American Gangster is a 2007 American biographical crime film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by Steven Zaillian. The film is loosely based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, a gangster from La Grange, North Carolina who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War, before being detained by a task force led by Newark Detective Richie Roberts. The film stars Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, with co-stars Ted Levine, John Ortiz, Josh Brolin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ruby Dee, Lymari Nadal and Cuba Gooding Jr.
Theatrical release poster
Russell Crowe (pictured here in 2017) worked with director Ridley Scott on the film's script.
Many abandoned buildings in Harlem were shot in order to give an accurate and authentic depiction of the area in the 1970s.
The film's premiere was at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
Sir Ridley Scott is an English filmmaker. He is best known for directing films in the science fiction, crime and historical drama genres. His work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. He ranks among the highest-grossing directors and has received many accolades, including the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement in 2018, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003, and appointed a Knight Grand Cross by King Charles III in 2024.
Scott in 2015
Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, Dorset, where Scott filmed the 1973 Hovis television commercial
Portrait of Scott in Berlin in 2005 by German photographer Oliver Mark
Scott speaking with Prometheus stars Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender at Wondercon 2012 in Anaheim, California on 17 March 2012