# Every Best Picture winner of the 2000s

> The ten Best Picture winners from the 2001 to the 2010 ceremonies, from Gladiator to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Departed and The Hurt Locker.

Source: https://rankiew.app/blog/best-picture-winners-2000s
Published: 2026-10-24
Author: Rankiew
Tags: oscars, best picture, oscar winners, gladiator, no country for old men

From a Roman arena to the streets of Baghdad, these ten films won Best Picture at the ceremonies from 2001 to 2010. The decade includes the record 11 Oscars for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Martin Scorsese's long-awaited win.

# The ten winners of the decade

## 1. Gladiator (2000)

::film[Gladiator|2000]

A betrayed Roman general returns as a gladiator to avenge his family.

- **Director:** Ridley Scott
- **Genre:** Adventure, History

**Worth it if:** you want a grand historical epic.

**Oscars:** 2001 · Winner: Best Picture

## 2. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

::film[A Beautiful Mind|2001]

Mathematician John Nash struggles with schizophrenia.

- **Director:** Ron Howard
- **Genre:** Biography, Drama

**Worth it if:** you like moving stories about brilliant minds.

**Oscars:** 2002 · Winner: Best Picture

## 3. Chicago (2002)

::film[Chicago|2002]

Two murderesses in 1920s Chicago turn jail into fame.

- **Director:** Rob Marshall
- **Genre:** Musical, Crime

**Worth it if:** you love musicals with a cynical smile.

**Oscars:** 2003 · Winner: Best Picture

## 4. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

::film[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|2003]

The final battle for Middle-earth while Frodo reaches Mount Doom.

- **Director:** Peter Jackson
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Adventure

**Worth it if:** you want the grand finale of a fantasy saga.

**Oscars:** 2004 · Winner: Best Picture

## 5. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

::film[Million Dollar Baby|2004]

An aging trainer reluctantly coaches a young woman boxer.

- **Director:** Clint Eastwood
- **Genre:** Drama

**Worth it if:** you are ready for a sports drama that hits hard.

**Oscars:** 2005 · Winner: Best Picture

## 6. Crash (2004)

::film[Crash|2004]

Lives collide in Los Angeles in stories about racism.

- **Director:** Paul Haggis
- **Genre:** Drama, Crime

**Worth it if:** you enjoy films that spark debate.

**Oscars:** 2006 · Winner: Best Picture

## 7. The Departed (2006)

::film[The Departed|2006]

A cop infiltrates the Boston mob while a mobster infiltrates the police.

- **Director:** Martin Scorsese
- **Genre:** Crime, Thriller

**Worth it if:** you want a tense crime film full of betrayal.

**Oscars:** 2007 · Winner: Best Picture

## 8. No Country for Old Men (2007)

::film[No Country for Old Men|2007]

A hunter finds drug money in Texas and is pursued by a relentless killer.

- **Director:** Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
- **Genre:** Crime, Thriller

**Worth it if:** you want a cold, unforgettable thriller.

**Oscars:** 2008 · Winner: Best Picture

## 9. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

::film[Slumdog Millionaire|2008]

A young man from the Mumbai slums is on the verge of winning a TV quiz.

- **Director:** Danny Boyle
- **Genre:** Drama

**Worth it if:** you want an energetic story about fate and love.

**Oscars:** 2009 · Winner: Best Picture

## 10. The Hurt Locker (2008)

::film[The Hurt Locker|2008]

A bomb disposal sergeant in Iraq becomes addicted to danger.

- **Director:** Kathryn Bigelow
- **Genre:** War, Thriller

**Worth it if:** you want nonstop tension in a war zone.

**Oscars:** 2010 · Winner: Best Picture

# Which film won Best Picture at the end of the decade?

The Hurt Locker closed the decade at the 2010 ceremony, and Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win Best Director.

# Which one is your favorite?

Pick your favorite on Rankiew: rate every film, write reviews, build lists and start clubs to talk movies with friends.

[Create your free Rankiew account](/signup?lang=en)

**More from the series:** [Oscars 2022: every nominee and winner, category by category](/blog/oscars-2022-all-nominees)