Martin Scorsese Films Ranked by Box Office Takings

10 highest-grossing films by Martin Scorsese.

Surprisingly, five of Scorsese’s seven biggest box office hits have come in the 21st century. The most recent of these hits is “The Wolf of Wall Street” from 2013. Four out of his top five highest-grossing films feature Leonardo DiCaprio, including “The Departed,” which stands as the director’s biggest hit, both in adjusted and unadjusted figures, as well as his sole Best Picture winner.

Table of Contents

Now, let’s take a closer look at how Scorsese’s 26 feature film releases rank by their adjusted box office earnings. Please note that we are excluding his two concert documentaries from this list.

1. The Departed (Warner Bros.) 2006 – $211 million ($132 million unadjusted)

2. Cape Fear (Universal) 1991 – $198 million ($79 million unadjusted)

3. The Aviator (Miramax) 2004 – $174 million ($103 million unadjusted)

4. Shutter Island (Paramount) 2010 – $167 million ($128 million unadjusted)

5. The Wolf of Wall Street (Paramount) 2013 – $152 million ($117 million unadjusted)

6. The Color of Money (Disney) 1986 – $146 million ($52 million unadjusted)

7. Gangs of New York (Miramax) 2002 – $140 million ($78 million unadjusted)

8. Taxi Driver (Columbia) 1976 – $139 million ($28 million unadjusted)

9. GoodFellas (Warner Bros.) 1990 – $117 million ($47 million unadjusted)

10. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (Warner Bros.) 1974 – $104 million ($19 million unadjusted)

Casino (Universal) 1995 – $102 million ($43 million unadjusted)
Hugo (Paramount) 2011 – $98 million ($74 unadjusted)
Raging Bull (United Artists) 1980 – $91 million ($23 million unadjusted)
The Age of Innocence (Columbia) 1993 – $81 million ($32 million unadjusted)
New York, New York (United Artists) 1977 – $77 million ($16 million unadjusted)
Bringing Out the Dead (Paramount) 1999 – $35 million ($17 million unadjusted)
After Hours (Warner Bros.) 1985 – $32 million ($11 million unadjusted)
New York Stories (Disney) 1989 – $28 million ($11 million unadjusted)
The Last Temptation of Christ (Universal) 1988 – $22 million ($9 million unadjusted)
Mean Streets (Warner Bros.) 1973 – $17 million ($3 million unadjusted)
Kundun (Disney) 1997 – $13 million ($6 million unadjusted)
Silence (Paramount) 2016 – $9 million ($7 million unadjusted)
The Irishman (Netflix) 2019 – $9 million ($8 million unadjusted, estimate)
The King of Comedy (20th Century-Fox) 1983 – $8 million; $2 million unadjusted)
Boxcar Bertha (AIP) – 1972 $8 million ($1 million unadjusted)
Who’s That Knocking at My Door (Joseph Brenner) 1969 – unknown, likely below $1 million

Box office success is not always a direct indicator of a film’s quality or impact. It can be influenced by various factors, including the interest of top actors and the desire for awards. In Scorsese’s case, 14 of his last 15 films were released in the fourth-quarter awards corridor, emphasizing the role of accolades in his filmography.

Notably, “Cape Fear” ranks at the #2 spot, despite not often being regarded as one of Scorsese’s best films. While it received two Oscar acting nominations, its Metascore of 73 places it in the lower third of Scorsese’s body of work.

“The Aviator” rode the wave of awards season as a late-year favorite, ultimately winning Best Picture. The film featured DiCaprio in a leading role and boasted a top-tier cast. “Shutter Island,” another DiCaprio-starrer, overcame lukewarm reviews with a strategic February release, ultimately becoming a box office success.

Surprisingly, Scorsese doesn’t have a history of high Cinemascores, with only two films earning above a B+ rating: “The Departed” and “GoodFellas,” both securing an A-. Several of his films, including “Shutter Island,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and “Bringing Out the Dead,” received ratings below B-.

None of Scorsese’s films have ever been among the top 10 releases of their respective years. “The Color of Money” comes closest, ranking as the #12 grossing film of 1986.

One particularly noteworthy entry on this list is “Taxi Driver” at #8, ahead of “GoodFellas” at #9. “GoodFellas” had to contend with the release of “Dances with Wolves” during the Christmas season, which ultimately outgrossed it by a considerable margin.

“Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” takes the #10 spot and stands out for being one of Scorsese’s most profitable films. Despite not often being highly ranked in Scorsese lists, this 1974 film earned Ellen Burstyn the first Oscar for a Scorsese title.

Scorsese’s first Best Actor win came with DeNiro in 1980’s “Raging Bull,” a film that was considered a box office disappointment given its $80 million budget and $91 million domestic gross (both adjusted figures). It was particularly challenging following the also unprofitable “New York, New York.” It wasn’t until “The Color of Money” that Scorsese was seen as a commercially viable director again. Since then, he has enjoyed more hits than misses, though his 2011 film “Hugo,” backed by a traditional studio, was a substantial financial loss.

“Killers of the Flower Moon” arrives on the scene at a time when the definition of success in the film industry is evolving. The film boasts a production cost of $200 million, a figure that initially gave Paramount pause. However, for Apple, a company with 2022 revenue of $394 billion, even if the film were to represent a total financial loss, it would hardly register as a significant expense.

In conclusion, while box office rankings provide a unique perspective on Scorsese’s films, they are just one facet of their legacy. Scorsese’s contributions to cinema go beyond mere financial figures, encompassing artistic achievement, cultural impact, and the enduring love of movie enthusiasts worldwide.

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