6 Best Oscar Best Picture Winners of the 2000s

By Vlad Zakh · June 15, 2026

The Academy Award for Best Picture in the 2000s crowned a decade of sweeping epics, gritty crime dramas, and searing character studies. In The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003): The final battle for Middle-earth unfolds as a hobbit carries an ancient burden to its fiery destruction. Equally memorable is Gladiator (2000): A betrayed Roman general fights his way up through the ranks of gladiators to seek revenge against the emperor who wronged him.

The Hurt Locker (2008)

TMDB ★ 7.4

An elite Army bomb disposal team navigates the constant, life-threatening danger of the Iraq War.

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow · 2h 11m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Departed (2006)

IMDb ★ 8.5 RT 91% Metacritic 85

An undercover cop and a mob informant within the police force race to expose each other before it's too late.

Directed by Martin Scorsese · 2h 31m · Rated R

Won 4 Oscars100 wins & 141 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 90% Metacritic 86

An aging boxing trainer reluctantly takes on a determined female fighter, forming an unbreakable bond.

Directed by Clint Eastwood · 2h 12m · Rated PG-13

Won 4 Oscars68 wins & 86 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

IMDb ★ 9.0 RT 94% Metacritic 94

The final battle for Middle-earth unfolds as a hobbit carries an ancient burden to its fiery destruction.

Directed by Peter Jackson · 3h 21m · Rated PG-13

Won 11 Oscars215 wins & 124 nominations

Where to watch

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Chicago (2002)

IMDb ★ 7.2 RT 87% Metacritic 81

Two rival murderesses compete for fame and a lighter sentence in the media circus of 1920s Chicago.

Directed by Rob Marshall · 1h 53m · Rated PG-13

Won 6 Oscars60 wins & 129 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Gladiator (2000)

IMDb ★ 8.5 RT 80% Metacritic 67

A betrayed Roman general fights his way up through the ranks of gladiators to seek revenge against the emperor who wronged him.

Directed by Ridley Scott · 2h 35m · Rated R

Won 5 Oscars61 wins & 105 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Kanopy, YouTube TV · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

6 Best Oscar Best Picture Winners of the 2000s

The Hurt Locker (2008)

The Departed (2006)

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Chicago (2002)

Gladiator (2000)

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