‘Flight Risk’ Pushes Mark Wahlberg Past Denzel Washington at the Worldwide Box Office

While Mark Wahlberg‘s Flight Risk may not rank highly with audiences, it did earn him a new ranking elsewhere. The action thriller premiered in theaters last weekend and overtook Mufasa: The Lion King at the box office, grossing over $13 million. This latest role helped Wahlberg overtake another Hollywood legend, Denzel Washington, on a list of the highest-grossing stars of all time, per The Numbers. While both actors sit at $2.7 billion earned at the domestic box office, Wahlberg now holds the #40 spot.

Flight Risk follows the story of a U.S. Marshall transferring a witness to New York on a small plane across the Alaskan wilderness. However, tensions rise as he realizes the other passengers are not who they pretend to be. Michelle Dockery, Topher Grace, Leah Remini, Monib Abhat, and Paul Ben-Viktor round out the cast with Mel Gibson directing.

The film currently sits at a shocking 26% critics score and a slightly more generous but still underwhelming 64% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. This entry is the latest in a run of low-rated films for Wahlberg. He recently starred in the heartfelt drama, Arthur the King, alongside Marvel star Simu Liu which received a 69% critics’ score. Last year, Netflix’s The Union saw Wahlberg team up with Halle Berry in the high-stakes world of espionage but only managed a 38% score. Apple TV+ also announced that a sequel to 2023’s The Family Plan is in the works despite the 27% it earned on Rotten Tomatoes.

Will Denzel Washington Reclaim His Spot?

Samuel L. Jackson tops the list of highest earners at the box office, with his Marvel Cinematic Universe appearances contributing a huge amount to his $5.8 billion earned. The rest of the top ten is filled with a few more Marvel stars; Robert Downey, Jr. Chris Pratt, Scarlett Johansson, Zoe Saldaña (who has also benefited from appearing in James Cameron’s Avatar movies), Bradley Cooper, and Chris Hemsworth, and Hollywood legends Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, and Harrison Ford. In order to claim or defend their ranks, Wahlberg and Washington would have to appear in another box office smash.

Denzel shocked fans with retirement rumors during the 2024 Gladiator II press run. However, the two-time Academy Award winner clarified his comments to the Today Show Australia,

“For me, it’s about the filmmaker, especially this point in my career. I’m only interested in working with the best. I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make – probably not that many. I want to do things I haven’t done. I played Othello at 22. I’m about to play Othello at 70. After that, I’m playing Hannibal. After that, I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that, Ryan Coogler is writing a part for me in the next Black Panther. After that, I’m going to do the film Othello. After that, I’m going to do King Lear. After that, I’m going to retire.”

Fans can’t wait to see Washington in Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther 3, which would greatly contribute to his attempt to reclaim his place on the chart from Wahlberg. Even more exciting is Washington’s interest in getting behind the camera. For now, Washington is set to take the Broadway stage this year alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in William Shakespeare’s Othello this winter.

Related

‘Gladiator II’ Just Set a Huge Record for Denzel Washington

‘Gladiator II’ was one of three films driving business over the Thanksgiving Day holiday and now it’s Denzel Washington’s highest-grossing movie.

This is a landmark revival as the last Broadway production of the play ran over 40 years ago, in 1982. James Earl Jones then starred as Othello. Now, Washington picks up the mantle of the titular role while Gyllenhaal portrays the vengeful Iago. People reported the exclusive with photographs from the first day of rehearsals. Washington made his Broadway debut in the 1988 play Checkmates. He has since appeared in Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Richard III, Julius Caesar, a revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, a revival of August Wilson’s Fences, for which he won a Tony Award, and more. Tony award-winner Kenny Leon will direct the production. Performances begin this February at the Barrymore Theater in New York City.

Flight Risk

1.5
/5

Release Date

January 24, 2025

Runtime

91 Minutes

Writers

Jared Rosenberg

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