Watch order guide · Hans Zimmer

How to watch the Hans Zimmer movies in order

Updated October 21, 2026 · 18 min read · 25 titles · 58 hours

These are the films Hans Zimmer scored, in release order, from Rain Man (1988) and The Lion King (1994) through Gladiator, The Dark Knight and Inception to Interstellar, Dune: Part Two (2024) and F1 (2025).

Titles
25
Films
25
Watch time
58 hours
Box office
$13.5 billion
Avg IMDb
7.9
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Hans Zimmer movies in release order

Here is every Hans Zimmer title in the order it came out, 1988 to 2025: 25 films.

#TitleYearTypeRuntimeIMDb
1Rain Man1988Film2h 14m8
2Thelma & Louise1991Film2h 10m7.6
3The Lion King1994Film1h 29m8.5
4Crimson Tide1995Film1h 56m7.4
5The Rock1996Film2h 17m7.4
6The Prince of Egypt1998Film1h 39m7.3
7The Thin Red Line1998Film2h 51m7.6
8Gladiator2000Film2h 35m8.5
9Black Hawk Down2001Film2h 25m7.7
10Batman Begins2005Film2h 20m8.2
11Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest2006Film2h 31m7.4
12The Da Vinci Code2006Film2h 29m6.7
13Kung Fu Panda2008Film1h 30m7.6
14The Dark Knight2008Film2h 32m9.1
15Sherlock Holmes2009Film2h 9m7.5
16Inception2010Film2h 28m8.8
17Man of Steel2013Film2h 23m7.1
1812 Years a Slave2013Film2h 14m8.1
19Interstellar2014Film2h 49m8.7
20Dunkirk2017Film1h 47m7.8
21Blade Runner 20492017Film2h 44m8
22Dune2021Film2h 35m8
23Top Gun: Maverick2022Film2h 11m8.2
24Dune: Part Two2024Film2h 47m8.4
25F12025Film2h 36m7.6

Release or chronological: which order is best?

For Hans Zimmer, release order and story order are the same thing: every film picks up after the one before it. There is no prequel to slot in early and no flashback to reshuffle, so the list above is the only order you need.

Where to start

Brand new to it

Start with Rain Man and go in release order.

Short on time

The whole thing is 58 hours. At two hours a night that is about 29 evenings.

Only the best

The three highest rated: The Dark Knight (9.1), Inception (8.8), and Interstellar (8.7).

Every Hans Zimmer movie, explained

One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.

Rain Man poster

No. 01 · 1988 · Film · 2h 14m

Rain Man

When car dealer Charlie Babbitt learns that his estranged father has died, he returns home to Cincinnati, where he discovers that he has a savant older brother named Raymond and that his father's $3 million fortune is being left to the mental institution in which Raymond lives. Motivated by his father's money, Charlie checks Raymond out of the facility in order to return with him to Los Angeles. The brothers' cross-country trip ends up changing both their lives.

Why it matters: His first Oscar nomination, built on synths and steel drums.

Director
Barry Levinson
Box office
$355 million on a $25 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8 · Rotten Tomatoes 88%
Thelma & Louise poster

No. 02 · 1991 · Film · 2h 10m

Thelma & Louise

Taking a break from their dreary lives, close friends Thelma and Louise embark on a short weekend trip that ends in unforeseen incriminating circumstances. As fugitives, both women rediscover the strength of their bond and their newfound resilience.

Why it matters: Slide guitar over the open road for Ridley Scott's road movie.

Director
Ridley Scott
Box office
$45 million on a $16 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 87%
The Lion King poster

No. 03 · 1994 · Film · 1h 29m

The Lion King

Young lion prince Simba, eager to one day become king of the Pride Lands, grows up under the watchful eye of his father Mufasa; all the while his villainous uncle Scar conspires to take the throne for himself. Amid betrayal and tragedy, Simba must confront his past and find his rightful place in the Circle of Life.

Why it matters: Simba's story; the Renaissance high point.

