There are very few production companies that have become so synonymous with the greatest films of all time. Throughout Warner Bros.’ history, audiences have been dazzled by their remarkable filmography, which has taken us to extraordinary places and introduced us to incredible individuals. We’ve gone on high-octane adventures, watched some of the most beautiful romances flourish, and seen magic right before our eyes.
As Warner Bros.’ next chapter approaches, it’s important to celebrate the company’s legacy and its impact on the broader world of cinema. We are going to discuss the 20 best Warner Bros. movies of all time! The company has acquired a plethora of incredible titles over the years. Still, for this list, we are focusing on original features distributed by Warner Bros. You might be surprised to see some groundbreaking films missing. Still, those will be included on a broader list one day in the future. For now, let’s celebrate Warner Bros.’ illustrious resume.
20
‘The Departed’ (2006)
Thanks to The Departed, one of the greatest ensembles of actors shipped up to Boston for an extraordinary Martin Scorsese crime thriller. The film follows Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), who goes deep undercover into Frank Costello’s (Jack Nicholson) gang, as Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), groomed by Costello as a child, rises through the police ranks as an informant. Both living double lives, The Departed follows the tense, suspenseful battle of wits and loyalty as they search to find the “rat” on their respective sides. Drawing on the classic styles that made Scorsese one of the most prolific directors of all time, The Departed is a gritty, violent film that pushes moral ambiguity to the forefront. A true battle between good and evil and the cost of loyalty, The Departed makes you question the world where no one truly is who they seem.
The film which finally earned Scorsese his one and only Oscar for Best Director, The Departed brings the Boston Winter Hill Gang to the cinema as a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film, Infernal Affairs. Using both real-life figures, like the Irish-American gangster and crime boss Whitey Bulger, and the film as inspiration, Scorsese brought the story to new heights by infusing it with truly engrossing action and ensuring you question the morality of every single character, whether initially presented as a hero or a villain. If your ears may be sensitive to the Boston accent, be warned. That said, the entire ensemble, which also includes Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, and Anthony Anderson, among others, brings the film to life. The Departed is probably your dad’s favorite Warner Bros. film of all time. And rightly so.
19
‘Dune’ (2021)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the commonplace practice of watching big-budget blockbusters on the big screen was temporarily altered. Initially meant to be released in 2020, Dune was pushed back a year. Rather than scrapping the films’ cinematic release or limiting audiences due to those still unwilling to sit in a theater with strangers again, Dune was simultaneously streamed on HBO Max for a unique viewing experience. On an iPad, Dune looked like a sweeping screensaver thanks to Denis Villeneuve‘s stunning visuals. Yet it was his vision in his new cinematic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel that forever advanced epic space operas.
Set in the distant future, the first part of the trilogy follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), heir to the noble House Atreides, and his family as they are thrust into a war for the deadly, inhospitable desert planet Arrakis, the universe’s only source of the vital “spice.” Leading to betrayal, war, and Paul’s destiny as a prophesied messiah among the native Fremen people, Paul’s powerful psychic abilities and visions intertwine with galactic politics and survival. A political space thriller, Dune, despite its rollout, brought Herbert’s story to a new generation.
Aside from Chalamet, whose destiny as an actor was to become a leading man, the film’s large-spanning ensemble of good and evil included Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, and Zendaya, among others. Unlike the 1984 David Lynch version, this Dune didn’t rely on a campy vision of a space future, leaning heavily into what these characters’ realities truly were. When Dune: Part Three is finally released on “Dunesday” in December 2026, we’ll remember we would never be there had Dune not defied the odds.
18
‘The Goonies’ (1985)
Every generation has a film that defines their childhood. For children of the 1980s, that film was The Goonies. Directed by Richard Donner and written by Chris Columbus, based on a story by Steven Spielberg, the film follows a group of children who live in the “Goon Docks” neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon. Set out to save their homes from foreclosure, they discover an old treasure map that leads them on an adventure to unearth the long-lost fortune of the legendary One-Eyed Willy, a 17th-century pirate, all while being pursued by a family of criminals who seek the treasure for themselves. An instant classic, The Goonies is a clever mix of adventure and Spielberg sentimentality, delivering a high-energy story about friendship, camaraderie, and loyalty that reminds us that being an outcast is not all that bad.
