The best historical film of every year
The highest-scoring historical film from each year, scored 0–100 on IMDb ratings, critics, major awards and box office against every film from the same year. Pick a year for its full list of historical films.
- 2026: Michael Score 74.7 · 8 historical films
- 2025: Hamnet Score 78.4 · 19 historical films
- 2024: I'm Still Here Score 75.3 · 24 historical films
- 2023: Oppenheimer Score 97.2 · 40 historical films
- 2022: All Quiet on the Western Front Score 72.5 · 20 historical films
- 2021: The Last Duel Score 65.0 · 20 historical films
- 2020: Hamilton Score 73.5 · 23 historical films
- 2019: Dark Waters Score 63.2 · 32 historical films
- 2018: First Man Score 76.0 · 35 historical films
- 2017: Dunkirk Score 88.2 · 38 historical films
- 2016: Hacksaw Ridge Score 78.7 · 33 historical films
- 2015: Bridge of Spies Score 79.4 · 28 historical films
- 2014: Selma Score 74.0 · 28 historical films
- 2013: 12 Years a Slave Score 88.2 · 19 historical films
- 2012: Lincoln Score 89.5 · 20 historical films
- 2011: War Horse Score 71.8 · 17 historical films
- 2010: The King's Speech Score 96.2 · 21 historical films
- 2009: Invictus Score 71.0 · 14 historical films
- 2008: Milk Score 76.7 · 21 historical films
- 2007: Lust, Caution Score 66.7 · 14 historical films
- 2006: United 93 Score 73.3 · 17 historical films
- 2005: Good Night, and Good Luck. Score 74.7 · 14 historical films
- 2004: Downfall Score 71.6 · 8 historical films
- 2003: Seabiscuit Score 68.9 · 8 historical films
- 2002: We Were Soldiers Score 62.4 · 7 historical films
- 2001: Black Hawk Down Score 78.0 · 7 historical films
- 2000: Thirteen Days Score 60.1 · 6 historical films
- 1999: The Insider Score 76.6 · 11 historical films
- 1998: Shakespeare in Love Score 90.5 · 7 historical films
- 1997: Amistad Score 62.3 · 8 historical films
- 1996: Michael Collins Score 57.9 · 9 historical films
- 1995: Apollo 13 Score 86.1 · 5 historical films
- 1994: Quiz Show Score 70.2 · 4 historical films
- 1993: Schindler's List Score 98.6 · 7 historical films
- 1992: Malcolm X Score 71.1 · 3 historical films
- 1991: JFK Score 83.6 · 2 historical films
- 1990: Cyrano de Bergerac Score 63.4 · 3 historical films
- 1989: Glory Score 80.2 · 8 historical films
- 1988: Red Sorghum Score 57.0 · 5 historical films
- 1987: The Last Emperor Score 88.3 · 4 historical films
- 1986: The Mission Score 73.9 · 4 historical films
- 1985: The Official Story Score 62.2 · 3 historical films
- 1984: The Killing Fields Score 76.8 · 4 historical films
- 1983: Silkwood Score 61.4 · 3 historical films
- 1982: Gandhi Score 92.5 · 2 historical films
- 1981: Reds Score 85.7 · 5 historical films
- 1980: Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior Score 64.8 · 4 historical films
- 1979: Caligula Score 14.5 · 1 historical film
- 1978: The Tree of Wooden Clogs Score 62.2 · 1 historical film
- 1977: A Bridge Too Far Score 59.8 · 3 historical films
- 1976: All the President's Men Score 92.5 · 7 historical films
- 1975: The Story of Adele H Score 47.5 · 2 historical films
- 1974: The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser Score 57.9 · 2 historical films
- 1973: Jesus Christ Superstar Score 53.4 · 2 historical films
- 1972: 1776 Score 51.0 · 4 historical films
- 1971: The Emigrants Score 60.9 · 7 historical films
- 1970: Woodstock Score 78.0 · 5 historical films
- 1969: The Color of Pomegranates Score 54.9 · 3 historical films
- 1968: The Lion in Winter Score 79.7 · 2 historical films
- 1967: Marketa Lazarová Score 56.6 · 3 historical films
- 1966: A Man for All Seasons Score 90.2 · 4 historical films
- 1965: Chimes at Midnight Score 55.2 · 5 historical films
- 1964: Becket Score 64.1 · 6 historical films
- 1963: The Leopard Score 67.6 · 3 historical films
- 1962: The Longest Day Score 72.3 · 6 historical films
- 1961: Judgment at Nuremberg Score 75.9 · 4 historical films
- 1960: Inherit the Wind Score 63.0 · 4 historical films
- 1959: The Bridge Score 57.2 · 3 historical films
- 1958: A Night to Remember Score 61.6 · 2 historical films
- 1957: Sissi: The Fateful Years of an Empress Score 31.6 · 1 historical film
- 1956: Anastasia Score 51.7 · 2 historical films
- 1955: Pather Panchali Score 59.8 · 5 historical films
- 1953: Julius Caesar Score 58.7 · 3 historical films
- 1952: Viva Zapata! Score 39.0 · 1 historical film
- 1949: Battleground Score 57.7 · 2 historical films
- 1948: Macbeth Score 44.0 · 1 historical film
- 1946: Ivan the Terrible, Part II: The Boyars' Plot Score 54.4 · 2 historical films
- 1944: Ivan the Terrible, Part I Score 56.7 · 3 historical films
- 1943: Day of Wrath Score 62.7 · 2 historical films
- 1941: Sergeant York Score 79.1 · 2 historical films
- 1940: The Sea Hawk Score 57.1 · 1 historical film
- 1939: The Four Feathers Score 44.9 · 2 historical films
- 1935: Captain Blood Score 59.8 · 3 historical films
- 1934: The Scarlet Empress Score 55.1 · 2 historical films
- 1933: Queen Christina Score 57.1 · 3 historical films
- 1928: The Passion of Joan of Arc Score 59.4 · 2 historical films
- 1927: Napoleon Score 62.8 · 1 historical film
- 1925: Battleship Potemkin Score 56.2 · 1 historical film
- 1921: Orphans of the Storm Score 58.0 · 1 historical film
- 1916: Intolerance Score 99.4 · 1 historical film