Every Ridley Scott Movie Ranked from Worst to Best

Movies

(L to R) Oscar®-nominee Ridley Scott and Giannina Facio arrive at The 88th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 28, 2016.
(L to R) Oscar®-nominee Ridley Scott and Giannina Facio arrive at The 88th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 28, 2016.

Ridley Scott is one of the greatest directors of all time!

The Oscar-winning filmmaker’s resume includes some of the most popular movies of the last 40 years such as ‘Alien,’ ‘Blade Runner,’ ‘Thelma & Louise,’ ‘Gladiator,’ ‘Black Hawk Down,’ ‘American Gangster‘ and ‘The Martian.’

The director’s latest, ‘The Dog Stars‘, opens in theaters on August 28th and stars Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin.

The Dog Stars
The Dog Stars

“At the end of the world, no one survives alone.”

Release Aug 28, 2026Runtime 1h 59mBudget $110M

In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down every film Ridley Scott has ever made, including his latest.

Let’s begin!

Related Article: Fede Alvarez’s ‘Alien’ Movie Gets Seal Of Approval From Ridley Scott


(L to R) Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine star in 'The Duellists'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
(L to R) Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine star in ‘The Duellists’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

In 1800, as Napoleon Bonaparte rises to power in France, a rivalry erupts between Armand (Keith Carradine) and Gabriel (Harvey Keitel), two lieutenants in the French Army, over a perceived insult. For over a decade, they engage in a series of duels amidst larger conflicts, including the failed French invasion of Russia in 1812, and shifts in the political and social systems of Europe.

The Duellists
The Duellists

“Fencing is a science. Loving is a passion. Duelling is an obsession.”

Release Jan 13, 1978Runtime 1h 40mBudget $900,000


1492: Conquest of Paradise depicts Christopher Columbus’ (Gérard Depardieu) discovery of The New World and his effect on the indigenous people.

1492: Conquest of Paradise
1492: Conquest of Paradise

“Centuries before the exploration of space, there was another voyage into the unknown.”

Release Oct 9, 1992Runtime 2h 34mBudget $47M


A lawyer (Michael Fassbender) finds himself in far over his head when he attempts to get involved in drug trafficking.

The Counselor
The Counselor

“Sin is a choice.”

Release Oct 25, 2013Runtime 1h 57mBudget $25M


The story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother (Michelle Williams) to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer) to pay the ransom.

All the Money in the World
All the Money in the World

“J. Paul Getty had a fortune. Everyone else paid the price.”

Release Dec 25, 2017Runtime 2h 12mBudget $50M


Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, the crew of the colony ship ‘Covenant’ discovers what is thought to be an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world—which has a sole inhabitant: the ‘synthetic’, David (Michael Fassbender), survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition.

Alien: Covenant
Alien: Covenant

“The path to paradise begins in hell.”

Release May 19, 2017Runtime 2h 2mBudget $97M


(L to R) Jacob Elordi as Hig and Josh Brolin as Bangley in 20th Century Studios' 'The Dog Stars'. Photo by Fabio Lovino. © 2026 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
(L to R) Jacob Elordi as Hig and Josh Brolin as Bangley in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Dog Stars’. Photo by Fabio Lovino. © 2026 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

After the world’s population has been ravaged by a pandemic, a man (Jacob Elordi) lives a lonesome existence in a Colorado airplane hangar with his dog and a dour gunman (Josh Brolin) he has befriended. When a mysterious transmission comes through on the radio while he’s flying his old Cessna, it sparks a hunt for the provenance of the sound.

The Dog Stars
The Dog Stars

“At the end of the world, no one survives alone.”

Release Aug 28, 2026Runtime 1h 59mBudget $110M


King Charles VI (Alex Lawther) declares that Knight Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) settle his dispute with his squire, Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), by challenging him to a duel.

The Last Duel
The Last Duel

“The true story of a woman who defied a nation and made history.”

Release Oct 15, 2021Runtime 2h 33mBudget $100M


The CIA’s hunt is on for the mastermind of a wave of terrorist attacks. Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the agency’s man on the ground, moving from place to place, scrambling to stay ahead of ever-shifting events. An eye in the sky – a satellite link – watches Ferris. At the other end of that real-time link is the CIA’s Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe), strategizing events from thousands of miles away. And as Ferris nears the target, he discovers trust can be just as dangerous as it is necessary for survival.

