This ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

List of Edward Norton Movies: Ranked Best To Worst

1. American History X (1998)
39
6
American History X
TV-14
39
6
Role:
Derek Vinyard
Starring:
Beverly D'Angelo, Edward Furlong, Ethan Suplee, Jennifer Lien
Directed By:
Tony Kaye
2. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
26
6
The Grand Budapest Hotel
R
26
6

When the famous concierge—M. Gustave—of a mountainside resort, The Grand Budapest Hotel, is accused of murdering a wealthy dowager, he and his friend Zero along with latter’s girlfriend, Agatha, set out to prove his innocence. In process, they have to safeguard a Renaissance painting and struggle to find a missing will.

Directed By:
3. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
16
4
Moonrise Kingdom
PG-13
16
4

Directed by Wes Anderson in his typical style, Moonrise Kingdom features a young boy and girl, Sam and Suzy, living on a New England island who run away to a secluded beach while the entire island searches for them. Pen-pals, Sam, an orphan in a Scout camp, and Suzy, who lives with her family, escape on an adventure through the woods.

Role:
Scout Master Ward
Directed By:
4. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
20
7
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
R
20
7

A middle aged faded actor’s most popular work was playing the titular role in the superhero trilogy Birdman. He now puts everything at stake to revive his career and gain recognition by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production. In process, he has to struggle with issues around as well as those within him.

Starring:
Naomi Watts, Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Kenny Chin, Jamahl Garrison-Lowe, Zach Galifianakis
Directed By:
Alejandro González Iñárritu
5. Primal Fear (1996)
14
3
Primal Fear
R
14
3

A thriller court-room drama, Primal Fear shows the audience how deceptive appearances can be, when experienced Chicago defence attorney Martin Vail, lands-up fighting on behalf of an altar boy, Aaron Stampler, who is accused of murdering Archbishop Rushman, brutally. The film progresses through Vail’s perspective and his reactions to unearthing dark hidden secrets of the Church, while being astutely manipulated.  

Starring:
Directed By:
Gregory Hoblit
Awards:
Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
6. The Illusionist (2006)
15
5
The Illusionist
PG-13
15
5

Set in Vienna, 1889, The Illusionist is a romantic mystery movie that follows the story of magician Eisenheim the Illusionist. Hunted by Chief Inspector Walter Uhl, he uses his skills to save his own and Duchess Sophie von Teschen’s lives from the tyrant Crown Prince Leopold.  

Role:
Eisenheim
Directed By:
Neil Burger
7. 25th Hour (2002)
11
3
25th Hour
R
11
3

Monty has 24 hours before he begins his seven years of prison term for drug dealing. He decides to meet his father, catch up with his childhood friends, Jacob and Frank and meet his girlfriend Naturelle. During the time, he looks back at his life to understand why he is in his current situation.  

Role:
Monty Brogan
Directed By:
8. The Painted Veil (2006)
10
3
The Painted Veil
PG-13
10
3

After marrying hastily in London, an English doctor and his socialite wife relocate to Shanghai, where the protagonist works at an infectious diseases laboratory. When he finds about his wife’s extramarital affair he forces her to accompany him to a remote Chinese village run down by an unchecked cholera epidemic. It was here that they discover each other and decide to make a new beginning. 

Starring:
Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts, Alan David, Catherine An
Directed By:
John Curran
9. Rounders (1998)
11
4
Rounders
R
11
4

Law student and gifted poker player Mike McDermott loses his entire bankroll of US $30000 to Russian mobster Teddy ‘KGB’. He quits poker but is forced to play again when his childhood friend Lester ‘Worm’ Murphy lands him in debt. When Worm flees, Mike must face Teddy one last time to repay his debts.  

Starring:
Matt Damon, John Malkovich, Famke Janssen, Martin Landau, Gretchen Mol, Paul Cicero, Ray Iannicelli
Directed By:
John Dahl
10. The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
9
3
The People vs. Larry Flynt
R
9
3

Based on the real-life case of ‘Hustler Magazine v. Falwell’, the movie finds Hustler magazine’s publisher, Harry Flynt, being dragged to the court by anti-pornography activists. After Flynt and his lawyer are shot by a zealot resulting in Flynt becoming paralyzed, he continues to fight for his rights becoming an unlikely icon for free-speech. 

Role:
Alan Isaacman
Directed By:
11. Frida (2002)
8
3
Frida
R
8
3

The biopic depicts the rise of iconic Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, after suffering a life-altering accident. It also focuses on her tempestuous relationship with mentor-husband Diego Rivera, her affair with Leon Trotsky, her progressive thinking and open attitude to sexuality, her rise as one of the greatest surrealist’s of all time, and her untimely death. 

