The Best John Waters Movies, Ranked
110 credits from 1000 to 2026, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Better Man (2024) comes out on top with a score of 84. The biggest box office hit is Seed of Chucky (2004) with $24.8M worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Top Rated John Waters Movies
The 5 highest-rated films John Waters is credited on. Better Man (2024) leads with 84, followed by The Velvet Underground (2021) at 84. The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings, cultural impact and how well a film holds up.
-
#1 Movie Echo Score: Score 84 Better Man 2024 · Biography -
#2 Movie Echo Score: Score 84 The Velvet Underground 2021 · Music -
#3 Movie Echo Score: Score 70 Blaze 2023 · Drama -
#4 Movie Echo Score: Score 65 Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears 2020 · Mystery -
#5 Movie Echo Score: Score 52 2:22 2017 · Action
Biggest John Waters Box Office Hits
John Waters's films have made $71.7M worldwide in total. Seed of Chucky (2004) is the biggest hit at $24.8M, ahead of Better Man (2024) ($22.5M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
- 1
Seed of Chucky 2004 · Thriller $24.8M $17.1M dom. - 2 Better Man 2024 · Biography $22.5M $1.98M dom.
- 3 The Velvet Underground 2021 · Music $5.63M $151K dom.
- 4 2:22 2017 · Action $3.95M $422 dom.
- 5 Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears 2020 · Mystery $2.39M $51K dom.
- 6
Return to Nim’s Island 2013 · Adventure $1.08M - 7
Three Summers 2017 · Comedy $526K - 8 Blaze 2023 · Drama $56.9K
- 9
Multiple Maniacs 1970 · Crime $39K $33K dom. - 10
Female Trouble 1974 · Comedy $9.82K
The Best John Waters Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre John Waters has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Drama leads with 11 films, and Blaze (2023) is the pick of them.
- Drama 11 films Blaze 2023 · as Magistrate Movie Echo Score: 70
- Comedy 11 films Three Summers 2017 · as Eamon
- Mystery 2 films Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears 2020 · as Professor Linnaeus Movie Echo Score: 65
- Adventure 2 films Return to Nim’s Island 2013 · as Booker
- Thriller 2 films Seed of Chucky 2004
- Crime 2 films Multiple Maniacs 1970 · Director
- Biography 1 film Better Man 2024 · as Michael Parkinson Movie Echo Score: 84
- Music 1 film The Velvet Underground 2021 Movie Echo Score: 84
- Action 1 film 2:22 2017 Movie Echo Score: 52
The Best John Waters Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of John Waters's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 1970s to 2020s.
The Latest John Waters Movies
The most recent films John Waters is credited on, newest first — starting with The Rooster (2025). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
-
The Rooster 2025 · Norris - Better Man 2024 · Michael Parkinson
- Blaze 2023 · Magistrate
- The Velvet Underground 2021 · Music
-
Joel Calls Indie Film Type Dudes 2020 · Comedy - Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears 2020 · Professor Linnaeus
- Three Summers 2017 · Eamon
- 2:22 2017 · Action
-
Kiddie Flamingos 2015 · Director - Return to Nim’s Island 2013 · Booker
-
The Mystery of a Hansom Cab 2012 · Mark Frettlby -
Excision 2012 · William
The Best John Waters Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest John Waters films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the best John Waters movie?
Better Man (2024) is the best-rated John Waters film, with a Movie Echo Score of 84, ahead of The Velvet Underground (2021) (84) and Blaze (2023) (70). The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.
Better Man: cast, ratings & box office What is the highest-grossing John Waters movie?
Seed of Chucky (2004) made the most at the box office, with $24.8M worldwide, followed by Better Man (2024) with $22.5M. Together, John Waters's films with box office figures have made $71.7M.
What is the best John Waters drama movie?
Blaze (2023) is the best-rated of John Waters's drama films, with a score of 70. In other genres: Three Summers (comedy), Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (mystery) and Return to Nim’s Island (adventure).
What is the newest John Waters movie?
The newest film on John Waters's filmography is Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World (2026), with John Waters as Self - Interviewee.
More Movie Rankings & Collections
Best-of lists by year, decade and genre, all-time box office records and the films on the trending list.
Best-Rated Movie Rankings
Best-rated, biggest and most-awarded
New Movies & Top Genres
New releases, popular films and the best of every genre