The Best John Lithgow Movies, Ranked
95 credits from 1972 to 2026, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Conclave (2024) comes out on top with a score of 80. The biggest box office hit is Cliffhanger (1993) with $255M worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Top Rated John Lithgow Movies
The 12 highest-rated films John Lithgow is credited on. Conclave (2024) leads with 80, followed by Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes (2021) at 80. The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings, cultural impact and how well a film holds up.
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#1 Movie Echo Score: Score 80 Conclave 2024 · Thriller -
#2 Movie Echo Score: Score 80 Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes 2021 · Comedy -
#3 Movie Echo Score: Score 80 On Broadway 2021 · History -
#4 Movie Echo Score: Score 74 Killers of the Flower Moon 2023 · Crime -
#5 Movie Echo Score: Score 70 Cabrini 2024 · Biography -
#6 Movie Echo Score: Score 70 The Rule of Jenny Pen 2025 · Horror -
#7 Movie Echo Score: Score 70 Sharper 2023 · Drama -
#8 Movie Echo Score: Score 69 Beatriz at Dinner 2017 · Drama -
#9 Movie Echo Score: Score 65 Late Night 2019 · Drama -
#10 Movie Echo Score: Score 62 Bombshell 2019 · Biography -
#11 Movie Echo Score: Score 58 Pitch Perfect 3 2017 · Comedy -
#12 Movie Echo Score: Score 58 Spellbound 2024 · Animation
Biggest John Lithgow Box Office Hits
John Lithgow's films have made $1.47B worldwide in total. Cliffhanger (1993) is the biggest hit at $255M, ahead of Pitch Perfect 3 (2017) ($185M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
- 1
Cliffhanger 1993 · Action $255M $84M dom. - 2 Pitch Perfect 3 2017 · Comedy $185M $105M dom.
- 3
Daddy's Home 2 2017 · Comedy $181M $104M dom. - 4 Killers of the Flower Moon 2023 · Crime $159M $68M dom.
- 5 Conclave 2024 · Thriller $128M $32.6M dom.
- 6
Pet Sematary 2019 · Mystery $113M $54.7M dom. - 7
This Is 40 2012 · Comedy $88.2M $67.5M dom. - 8 Bombshell 2019 · Biography $61.4M $31.8M dom.
- 9
Harry and the Hendersons 1987 · Fantasy $50M $29.8M dom. - 10
2010: The Year We Make Contact 1984 · Sci-Fi $40.4M $40.4M dom.
The Best John Lithgow Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre John Lithgow has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Drama leads with 27 films, and Sharper (2023) is the pick of them.
- Drama 27 films Sharper 2023 · as Richard Hobbes Movie Echo Score: 70
- Comedy 14 films Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes 2021 · as Philip Drummond Movie Echo Score: 80
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Romance 4 films At Play in the Fields of the Lord 1991 · as Leslie Huben - Animation 3 films Spellbound 2024 · as Bolinar Movie Echo Score: 58
- Mystery 3 films Pet Sematary 2019 · as Jud Movie Echo Score: 53
- Action 3 films Cliffhanger 1993
- Horror 2 films The Rule of Jenny Pen 2025 Movie Echo Score: 70
- Thriller 2 films Conclave 2024 · as Tremblay Movie Echo Score: 80
- Biography 2 films Cabrini 2024 · as Mayor Gould Movie Echo Score: 70
The Best John Lithgow Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of John Lithgow's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 1970s to 2020s.
- 2020s 11 films Conclave 2024 · as Tremblay Movie Echo Score: 80
- 2010s 17 films Beatriz at Dinner 2017 Movie Echo Score: 69
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2000s 4 films The Life and Death of Peter Sellers 2004 · as Blake Edwards - 1990s 18 films Cliffhanger 1993
- 1980s 18 films Harry and the Hendersons 1987
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1970s 5 films The Big Fix 1978 · as Sam Sebastian
Most Awarded John Lithgow Movies
John Lithgow's films with wins at the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA and the other ceremonies in the awards database, the most decorated first. Conclave (2024) leads with 13 wins from 56 nominations.
The Latest John Lithgow Movies
The most recent films John Lithgow is credited on, newest first — starting with Jimpa (2026). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
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Jimpa 2026 · Jim, Jimpa - The Rule of Jenny Pen 2025 · Horror
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Jimpa 2025 · Jimpa - Spellbound 2024 · Bolinar
- Conclave 2024 · Tremblay
- Cabrini 2024 · Mayor Gould
- Killers of the Flower Moon 2023 · Prosecutor Peter Leaward
- Sharper 2023 · Richard Hobbes
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes 2021 · Philip Drummond
- On Broadway 2021 · History
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Show of Titles 2021 · "There's No Business Like Show Business" Performer - Bombshell 2019 · Roger Ailes
The Best John Lithgow Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest John Lithgow films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the best John Lithgow movie?
Conclave (2024) is the best-rated John Lithgow film, with a Movie Echo Score of 80, ahead of Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes (2021) (80) and On Broadway (2021) (80). The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.
Conclave: cast, ratings & box office What is the highest-grossing John Lithgow movie?
Cliffhanger (1993) made the most at the box office, with $255M worldwide, followed by Pitch Perfect 3 (2017) with $185M. Together, John Lithgow's films with box office figures have made $1.47B.
Which John Lithgow movie won the most awards?
Conclave (2024) is the most decorated John Lithgow film, with 13 wins from 56 nominations across the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA and the other ceremonies in the awards database.
What is the best John Lithgow drama movie?
Sharper (2023) is the best-rated of John Lithgow's drama films, with a score of 70. In other genres: Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes (comedy), At Play in the Fields of the Lord (romance) and Spellbound (animation).
What is the newest John Lithgow movie?
The newest film on John Lithgow's filmography is Jimpa (2026), with John Lithgow as Jim, Jimpa.
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