Starring:
Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas, Alfred Molina, Diego Luna, Valeria Golino, Mía Maestro
Directed By:
Julie Taymor
12. Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
12
5
Kingdom of Heaven
R
12
5

Producer-director Ridley Scott’s historical adventure drama Kingdom of Heaven is an adapted depiction of Balian of Ibelin, the 12th century crusader of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. After losing his family, Balian, a French blacksmith, joins the Crusade to defend Jerusalem, where he finds love, and becomes a leader who fights against the Ayyubid Sultan Saladin, in the Battle of Hattin.

Starring:
Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Michael Sheen, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Directed By:
13. Red Dragon (2002)
12
4
Red Dragon
R
12
4

Will Graham, an FBI agent able to empathize with psychopaths, narrowly escapes death while trying to catch cannibalistic killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter and retires shortly after. However, with the emergence of another serial killer, nicknamed The Tooth Fairy, he is called back and must seek Lecter's help to make a psychological profile of the new murderer.

Role:
Will Graham
Starring:
Anthony Hopkins, Mary-Louise Parker, Emily Watson, Alex D. Linz, Frank Langella, Ralph Fiennes, Harvey Keitel
Directed By:
Brett Ratner
14. The Italian Job (2003)
14
5
The Italian Job
PG-13
14
5

A group of thieves led by John Bridger steal gold bullion worth $35 million from Italian gangsters. However, one of the team members betrays the rest and leaves with the bullion, taking the others to be dead. A year later, another team member, Charlie Croker, re-assembles the team to take revenge on the betrayer.

Starring:
Mark Wahlberg, Jason Statham, Charlize Theron, Donald Sutherland, Kelly Brook, Seth Green
Directed By:
F. Gary Gray
15. The Score (2001)
8
4
The Score
R
8
4

The Score centres around an expert thief who is about to hang up his boots when his aide offers him a job with a huge payout that he must accomplish with the help of a young thief. Robert DeNiro, Marlon Brando and Edward Norton star in this film that offers many thrilling moments as the two thieves attempt to steal a French sceptre. 

Role:
Jack Teller
Starring:
Robert De Niro, Angela Bassett, Marlon Brando, Gary Farmer
Directed By:
16. Motherless Brooklyn (2019)
8
3
Motherless Brooklyn
R
8
3
Starring:
Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael K. Williams, Leslie Mann, Bobby Cannavale, Alec Baldwin, Bruce Willis, Willem Dafoe
Directed By:
Edward Norton
17. Collateral Beauty (2016)
7
4
Collateral Beauty
PG-13
7
4

A successful executive retreats from life after his daughter’s death and writes letters to Love, Time and Death as if to find answer to his grief. His business partners use these letters to prove that he is unfit run the company, making him realize his folly and once that is done, it does not take him long to realize that even loss has a collateral beauty.   

Role:
Whit
Starring:
Will Smith, Keira Knightley, Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, Naomie Harris, Michael Peña
Directed By:
David Frankel
18. Everyone Says I Love You (1996)
6
3
Everyone Says I Love You
R
6
3

While her stepsister gets engaged, a New York girl decides to set up her father with a beautiful woman who is going through a troubled marriage.  . 

Role:
Holden
Starring:
Woody Allen, Julia Roberts, Natasha Lyonne, Goldie Hawn, Alan Alda, Billy Crudup, Natalie Portman
Directed By:
19. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
14
7
The Incredible Hulk
PG-13
14
7

A superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk, The Incredible Hulk follows the story of a man who unwittingly becomes the “Hulk” following a botched-up military program. Though praised for its visuals and action sequences, the film failed to impress at the box office. 

Role:
Bruce Banner
Starring:
Robert Downey Jr., Lou Ferrigno, Tim Roth, Liv Tyler, Michael K. Williams, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson
Directed By:
20. The Bourne Legacy (2012)
11
5
The Bourne Legacy
PG-13
11
5

The fourth installment of the Bourne film franchise, The Bourne Legacy, sees black ops agent, Aaron Cross, run for his life from the Department of Defense after he discovers their secret about field operatives. Jeremy Renner stars as the black ops agent who poses a potential threat to the department upon discovering that it is giving performance-enhancing drugs to its operatives.

Role:
Col Eric Byer, USAF, Ret.
Starring:
Rachel Weisz, Albert Finney, Oscar Isaac, Corey Stoll, Jeremy Renner, Scott Glenn, Stacy Keach
Directed By:
Tony Gilroy
21. Pride and Glory (2008)
7
3
Pride and Glory
R
7
3

When NYPD detective Ray Tierney is appointed to investigate four officers’ death at a drug-dealer’s place, his investigations suggest police corruption. Ray’s brother Francis Jr. is that precinct’s commanding officer, while father Francis Sr. is Asst. Chief. The family pressure mounts as Ray’s brother-in-law Sergeant Jimmy Egan is found to have shady connections. Will Ray’s revelations tear the family and NYPD apart?

