Charlie Sheen’s Top 10 Highest-Grossing Movies

Charlie Sheen is one of the most iconic and controversial actors to have ever graced the big screen. Known just as much for his chaotic personal life as he is for his acting roles, he is once again making headlines following the release of the recent tell-all documentary AKA Charlie Sheen on Netflix.

With at least 50 movie credits under his belt, Sheen has proven to be a versatile actor, unafraid to take risks. From the early days of his ’80s Brat Pack era to his work in the Scary Movie franchise, Sheen has appeared in some pretty impressive blockbuster hits, and here we’re counting down his top 10 highest-grossing movies.

‘Young Guns’ (1988)

$56 million

A quintessential ‘80s “brat pack” movie, Young Guns sees Charlie Sheen join an ensemble cast featuring Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, and his brother Emilio Estevez. Loosely inspired by the exploits of Billy the Kid and the Regulators during the Lincoln County War in New Mexico, the movie was met with mixed reviews. While many praised the performances of its cast and enjoyed its blend of action and humor, there was some criticism aimed at its historical inaccuracies.

‘Young Guns’ Infuses the Western Genre with a Dose of Action and Humor

Sheen delivers a solid performance as Richard “Dick” Brewer, the founder and original leader of the infamous Regulators posse, although he feels a little underused here, often taking a back seat to Estevez and Phillips. Despite its lukewarm critical feedback, it was considered a box office hit, earning $56 million worldwide on a modest budget of just $11 million.

‘Major League’ (1989)

$75 million

Major League is a classic sports comedy that follows a fictionalized version of the Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball team. Despite feeling somewhat formulaic in parts, its blend of goofy humor and feel-good optimism was a hit with critics and audiences alike.

‘Major League’ Knocked It out of the Park

Delivering everything you could want from a light-hearted sports flick, Major League scored big at the box office, making $75 million on a budget of just $11 million. It has an approval rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and spawned two sequels which, unfortunately, failed to recapture the original’s magic. Sheen returned for Major League II in 1994, which was a minor box office hit but scored a dismal 5% on Rotten Tomatoes. The third installment was released in 1998 without Sheen’s involvement and flopped at the box office.

‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ (1986)

$70.7 million

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is an iconic teen comedy helmed by legendary director John Hughes and starring Matthew Broderick. It is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential movies of its genre and received widespread critical acclaim.

Following the shenanigans of the eponymous character as he skips school with his best friend and girlfriend, one could easily be forgiven for forgetting Charlie Sheen was even in the movie. He plays Garth Volbeck, the juvenile delinquent who is seen briefly flirting with Ferris’ sitter in the police station. Even in such a small role, it’s a fun footnote in his career, and the movie itself went on to become a box office hit, earning $70.7 million.

‘Scary Movie 5’ (2013)

$78.4 million

It has recently been announced that a new Scary Movie is in the works, scheduled for release next year. The last entry was 2013’s Scary Movie 5. Despite being the lowest-grossing movie in the franchise and scoring an appalling 4% on Rotten Tomatoes, it was still considered a box office hit, making $78.4 million on its $20 million budget.

A Brief Cameo

Charlie Sheen’s role in Scary Movie 5 is a brief, gimmicky cameo parodying Paranormal Activity, where he and Lindsay Lohan bumble through an over-the-top ‘sex tape’ gag. The scene devolves into cheap slapstick with Sheen being flung around by a paranormal force before being killed off in a throwaway joke, setting the tone for the rest of the film.

‘The Three Musketeers’ (1993)

$111 million

Alexandre Dumas’ novel The Three Musketeers has been adapted countless times. For many, though, the 1993 iteration starring Charlie Sheen, Keifer Sutherland, and Oliver Platt as the titular musketeers is the definitive version. It’s an action-packed, rollicking good time that never takes itself too seriously.

The Perfect Popcorn Flick

Despite poor reviews from critics who awarded it a meagre 30% on Rotten Tomatoes, the general public’s reaction was far more positive, landing it an audience score of 63%. It may not be “high art” but it’s fun for all ages and is the perfect Saturday night popcorn flick for those looking for a dose of outlandish, swashbuckling escapism.

