Ridley Scott made a triumphant return to the top of the box office and added to his lengthy list of historical epics with The historical inaccuracies in Gladiator II did little to discourage moviegoers from seeing the long-awaited sequel in theaters, with the movie becoming a blockbuster hit in the fall of 2024 and finding more popularity on streaming. However, it faces harsh competition to be considered among Scott's best movies.

Since making his feature film directorial debut in 1977, Ridley Scott has tackled a number of different genres, and has become the gold standard for several of them. Scott is particularly famous for tackling historical epics (like Gladiator and Gladiator II) that require time, patience, and attention to detail. However, despite being 87 years old, Scott is still among Hollywood's most active and influential directors. With so many different genres in his filmography, any comparative examination of Ridley Scott's feature films is a difficult exercise.

15 Kingdom Of Heaven (2005)

The Visually-Stunning Historical Epic Set During The Crusades

Kingdom of Heaven was a box office disappointment despite maintaining Scott's trademark stunning visuals evoking antiquity, and generally speaking, it wasn't well-received by critics. However, the version that hit theaters was significantly cut from what Scott originally intended, and his Director's Cut of the film is recognized by many critics as the definitive version of the movie upon which judgment should be based.

As with many of Scott's historical epics, Kingdom of Heaven was criticized for its historical inaccuracies, but none of that detracts from the sheer spectacle of Saladin's assault on Jerusalem, or of the immersive Crusades-era set pieces. Kingdom of Heaven's director's cut does show a more ambitious and interesting version of the movie that Scott had planned, viewed by some as the filmmaker's last great epic.

14 Alien: Covenant (2017)

Scott's Most Recent Addition To The Sci-Fi Horror Series

Alien: Covenant may not achieve the heights of the first two movies in the franchise, but the second of Scott's two Alien films from the 2010s still maintains many of the elements that made the franchise popular in the first place. Covenant departs from the more big-picture world-building of its predecessor, Prometheus, in favor of the claustrophobic terror of the original Alien.

There are still aspects of the movie that are frustrating, including some questionable CGI and the lackluster creature designs. However, it is a dark and gruesome sci-fi horror movie that goes back to the Alien franchise's beginnings. Covenant boasts an excellent cast, and includes many of the practical effects that made the series tick in the earlier movies, all of which combine to create a worthy addition to the franchise.

13 Prometheus (2012)

The Mind-Bending Quasi-Prequel To Alien

Prometheus isn't really a prequel to Alien, as, by Scott's own ission, it explores completely different ideas despite being set in the same universe as Ripley and the original Xenomorph. Prometheus notably frustrated fans for leaving many of its biggest questions unanswered, but it's a standout in the franchise for its incredible visuals and haunting aesthetic.

It has been reexamined as a misunderstood sci-fi masterpiece by many.

Prometheus was met with a mixed response when it was released, possibly due to fans feeling as though they were cheated out of a real Alien movie. However, it has been reexamined as a misunderstood sci-fi masterpiece by many. The legitimate scares and captivating performance by Michael Fassbender's android David makes this one of the stronger overall entries in the franchise, and is the second-best Ridley Scott film set in the Alien universe.

12 All The Money In The World (2017)

The Gripping Biographical Crime Thriller Based On A True Story

All The Money In The World was infamous for having its main actor swapped mid-production; thanks to sexual misconduct allegations, Kevin Spacey was removed from the film and replaced with Academy Award-winner Christopher Plummer. Plummer was actually Scott's first choice to play J. Paul Getty, and he was truly excellent in the role, which elevated the quality of the movie.

The true-crime story is a fascinating, dark, and expansive look at greed, centered around the kidnapping of a young man and a ransom that his grandfather refuses to pay. The biographical film received terrific overall reviews, thanks largely to Scott's excellent direction and David Scarpa's tight and gripping script. Plummer's outstanding work earned him an Academy Award nomination and helped Scott earn a Golden Globe nomination for Best Director. It is a movie that proves Scott can handle scandal overtaking his movie and still deliver something special.

11 Matchstick Men (2003)

The Black Comedy Based On Eric Garcia's 2002 Novel

Matchstick Men is another of Scott's movies that never got the box office love that should come with a movie of its quality. The black comedy was driven more by its characters than most of Scott's movies, and the result is a truly entertaining crime comedy. Nicolas Cage and Sam Rockwell shine as con men, with Cage in particular stealing the movie as Roy Waller, who suffers from Tourette syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

It is an oddly touching film and a reminder of how well Scott can handle comedies.