Role:
Ray Tierney
Starring:
Colin Farrell, Frank Grillo, Jon Voight, Noah Emmerich, Jennifer Ehle, Colin Farrell
Directed By:
Gavin O'Connor
22. Keeping the Faith (2000)
7
3
Keeping the Faith
PG-13
7
3

Keeping the Faith is a romantic comedy film, which tells the story of a priest and a rabbi, who have been friends since boyhood. However, when both of them fall for the same woman, their friendship is under strain. 

Role:
Father Brian Finn
Starring:
Ben Stiller, Eli Wallach, Anne Bancroft, Miloš Forman, Dagmara Dominczyk, Jenna Elfman
Directed By:
Edward Norton
23. Leaves of Grass (2009)
6
3
Leaves of Grass
R
6
3

Leaves of Grass is a black comedy drama film which tells the story of Bill, a professor, who is lured back to Oklahoma, his hometown, after Brady, his twin brother who is a cannabis seller, gets into a feud with a drug lord, and plans to take him down.    

Role:
Bill Kincaid / Brady Kincaid
Starring:
Richard Dreyfuss, Keri Russell, Melanie Lynskey, Lucy DeVito, Susan Sarandon
Directed By:
Tim Blake Nelson
24. Down in the Valley (2005)
6
3
Down in the Valley
R
6
3

A rebellious sixteen year old girl Tobe meets a charming gas station attendant named Harlan who is delusional and thinks that he is a cowboy. She finds herself attracted to him instantly. Although Harlan also finds himself attracted to her, problems arise because of Tobe’s father who is against their relationship.

Role:
Harlan
Starring:
Evan Rachel Wood, Bruce Dern, David Morse, Rory Culkin
Directed By:
David Jacobson
25. The Invention of Lying (2009)
7
4
The Invention of Lying
PG-13
7
4

Mark Bellison is a screenwriter of historical readings in an alternate universe where the concept of lying does not exist and people tell whatever is on their minds. After being fired from his job and warned of being evicted, he blurts out a lie in the bank and realizes how it can change his life forever.

Starring:
Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Tina Fey, Louis C.K., Stephanie March, Jason Bateman, Stephen Merchant
Directed By:
26. Death to Smoochy (2002)
6
3
Death to Smoochy
R
6
3

Rainbow Randolph, the star of a popular children’s television show, is fired from his job for taking bribes and replaced by "squeaky clean" Sheldon Mopes and his character Smoochy the Rhino. Very soon, Sheldon starts scoring high ratings and becomes famous, making Randolph furious, who vows to reclaim his position. 

Role:
Sheldon Mopes / Smoochy the Rhino
Starring:
Robin Williams, Pam Ferris, Jon Stewart, Danny DeVito, Catherine Keener
Directed By:
27. Stone (2010)
4
4
Stone
R
4
4

A convicted arsonist, Stone, attempts to convince his parole officer, Jack, for an early release. Although the officer is not convinced, things take an interesting turn, when Stone’s wife Luceta begins to seduce Jack.  

Role:
Stone
Starring:
Milla Jovovich, Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy, Enver Gjokaj
Directed By:
John Curran

Director

Motherless Brooklyn (2019)
11
5
Motherless Brooklyn
R
11
5
Starring:
Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael K. Williams, Leslie Mann, Bobby Cannavale, Alec Baldwin, Bruce Willis, Willem Dafoe
Directed By:
Edward Norton
Keeping the Faith (2000)
9
5
Keeping the Faith
PG-13
9
5

Keeping the Faith is a romantic comedy film, which tells the story of a priest and a rabbi, who have been friends since boyhood. However, when both of them fall for the same woman, their friendship is under strain. 

Starring:
Ben Stiller, Eli Wallach, Anne Bancroft, Miloš Forman, Dagmara Dominczyk, Jenna Elfman
Directed By:
Edward Norton

