American Gangster
“There are two sides to the American dream.”
Synopsis
Loosely based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, a gangster from La Grange, North Carolina, who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War, before being detained by a task force led by Newark Detective Richie Roberts.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Frank Lucas Snitches on Corrupt PoliceOfficial
Type: Clip • Published 2026-05-09
Top Cast
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Denzel Washington
Frank Lucas
Russell Crowe
Richie Roberts
Josh Brolin
Detective Trupo
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Huey Lucas
Cuba Gooding Jr.
Nicky Barnes
Lymari Nadal
Eva
Ted Levine
Lou Toback
Armand Assante
Dominic Cattano
John Ortiz
Javier J. Rivera
John Hawkes
Freddie Spearman
RZA
Moses Jones
Yul Vazquez
Alfonso Abruzzo
Ruby Dee
Mama Lucas
Idris Elba
Tango
Carla Gugino
Laurie Roberts
Joe Morton
Charlie Williams
Common
Turner Lucas
Ritchie Coster
Joey Sadano
Release History & Theatrical Window
Leids Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
November 2, 2007
Wide Cinema Exhibition
February 19, 2008
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$100M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$269.8M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
2.7x
+$169.8M net gain
Theatrical Status
Profitable
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Ridley Scott
- Screenplay & Story
- Steven Zaillian
- Original Score
- Marc Streitenfeld
- Original Title
- American Gangster
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 37m
- Production Budget
- $100M
- Worldwide Gross
- $269.8M
- Production Studios
- Film Rites, Imagine Entertainment, Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, Scott Free Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Ridley Scott
Steven Zaillian, Mark Jacobson
Marc Streitenfeld
Harris Savides
Pietro Scalia
Michael Costigan, Branko Lustig, Brian Grazer, Jim Whitaker, Ridley Scott
Department Leadership Roster
Brian Grazer
Producer
Ridley Scott
Director
Pietro Scalia
Editor
Harris Savides
Director of Photography
Steven Zaillian
Screenplay
Ridley Scott
Producer
Marc Streitenfeld
Original Music Composer
Arthur Max
Production Design
Janty Yates
Costume Design
G.A. Aguilar
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Restricted to Adults (18+).
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for American Gangster.
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Frequently Asked Questions About American Gangster
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is American Gangster about?
Loosely based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, a gangster from La Grange, North Carolina, who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War, before being detained by a task force led by Newark Detective Richie Roberts.
Who directed American Gangster?
American Gangster was directed by Ridley Scott.
Who stars in American Gangster?
The principal cast of American Gangster includes Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Josh Brolin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cuba Gooding Jr..
When was American Gangster released and how long is it?
American Gangster was released in 2007 with a total runtime of 2h 37m.
What was the box office and production budget of American Gangster?
American Gangster had a reported production budget of $100M and grossed $269.8M at the worldwide box office (2.7 return on budget, classified as a commercial hit).
Who composed the musical score for American Gangster?
The original motion picture soundtrack for American Gangster was composed by Marc Streitenfeld.
What is the age rating and content advisory for American Gangster?
American Gangster holds official age classifications: AU: MA 15+; CA: 18A; DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: TP; GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); IN: A (Restricted to Adults (18+).); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).