Alex Gibney: Movies, Awards & Box Office
- films
- 35
- as director
- 32
- on screen
- 2005–2026
- box office
- $135M
- award wins
- 2
- average score
- 75
- Born
- October 23, 1953 (age 72)
- Birthplace
- New York City, U.S.
- Full name
- Philip Alexander Gibney
- Citizenship
- United States
- Occupations
- Film director, producer
- Years active
- 1980-present
The Best Alex Gibney Movies
The highest-rated films Alex Gibney is credited on, by the Movie Echo Score that blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Totally Under Control (2020) scores highest, at 85. The full ranking adds the biggest box office hits and the most awarded films.
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Movie Echo Score: Score 85 Totally Under Control 2020 · Director -
Movie Echo Score: Score 83 Crazy, Not Insane 2020 · Director -
Movie Echo Score: Score 77 Citizen K 2019 · Director -
Movie Echo Score: Score 73 The Forever Prisoner 2021 · Director -
Movie Echo Score: Score 57 No Stone Unturned 2017 · Director
Alex Gibney's Career in Numbers
Alex Gibney's films in numbers — as a director, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Alex Gibney works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005) to Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie (2026), and the 2010s were the busiest decade.
Alex Gibney Movies by Decade
- 2000s 4
- 2010s 21
- 2020s 9
The 2010s were Alex Gibney's busiest decade, with 21 films.
Alex Gibney Movies by Genre
- Documentary 24
- Biography 3
- Music 2
- Crime 2
- Drama 2
- Comedy 1
Documentary is the genre Alex Gibney has worked in most, with 24 films, ahead of biography (3).
Alex Gibney Career Milestones
- First film
- Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room 2005
- Biggest box office hit
- The Forever Prisoner $77M worldwide
- Best-rated film
- Totally Under Control Movie Echo Score 85
- Newest film
- Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie 2026
Alex Gibney Filmography: Every Movie
Every film Alex Gibney is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. 32 as director and 2 as actor. Rated films average a score of 75. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.
Movies Directed by Alex Gibney
32- 2026
Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie Documentary - 2023
In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon Music Worldwide box office: $135K - 2023
Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker Documentary - 2021
The Forever Prisoner Crime Worldwide box office: $77M Movie Echo Score: 73 - 2021
The Crime of the Century Drama - 2020
Crazy, Not Insane Biography Movie Echo Score: 83 - 2020
Totally Under Control Documentary Worldwide box office: $1.47K Movie Echo Score: 85 - 2019
Citizen K Documentary Worldwide box office: $146K Movie Echo Score: 77 - 2018
The Looming Tower Drama - 2017
No Stone Unturned Documentary Worldwide box office: $168K Movie Echo Score: 57 - 2017
Rolling Stone: Stories From the Edge Documentary - 2016
Zero Days Documentary Worldwide box office: $110K - 2016
Cooked Documentary - 2015
Steve Jobs: Man in the Machine Documentary Worldwide box office: $495K - 2015
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief Documentary Worldwide box office: $230K - 2015
Sinatra: All or Nothing at All Music - 2014
Finding Fela! Biography Worldwide box office: $155K - 2014
Mr. Dynamite - The Rise of James Brown Documentary - 2013
The Armstrong Lie Documentary Worldwide box office: $594K - 2013
We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks Comedy Worldwide box office: $458K - 2013
The Last Gladiators Documentary Worldwide box office: $48.3M - 2012
Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God Documentary - 2011
Magic Trip Documentary Worldwide box office: $155K - 2011
Magic Trip: Ken Kesey’s Search for a Kool Place Documentary Worldwide box office: $155K - 2010
Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer Documentary Worldwide box office: $193K - 2010
Freakonomics Documentary Worldwide box office: $122K - 2010
Casino Jack and the United States of Money Documentary Worldwide box office: $177K - 2010
My Trip to Al-Qaeda Documentary - 2008
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson Biography Worldwide box office: $1.49M - 2008
Taxi to the Dark Side Crime Worldwide box office: $294K - 2006
The Human Behavior Experiments Documentary - 2005
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Documentary Worldwide box office: $4.85M
Alex Gibney Movies as an Actor
2Alex Gibney in Documentaries & Specials
1Alex Gibney: Awards & Nominations
2 wins from 5 nominations across 2 award bodies, from 2008 to 2016. That includes 2 Oscars: Best Documentary Feature for Taxi to the Dark Side and Best Documentary Feature for Taxi to the Dark Side. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.
