The Black Phone ended up being one of the surprise hits of 2022 while also starting a killer year for Ethan Hawke who stars in the movie as the villainous The Grabber.
Hawke has had a long and successful career in Hollywood, showcasing his versatility as an actor in a wide range of movies. While not all of his movies have been huge hits, there are some very notable projects he has been a part of, with Box Office Mojo top-grossing Ethan Hawke movies offering an impressive glimpse at his work.
Updated on January 13th, 2023 by Colin McCormick: Though Ethan Hawke is not an actor known for starring in big blockbusters, The Black Phone proved he does still find box office success with some of his movies. With his latest appearance in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery making waves on Netflix, the film's successful–but limited–run in theaters may never push it up into being one of the highest-grossing Ethan Hawke movies.
Alive (1993) - $36,733,909
- Available to rent on Apple TV
The intense survival story Alive features an amazing true story that seems to have been too much for audiences to handle when it was released. Hawke plays a member of a Uruguayan rugby team that crash lands in the Alps and must turn to desperate measures in order to survive.
While the story surely drew some interest from the public, the movie barely grossed back its $32 million budget. It is not too surprising that the brutal story of survival failed to be a crowd-pleaser.
Brooklyn's Finest (2009) - $44,027,682
- Available on DIRECTV
Ethan Hawke teamed with a star-studded cast including Richard Gere and Don Cheadle for the crime thriller Brooklyn's Finest. The movie follows three unconnected New York City cops who find themselves on a deadly collision course, with Hawke playing a desperate and corrupt police officer.
The movie reunited Hawke with his Training Day director Antoine Fuqua but failed to match the success of that movie. The movie ended up making just under $45 million worldwide which is neither a failure nor a big success for the crime thriller.
Boyhood (2014) - $48,137,666
- Available on AMC+, Criterion Channel, Kanopy, DIRECTV and Pluto TV
Boyhood started as a unique idea for a movie but soon grew into one of the most talked-about movies of 2014. From 2002 to 2013, director Richard Linklater filmed the movie, watching the cast age in real time this coming-of-age story about a young boy growing up and dealing with the challenges of everyday life. Hawke plays his father.
The making-of story of Boyhood became a subject of fascination which helped draw attention to this small movie with a budget of $4 million. Combined with the critical acclaim and Oscar nominations, including one for Hawke, Boyhood pulled in nearly $50 million which is impressive for a movie of its size.
Daybreakers (2009) - $51,417,188
- Available on HBO Max and DIRECTV
Hawke might not seem like the kind of actor to pop up in a modern vampire movie, but Daybreakers surprised many with its fun take on the genre. Set in a world where vampires are the dominant creatures, Hawke plays a vampire who discovers an unexpected cure and thus makes him a target for some powerful figures.
Despite the movie being a pleasant surprise to many fans, it seems as though vampire movie fatigue kept big crowds away. But with a modest $20 million budget, the worldwide gross of just over $50 million was respectable.
Great Expectations (1998) - $55,494,066
- Available on Roku Channel
Hawke teamed with some big talents like Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert De Niro for the modern telling of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. Hawke plays a young man from a modest background who falls for a rich and seemingly unattainable girl (Paltrow).
Hawke and Paltrow were some of the biggest names of the 90s and adding De Niro to the mix would seem like an obvious winner. However, the movie performed below expectations earning $55 million worldwide making for a modest earning.
Taking Lives (2014) - $65,470,529
- Available on Sling
Hawke stepped into the crime genre alongside Angelina Jolie in the thriller Taking Lives. Jolie plays an FBI agent on the trail of a serial killer who assumes the identities of his victims. Hawke plays the witness to one of the murders who forms a bond with Jolie.
With the big names involved and the intriguing killer premise, there was likely more hope for Taking Lives becoming a hit. But with poor critical reception, the audience didn't seem eager to check it out leading to a disappointing worldwide gross of just over $65 million.
The Northman (2022) - $69,633,110
- Available on Prime Video
One of the most recent films in Hawke's repertoire is Robert Eggers' The Northman, an epic Viking adventure starring Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, and Anya Taylor-Joy. The story follows Amleth (Skarsgård), a Viking warrior prince who is set on avenging his father's death. Hawke plays the father of King Aurvandill.
Despite critical acclaim, The Northman failed to find commercial success. The film's dark tone and 137-minute runtime didn't appeal to some moviegoers. It underperformed at the box office, bringing in only $69 million worldwide.