Director
Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
Box office
$763 million on a $45 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 92%
Crimson Tide poster

No. 04 · 1995 · Film · 1h 56m

Crimson Tide

After the Cold War, a breakaway Russian republic with nuclear warheads becomes a possible worldwide threat. U.S. submarine Capt. Frank Ramsey signs on a relatively green but highly recommended Lt. Cmdr. Ron Hunter to the USS Alabama, which may be the only ship able to stop a possible Armageddon. When Ramsey insists that the Alabama must act aggressively, Hunter, fearing they will start rather than stop a disaster, leads a potential mutiny to stop him.

Why it matters: Male choir and synths on a submarine; "Roll Tide" won a Grammy.

Director
Tony Scott
Box office
$157 million on a $53 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 89%
The Rock poster

No. 05 · 1996 · Film · 2h 17m

The Rock

When vengeful General Francis X. Hummel seizes control of Alcatraz Island and threatens to launch missiles loaded with deadly chemical weapons into San Francisco, only a young FBI chemical weapons expert and notorious Federal prisoner have the skills to penetrate the impregnable island fortress and take him down.

Why it matters: Alcatraz with Connery and Cage.

Director
Michael Bay
Box office
$335 million on a $75 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 76%
The Prince of Egypt poster

No. 06 · 1998 · Film · 1h 39m

The Prince of Egypt

The strong bond between two Royal Egyptian brothers is challenged when their chosen responsibilities set them at odds, with extraordinary consequences.

Why it matters: The story of Moses, hand-drawn.

Director
Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, and Simon Wells
Box office
$219 million on a $70 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 79%
The Thin Red Line poster

No. 07 · 1998 · Film · 2h 51m

The Thin Red Line

The story of a group of men, an Army Rifle company called C-for-Charlie, who change, suffer, and ultimately make essential discoveries about themselves during the fierce World War II battle of Guadalcanal. It follows their journey, from the surprise of an unopposed landing, through the bloody and exhausting battles that follow, to the ultimate departure of those who survived.

Why it matters: Terrence Malick's war film; home of "Journey to the Line".

Director
Terrence Malick
Box office
$98 million on a $52 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 80%
Gladiator poster

No. 08 · 2000 · Film · 2h 35m

Gladiator

After the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, his devious son takes power and demotes Maximus, one of Rome's most capable generals who Marcus preferred. Eventually, Maximus is forced to become a gladiator and battle to the death against other men for the amusement of paying audiences.

Why it matters: Written with Lisa Gerrard; "Now We Are Free" closes the film.

Director
Ridley Scott
Box office
$466 million on a $103 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 80%
Black Hawk Down poster

No. 09 · 2001 · Film · 2h 25m

Black Hawk Down

When U.S. Rangers and an elite Delta Force team attempt to kidnap two underlings of a Somali warlord, their Black Hawk helicopters are shot down, and the Americans suffer heavy casualties, facing intense fighting from the militia on the ground.

Why it matters: Guitars, drums and African vocals for the 1993 Mogadishu battle.

Director
Ridley Scott
Box office
$173 million on a $92 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 77%
Batman Begins poster

No. 10 · 2005 · Film · 2h 20m

Batman Begins

Driven by tragedy, billionaire Bruce Wayne dedicates his life to uncovering and defeating the corruption that plagues his home, Gotham City. Unable to work within the system, he instead creates a new identity, a symbol of fear for the criminal underworld - The Batman.

Why it matters: Christopher Nolan's origin story; starts the Dark Knight trilogy.

Box office
$374 million on a $150 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 85%
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest poster

No. 11 · 2006 · Film · 2h 31m

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Captain Jack Sparrow’s got a blood debt to pay: he owes his soul to the legendary Davy Jones, ghastly Ruler of the Ocean Depths. To escape eternal servitude aboard the Flying Dutchman, ever-crafty Jack must track down the still-beating heart of Jones. But he won’t do it alone: Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann are drawn back into another one of his perilous quests—assuming they can evade execution for aiding a pirate.

