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The Scottish actor is known for his roles in tough, action movies like 300 and Olympus Has Fallen but he began his college years on track for a law degree. With a love for theatre, Gerard Butler had two choices to make; finish the law degree or move to Los Angeles and try his hand at acting.

We know the choice he made and with a movie star face and slowly gaining recognition through the 90’s and early 2000’s, Butler now boasts a net worth of $40 million according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Let’s take a look at his top grossing films of all time, highlighting Butler’s undeniable talent and ‘bad boy’ persona.

300 – $210 Million

Butler is perhaps best known for his role as King Leonidas of Sparta in the historical piece documenting the events during the Persian War. The film is the story of the Persian invasion under King Xerxes as they try to conquer Greece and the great face-off with the Spartan King along with 300 of his loyal followers. According to IMDb, the film grossed $210.6 million at the box office.

Tomorrow Never Dies – $125 Million

In one of his earlier breakthrough roles, Butler played the leading Seaman on HMS Devonshire. One can assume it wasn’t Butler that caused the 1997 James Bond film to skyrocket in the box office but was a role that helped put him on the map.

Olympus Has Fallen – $99 Million

In the first of the ‘Fallen’ franchise, Butler plays Secret Service Agent Mike Banning and finds himself trapped inside the White House after a terrorist attack and has to work with national security to save the president from his kidnappers.

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The Ugly Truth – $89 Million

In a role that might make you think Butler was trying his softer side, think again. The romantic comedy watches Butler (Mike Chadway) spout misogynistic, negative and sometimes downright crude comments to an uptight television producer played by Katherine Heigl in an attempt to get her to loosen up.

Law Abiding Citizen – $73 Million

The 2009 vigilante thriller follows Clyde Shelton, played by Butler, as he seeks to right a wrong when the killer that murdered his wife and daughter is set free. Butler plays the vigilante opposite Jamie Foxx as the prosecutor, whose life is at stake when Shelton’s idea of justice becomes clear.

The Bounty Hunter – $67 Million

Opposite Jennifer Aniston, Butler plays Milo Boyd, in a romantic comedy that again, highlights his tough guy side, as a bounty hunter who learns that his next target is his ex-wife. After the two come back together, the annoyed but in-love pair are on an adventure to save their lives.

London Has Fallen – $62 Million

In his second most well-known role, Butler stars as Mike Banning alongside Morgan Freeman and Angela Bassett to name a few in the star-studded cast. According to Through The Clutter, Secret Service Agent Banning must work to save the U.S. President against the coordinated terror attacks that left other world leaders dead.

Angel Has Fallen – $60 Million

In another turn as Mike Banning, Butler plays a man framed for the attempted assassination of the President and turns against his own agency and the FBI as he tries to clear his name and find the true culprits of the crime.

P.S. I Love You – $53 Million

In a complete turnaround from Butler’s typical roles, he plays Gerry Kennedy opposite his love, played by Hilary Swank. Butler’s character has passed away but leaves his young wife messages, intended to help her through grief and start a new life.

Nim’s Island – $48 Million

Another film that shows Butler’s softer side is the family film, Nim’s Island. A young girl played by Abigail Breslin lives on an isolated island with her father, played by Butler. The child begins communicating with a reclusive author (Jodie Foster) and the three end up in an adventure of a lifetime.

Reign Of Fire – $43 Million

Marked as a box office flop, the 2002 film wasn’t a success in Hollywood terms, but it put Butler alongside co-stars Matthew McConaughey and Christian Bale, gave Butler the gritty role as Creedy and essentially put the budding actor on the map. The film follows a group of heroes as a fire-breathing dragon begins causing chaos on the planet and establishing dominance, setting everything in sight, ablaze.

Geostorm – $33 Million

In another action-packed film, Butler plays Jake Lawson, a satellite designer who tries to save the world from a storm of malfunctioning climate-controlling satellites. The world is under attack by multiple disasters from tornadoes and tsunami’s while they wait for Butler’s character to save the day.

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Sources: Celebrity Net Worth , IMDb, Through the Clutter