The Best Ewan McGregor Movies

Ranker Film
Updated October 1, 2023 5.4K votes 773 voters 31.2K views
Over 700 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Ewan McGregor Movies
Voting Rules
Vote for your favorite movies, regardless of critic reviews or how big the role was.

List of the best Ewan McGregor movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Ewan McGregor's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top Ewan McGregor movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Ewan McGregor movies will be at the top of the list. Ewan McGregor has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Ewan McGregor movie of all time is.

Moulin Rouge! and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen are few examples of the movies in Ewan McGregor's filmography. Some notable Ewan McGregor roles include Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels and heroin addict Mark Renton in Trainspotting and T2: Trainspotting.

If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Ewan McGregor films to end the squabble once and for all. If you think the best Ewan McGregor role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Ewan McGregor performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand. 

Notable directors that have worked with Ewan McGregor include names like Ron Howard, George Lucas and Michael Bay. Ewan McGregor has been in some really popular films, and is right up there with stars like Chris Cooper and Sting in terms of fame and success.

Most divisive: Beauty and the Beast
Ranked by
  • Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
    1

    Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

    Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen
    358 votes
    • Released: 2005
    • Directed by: George Lucas
    In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, an epic space opera, a dark transformation unfolds. Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) is caught in a web of treachery and manipulation, pulling him away from his mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). The Galactic Republic crumbles under Chancellor Palpatine's (Ian McDiarmid) sinister designs. A tragic tale of friendship and loyalty, it marks the birth of Darth Vader and the rise of the Empire. This third installment in George Lucas's prequel trilogy won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Movie Drama in 2006.
  • Moulin Rouge!
    2

    Moulin Rouge!

    Nicole Kidman, Ozzy Osbourne, Kylie Minogue
    330 votes
    • Released: 2001
    • Directed by: Baz Luhrmann
    Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 Australian–American pastiche-jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It tells the story of a young English poet/writer, Christian, who falls in love with the terminally-ill star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and courtesan Satine. It uses the musical setting of the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France. At the 74th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Nicole Kidman, winning two: for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. It was the first musical nominated for Best Picture in 10 years, following Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

    Available On:

    subscription

    free

  • Big Fish
    3

    Big Fish

    Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup
    268 votes
    • Released: 2003
    • Directed by: Tim Burton
    In the whimsical fantasy drama Big Fish, Edward Bloom (Ewan McGregor) weaves tall tales of his extraordinary adventures, peppered with a touch of magic and heaps of charm. As an old man (Albert Finney), Bloom's grown son Will (Billy Crudup) is grappling to unravel truth from fiction in his father's stories - a journey that takes him through a tapestry of imaginative narratives. Directed by Tim Burton, this movie sways between reality and surrealism, enveloping viewers in a world where giants roam and fish talk. A heartwarming exploration of life, love, and the power of storytelling, Big Fish was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score.

    Available On:

    subscription

  • Trainspotting
    4

    Trainspotting

    Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller
    330 votes
    • Released: 1996
    • Directed by: Danny Boyle
    In the gritty, raw film Trainspotting, Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) grapples with addiction in Edinburgh's drug-riddled underbelly. Accompanied by a motley crew of friends - Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), Begbie (Robert Carlyle), Spud (Ewen Bremner), and Tommy (Kevin McKidd) - Renton navigates a world steeped in danger and chaos. Director Danny Boyle masterfully explores themes of friendship, betrayal, and the brutal realities of substance abuse in this darkly comic drama. Acclaimed for its unflinching portrayal of addiction, Trainspotting is a hard-hitting cultural phenomenon that won the BAFTA award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

    Available On:

    subscription

  • The Island
    5

    The Island

    Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Djimon Hounsou
    210 votes
    • Released: 2005
    • Directed by: Michael Bay
    In The Island, Lincoln Six Echo (Ewan McGregor) and Jordan Two Delta (Scarlett Johansson), reside in a controlled, utopian society of the mid-21st century. Life seems idyllic until Lincoln begins questioning their existence, uncovering a disturbing truth about their purpose. They escape this fabricated paradise to seek answers in the real world, pursued relentlessly by the authorities. Directed by Michael Bay, this sci-fi thriller delves into concepts of humanity and identity, presenting a future that is as captivating as it is terrifying. The film was nominated for Best Single Visual Effect of the Year at the VES Awards.

    Available On:

    free

  • The Impossible
    6

    The Impossible

    Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland
    187 votes
    • Released: 2012
    • Directed by: Juan Antonio Bayona
    In December 2004, close-knit family Maria (Naomi Watts), Henry (Ewan McGregor) and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand. But the day after Christmas, the idyllic holiday turns into an incomprehensible nightmare when a terrifying roar rises from the depths of the sea, followed by a wall of black water that devours everything in its path. Though Maria and her family face their darkest hour, unexpected displays of kindness and courage ameliorate their terror.

    Available On:

    subscription

    free