Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Ron Howard, actor & director
Actor & Director

Ron Howard: Movies, Awards & Box Office

films
86
as director
36
on screen
1959–2025
box office
$4.02B
award wins
4
average score
63
Born
March 1, 1954 (age 72)
Birthplace
Duncan, Oklahoma, U.S.
Full name
Ronald William Howard
Citizenship
United States
Occupations
Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Actor
Years active
1959-present
Spouses
Cheryl Alley
Children
4
Known for

The Best Ron Howard Movies

The highest-rated films Ron Howard is credited on, by the Movie Echo Score that blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Rebuilding Paradise (2020) scores highest, at 78. The full ranking adds the biggest box office hits and the most awarded films.

Full ranking
Career at a glance

Ron Howard's Career in Numbers

Ron Howard's films in numbers — as an actor and a director, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Ron Howard works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from The Journey (1959) to Eden (2025), and the 1980s were the busiest decade.

Ron Howard Movies by Decade

  1. 1950s 1
  2. 1960s 4
  3. 1970s 9
  4. 1980s 12
  5. 1990s 8
  6. 2000s 7
  7. 2010s 9
  8. 2020s 6

The 1980s were Ron Howard's busiest decade, with 12 films.

Ron Howard Movies by Genre

  • Drama 11
  • Action 7
  • Documentary 6
  • Tv movie 5
  • Comedy 4
  • Biography 3
  • Adventure 3
  • Thriller 2
  • Music 2
  • Mystery 2

Drama is the genre Ron Howard has worked in most, with 11 films, ahead of action (7).

Ron Howard Career Milestones

First film
The Journey 1959
Biggest box office hit
The Da Vinci Code $760M worldwide
Best-rated film
Rebuilding Paradise Movie Echo Score 78
Newest film
Eden 2025
86 credits

Ron Howard Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Ron Howard is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. 36 as director and 21 as actor. Rated films average a score of 63. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

Movies Directed by Ron Howard

36
  1. 2025 Eden (2025) movie poster Eden Thriller Movie Echo Score: 60
  2. 2024 Jim Henson Idea Man (2024) movie poster Jim Henson Idea Man Documentary Movie Echo Score: 70
  3. 2022 Thirteen Lives (2022) movie poster Thirteen Lives Biography Movie Echo Score: 72
  4. 2022 We Feed People (2022) movie poster We Feed People Documentary Movie Echo Score: 77
  5. 2020 Hillbilly Elegy (2020) movie poster Hillbilly Elegy Drama Movie Echo Score: 55
  6. 2020 Rebuilding Paradise (2020) movie poster Rebuilding Paradise Documentary Movie Echo Score: 78
  7. 2016 Inferno (2016) movie poster Inferno Action
  8. 2016 The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016) movie poster The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years Music
  9. 2015 In the Heart of the Sea (2015) movie poster In the Heart of the Sea Action
  10. 2014 Made in America (2014) movie poster Made in America Music
  11. 2013 Rush (2013) movie poster Rush Action
  12. 2011 The Dilemma (2011) movie poster The Dilemma Drama
  13. 2010 Presidential Reunion (2010) movie poster Presidential Reunion Tv movie
  14. 2009 Angels & Demons (2009) movie poster Angels & Demons Mystery
  15. 2008 Frost/Nixon (2008) movie poster Frost/Nixon Drama
  16. 2006 The Da Vinci Code (2006) movie poster The Da Vinci Code Mystery
  17. 2005 Cinderella Man (2005) movie poster Cinderella Man Biography
  18. 2003 The Missing (2003) movie poster The Missing Adventure
  19. 2001 A Beautiful Mind (2001) movie poster A Beautiful Mind Biography
  20. 2000 How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) movie poster How the Grinch Stole Christmas Fantasy
  21. 1999 Edtv (1999) movie poster Edtv Comedy
  22. 1996 Ransom (1996) movie poster Ransom Action
  23. 1995 Apollo 13 (1995) movie poster Apollo 13 Adventure
  24. 1994 The Paper (1994) movie poster The Paper Drama
  25. 1992 Far and Away (1992) movie poster Far and Away Adventure
  26. 1991 Backdraft (1991) movie poster Backdraft Action
  27. 1989 Parenthood (1989) movie poster Parenthood Drama
  28. 1988 Willow (1988) movie poster Willow Action
  29. 1986 Gung Ho (1986) movie poster Gung Ho Drama
  30. 1985 Cocoon (1985) movie poster Cocoon Sci-Fi
  31. 1984 Splash (1984) movie poster Splash Fantasy
  32. 1982 Night Shift (1982) movie poster Night Shift Comedy
  33. 1981 Through the Magic Pyramid (1981) movie poster Through the Magic Pyramid Tv movie
  34. 1980 Skyward (1980) movie poster Skyward Drama
  35. 1969 Cards, Cads, Guns, Gore, and Death… (1969) movie poster Cards, Cads, Guns, Gore, and Death… Western
  36. — The Shrinking of Treehorn movie poster The Shrinking of Treehorn Animation