Why it matters: Davy Jones; leads straight into At World's End.

Box office
$1.07 billion on a $200 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 53%
The Da Vinci Code poster

No. 12 · 2006 · Film · 2h 29m

The Da Vinci Code

A murder in Paris’ Louvre Museum and cryptic clues in some of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous paintings lead to the discovery of a religious mystery. For 2,000 years a secret society closely guards information that — should it come to light — could rock the very foundations of Christianity.

Why it matters: Ron Howard's Dan Brown thriller; ends on "Chevaliers de Sangreal".

Director
Ron Howard
Box office
$760 million on a $125 million budget
Scores
IMDb 6.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 25%
Kung Fu Panda poster

No. 13 · 2008 · Film · 1h 30m

Kung Fu Panda

Chosen by prophecy but doubted by all, Po is an unlikely choice for the mystical title of the Dragon Warrior—a clumsy panda thrust into the world of kung fu as a deadly enemy threatens the Valley of Peace. Under reluctant guidance by Master Shifu and the Furious Five, Po must embrace who he is to unlock the power that no scroll can teach.

Why it matters: Po becomes the Dragon Warrior.

Director
Mark Osborne and John Stevenson
Box office
$632 million on a $130 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 87%
The Dark Knight poster

No. 14 · 2008 · Film · 2h 32m

The Dark Knight

Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.

Why it matters: Heath Ledger's Joker; the trilogy's centrepiece.

Box office
$1.01 billion on a $185 million budget
Scores
IMDb 9.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 94%
Sherlock Holmes poster

No. 15 · 2009 · Film · 2h 9m

Sherlock Holmes

Eccentric consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson battle to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy England.

Why it matters: Cimbalom, banjo and detuned piano; earned an Oscar nomination.

Director
Guy Ritchie
Box office
$524 million on a $90 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 69%
Inception poster

No. 16 · 2010 · Film · 2h 28m

Inception

Cobb, a skilled thief who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: "inception", the implantation of another person's idea into a target's subconscious.

Why it matters: A heist inside dreams.

Box office
$839 million on a $160 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 86%
Man of Steel poster

No. 17 · 2013 · Film · 2h 23m

Man of Steel

A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

Why it matters: Henry Cavill's Superman begins the DC Extended Universe.

Director
Zack Snyder
Box office
$668 million on a $225 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 57%
12 Years a Slave poster

No. 18 · 2013 · Film · 2h 14m

12 Years a Slave

In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist will forever alter his life.

Why it matters: Steve McQueen's Best Picture winner, scored sparingly.

Director
Steve McQueen
Box office
$187 million on a $20 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 95%
Interstellar poster

No. 19 · 2014 · Film · 2h 49m

Interstellar

The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.

Why it matters: Through a wormhole to save humanity.

Box office
$747 million on a $165 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 73%
Dunkirk poster

No. 20 · 2017 · Film · 1h 47m

Dunkirk

The story of the miraculous evacuation of Allied soldiers from Belgium, Britain, Canada and France, who were cut off and surrounded by the German army from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk between May 26th and June 4th 1940 during World War II.

Why it matters: A ticking pocket watch and a rising Shepard tone drive Nolan's evacuation film.

Box office
$549 million on a $150 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 92%
Blade Runner 2049 poster

No. 21 · 2017 · Film · 2h 44m

Blade Runner 2049

Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.

Why it matters: K uncovers a secret 30 years later; Deckard returns.

Box office
$259 million on a $150 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8 · Rotten Tomatoes 88%
Dune poster

No. 22 · 2021 · Film · 2h 35m

Dune

Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence - a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential - only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

Why it matters: Paul Atreides arrives on Arrakis; the place to start.

Box office
$411 million on a $165 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8 · Rotten Tomatoes 83%
Top Gun: Maverick poster

No. 23 · 2022 · Film · 2h 11m

Top Gun: Maverick

After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell finds himself training a detachment of TOP GUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen.