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Oscars 2 wins from 2 nominations -
DGA Awards 3 nominations
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68th Directors Guild of America Awards- Alex Gibney: Nominated Outstanding Directing – Documentaries Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
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63rd Directors Guild of America Awards- Alex Gibney: Nominated Outstanding Directing – Documentaries Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer
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81st Academy Awards- Alex Gibney: Win Best Documentary Feature Taxi to the Dark Side
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80th Academy Awards- Alex Gibney: Win Best Documentary Feature Taxi to the Dark Side
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60th Directors Guild of America Awards- Alex Gibney: Nominated Outstanding Directing – Documentaries Taxi to the Dark Side
Who Is Alex Gibney?
Alex Gibney was born in New York City, U.S. in 1953 and is 72 years old. Credited on films since 2005, as a director. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.
Philip Alexander Gibney, better known as Alex Gibney, is an esteemed American documentary film director and producer. Noted for his meticulous storytelling and the depth of his subject matter, Gibney's work has notably shaped the documentary genre. Among his acclaimed works are innovative projects like 'The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley', 'Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief', and the powerful 'Taxi to the Dark Side'. In 2010, Gibney received significant praise when Esquire magazine declared him 'the most important documentarian of our time', a testament to his influence across international cinematic circles. His career, spanning several decades, features standout moments such as achieving three Emmy wins for 'Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief', and securing the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for 'Taxi to the Dark Side'. In 2019, Gibney released his insider's look at Russian politics with his documentary 'Citizen K'.
Throughout his career, Gibney adopted a critical perspective against authority, fueled by insights from his father's journalism career and his stepfather's stance. Gibney continues to use his platform to provoke thought and challenge societal norms, an ethos embodied in his 2007 documentary 'No End in Sight'. His commitment to exploring groundbreaking narratives has led to collaborations with industry moguls like Martin Scorsese, under whom he was a series producer for the PBS television series 'The Blues'. With a body of work that has screened at prestigious festivals, Gibney's orientation towards delivering engaging and original content remains a constant in his illustrious career. Up until 2023, Gibney has been actively involved in creating nuanced documentaries tackling contemporary issues, with films like 'Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker' and 'Musk', adding to his extensive repertoire.
Alex Gibney: Questions & Answers
How many movies Alex Gibney has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.
How many movies has Alex Gibney been in?
Alex Gibney is credited on 35 films, from 2005 to 2026. 2 of them as an actor and 32 as a director. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.
What is Alex Gibney's highest-grossing movie?
The Forever Prisoner (2021) is Alex Gibney's biggest box office hit, with $77M worldwide, ahead of The Last Gladiators (2013) ($48.3M). Across every film with box office figures, Alex Gibney's movies have made $135M.
Alex Gibney's biggest hits What is the best Alex Gibney movie?
By the Movie Echo Score, which blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact, Alex Gibney's best-rated film is Totally Under Control (2020) with a score of 85, followed by Crazy, Not Insane (2020) (83).
Best Alex Gibney movies, ranked Has Alex Gibney won an Oscar?
Alex Gibney has won 2 Oscars: Best Documentary Feature for Taxi to the Dark Side at the 2009 ceremony and Best Documentary Feature for Taxi to the Dark Side at the 2008 ceremony. Across every ceremony in the awards database, Alex Gibney has 2 wins from 5 nominations.
How old is Alex Gibney?
Alex Gibney is 72 years old, born on October 23, 1953 in New York City, U.S..
What is Alex Gibney's newest movie?
The most recent film on Alex Gibney's filmography is Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie (2026), which Alex Gibney directed.
Who does Alex Gibney work with most often?
Alex Gibney shares the most films with Michael Imperioli (2 films) and Jeff Daniels (2 films).
The Best Alex Gibney Movies, Ranked
Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 35 directing credits.
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