Ridley Scott's House of Gucci arrived in theaters in November 2021, led by an all-star cast - Academy Award winners Lady Gaga, Jared Leto, Al Pacino, and Jeremy Irons, and Academy Award nominee Adam Driver. Along with the blockbuster cast and long hype leading up to its release, the film had an intensive marketing strategy, anchored by Lady Gaga's Oscars campaign, which saw the star reveal her method acting fooled even director Ridley Scott himself.House of Gucci was released just six weeks after Scott's previous directorial effort, the Matt Damon led The Last Duel, which has seen significantly higher critical praise from audiences, but made less than a quarter of what House of Gucci did at the box office, prompting Scott to controversially put the blame on "lazy Millennials."But audiences certainly showed up for House of Gucci. The Last Duel's $30 million gross pales in comparison to House of Gucci's $128 million, which banks on Lady Gaga's evergreen star factor coupled with it being her first film role after her powerful turn in 2018's $431 million grosser, A Star Is Born. Out of Scott's 31 directed films, House of Gucci currently sits as his 13th highest grosser. It will likely take position 12 if it makes just $5 million more while in cinemas, but despite its hype and myriad of stars, is unlikely to make the $50 million required to reach the top ten and kick out the film that started his career, and one of the most iconic horror franchises of all time.
10 'Alien' Made $184 Million
Arriving in May 1979, Alien debuted to mixed reviews, but its legacy has endured, going on to become one of the most influential and critically revered science fiction films. The first film in what would become the Alien franchise, Alien told the story of the crew of the commercial spacecraft Nostromo as they encounter the titular alien as it is set loose on the ship. Sigourney Weaver led the cast of the film that terrified not only audiences but the cast as well.
9 'Kingdom Of Heaven' Made $218 Million
Orlando Bloom and Eva Green led the all-star cast of Kingdom of Heaven, the 2005 historical epic about the Crusades. Despite negative reviews and a dismal box office return in North America, Kingdom of Heaven did well overseas, particularly in Arabic-speaking nations, for a worldwide total of $218 million against a $130 million dollar budget.
8 'Alien: Covenant' Made $238 Million
1979s Alien kicked off a franchise that included three sequels, a crossover series with the Predator films, a prequel series that began in 2012 with Prometheus, a web series, a play, and a television program arriving on Hulu in 2023. Alien: Covenant followed Prometheus in 2017, concluding the story of how the alien came to be made. The film made $238 million worldwide but was not considered a success after factoring in the expensive marketing costs, and $100 million budget.
7 'American Gangster' Made $267 Million
Scott teamed up with Denzel Washington and frequent collaborator Russel Crowe for 2007's American Gangster, loosely based on the story of career criminal Frank Lucas, who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from Vietnam. The film was a critical and commercial success, and a return to form for the Scott/Crowe duo who had bombed dramatically with A Good Year just twelve months prior. American Gangster grossed $267 million worldwide.
6 'Exodus: Gods And Kings' Made $268 Million
Scott returned to one of his favorite genres, the historical epic, with 2014's Exodus: Gods and Kings. The drama, which interpreted the biblical story of Moses liberating the Israelites from slavery after banishment by his brother Ramses, was banned in Egypt and the Middle East for historical inaccuracies and was derided for casting white actors in Middle Eastern roles. It grossed $268 million worldwide.
5 'Robin Hood' Made $322 Million
Russel Crowe and Ridley Scott teamed up again for 2010's Robin Hood, an updated tale of the eponymous hero's legend. Cate Blanchett and Oscar Isaac joined Crowe for the picture on location in England and Wales. Despite negative reactions from critics and audiences alike, the film would gross $322 million around the globe, becoming Scott's fifth-biggest money-maker.
4 'Hannibal' Made $350 Million
Ten years after Silence of the Lambs, the highly anticipated Hannibal was released, breaking box office records along the way. Anthony Hopkins returned to the role of cannibal serial killer Hannibal Lecter while Julianne Moore took over from Jodie Foster as FBI agent Clarice Starling. Despite weak reviews, it was one of the highest-grossing films of the year, ending with $350 million.
3 'Prometheus' Made $402 Million
The first of the Alien prequels, Prometheus (so named for the ship the crew fly) was released in 2012 to stellar reviews and $402 million in box office takings. It was the first film in the Alien franchise that Scott had helmed since the first in 1979.
2 'Gladiator' Made $456 Million
For fifteen years, Gladiator remained Ridley Scott's highest-grossing film in his three-and-a-half-decade career. Finding success once again in the epic historical drama genre, Scott led Russel Crowe to Academy Award glory with the swords-and-sandals epic about a slave turned gladiator seeking to avenge the murders of his family and emperor. In a behind-the-scenes video, Crowe said he and Scott fought constantly on set, however, it certainly mustn't have dampened any potential relationship as they have made several films together since.
1 'The Martian' Made $655 Million
Arriving in the fall of 2015, The Martian blew audiences and critics away, with Rotten Tomatoes calling it a "smart, thrilling, and surprisingly funny...adaptation of the bestselling book that brings out the best in leading man Matt Damon and director Ridley Scott." The film was a massive success, becoming the tenth highest-grossing film of 2015, Scott's highest grosser, and receiving 41 nominations that awards season, including a Golden Globe win for Damon and seven Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. It blew Gladiator's $456 million out of the water with an impressive $655 million at the worldwide box office.