Body of Lies
Body of Lies

“Trust no one. Deceive everyone.”

Release Oct 10, 2008Runtime 2h 8mBudget $70M


22. ‘Legend‘ (1986)

Set in a timeless mythical forest inhabited by fairies, goblins, unicorns and mortals, this fantastic story follows a mystical forest dweller (Tom Cruise), chosen by fate, to undertake a heroic quest. He must save the beautiful Princess Lili (Mia Sara) and defeat the demonic Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry), or the world will be plunged into a never-ending ice age.

Legend
Legend

“There may never be another dawn.”

Release Apr 18, 1986Runtime 1h 34mBudget $24.5M


A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

Prometheus
Prometheus

“The search for our beginning could lead to our end.”

Release Jun 8, 2012Runtime 2h 4mBudget $130M


Russell Crowe in 'A Good Year'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Russell Crowe in ‘A Good Year’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

Failed London banker Max Skinner (Russell Crowe) inherits his uncle’s (Albert Finney) vineyard in Provence, where he spent many childhood holidays. Upon his arrival, he meets a woman from California (Abbie Cornish) who tells Max she is his long-lost cousin and that the property is hers.

A Good Year
A Good Year

“Everything matures… eventually.”

Release Nov 10, 2006Runtime 1h 57mBudget $35M


When soldier Robin (Russell Crowe) happens upon the dying Robert of Loxley (Douglas Hodge), he promises to return the man’s sword to his family in Nottingham. There, he assumes Robert’s identity; romances his widow, Marion (Cate Blanchett); and draws the ire of the town’s sheriff (Matthew Macfadyen) and King John’s henchman, Godfrey (Mark Strong).

Robin Hood
Robin Hood

“Rise and rise again, until lambs become lions”

Release May 14, 2010Runtime 2h 20mBudget $200M


The defiant leader Moses (Christian Bale) rises up against the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses (Joel Edgerton), setting 400,000 slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues.

Exodus: Gods and Kings
Exodus: Gods and Kings

“When men ruled as gods, one was chosen to change the world.”

Release Dec 12, 2014Runtime 2h 30mBudget $140M


After having successfully eluded the authorities for years, Hannibal (Anthony Hopkins) peacefully lives in Italy in disguise as an art scholar. Trouble strikes again when he’s discovered leaving a deserving few dead in the process. He returns to America to make contact with now disgraced Agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore), who is suffering the wrath of a malicious FBI rival (Ray Liotta) as well as the media.

Hannibal
Hannibal

“His genius undeniable. His evil unspeakable. His name…Hannibal.”

Release Feb 8, 2001Runtime 2h 11mBudget $87M


An epic that details the checkered rise and fall of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix) and his relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby).

Napoleon
Napoleon

“He came from nothing. He conquered everything.”

Release Nov 22, 2023Runtime 2h 38mBudget $165M


Paul Mescal plays Lucius in 'Gladiator II' from Paramount Pictures.
Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.

Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.

Gladiator II
Gladiator II

“Prepare to be entertained.”

Release Nov 22, 2024Runtime 2h 28mBudget $310M


When Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately… murder.

House of Gucci
House of Gucci

“A legacy worth killing for.”

Release Nov 24, 2021Runtime 2h 38mBudget $75M


A phobic con artist (Nicolas Cage) and his protege (Sam Rockwell) are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the con artist’s teenage daughter (Alison Lohman) arrives unexpectedly.

Matchstick Men
Matchstick Men

“Lie. Cheat. Steal. Rinse. Repeat.”

Release Sep 12, 2003Runtime 1h 56mBudget $62M


In 1960, a hardy group of prep school students boards an old-fashioned sailing ship. With Capt. Christopher Sheldon (Jeff Bridges) at the helm, the oceangoing voyage is intended to teach the boys fortitude and discipline. But the youthful crew are about to get some unexpected instruction in survival when they get caught in the clutches of a white squall storm.

White Squall
White Squall

“The strongest will in nature is the will to survive.”

Release Feb 2, 1996Runtime 2h 9mBudget $38M


Claire Gregory (Mimi Rogers), an upper class New York personality, witnesses a murder in a luxurious nightclub. Detective Mike Keegan (Tom Berenger), recently promoted, is assigned to protect her.

