Ethan Hawke had his best year at the box office since 1989

Ethan Hawke hits 24-year career high

Actor Ethan Hawke has had a pretty sensational year with 3 very different film releases earning collectively over $83 million at the box office.

From 'Before Midnight' to 'The Purge' and 'Getaway', Hawke's career went to near record highs this year, and even outpaced box office earnings in 2001, where he starred in 'Training Day' opposite Denzel Washington. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the gritty, hard-hitting thriller grossed $76 million and Denzel Washington subsequently won an Oscar for his portrayal of Detective Alonzo Harris.

In total, Hawke played in 3 films that year, but they didn't gross over $81 million, making this year his best since 'Dead Poets Society'.

Back in 1989, Hawke starred in 'Dad' and 'Dead Poet's Society' which collectively grossed over $117 million. Both films opened in just over 1000 theaters, but it was Peter Weir's classic that really gave Hawke a career high, where he starred opposite Robin Williams in a film about an English teacher, Peter Keating, who inspired his students to break with tradition and join the 'Dead Poets Society'.

The Purge

This year, Hawke's outing in 'The Purge' was hailed as a huge success as it gained over $64 million at the box office, while the film's budget was estimated to be no more than $3 million. 'The Purge 2' is currently in the works, and will be directed by James DeMonaco.

Before Midnight Trailer

Hawke also starred in 'Before Midnight', opposite Julie Delpy, which continues the story of 'Before Sunset' which came out in 2004. Jesse and Celine decide to go on a trip to Greece nearly 20 years after they first met. The film grossed $3 million more at the box office than the previous film and was a critical success.

The only downside this year was 'Getaway', where Hawke starred in a dark hostage drama opposite Selena Gomez. The film's casting and story, rather than his performance, led to a poor reception and a less than stellar box office haul.

However, despite the recent set back, 2013 overall has been a fantastic year for the actor, and his best at the box office since 1989. Can he top it in 2014?

Hawke currently has several projects in motion including 'Predestination' which follows the life of a time-travelling agent. Also in post-production is a modern day interpretation of William Shakespeare's 'Cymbeline', which he stars in along with Milla Jovovich and Ed Harris.