TV Shows

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
14
2
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
TV-MA
14
2
Starring:
Steve Buscemi, Will Arnett, Anna Kendrick, Gilbert Gottfried, John Oliver, Corey Burton, America Ferrera
Directed By:
Joe Perota, Jim Hoskinson, Christopher Werner, Bruce Leddy, Frank Prinzi
Nature Is Speaking
8
1
Nature Is Speaking
8
1
Role:
The Soil (1 episode, 2014)
Starring:
Harrison Ford, Marion Cotillard, Ian Somerhalder, Kevin Spacey, Penelope Cruz, Robert Redford, Sophie Marceau
Directed By:
Eric Grunbaum, Scott Trattner
Modern Family
31
5
Modern Family
TV-PG
31
5
Starring:
Robbie Amell, Julie Bowen, Greg Kinnear, Kevin Hart, Benjamin Bratt, Judy Greer, Jesse Eisenberg
Stella
7
2
Stella
7
2
Starring:
Topher Grace, Elizabeth Banks, Sam Rockwell, Alan Ruck, Paul Rudd, Janeane Garofalo, Michael Ian Black
Directed By:
David Wain, John Hamburg, Susan Seidelman, Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
Only in America (1994)
5
3
Only in America
5
3
Starring:
Nicholas J. Giangiulio, Barbara Gulan, Dani Klein, Annie Meisels
Directed By:
Robert Maidment

Narrator/Dubbing

Fight Club (1999)
20
3
Fight Club
TV-MA
20
3

Based on an eponymous Novel by Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club is the story of a discontented white-collar employee and a devil-may-care soap salesman who join together to form an underground fight club where young men give vent to their frustrations by beating each other to pulp.

Role:
Narrator
Starring:
Brad Pitt, Meat Loaf, Jared Leto, Helena Bonham Carter, Zach Grenier
Directed By:

Animation Movies

The Simpsons
21
3
The Simpsons
TV-14
21
3
Starring:
Reese Witherspoon, Nick Offerman, Channing Tatum, Kathleen Turner, Patton Oswalt, Katey Sagal, Mandy Patinkin
Directed By:
Isle of Dogs (2018)
12
3
Isle of Dogs
PG-13
12
3

Isle of Dogs is an animated adventure comedy film, which takes us to Japan, and tells the story of a young boy, who is on a quest to find his lost dog. On his journey, he befriends several other dogs, who decide to help him. 

Role:
Rex (voice)
Starring:
Greta Gerwig, Scarlett Johansson, Courtney B. Vance, Bryan Cranston, F. Murray Abraham, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel
Directed By:
Sausage Party (2016)
9
5
Sausage Party
R
9
5

Anthropomorphic edible grocery items in the supermarket Shopwell’s believe that humans are gods who take them to a utopia called the ‘Great Beyond’. When the sausage Frank finds out that the 'Great Beyond' is a lie and they will be eaten, he devises a plan with his friends to escape the humans. 

Role:
Sammy (voice)
Starring:
James Franco, Michael Cera, Paul Rudd, Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, Nick Kroll
Directed By:
Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon
Xiao men shen (2016)
4
3
Xiao men shen
4
3
Role:
Yu Lei (voice)
Starring:
Bella Thorne, Nicole Kidman, Mel Brooks, Meryl Streep, Bai-Ke, Mike Birbiglia, Jim Gaffigan
Directed By:
Gary Wang, Terrence Stone, Paulette Victor-Lifton

Special Appearance/Cameo

Alita: Battle Angel (2018)
13
5
Alita: Battle Angel
PG-13
13
5

In a future world, a compassionate doctor discovers a disembodied female cyborg with an intact human brain and attaches a new cyborg body to it. Named Alita, after the doctor’s deceased daughter, she awakens with no memory about her past. The film focuses on how she learns to navigate not only her new life, but also the treacherous city streets.   

Role:
Nova (uncredited)
Starring:
Rosa Salazar, Michelle Rodriguez, Eiza González, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali
Directed By:
Robert Rodriguez
The Dictator (2012)
11
6
The Dictator
R
11
6

Admiral-General Haffaz Aladeen, the universally-hated despotic ruler of the fictional oil-rich nation Wadiya, goes to New York to address concerns about the country's nuclear program at UN Security Council. The dictator flees from an assassination attempt, but with his iconic beard shaved, he struggles to survive in a community built by people he had ordered to be executed.

Role:
Edward Norton (uncredited)
Starring:
Sacha Baron Cohen, Megan Fox, Ben Kingsley, Garry Shandling, Chris Parnell, Fred Armisen, Anna Faris
Directed By:
Larry Charles
After the Sunset (2004)
6
4
After the Sunset
PG-13
6
4

After the Sunset is an action-comedy crime film, which revolves around two jewel thieves, Burdett and Lola, who decide to retire after stealing three priceless diamonds. After successfully stealing two of them, they set eyes on the third one, which is located in a cruise ship. Although it should be a simple job for them, an FBI agent shows up and makes things complicated. 

Role:
Edward Norton (uncredited)
Starring:
Pierce Brosnan, Don Cheadle, Troy Garity, Salma Hayek, Naomie Harris, Woody Harrelson
Directed By:
Brett Ratner

Edward Norton Awards

Golden Globe Awards
Primal Fear Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture 1997