Though it may have been made for minors, The Goonies transcended the target audience through its exceptional storytelling and universal themes. Like a thrilling roller coaster, the ride is one worth taking over and over again. Blending a balanced sense of wit with genuine heart, The Goonies has been a film that has been passed down for generations, as it still resonates. Looking back at it now, The Goonies was yet another example of Spielberg having the pulse on future stars, as the cast included future Hollywood stars, including Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton, and Ke Huy Quan. Without The Goonies, we might not live by this saying, “Goonies never say die.” The legacy remains today.
17
‘Cool Hand Luke’ (1967)
One of the finest actors of all time is none other than Paul Newman. With such a sensational resume of classic films, one of his most defining may be Cool Hand Luke. Based on the semi-autobiographical 1965 novel by Donn Pearce, the prison crime drama follows Newman as Lucas “Luke” Jackson, a charismatic WWII vet in the early 1950s, sent to a brutal Florida prison camp for petty vandalism. While there, Luke becomes a legendary symbol of rebellion by refusing to submit to the authoritarian system, challenging guards and inmates alike, and inspiring fellow prisoners with his unbreakable spirit, even as the system tries to crush him. The story of an enigmatic anti-hero, Cool Hand Luke may be a tough film for the unrelenting atmosphere, but its honesty and effectiveness have made it one of the greatest films of all time.
The film, directed by Stuart Rosenberg, has earned an everlasting legacy. Of course, the film boasted one of the most memorable lines in cinema: “Failure to communicate.” A ruthless and plausible depiction of prison life, Cool Hand Luke is a sharp commentary, masterfully told. As the free spirit, Newman reinvented himself with this role. Against the bone-chilling performance by the prison staff, Newman’s Luke was charming and affable. Though he may not have won the Academy Award for his performance, it was a triumphant role that made it his most iconic.
16
‘The Color Purple’ (1985)
Based on Alice Walker’s extraordinary novel, The Color Purple is one of the most important stories ever told. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the epic coming-of-age story follows Celie Harris (Whoopi Goldberg), a young African-American girl who experiences a life of brutal experiences, including domestic violence, incest, child sexual abuse, poverty, racism, and sexism, yet finds hope through her harrowing ordeals. A remarkable, character-driven film with a story of resilience and self-empowerment, The Color Purple adapts Walker’s book into a transcendent masterpiece.
Though some have felt that Spielberg’s take on the story may have been too rosy, the approach he took, giving many of the incredible women the strength in sisterhood, friendship, and love, allowed the darker themes of poverty, racism, and patriarchal oppression to reverberate. Goldberg’s performance was sensational, helping launch her on the path to the EGOT she is today. The entire ensemble, including Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey, helped breathe life into the story and bring the characters to life from page to screen. An emotionally gripping film that will tug at your heart, The Color Purple is a classic that has forever left a lasting impression on cinema.
15
‘Blade Runner’ (1982)
In the world of science fiction and action, many individuals have defined the genre. Two of those individuals, Ridley Scott and Harrison Ford, had their ’80s major team-up after already solidifying themselves as key players in the field. Their collaboration was 1982’s science fiction classic Blade Runner. Set in rainy, dystopian Los Angeles in 2019, Blade Runner follows Rick Deckard (Ford) as he’s called back to hunt down four synthetic humans, the Replicants, who have returned to Earth from off-world slave labor colonies. Led by Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), they seek their creator, the bioengineers at the powerful Tyrell Corporation, to demand an extension of their lifespan. Throw in a sci-fi love story between Deckard and Rachael (Sean Young), a Replicant girl, and Blade Runner ends up being one of the most dynamic neo-noir science fiction films of all time.
Adapted from Philip K. Dick‘s 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Blade Runner explored the theme of identity through the psychological test used to determine whether replicants were human. Utilizing emotion and lack thereof, Blade Runner may have been a strong predictor of where our future was ultimately heading in an AI-dominated society. With darker tones and futuristic set design, audiences adored the novel exploration of the future. Filmmakers even used Blade Runner to inform their own works. Although Blade Runner never expanded into a major franchise, likely due to Ford’s two other major franchises, the film’s cult classic status has made it one of the most influential sci-fi movies in history.
14
‘Bonnie and Clyde’ (1967)
It might be odd to think that one of the greatest films of all time romanticized a couple of criminals, but truly, was there anyone quite like Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker? In Arthur Penn‘s 1967 biographical crime film Bonnie and Clyde, Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty play the titular outlaws and romantic partners in the Great Depression-era American South. Going on a violent crime spree, the young couple quickly spiral from petty theft to bank robbery as tensions between the pair and the other members of their gang—hapless driver C.W. Moss (Michael J. Pollard), Clyde’s suave older brother Buck Barrow (Gene Hackman), and Buck’s flibbertigibbet wife Blanche Barrow (Estelle Parsons)—could destroy their criminal enterprise. Blending romance, dark humor, and an iconic, bloody climax, Bonnie and Clyde set a new Hollywood standard in storytelling, capturing the era’s turbulent spirit and fascination with the glamorous life of crime.