The con artist movie plays into the intrigue and thrills of the genre while also subverting the expectations with its more complex characters. It is an oddly touching film and a reminder of how well Scott can handle comedies. While it didn't generate any major award nominations, critics and fan reviewers in general embraced the movie for its acting and engaging plot.

10 Gladiator II (2024)

The Long-Awaited Sequel To Scott's Academy Award-Winning Epic

Gladiator II was in development for more than 20 years before its 2024 release date, and as a result, audience anticipation was at a fever pitch for its debut. While it never quite measures up to the original Gladiator, it outshines its predecessor in sheer spectacle. Ridley Scott used every bit of his massive budget to continue the story of Lucius Verus Aurelius, who inadvertently picks up the mission of Russell Crowe's Maximus.

The movie received some mixed responses due to its perceived leaning into the original entry too much while lacking the emotional core that makes it so special. However, it is hard not to be entertained by seeing Scott back to work in a movie like this. Denzel Washington steals the show from an acting standpoint, but the action and visuals are still as engrossing as any vintage Ridley Scott historical epic.

9 The Last Duel (2021)

The Profound Drama Set During The Hundred Years' War

The Last Duel has a justifiable claim as the most underrated Ridley Scott movie ever. Despite its $100 million budget, a star-studded cast, and rave reviews from critics, The Last Duel brought in only $30 million at the box office. Critics applauded the performances of the entire cast​​​​​, along with the thought-provoking script from Nicole Holofcener (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) and stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

Scott's direction also received plenty of acclaim, as he took the source material and made it appropriately epic. The Last Duel's 85% Rotten Tomatoes score is far more representative of its quality. It is a gripping story that unfolds from three different perspectives, each one of them revealing something closer to the truth. Jodie Comer is excellent in the lead role, and despite being nominated for a Razzie, Ben Affleck is hugely entertaining in a ing role. It is a gritty, brutal, and unflinching medieval story.

8 The Duellists (1977)

The Decades-Spanning Drama Set During The Napoleonic Wars

Ridley Scott's feature film debut foreshadowed his legendary status, as The Duellists was nominated for the prestigious Palme d'Or at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival, at which the historical drama debuted. The sprawling narrative follows a pair of officers during the Napoleonic Wars over the course of 20 years, which provided the perfect backdrop for Scott to show off his trademark visceral style and skill at bringing a historical time period to life.

It may not be the most well-known of Scott's historical dramas, but it's certainly among the overall strongest.

The movie announced Scott in a big way as he handles the sweeping nature of the story in such an engrossing way, making the story feel massive while also nailing the intimate aspects at its core. The climax also shows how exceptional he is at delivering unforgettable set pieces. It may not be the most well-known of Scott's historical dramas, but it's certainly among the overall strongest.

7 American Gangster (2007)

The Academy Award-Nominated Biographical Crime Drama

American Gangster benefited from a loaded cast, which included multiple-time Ridley Scott collaborators Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington. The biographical crime drama earned two Academy Award nominations, and garnered 21 awards overall, thanks in large part to its excellent cast and production under Scott's direction. Washington gives one of his most commanding performances as Frank Lucas, the real-life gangster who became one of New York's biggest crime figures in the 1970s.

Given that the subjects of the movie were still alive when it was released, it was criticized for its lack of historical accuracy, but as with most of Scott's movies, that did nothing to detract from the entertainment quality of the narrative, which is almost always Scott's focus. The filmmaker transports the audience back to the gritty era of New York with engrossing detail while delivering a hugely entertaining gangster story.

6 The Martian (2015)

The Epic Story Of One Man's Survival

The Martian saw Ridley Scott returning to space, but in a much different movie than his Alien projects. The Martian stars Matt Damon as an astronaut who has to figure out how to survive alone on Mars after accidentally being left behind on a mission. The ensemble cast, led by Damon, was applauded by critics for managing to infuse a genuine drama with a surprising amount of comedy, which resulted in a truly engaging sci-fi story.

The production crew on the movie was also praised for its outstanding work on bringing the lofty source material to the big screen. Ultimately, The Martian earned seven Academy Award nominations and boasts the second-highest Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score of Ridley Scott's career. It is a gripping survival story, but also a fun tale about the colorful characters who come together to pull off this seemingly impossible mission.