“Where’s Wallace?” screamed D’Angelo Barksdale (Larry Gilliard Jr.) when he confronted his uncle about the disappearance of his friend, portrayed by a 15-year-old Michael B. Jordan, on the first season of The Wire. And quite frankly, we were asking the same thing, because the moment Jordan made his acting debut, we couldn’t get enough of him. His charm, his sincerity, his presence; everything about him and his performances have been electrifying, and we’re not just talking about the fact that he was voted People’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2020 (although we won’t judge you if that’s the real reason why you’re here).
At the age of thirteen, Jordan got his first major role in the Keanu Reeves baseball film Hardball, which helped him secure a pivotal part in The Wire. The attention he gained from that iconic and beloved crime drama propelled him into a string of scene-stealing guest roles in everything from All My Children (replacing a young Chadwick Boseman), to The Sopranos, to Cold Case, eventually landing him the co-lead role in Friday Night Lights as star quarterback Vince Howard.
Jordan would return to movies in his first box-office hit Chronicle, playing a teenager wrestling with telekinetic powers, and then go on to star in Fruitvale Station as real-life victim Oscar Grant. Fruitvale Station would be the first of his collaborations with Ryan Coogler. Coogler and Jordan have carved out the kind of legendary actor-director partnership that we’ve seen with the likes of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro or Quentin Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson, turning out one critically acclaimed and box office hit after another. First with the Rocky spin-off Creed, then with the Academy Award-winning Marvel smash hit Black Panther, and most recently with the record-breaking, lyrical and bloody Sinners.
What’s next for Jordan? He was bit by the director bug in 2023 when he directed the third installment of the Creed series, and plans to return to the director’s seat with a remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. And while that won’t be out until 2027, you can pass the time by celebrating his defining career and checking out our list! We’ve collected all Michael B. Jordan movies, and sorted them by Tomatometer. See where your favorites rank! — Bryce Marrero
#1
Critics Consensus: A rip-roaring fusion of masterful visual storytelling and toe-tapping music, writer-director Ryan Coogler’s first original blockbuster reveals the full scope of his singular imagination.
#2
Critics Consensus: Black Panther elevates superhero cinema to thrilling new heights while telling one of the MCU’s most absorbing stories — and introducing some of its most fully realized characters.
#3
Critics Consensus: Creed brings the Rocky franchise off the mat for a surprisingly effective seventh round that extends the boxer’s saga in interesting new directions while staying true to its classic predecessors’ roots.
#4
Critics Consensus: Passionate and powerfully acted, Fruitvale Station serves as a celebration of life, a condemnation of death, and a triumph for star Michael B. Jordan.
#5
Critics Consensus: Stepping out from Rocky Balboa’s iconic shadow at last, the Creed franchise reasserts its champion status thanks to star Michael B. Jordan’s punchy direction and a nuanced heel turn by Jonathan Majors.
#6
Critics Consensus: Just Mercy dramatizes a real-life injustice with solid performances, a steady directorial hand, and enough urgency to overcome a certain degree of earnest advocacy.
#7
Critics Consensus: Chronicle transcends its found-footage gimmick with a smart script, fast-paced direction, and engaging performances from the young cast.
#8
Critics Consensus: A poignant tribute that satisfyingly moves the franchise forward, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever marks an ambitious and emotionally rewarding triumph for the MCU.
#9
Critics Consensus: Creed II‘s adherence to franchise formula adds up to a sequel with few true surprises, but its time-tested generational themes still pack a solid punch.
#10
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#11
Critics Consensus: Despite a commanding performance from Michael B. Jordan, Without Remorse fails to escape its outdated patriotic tropes and forced franchise place settings.
#12
Critics Consensus: Although Hardball contains some touching moments, they are not enough to transcend the sports formula.
#13
Critics Consensus: Despite a worthy fact-based story and obvious good intentions, Red Tails suffers from one-dimensional characters, corny dialogue, and heaps of clichés.
#14
Critics Consensus: A Journal for Jordan‘s affecting fact-based story stumbles onscreen thanks to Denzel Washington’s undistinguished direction and overly sentimental approach.
#15
Critics Consensus: Fahrenheit 451 fails to burn as brightly as its classic source material, opting for slickly mundane smoke-blowing over hard-hitting topical edge.
#16
Critics Consensus: Despite LeBron James’ best efforts to make a winning team out of the Tune Squad, Space Jam: A New Legacy trades the zany, meta humor of its predecessor for a shameless, tired exercise in IP-driven branding.
#17
Critics Consensus: Formulaic and unfunny, That Awkward Moment wastes a charming cast on a contrived comedy that falls short of the date movies it seems to be trying to subvert.
#18
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#19
Critics Consensus: Dull and downbeat, this Fantastic Four proves a woefully misguided attempt to translate a classic comic series without the humor, joy, or colorful thrills that made it great.