Lord Of War (2005) - $72,617,068
- Available on HBO Max and DIRECTV
Seen as one of the most underrated movies in Nicolas Cage's long career, Lord of War is a gripping crime story. Cage plays an arms dealer grappling with the morality of his profession. Hawke has a supporting role as a determined Interpol agent trying to catch him.
Perhaps fans might have been expecting the typical Cage action movie of this era and thus were surprised by this darker and more thoughtful tale. Though its worldwide gross of over $70 million isn't bad, it isn't great compared to the movie's $50 million budget.
Sinister (2012) - $82,515,113
- Available on Peacock Premium
Hawke began his interesting move into the horror genre teaming with director Scott Derrickson in Sinister. The story follows Hawke as crime writer who finds a box of old movies in his new house. Once he realizes the movies contain evidence connecting to a decades-old serial killer, it's a race against time to uncover the truth.
Though some feel Sinister is a good movie ruined by a bad third act, it still managed to impress horror fans with its excellent scares and incredibly creepy tone. It's considered a huge commercial success for both Hawke and Derrickson, making $82 million worldwide against a $3 million budget. It's no surprise that the pair chose to connect again for The Black Phone.
The Purge (2013) - $89,328,627
- Available to rent on Apple TV
The Purge started a new chapter in American horror history, combining dystopian themes with terrifying jump scares. For one night every year, all crime is legal and no emergency services are available. Hawke plays a man who must defend his family when their home is targeted by a sadistic gang.
The clever premise worked quite well with audiences who helped make The Purge a massive hit. The relatively small and inexpensive horror movie went on to a global gross of nearly $90 million and spawned a long-running horror movie franchise.
Training Day (2001) - $104,876,233
- Available on HBO Max, Netlfix and Netflix Basic
Training Day was a movie that launched Hawke's career to new heights. Written by David Ayer and directed by Antoine Fuqua, the movie stars Hawke as a rookie cop assigned to job shadow an experienced officer (Denzel Washington), who may or may not be working both sides of the law.
The gritty and violent crime story didn't deter too many audiences as Training Day became a solid hit. Along with critical praise, especially for Washington's Oscar-winning role, the movie went on to gross over $100 million globally.
The Black Phone (2022) - $161,204,742
- Available to rent on Apple TV
Hawke stepped into the role of one of the scariest Blumhouse horror villains in The Black Phone. The movie follows a young boy who is captured by a serial killer known as The Grabber (Hawke). While being kept in a dark basement, the boy discovers he can communicate with The Grabber's past victims using a seemingly broken phone.
This year has been especially good for horror movies and The Black Phone was one of the standout successes. The small horror movie thrilled and terrified audiences leading to a very impressive worldwide gross of over $161 million.
The Magnificent Seven (2016) - $162,360,636
- Available to rent on Apple TV
Fans of western movies were treated to a modern remake of The Magnificent Seven in 2016. An update from the 1960 film of the same name, the movie follows seven gunmen brought together by a widow to save her town from a greedy businessman. Hawke was again paired with Washington and Fuqua for this star-studded cast that also includes Chris Pratt and Vincent D'Onofrio.
While critics didn't exactly praise it as one of the great modern westerns, The Magnificent Seven was entertaining and star-studded enough to open at the top of the box office and have a solid run. It ended up earning a respectable $162 million worldwide for the blockbuster.
Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets (2017) - $225,973,340
- Available to rent on Apple TV
In Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Hawke plays Jolly the Pimp, an enforcer who protects Bubble, a shapeshifting entertainer portrayed by Rihanna. It's an ambitious sci-fi flick set in Alpha, a frantic metropolis planet where millions of different species from thousands of different planets attempt to live in harmony.
The movie was met with mixed reviews upon its release, with some critics praising its visuals and others questioning the casting. Though the film had a huge budget, it still did handsomely with a $225 million global box office take.
Dead Poets Society (1989) - $235,860,116
- Available to rent on Apple TV
In one of his first major roles, Hawke found the biggest project of his career. Dead Poets Society is a classic drama that features Hawke a shy student at a strict all-boys prep school. With the help of his classmates and inspired by his exuberant teacher John Keating (Robin Williams), Todd learns to stand up on his own and show the world that he has a voice worth hearing.
The movie was a commercial and critical success, with audiences roaring over Williams' brilliant knack for both comedy and drama. It pushed Hawke into the mainstream, and he soon became a household name in the '90s thanks to its stunning worldwide earnings of $235 million.