Someone to Watch Over Me
Someone to Watch Over Me

“If you ever see me again, you never saw me before.”

Release Oct 9, 1987Runtime 1h 43mBudget $17M


Orlando Bloom in 'Kingdom in Heaven'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Orlando Bloom in ‘Kingdom in Heaven’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

After his wife dies, a blacksmith named Balian (Orlando Bloom) is thrust into royalty, political intrigue and bloody holy wars during the Crusades.

Kingdom of Heaven
Kingdom of Heaven

“Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Safeguard the helpless, and do no wrong”

Release May 6, 2005Runtime 2h 24mBudget $130M


In response to political pressure from Senator Lillian DeHaven (Anne Bancroft), the U.S. Navy begins a program that would allow for the eventual integration of women into its services. The program begins with a single trial candidate, Lieutenant Jordan O’Neil (Demi Moore), who is chosen specifically for her femininity. O’Neil enters the grueling training program under the command of John James Urgayle (Viggo Mortensen), who unfairly pushes O’Neil until her determination wins his respect.

G.I. Jane
G.I. Jane

“Failure is not an option.”

Release Aug 22, 1997Runtime 2h 5mBudget $50M


Two New York cops (Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia) get involved in a gang war between members of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. They arrest one of their killers and are ordered to escort him back to Japan. However, in Japan he manages to escape, and as they try to track him down, they get deeper and deeper into the Japanese Mafia scene and they have to learn that they can only win by playing the game—the Japanese way.

Black Rain
Black Rain

“An American cop in Japan. Their country. Their laws. Their game. His rules.”

Release Sep 22, 1989Runtime 2h 5mBudget $30M


Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson (Clarence Williams III), Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. Partly based on a true story.

American Gangster
American Gangster

“There are two sides to the American dream.”

Release Nov 2, 2007Runtime 2h 37mBudget $100M


During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.

The Martian
The Martian

“Bring him home.”

Release Oct 2, 2015Runtime 2h 21mBudget $108M


1982's 'Blade Runner' Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
1982’s ‘Blade Runner’ Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.

Blade Runner
Blade Runner

“Man has made his match …now it’s his problem.”

Release Jun 25, 1982Runtime 1h 58mBudget $28M


Whilst on a short weekend getaway, Louise (Susan Sarandon) shoots a man who had tried to rape Thelma (Geena Davis). Due to the incriminating circumstances, they make a run for it and thus a cross country chase ensues for the two fugitives. Along the way, both women rediscover the strength of their friendship and surprising aspects of their personalities and self-strengths in the trying times.

Thelma & Louise
Thelma & Louise

“Somebody said get a life…so they did.”

Release May 24, 1991Runtime 2h 10mBudget $16M


When U.S. Rangers and an elite Delta Force team attempt to kidnap two underlings of a Somali warlord, their Black Hawk helicopters are shot down, and the Americans suffer heavy casualties, facing intense fighting from the militia on the ground.

Black Hawk Down
Black Hawk Down

“Leave no man behind.”

Release Jan 18, 2002Runtime 2h 25mBudget $92M


2. ‘Alien‘ (1979)

During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.

Alien
Alien

“In space no one can hear you scream.”

Release Jun 21, 1979Runtime 1h 57mBudget $11M


Russell Crowe in 'Gladiator'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Russell Crowe in ‘Gladiator’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

In the year 180, the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) throws the Roman Empire into chaos. Maximus (Russell Crowe) is one of the Roman army’s most capable and trusted generals and a key advisor to the emperor. As Marcus’ devious son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) ascends to the throne, Maximus is set to be executed. He escapes, but is captured by slave traders. Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences.

Gladiator
Gladiator

“What we do in life echoes in eternity.”

Release May 5, 2000Runtime 2h 35mBudget $103M

Originally published here.

Products You May Like

Articles You May Like

Dolly Parton posthumously accepts award in newly shared video recorded before her death
Kanye West’s Wife Bianca Censori Details Marriage Milestone | E! News
Ella Beatty: ‘Nepo Baby’ Star of ‘Monster: Lizzie Borden’ Draws Criticism
Book, Cast, Premiere Date, Trailer, More Details
Support acts and backing band pull out of Ed Sheeran’s tour over Macklemore Palestine controversy