Ron Howard in Documentaries & Specials

29
  1. 2023 Tom Hanks: The Nomad (2023) movie poster Tom Hanks: The Nomad as Self (archive footage) · Documentary Movie Echo Score: 6
  2. 2023 Willow: Behind the Magic (2023) movie poster Willow: Behind the Magic as Self - Director, Willow, 1988 / Executive Producer, Willow, 2022 · Documentary
  3. 2022 ’Tis the Season: The Holidays on Screen (2022) movie poster ’Tis the Season: The Holidays on Screen as Self · Tv movie
  4. 2022 Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel (2022) movie poster Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel as Self · Documentary
  5. 2021 Roger Corman, the Pope of Pop Cinema (2021) movie poster Roger Corman, the Pope of Pop Cinema as Self · Documentary
  6. 2020 Showbiz Kids (2020) movie poster Showbiz Kids as Self (archive footage) · Drama Movie Echo Score: 75
  7. 2020 The Happy Days of Garry Marshall (2020) movie poster The Happy Days of Garry Marshall as Self · Tv movie
  8. 2019 Dads (2019) movie poster Dads as Self · Documentary Movie Echo Score: 71
  9. 2019 Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10 (2019) movie poster Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10 as Self · Family
  10. 2017 Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies (2017) movie poster Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies as Self · Documentary
  11. 2016 Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal: The Movie (2016) movie poster Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal: The Movie as Himself · Comedy
  12. 2014 And the Oscar Goes To… (2014) movie poster And the Oscar Goes To… as Self (archive footage) · Documentary
  13. 2013 The Arrested Development Documentary Project (2013) movie poster The Arrested Development Documentary Project as Self · Documentary
  14. 2013 Don’t Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck (2013) movie poster Don’t Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck as Self · Documentary
  15. 2013 From Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking (2013) movie poster From Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking as Self - Director · Adventure
  16. 2012 Radioman (2012) movie poster Radioman as Self · Documentary
  17. 2011 Corman’s World (2011) movie poster Corman’s World as Self - Filmmaker · Documentary
  18. 2010 Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible (2010) movie poster Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible as Self · Documentary
  19. 2007 Cannes: All Access (2007) movie poster Cannes: All Access as Self · Documentary
  20. 2005 George Lucas: Creating an Empire (2005) movie poster George Lucas: Creating an Empire as Self · Documentary
  21. 2004 Making a ‘Splash’ (2004) movie poster Making a ‘Splash’ as Self - Director · Documentary
  22. 2002 Christopher Plummer: A Man For All Stages (2002) movie poster Christopher Plummer: A Man For All Stages as Self · Documentary
  23. 2001 The Shootist: The Legend Lives On (2001) movie poster The Shootist: The Legend Lives On as Self (archive footage) (uncredited) · Documentary
  24. 2000 Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation (2000) movie poster Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation as Self · Documentary
  25. 1998 The Making of ‘American Graffiti’ (1998) movie poster The Making of ‘American Graffiti’ as Self · Documentary
  26. 1997 Frank Capra’s American Dream (1997) movie poster Frank Capra’s American Dream as Self · Documentary
  27. 1996 Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13 (1996) movie poster Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13 as Self · Documentary
  28. 1985 Hollywood’s Funniest All-Star Bloopers (1985) movie poster Hollywood’s Funniest All-Star Bloopers as Self (archive footage) · Documentary
  29. 1978 Roger Corman: Hollywood’s Wild Angel (1978) movie poster Roger Corman: Hollywood’s Wild Angel as Self · Documentary
4 wins · 16 nominations