Why it matters: With Lorne Balfe and Harold Faltermeyer; the 1986 anthem returns.

Box office
$1.49 billion on a $170 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 96%
Dune: Part Two poster

No. 24 · 2024 · Film · 2h 47m

Dune: Part Two

Follow the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, Paul endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

Why it matters: Paul joins the Fremen; finishes the first novel.

Box office
$715 million on a $190 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 92%
F1 poster

No. 25 · 2025 · Film · 2h 36m

F1

Racing legend Sonny Hayes is coaxed out of retirement to lead a struggling Formula 1 team—and mentor a young hotshot driver—while chasing one more chance at glory.

Why it matters: Written with Steve Mazzaro for Brad Pitt's Formula One drama.

Box office
$634 million on a $300 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 82%

Hans Zimmer box office and budgets

The 25 Hans Zimmer films with reported numbers have grossed $13.5 billion worldwide on about $3.11 billion in combined budgets, roughly 4.3 times what they cost. The biggest is Top Gun: Maverick at $1.49 billion, 11% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ($1.07 billion) and The Dark Knight ($1.01 billion).

Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to The Lion King, which made 17 times its $45 million budget. The weakest was Blade Runner 2049 at 1.7 times its $150 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.

Worldwide box office and production budget, top 20 filmsBox office Budget
  1. Top Gun: Maverick 2022 $1.49B / $170M
  2. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest 2006 $1.07B / $200M
  3. The Dark Knight 2008 $1.01B / $185M
  4. Inception 2010 $839M / $160M
  5. The Lion King 1994 $763M / $45M
  6. The Da Vinci Code 2006 $760M / $125M
  7. Interstellar 2014 $747M / $165M
  8. Dune: Part Two 2024 $715M / $190M
  9. Man of Steel 2013 $668M / $225M
  10. F1 2025 $634M / $300M
  11. Kung Fu Panda 2008 $632M / $130M
  12. Dunkirk 2017 $549M / $150M
  13. Sherlock Holmes 2009 $524M / $90M
  14. Gladiator 2000 $466M / $103M
  15. Dune 2021 $411M / $165M
  16. Batman Begins 2005 $374M / $150M
  17. Rain Man 1988 $355M / $25M
  18. The Rock 1996 $335M / $75M
  19. Blade Runner 2049 2017 $259M / $150M
  20. The Prince of Egypt 1998 $219M / $70M

The best and worst rated Hans Zimmer movies

Across 25 rated titles, Hans Zimmer averages 7.9 on IMDb. The top of the list is The Dark Knight at 9.1, then Inception (8.8) and Interstellar (8.7). At the bottom: The Da Vinci Code (6.7) and Man of Steel (7.1). Money and quality don't line up perfectly: the highest grosser, Top Gun: Maverick, is only the 8th best rated.

IMDb score of every Hans Zimmer title, in release order (1988 to 2025)
678910 Rain Man (1988): 8Thelma & Louise (1991): 7.6The Lion King (1994): 8.5Crimson Tide (1995): 7.4The Rock (1996): 7.4The Prince of Egypt (1998): 7.3The Thin Red Line (1998): 7.6Gladiator (2000): 8.5Black Hawk Down (2001): 7.7Batman Begins (2005): 8.2Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006): 7.4The Da Vinci Code (2006): 6.7Kung Fu Panda (2008): 7.6The Dark Knight (2008): 9.1Sherlock Holmes (2009): 7.5Inception (2010): 8.8Man of Steel (2013): 7.112 Years a Slave (2013): 8.1Interstellar (2014): 8.7Dunkirk (2017): 7.8Blade Runner 2049 (2017): 8Dune (2021): 8Top Gun: Maverick (2022): 8.2Dune: Part Two (2024): 8.4F1 (2025): 7.6 The Dark Knight 9.1The Da Vinci Code 6.7
  1. The Dark Knight9.1 · RT 94%
  2. Inception8.8 · RT 86%
  3. Interstellar8.7 · RT 73%
  4. The Lion King8.5 · RT 92%
  5. Gladiator8.5 · RT 80%
  6. Dune: Part Two8.4 · RT 92%
  7. Batman Begins8.2 · RT 85%
  8. Top Gun: Maverick8.2 · RT 96%
  9. 12 Years a Slave8.1 · RT 95%
  10. Rain Man8 · RT 88%

Who appears in the most Hans Zimmer movies

Michael Caine leads with 4 appearances as Alfred and Stephen Miles, ahead of Cillian Murphy (4) and Brad Pitt (3). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.