‘Hot Shots! Part Deux’ (1993)

$133.8 million

Following the commercial success of Hot Shots!, a sequel was almost inevitable. This time around, the filmmakers locked and loaded their sights on the Rambo series, turning the action icon into their next target for parody. Elsewhere, viewers can spot references to movies including Apocalypse Now, Terminator 2, and even Lady and the Tramp. Packed full of silly sight-gags and slapstick shenanigans, the movie has garnered a strong cult following and was a hit at the box office, grossing $133.8 million.

Sheen Flexes His Comedic Chops

Charlie Sheen reprises his role of Sean ‘Topper’ Harley and once again proves that, in his prime, few could match his ability to deliver perfectly timed physical comedy, deadpan humor, and over-the-top action with such effortless charm—evoking the iconic performances of Leslie Nielsen in Airplane! and The Naked Gun, whose comedic DNA runs throughout the Hot Shots! franchise.

‘Platoon’ (1986)

$137.9 million

Easily one of the finest war movies of all time, Platoon is based on director Oliver Stone’s own experience serving in Vietnam. A harrowing exploration of the brutality of war, it follows a new U.S. Army volunteer, played by Sheen, who finds himself caught between two sergeants with opposing approaches to leadership and the nature of conflict.

‘Platoon’ Propelled Sheen into Superstardom

Platoon wowed critics across the board and won 4 Oscars — including Best Picture. It was also a hit at the box office, earning $137.9 million worldwide, and propelling Charlie Sheen from a supporting actor into the realms of superstardom. Serving as his breakthrough role, he expertly balances vulnerability and fear with a powerful sense of resilience, magnificently capturing the chaos and moral complexity of war.

‘Scary Movie 4’ (2006)

$178.3 million

The fourth entry in the franchise — and the second to feature Charlie Sheen — Scary Movie 4 may have been running low on fresh ideas, but public interest was still high, as reflected in its impressive box office performance.

Sheen Was One of Many Celebrity Cameos

Reprising his role of Tom Logan, Sheen makes just a brief cameo appearance along with a whole host of other celebrities, including the likes of Shaquille O’Neal, Dr. Phil, James Earl Jones, and Lil’ Jon. Unfortunately, this overabundance of celebrity guest spots does little to save the movie from feeling tired and uninspired.

‘Hot Shots!’ (1991)

$181 million

Directed by Jim Abrahams, best known as the co-writer and co-director of Airplane!, Hot Shots! offers a similar farcical parody experience, this time spoofing Top Gun as well as 9½ Weeks, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Dances with Wolves, Marathon Man, Rocky, Superman, and Gone with the Wind. Sheen shines in this campy and chaotic caper, helping the movie soar to box office success.

An Iconic Film From an Iconic Actor

Over 30 years later and the role of Lieutenant Sean “Topper” Harley remains among Sheen’s most iconic. While he’d already proven himself as a competent leading man in movies like Platoon and Wall Street, Hot Shots! demonstrates Sheen’s versatility as he combines his natural charisma with crack comedic timing and deadpan delivery, giving an early glimpse into his later comedy work in shows and films like Two and a Half Men, The Scary Movie franchise, and Anger Management.

‘Scary Movie 3’ (2003)

$220.7 million

2003’s horror comedy Scary Movie 3 sees Charlie Sheen taking on the role of Tom Logan – a parody of Mel Gibson’s Graham Hess character from the movie Signs. This film is notable for being the first in the Scary Movie franchise not written by the Wayans brothers and, unlike the first, the comedy here is less plot-driven and more sporadic, relying on quick gags, celebrity spoofs, and absurd physical comedy.

‘Scary Movie 3’ Is Satisfyingly Silly

Despite not performing as well as the first Scary Movie, either commercially or critically, it’s seen as a vast improvement over the second. Finding its niche, it delivers exactly what fans of these over-the-top parody movies are looking for. Spoofing popular movies of the time like The Ring, Signs, The Matrix Reloaded, and 8 Mile, Scary Movie 3 is silly, bombastic, absurd, and proof that sometimes a good, easy laugh is all people really want from a movie.