Ron Howard: Awards & Nominations

4 wins from 16 nominations across 6 award bodies, from 1977 to 2009. That includes an Oscar: Best Director for A Beautiful Mind. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.

All movie awards
  • DGA Awards logo DGA Awards 2 wins from 4 nominations
  • Critics' Choice logo Critics' Choice 1 win from 3 nominations
  • Oscars logo Oscars 1 win from 2 nominations
  • Golden Globes logo Golden Globes 4 nominations
  • BAFTA logo BAFTA 2 nominations
  • Saturn Awards logo Saturn Awards 1 nomination
Biography

Who Is Ron Howard?

Ron Howard was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, U.S. in 1954 and is 72 years old. Credited on films since 1959, as both an actor and a director. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Ronald William Howard, born March 1, 1954, is a renowned American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He began his career in acting as a child before gradually shifting to direct films. Over his remarkable six-decade career, Howard has won numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, six Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Grammy. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2013 and has been awarded the National Medal of Arts. Howard holds two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recognizing his significant contributions to the film and television industries.

Howard was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, and he was thrust into the world of acting at a very young age. He performed in various television series before earning national recognition for his portrayal of Opie Taylor in the sitcom 'The Andy Griffith Show' from 1960 to 1968. He took on one of the lead roles in the iconic coming-of-age film 'American Graffiti' in 1973, further establishing his status in the industry. Howard eventually transitioned into directing and has been behind the helm of several acclaimed films, including 'A Beautiful Mind' for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director. He has made his mark in a variety of genres, including comedy (Splash, 1984), drama (Frost/Nixon, 2008), fantasy (Willow, 1988), and historical documentary (Apollo 13, 1995).

Works with

Who Ron Howard Makes Movies With

The actors and directors Ron Howard shares the most films with. Tom Hanks comes first, with 11 films together, followed by Henry Winkler (7).

FAQ

Ron Howard: Questions & Answers

How many movies Ron Howard has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has Ron Howard been in?

Ron Howard is credited on 86 films, from 1959 to 2025. 21 of them as an actor and 36 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 Ron Howard's highest-grossing movie?

The Da Vinci Code (2006) is Ron Howard's biggest box office hit, with $760M worldwide, ahead of Angels & Demons (2009) ($486M). Across every film with box office figures, Ron Howard's movies have made $4.02B.

Ron Howard's biggest hits

What is the best Ron Howard movie?

By the Movie Echo Score, which blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact, Ron Howard's best-rated film is Rebuilding Paradise (2020) with a score of 78, followed by We Feed People (2022) (77).

Best Ron Howard movies, ranked

Has Ron Howard won an Oscar?

Ron Howard has won an Oscar: Best Director for A Beautiful Mind at the 2002 ceremony. Across every ceremony in the awards database, Ron Howard has 4 wins from 16 nominations.

How old is Ron Howard?

Ron Howard is 72 years old, born on March 1, 1954 in Duncan, Oklahoma, U.S..

What is Ron Howard's newest movie?

The most recent film on Ron Howard's filmography is Eden (2025), which Ron Howard directed.

Who does Ron Howard work with most often?

Ron Howard shares the most films with Tom Hanks (11 films), Henry Winkler (7 films) and George Lucas (7 films).

The Best Ron Howard Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 86 credits.

See the ranking

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app