ActorRoleTitlesFirst and latest
Michael CaineAlfred / Stephen Miles4Batman Begins (2005) to Interstellar (2014)
Cillian MurphyDr. Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow4Batman Begins (2005) to Dunkirk (2017)
Brad PittJ.D. / Samuel Bass3Thelma & Louise (1991) to F1 (2025)
Stellan SkarsgårdBootstrap Bill / Baron Vladimir Harkonnen3Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) to Dune: Part Two (2024)
Dave BautistaSapper Morton / Beast Rabban Harkonnen3Blade Runner 2049 (2017) to Dune: Part Two (2024)
Javier BardemStilgar / Ruben Cervantes3Dune (2021) to F1 (2025)
Dustin HoffmanRaymond Babbitt / Shifu2Rain Man (1988) to Kung Fu Panda (2008)
Tom CruiseCharlie Babbitt / Capt. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell2Rain Man (1988) to Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Lucinda JenneyIris / Lena, the Waitress2Rain Man (1988) to Thelma & Louise (1991)
Val KilmerMoses / Adm. Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky2The Prince of Egypt (1998) to Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Russell CroweMaximus / Jor-El2Gladiator (2000) to Man of Steel (2013)
Christian BaleBruce Wayne / Batman2Batman Begins (2005) to The Dark Knight (2008)

Hans Zimmer directors and creators

20 filmmakers have directed or created Hans Zimmer; Christopher Nolan has the most, with 5.

How long it takes to watch every Hans Zimmer movie

All 25 titles add up to 58 hours. That is about 29 two-hour evenings, or 6 days of ten-hour binges. The longest film is The Thin Red Line at 2h 51m.

Watch time by phase
  1. The '80s 2h 14m 1 title
  2. The '90s 12h 22m 6 titles
  3. The 2000s 18h 31m 8 titles
  4. The 2010s 14h 25m 6 titles
  5. The 2020s 10h 9m 4 titles
A weekend

The 4 best rated films: The Dark Knight, Inception, Interstellar, and The Lion King.

An hour a day

Everything takes about 9 weeks.

Before the next one

Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.

Upcoming Hans Zimmer movies

Common questions

What order should I watch the Hans Zimmer movies in?

These are the films Hans Zimmer scored, in release order, from Rain Man (1988) and The Lion King (1994) through Gladiator, The Dark Knight and Inception to Interstellar, Dune: Part Two (2024) and F1 (2025).

How many Hans Zimmer movies and shows are there?

There are 25 titles in the Hans Zimmer franchise: 25 films and 0 series, released from 1988 to 2025. 3 more are announced: Gladiator III, Top Gun 3, and Untitled F1 Sequel.

How long does it take to watch all the Hans Zimmer movies?

About 58 hours for all 25 titles, counting every episode.

What is the first Hans Zimmer title in chronological order?

Rain Man, set in His first Oscar nomination. In release order the first is Rain Man (1988).

What is the next Hans Zimmer release?

Gladiator III, date to be announced.

What is the best Hans Zimmer movie?

By IMDb score, The Dark Knight (2008) at 9.1, followed by Inception at 8.8.

What is the highest-grossing Hans Zimmer movie?

Top Gun: Maverick (2022), with $1.49 billion worldwide. Hans Zimmer films have made $13.5 billion in total.

Who has appeared in the most Hans Zimmer movies?

Michael Caine, in 4 of them as Alfred.

What is the longest Hans Zimmer movie?

The Thin Red Line, at 2h 51m.

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