Bale & Woody Harrelson |
11.30 | 17.4 | 24.1 | 126 | 65 | 00 / 00 | 53.0 | |
| 36 | Big George Foreman (2023) | Boxing Movies | 5.40 | 5.9 | 6.2 | 114 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 52.0 | |
| 35 | Zulu (2013) | Orlando Bloom | 0.10 | 0.1 | 2.9 | 309 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 51.6 | |
| 39 | Street Kings (2008) | Keanu Reeves & Chris Evans |
26.40 | 46.0 | 114.2 | 104 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 50.4 | |
| 38 | The Last Stand (2013) | Arnold Schwarzenegger & Johnny Knoxville |
12.10 | 18.5 | 74.3 | 125 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 50.1 | |
| 40 | Consenting Adults (1992) | Kevin Spacey & Kevin Kline |
21.60 | 65.0 | 65.0 | 60 | 49 | 00 / 00 | 50.0 | |
| 41 | A Rage in Harlem (1991) | Danny Glover | 10.40 | 31.0 | 31.0 | 93 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 48.6 | |
| 42 | Toys in the Attic (2009) Voice Only |
Joan Cusack | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 301 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 45.7 | |
| 43 | Johnny Handsome (1989) | Morgan Freeman & Mickey Rourke |
7.20 | 22.8 | 22.8 | 96 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 45.4 | |
| 44 | Tag: The Assassination Game (1982) | Robert Carradine & Linda Hamilton |
2.30 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 117 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 44.3 | |
| 45 | Article 99 (1992) | Keifer Sutherland & John Mahoney |
6.40 | 19.2 | 19.2 | 111 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 44.2 | |
| 46 | The Experiment (2010) | Adrien Brody | 0.00 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 334 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 43.5 | |
| 47 | City of Lies (2018) | Johnny Depp | 0.60 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 220 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 39.4 | |
| 48 | Powder Blue (2009) | Jessica Biel | 0.00 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 377 | 63 | 00 / 00 | 36.1 | |
| 49 | Burden (2018) | Garrett Hedlund | 0.10 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 246 | 63 | 00 / 00 | 35.4 | |
| 51 | Bloodsport (1988) | Jean-Claude Van Damme | 11.80 | 35.9 | 35.9 | 81 | 50 | 00 / 00 | 32.2 | |
| 50 | Light it Up (1999) | Judd Nelson | 6.00 | 14.8 | 14.8 | 143 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 31.5 | |
| 52 | Hurricane Season (2009) | Isaiah Washington | 0.10 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 261 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 31.0 | |
| 54 | Everyone's Hero (2006) Voice Only |
Robin Williams & Rob Reiner |
14.50 | 27.6 | 31.6 | 136 | 51 | 00 / 00 | 29.3 | |
| 53 | Last Light (1993) Showtime Movies |
Kiefer Sutherland & Amanda Plummer |
0.00 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 290 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 29.3 | |
| 53 | Green Dragon (2001) | Patrick Swayze | 0.30 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 251 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 29.1 | |
| 55 | Downtown (1990) | Anthony Edwards & Penelope Ann Miller |
2.30 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 140 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 27.4 | |
| 56 | Body Snatchers (1993) | Meg Tilly | 0.40 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 202 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 24.9 | |
| 57 | A Little Trip To Heaven (2005) | Julia Stiles & Jeremy Renner |
0.10 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 343 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 24.4 | |
| 59 | Our Family Wedding (2010) | Carlos Mencia | 20.30 | 32.1 | 32.1 | 116 | 46 | 00 / 00 | 21.9 | |
| 58 | The Air I Breathe (2007) Limited Release |
Kevin Bacon | 0.00 | 0.1 | 4.8 | 386 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 20.7 | |
| 63 | American Gun (2005) | Donald Sutherland | 0.00 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 364 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 20.2 | |
| 63 | Mary (2005) | Juliette Binoche | 0.00 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 354 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 20.0 | |
| 61 | Fragments/Winged Creatures (2007) Film Festival Circuit Only |
Kate Beckinsale | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 326 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 19.9 | |
| 64 | The Forgiven (2017) | Eric Bana | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 378 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 19.9 | |
| 62 | Pawn (2013) | Ray Liotta | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 341 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 19.7 | |
| 65 | Ready To Wear (1994) | Sophia Loren & Directed by Robert Altman |
11.30 | 34.6 | 34.6 | 107 | 44 | 00 / 00 | 19.4 | |
| 66 | Diary of a Hitman (1992) | Sharon Stone | 0.00 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 254 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 18.3 | |
| 67 | Two Men In Town (2014) Limited Release |
Harvey Keitel & Ellen Burstyn |
0.10 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 327 | 53 | 00 / 00 | 16.6 | |
| 68 | A Dark Truth (2012) | Andy Garcia | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 366 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 16.0 | |
| 69 | Black Nativity (2013) | Angela Bassett | 7.00 | 10.8 | 11.5 | 141 | 48 | 00 / 00 | 15.6 | |
| 70 | Body Count (1998) | John Leguizamo | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 270 | 51 | 00 / 00 | 14.5 | |
| 71 | Jiminy Glick in Lalawood (2004) | Martin Short | 0.00 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 375 | 50 | 00 / 00 | 13.1 | |
| 72 | Repo Men (2010) | Jude Law & Alice Braga & Liev Schreiber |
13.80 | 21.9 | 21.9 | 124 | 41 | 00 / 00 | 10.9 | |
| 73 | Repentance (2013) | Anthony Mackie | 1.20 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 178 | 46 | 00 / 00 | 9.7 | |
| 74 | The Fourth Angel (2001) Limited Release |
Jeremy Irons | 0.10 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 299 | 47 | 00 / 00 | 9.3 | |
| 75 | Freelancers (2012) | Robert DeNiro | 0.50 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 221 | 46 | 00 / 00 | 8.6 | |
| 76 | Catch .44 (2011) Limited Release |
Bruce Willis | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 295 | 46 | 00 / 00 | 8.4 | |
| 77 | Ripple Effect (2007) | Virginia Madsen | 0.00 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 402 | 46 | 00 / 00 | 8.2 | |
| 78 | Bank Robber (1993) | Patrick Dempsey | 0.10 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 223 | 44 | 00 / 00 | 6.8 | |
| 79 | Even Money (2006) | Jay Mohr & Kim Basinger |
0.10 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 323 | 40 | 00 / 00 | 4.2 | |
| 80 | How It Ends (2018) Netflix |
Theo James | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 435 | 37 | 00 / 00 | 2.7 | |
| 81 | First Daughter (2004) | Michael Keaton & Katie Holmes |
9.10 | 18.2 | 21.3 | 143 | 30 | 00 / 00 | 2.1 | |
| 82 | Battlefield Earth (2000) | John Travolta | 21.50 | 49.8 | 49.8 | 94 | 12 | 00 / 00 | 0.5 |
___123___Forest Whitaker Movies | Ultimate Movie Rankings___123___
As usual, I’m no competition in the tally count, as there are only 12 of these films I recall seeing. However, I do appreciate Forest Whitaker. In my view, he is among the best and most active stars of the present era, having already appeared in more than 100 films. While I first saw him in Platoon, I first took real notice of him in The Crying Game, where he made a strong impression despite getting killed toward the beginning of the film.
In most of his films, Whitaker has been a second lead or a supporting/character actor. However, he has starred in a number of quality films as well, most memorable for me were The Butler (which seems to be the highest grossing film he properly starred in according to this list), Bird, Ghost Dog, and of course his academy-award winning performance in The Last King of Scotland, though I’m somewhat surprised these last three did rather poorly at the US box office.