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Willem Dafoe, actor
Actor · Best movies

The Best Willem Dafoe Movies, Ranked

158 credits from 1982 to 2026, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. The Lighthouse (2019) comes out on top with a score of 89. The biggest box office hit is Aquaman (2018) with $1.15B worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.

Full Willem Dafoe profile & filmography

Ranked by Movie Echo Score

Top Rated Willem Dafoe Movies

The 12 highest-rated films Willem Dafoe is credited on. The Lighthouse (2019) leads with 89, followed by Togo (2019) at 86. The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings, cultural impact and how well a film holds up.

Worldwide gross

Biggest Willem Dafoe Box Office Hits

Willem Dafoe's films have made $5.32B worldwide in total. Aquaman (2018) is the biggest hit at $1.15B, ahead of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) ($452M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.

All-time box office
  1. 1 Aquaman (2018) movie poster Aquaman 2018 · Action $1.15B $335M dom.
  2. 2 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) movie poster Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 2024 · Comedy $452M $294M dom.
  3. 3 Murder on the Orient Express (2017) movie poster Murder on the Orient Express 2017 · Drama $353M $103M dom.
  4. 4 The Great Wall (2017) movie poster The Great Wall 2017 · Action $335M $45.5M dom.
  5. 5 The Fault in Our Stars (2014) movie poster The Fault in Our Stars 2014 · Drama $307M $125M dom.
  6. 6 The Boy and the Heron (2023) movie poster The Boy and the Heron 2023 · Animation $295M $47.3M dom.
  7. 7 John Carter (2012) movie poster John Carter 2012 · Action $284M $73.1M dom.
  8. 8 Mr. Bean's Vacation (2007) movie poster Mr. Bean's Vacation 2007 · Comedy $232M $33.3M dom.
  9. 9 The English Patient (1996) movie poster The English Patient 1996 · Drama $232M $78.7M dom.
  10. 10 Clear and Present Danger (1994) movie poster Clear and Present Danger 1994 · Action $216M $122M dom.
One pick per genre

The Best Willem Dafoe Movie in Every Genre

The best-rated film in each genre Willem Dafoe has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Drama leads with 49 films, and The Lighthouse (2019) is the pick of them.

One pick per decade

The Best Willem Dafoe Movie of Each Decade

One pick per decade of Willem Dafoe's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 1980s to 2020s.

Wins & nominations

Most Awarded Willem Dafoe Movies

Willem Dafoe's films with wins at the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA and the other ceremonies in the awards database, the most decorated first. The English Patient (1996) leads with 20 wins from 39 nominations.

All movie awards
Newest first

The Latest Willem Dafoe Movies

The most recent films Willem Dafoe is credited on, newest first — starting with The Birthday Party (2026). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.

New movie releases
FAQ

The Best Willem Dafoe Movies: Questions & Answers

The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest Willem Dafoe films, answered from the rankings on this page.

What is the best Willem Dafoe movie?

The Lighthouse (2019) is the best-rated Willem Dafoe film, with a Movie Echo Score of 89, ahead of Togo (2019) (86) and The Boy and the Heron (2023) (84). The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.

The Lighthouse: cast, ratings & box office

What is the highest-grossing Willem Dafoe movie?

Aquaman (2018) made the most at the box office, with $1.15B worldwide, followed by Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) with $452M. Together, Willem Dafoe's films with box office figures have made $5.32B.

Which Willem Dafoe movie won the most awards?

The English Patient (1996) is the most decorated Willem Dafoe film, with 20 wins from 39 nominations across the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA and the other ceremonies in the awards database.

What is the best Willem Dafoe drama movie?

The Lighthouse (2019) is the best-rated of Willem Dafoe's drama films, with a score of 89. In other genres: The Phoenician Scheme (action), Poor Things (comedy) and Togo (adventure).

What is the newest Willem Dafoe movie?

The newest film on Willem Dafoe's filmography is The Birthday Party (2026), with Willem Dafoe as Marcos Timoleon.

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