The Best Richard Linklater Movies, Ranked
43 credits from 1985 to 2025, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Nouvelle Vague (2025) comes out on top with a score of 83. The biggest box office hit is School of Rock (2003) with $131M worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Top Rated Richard Linklater Movies
The 6 highest-rated films Richard Linklater is credited on. Nouvelle Vague (2025) leads with 83, followed by Hit Man (2024) at 77. 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 83 Nouvelle Vague 2025 · Biography -
#2 Movie Echo Score: Score 77 Hit Man 2024 · Action -
#3 Movie Echo Score: Score 77 Blue Moon 2025 · Biography -
#4 Movie Echo Score: Score 75 Last Flag Flying 2017 · Drama -
#5 Movie Echo Score: Score 63 Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood 2022 · Adventure -
#6 Movie Echo Score: Score 60 Where'd You Go, Bernadette 2019 · Drama
Biggest Richard Linklater Box Office Hits
Richard Linklater's films have made $245M worldwide in total. School of Rock (2003) is the biggest hit at $131M, ahead of Bad News Bears (2005) ($34.3M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
- 1
School of Rock 2003 · Comedy $131M $81.3M dom. - 2
Bad News Bears 2005 · Sport $34.3M $32.9M dom. - 3 Where'd You Go, Bernadette 2019 · Drama $11M $9.2M dom.
- 4
Bernie 2012 · Drama $10.2M $9.21M dom. - 5
Dazed and Confused 1993 · Drama $8.26M $8.25M dom. - 6
A Scanner Darkly 2006 · Sci-Fi $7.66M $5.5M dom. - 7 Hit Man 2024 · Action $5.35M
- 8
Everybody Wants Some!! 2016 · Comedy $4.64M $3.4M dom. - 9 Blue Moon 2025 · Biography $3.57M $2.17M dom.
- 10
Waking Life 2001 · Drama $3.18M $2.9M dom.
The Best Richard Linklater Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre Richard Linklater has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Drama leads with 9 films, and Last Flag Flying (2017) is the pick of them.
- Drama 9 films Last Flag Flying 2017 · Director Movie Echo Score: 75
- Comedy 6 films School of Rock 2003 · Director
- Biography 2 films Nouvelle Vague 2025 · Director Movie Echo Score: 83
- Action 1 film Hit Man 2024 · Director Movie Echo Score: 77
- Adventure 1 film Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood 2022 · Director Movie Echo Score: 63
- Sci-Fi 1 film A Scanner Darkly 2006 · Director
- Sport 1 film Bad News Bears 2005 · Director
The Best Richard Linklater Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of Richard Linklater's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 1990s to 2020s.
The Latest Richard Linklater Movies
The most recent films Richard Linklater is credited on, newest first — starting with Nouvelle Vague (2025). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
- Nouvelle Vague 2025 · Director
- Blue Moon 2025 · Director
- Hit Man 2024 · Director
- Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood 2022 · Director
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Another Day at the Office 2019 · Rick - Where'd You Go, Bernadette 2019 · Director
- Last Flag Flying 2017 · Director
- Everybody Wants Some!! 2016 · Director
- Bernie 2012 · Director
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Up to Speed 2012 · Director -
Me and Orson Welles 2009 · Director -
Inning by Inning: A Portrait of a Coach 2008 · Director
The Best Richard Linklater Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest Richard Linklater films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the best Richard Linklater movie?
Nouvelle Vague (2025) is the best-rated Richard Linklater film, with a Movie Echo Score of 83, ahead of Hit Man (2024) (77) and Blue Moon (2025) (77). The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.
Nouvelle Vague: cast, ratings & box office What is the highest-grossing Richard Linklater movie?
School of Rock (2003) made the most at the box office, with $131M worldwide, followed by Bad News Bears (2005) with $34.3M. Together, Richard Linklater's films with box office figures have made $245M.
Which Richard Linklater movie won the most awards?
Nouvelle Vague (2025) is the most decorated Richard Linklater film, with 1 win from 5 nominations across the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA and the other ceremonies in the awards database.
What is the best Richard Linklater drama movie?
Last Flag Flying (2017) is the best-rated of Richard Linklater's drama films, with a score of 75. In other genres: School of Rock (comedy), Nouvelle Vague (biography) and Hit Man (action).
What is the newest Richard Linklater movie?
The newest film on Richard Linklater's filmography is Nouvelle Vague (2025), directed by Richard Linklater.
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