An excellent film from beginning to end, the absorbing tale that gives the couple a Hollywood-style edge became the draw. Yes, these two individuals were criminals, but audiences clamored to see the romance come to life. Thanks to Beatty and Dunaway’s sensational performances, the film helped catapult them to the top of the heap. Penn’s beautifully filmed masterpiece depicted the Jazz Age through a dusty lens, reminding audiences of the other side of the era. A sleeper hit, the shoot-em-up sensation may have simplified the true events, but as a work of cinema, Bonnie and Clyde was a trendsetter.
13
‘Goodfellas’ (1990)
Based on Nicholas Pileggi‘s 1985 novel Wiseguy, Martin Scorsese brought another fantastic story about Italian-Americans and the mob to life in the 1990s hit Goodfellas. The biopic depicts the life of mobster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), chronicling his rise and fall within the Lucchese crime family in New York, focusing on his relationships with partners Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), the allure of the gangster lifestyle, and his eventual entry into the Witness Protection Program after turning informant. Layered with dark humor and mafia thrills, the fast-talking masterpiece examines the loyalty and betrayal within the brutal realities of organized crime.
With a stellar cast that also included Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino, Goodfellas brought the humor and seduction of mob life while also highlighting the horrors of being tangled up in that world. Scorsese lifted Pileggi’s story for the screen exceptionally well. Pair that with Liotta’s greatest role of his career, and Goodfellas became an instant classic thanks to the stylish direction and standout performances. Forging its own path as a mafia film like none before it, Goodfellas will forever be one of the best in the genre.
12
‘The Shining’ (1980)
If there is one novelist who knows how to write a brilliant story that is perfect for film adaptations, it’s Stephen King. Perhaps his most iconic big screen adaptation is 1980’s The Shining. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the film follows Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), a family man seeking to overcome writer’s block, who becomes the winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado. Alongside his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and his son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), a clairvoyant plagued by psychic premonitions, the family settles in as Jack’s writing goes nowhere and Danny’s visions grow more haunting and disturbing. Jack uncovers the dark secrets of the hotel, causing him to unravel into a homicidal maniac hell-bent on terrorizing his family. The film that brought you, “Here’s Johnny!,” The Shining stands atop the heap as one of the greatest psychological horror films ever.
The Shining is notorious for its pristine haunts thanks to Kubrick’s vision and ability to scare. Not always with jump scares, the terrifying visuals, including blood rushing out of an elevator, a mirror reading “Redrum,” and a pair of twins that will spook you silly, have defined the genre, inspiring subsequent horror features. Nicholson is absolutely riveting and manic in his role, causing you to be scared of him in every appearance that follows. A chilling examination of the descent into madness, The Shining is a pinnacle of horror.
11
‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ (1951)
Stella!!! In 1951, Tennessee Williams‘ Pulitzer Prize-winning play A Streetcar Named Desire made its way to the silver screen, with Elia Kazan directing. The result was a phenomenal stage-to-screen adaptation that helped define one of its stars’ entire career. The film tells the story of Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh), a decaying Southern belle, who, after encountering a series of personal losses, seeks refuge with her sister, Stella Kowalski (Kim Hunter), and her brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski (Marlon Brando) in their dilapidated New Orleans home. Blanche’s flirtatious presence causes problems for husband and wife, leading to an even greater conflict in the Kowalski household. The renowned drama is a tragic clash of illusion versus reality that explores the dark realm of delusion, desire, and the collision of decaying aristocracy within the working class.
Though the film is slightly sanitized from Williams’ stage version, Kazan expands the visual scope beyond the apartment and into the lush streets of the French Quarter. But truly, the reason this film is a forever standout is the characters. Brando is at his all-time best as Stanley. A formidable man who is tested by Leigh’s Blanche, his own desire to push her into madness through his unrelenting torment as she clings to illusions of grandeur, is expertly choreographed by Kazan. His dominating, animalistic demeanor is remarkable to watch unfold. Leigh is able to go toe-to-toe with Brando as Hunter, whose Stella is torn between her loyalty to her husband and her sister, is forced into a fragile corner. Not all plays work as well as films. A Streetcar Named Desire defied that. For some, it’s even better on screen.