The Best Octavia Spencer Movies, Ranked
42 credits from 1997 to 2026, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. The Witches (2020) comes out on top with a score of 88. The biggest box office hit is Insurgent (2015) with $297M worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Top Rated Octavia Spencer Movies
The 12 highest-rated films Octavia Spencer is credited on. The Witches (2020) leads with 88, followed by The Shape of Water (2017) at 85. The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings, cultural impact and how well a film holds up.
-
#1 Movie Echo Score: Score 88 The Witches 2020 · Adventure -
#2 Movie Echo Score: Score 85 The Shape of Water 2017 · Adventure -
#3 Movie Echo Score: Score 78 Instant Family 2018 · Drama -
#4 Movie Echo Score: Score 72 Small Town Crime 2018 · Mystery -
#5 Movie Echo Score: Score 70 Onward 2020 · Adventure -
#6 Movie Echo Score: Score 70 Spirited 2022 · Comedy -
#7 Movie Echo Score: Score 67 Luce 2019 · Drama -
#8 Movie Echo Score: Score 65 Tow 2026 · Drama -
#9 Movie Echo Score: Score 64 Ma 2019 · Drama -
#10 Movie Echo Score: Score 64 Encounter 2021 · Sci-Fi -
#11 Movie Echo Score: Score 63 A Kid Like Jake 2018 · Drama -
#12 Movie Echo Score: Score 48 Thunder Force 2021 · Action
Biggest Octavia Spencer Box Office Hits
Octavia Spencer's films have made $1.85B worldwide in total. Insurgent (2015) is the biggest hit at $297M, ahead of Dolittle (2020) ($251M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
- 1
Insurgent 2015 · Action $297M $130M dom. - 2
Dolittle 2020 · Action $251M $77M dom. - 3
Hidden Figures 2016 · Biography $236M $170M dom. - 4
The Help 2011 · Drama $222M $170M dom. - 5 The Shape of Water 2017 · Adventure $195M $63.9M dom.
- 6 Onward 2020 · Adventure $142M $61.6M dom.
- 7
Smurfs 2025 · Animation $124M $31.1M dom. - 8 Instant Family 2018 · Drama $121M $67.4M dom.
- 9
The Shack 2017 · Drama $96.9M $57.4M dom. - 10 Ma 2019 · Drama $61.2M $45.9M dom.
The Best Octavia Spencer Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre Octavia Spencer has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Drama leads with 14 films, and Instant Family (2018) is the pick of them.
- Drama 14 films Instant Family 2018 · as Karen Movie Echo Score: 78
- Comedy 7 films Spirited 2022 · as Kimberly Movie Echo Score: 70
- Action 3 films Thunder Force 2021 · as Emily Stanton Movie Echo Score: 48
- Adventure 3 films The Witches 2020 · as Grandma Movie Echo Score: 88
- Biography 3 films Hidden Figures 2016
-
Romance 2 films Love at First Hiccup 2009 · as Mrs. Hambrick - Animation 1 film Smurfs 2025 · as Asmodius Movie Echo Score: 34
- Sci-Fi 1 film Encounter 2021 · as Hattie Hayes Movie Echo Score: 64
- Mystery 1 film Small Town Crime 2018 · as Kelly Banks Movie Echo Score: 72
The Best Octavia Spencer Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of Octavia Spencer's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 1990s to 2020s.
Most Awarded Octavia Spencer Movies
Octavia Spencer's films with wins at the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA and the other ceremonies in the awards database, the most decorated first. The Shape of Water (2017) leads with 14 wins from 52 nominations.
- Awards: 14 wins The Shape of Water 2017 · 52 nominations
- Awards: 10 wins The Help 2011 · 26 nominations
- Awards: 3 wins Hidden Figures 2016 · 12 nominations
- Awards: 1 win Onward 2020 · 6 nominations
-
Awards: 1 win Fruitvale Station 2013 · 3 nominations - Awards: 1 win The Witches 2020 · 1 nominations
- Awards: 1 win Encounter 2021 · 1 nominations
The Latest Octavia Spencer Movies
The most recent films Octavia Spencer is credited on, newest first — starting with Tow (2026). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
- Tow 2026 · Barbara
- Smurfs 2025 · Asmodius
- Spirited 2022 · Kimberly
- Encounter 2021 · Hattie Hayes
- Thunder Force 2021 · Emily Stanton
-
Roald Dahl’s The Witches 2020 · Grandma - The Witches 2020 · Grandma
- Onward 2020 · The Manticore
- Dolittle 2020 · Dab-Dab
-
Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker 2020 · Madam C. J. Walker - Luce 2019 · Harriet Wilson
- Ma 2019 · Sue Ann
The Best Octavia Spencer Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest Octavia Spencer films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the best Octavia Spencer movie?
The Witches (2020) is the best-rated Octavia Spencer film, with a Movie Echo Score of 88, ahead of The Shape of Water (2017) (85) and Instant Family (2018) (78). The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.
The Witches: cast, ratings & box office What is the highest-grossing Octavia Spencer movie?
Insurgent (2015) made the most at the box office, with $297M worldwide, followed by Dolittle (2020) with $251M. Together, Octavia Spencer's films with box office figures have made $1.85B.
Which Octavia Spencer movie won the most awards?
The Shape of Water (2017) is the most decorated Octavia Spencer film, with 14 wins from 52 nominations across the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA and the other ceremonies in the awards database.
What is the best Octavia Spencer drama movie?
Instant Family (2018) is the best-rated of Octavia Spencer's drama films, with a score of 78. In other genres: Spirited (comedy), Thunder Force (action) and The Witches (adventure).
What is the newest Octavia Spencer movie?
The newest film on Octavia Spencer's filmography is Tow (2026), with Octavia Spencer as Barbara.
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