The Best Spike Lee Movies, Ranked
98 credits from 1980 to 2025, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020) comes out on top with a score of 92. The biggest box office hit is Inside Man (2006) with $186M worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Top Rated Spike Lee Movies
The 7 highest-rated films Spike Lee is credited on. David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020) leads with 92, followed by BlacKkKlansman (2018) at 90. 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 92 David Byrne’s American Utopia 2020 · Documentary -
#2 Movie Echo Score: Score 90 BlacKkKlansman 2018 · Biography -
#3 Movie Echo Score: Score 83 Pass Over 2018 · Drama -
#4 Movie Echo Score: Score 80 Da 5 Bloods 2020 · Adventure -
#5 Movie Echo Score: Score 79 David Byrne's American Utopia 2020 · Music -
#6 Movie Echo Score: Score 74 Highest 2 Lowest 2025 · Crime -
#7 Movie Echo Score: Score 72 Rodney King 2017 · Drama
Biggest Spike Lee Box Office Hits
Spike Lee's films have made $611M worldwide in total. Inside Man (2006) is the biggest hit at $186M, ahead of BlacKkKlansman (2018) ($93.4M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
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Inside Man 2006 · Drama $186M $88.5M dom. - 2 BlacKkKlansman 2018 · Biography $93.4M $49.3M dom.
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Malcolm X 1992 · Biography $48.2M $48.2M dom. - 4
Jungle Fever 1991 · Drama $43.9M $32.5M dom. - 5
The Original Kings of Comedy 2000 · Comedy $38.2M $38.2M dom. - 6
Do the Right Thing 1989 · Drama $37.3M $27.5M dom. - 7
25th Hour 2002 · Drama $23.9M $13.1M dom. - 8
He Got Game 1998 · Drama $21.6M $21.6M dom. - 9
Summer of Sam 1999 · Drama $19.3M $19.3M dom. - 10
Mo' Better Blues 1990 · Drama $16.2M $16.2M dom.
The Best Spike Lee Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre Spike Lee has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Drama leads with 26 films, and Pass Over (2018) is the pick of them.
- Drama 26 films Pass Over 2018 · Director Movie Echo Score: 83
- Comedy 5 films The Original Kings of Comedy 2000 · Director
- Music 4 films David Byrne's American Utopia 2020 · Director Movie Echo Score: 79
- Documentary 4 films David Byrne’s American Utopia 2020 · Director Movie Echo Score: 92
- Biography 4 films BlacKkKlansman 2018 · Director Movie Echo Score: 90
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Action 2 films Miracle at St. Anna 2008 · Director - Crime 1 film Highest 2 Lowest 2025 · Director Movie Echo Score: 74
- Adventure 1 film Da 5 Bloods 2020 · Director Movie Echo Score: 80
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History 1 film 4 Little Girls 1997 · Director
The Best Spike Lee Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of Spike Lee's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 1980s to 2020s.
The Latest Spike Lee Movies
The most recent films Spike Lee is credited on, newest first — starting with Highest 2 Lowest (2025). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
- Highest 2 Lowest 2025 · Director
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Seen It All 2022 · Mars Blackmon - David Byrne's American Utopia 2020 · Director
- David Byrne’s American Utopia 2020 · Director
- Da 5 Bloods 2020 · Director
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3 Brothers - Radio Raheem, Eric Garner and George Floyd 2020 · Director - BlacKkKlansman 2018 · Director
- Pass Over 2018 · Director
- Rodney King 2017 · Director
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Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall 2016 · Director -
Chi-Raq 2015 · Director -
Da Sweet Blood of Jesus 2015 · Director
The Best Spike Lee Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest Spike Lee films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the best Spike Lee movie?
David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020) is the best-rated Spike Lee film, with a Movie Echo Score of 92, ahead of BlacKkKlansman (2018) (90) and Pass Over (2018) (83). The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.
David Byrne’s American Utopia: cast, ratings & box office What is the highest-grossing Spike Lee movie?
Inside Man (2006) made the most at the box office, with $186M worldwide, followed by BlacKkKlansman (2018) with $93.4M. Together, Spike Lee's films with box office figures have made $611M.
Which Spike Lee movie won the most awards?
BlacKkKlansman (2018) is the most decorated Spike Lee film, with 3 wins from 25 nominations across the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA and the other ceremonies in the awards database.
What is the best Spike Lee drama movie?
Pass Over (2018) is the best-rated of Spike Lee's drama films, with a score of 83. In other genres: The Original Kings of Comedy (comedy), David Byrne's American Utopia (music) and David Byrne’s American Utopia (documentary).
What is the newest Spike Lee movie?
The newest film on Spike Lee's filmography is BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions (2025), with Spike Lee as Self (archive footage).
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