Having made his acting debut in the 1970s,Denzel Washingtonhas become one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood, but despite appearing in his highest-grossing movie yet in 2024, a rumored dream role would undoubtedly surpass it. After appearing in countless incredible films,Gladiator IIbecame Denzel Washington’s best-performingouting financially, as its $450+ million box office is the highest of his career. Washington may be one of the biggest names in the industry, but he rarely appears in massive franchises, hence his number of box office mega hits being a lot lower than expected.
The actor has still had plenty of financial successes, butit’s a huge surprise for a star of his quality not to have a movie grossing over $500 million. This could all be about to change though, as his name has been attached to a huge project, one Washington himself has even confirmed he’ll supposedly be a part of. Although nothing has been officially confirmed,Denzel Washington is expected to appear inBlack Panther 3after the actor mentioned a part is being written for him, and if he is involved, it should easily surpass his current box office record.
The Two Previous Black Panther Movies Have Made Way More Than Gladiator II
Custom Image by Milica Djordjevic
The MCU has become one of the most profitable movie franchises of all time, andthe first twoBlack Panthermovies alone made over $2 billion collectively. Having first appeared inCaptain America: Civil War, Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther went on to get his own movie in 2018, which made over $1.3 billion. It remains one of the highest-grossing superhero films of all time, and although Boseman sadly passed away before the sequel,Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverstill made over $859 million at the box office, showing how much potential a third installment has financially.
Even if the third film performs worse thanWakanda Forever, it could make almost $400 million less than its predecessor and still become Washington’s highest-grossing project.
Therefore, withWashington revealing he’ll be a part ofBlack Panther 3, it’s all but guaranteed to overtakeGladiator IIas his biggest box office hit. Even if the third film performs worse thanWakanda Forever, it could make almost $400 million less than its predecessor and still become Washington’s highest-grossing project. Additionally, the MCU has some big movies lined up in the coming years, and assuming the franchise regains some of its popularity,Black Panther 3seems destined to be a certified hit, meaning the veteran actor should break his current record if he does feature.
How Gladiator II’s Box Office Compares To Denzel Washington’s Other Hit Movies
Gladiator II Is Washington’s Highest-Grossing Movie By A Pretty Large Distance
WithGladiator IIbecoming a financial hit, it is nowDenzel Washington’s highest-grossing movieby quite some distance.American Gangsterwas his previous best box office outing, with the film making just shy of $270 million.PhiladelphiaandSafe Housealso made over $200 million, and these projects are the closest Washington has come to getting nearGladiator II’s impressive worldwide total. A major reason for the veteran not having more box office juggernauts is he barely appears in sequels or established franchises, withThe Equalizerbeing the most notable success, yet Washington helped build the cinematic trilogy from scratch.
20 Best Denzel Washington Movies, Ranked
From dramas and thrillers to Shakespearean adaptations and emotionally charged character studies, Denzel Washington’s talent is undeniable.
All three installments ofThe Equalizermanaged to surpass the $190 million mark, proving Washington in a leading role is still a major draw. However, with his upcoming projects looking like they will follow the same tradition of his career, it may take something likeBlack Panther3 to overcomeGladiator IIand give him the box office giant he deserves. Still, regardless of how much money his films make,Denzel Washingtoncontinues to thrive with every new performance, and he’ll be remembered as one of the all-time greats, with or without the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
2006
$180,557,550
56%
$186,003,591
86%
2018
$190,400,157
52%
2023
$191,067,560
76%
2014
$192,330,738
61%
1993
$195,268,056
55%
1994
$206,678,440
81%
2012
$208,076,205
53%
2007
$269,755430
2024
$458,752,039
71%
