Humphrey Bogart in a cast list at the trailer's end. Robinson's role is evocative of Duke Mantee in "The Petrified Forest" (1936), a Bogart leading man breakthrough the studio had originally earmarked for Robinson. The enormous success of "Casablanca" redefined Bogart's career. For the first time, Bogart could be cast successfully as both a tough, strong man and vulnerable love interest. Despite his elevated standing, he did not yet have a contractual right of script refusal. When he got weak scripts he simply dug in his heels and locked horns again with the front office, as he did on the film "Conflict"
American Gangster (film) placing the film first in the weekend box office. It marked the biggest opening weekend out of any film in both Washington and Crowe's careers. In its second week, grosses declined by 44.8 percent to $24 million, being beaten out by "Bee Movie". In contrast by its third week, screenings for "American Gangster" increased to 3,110 theaters as the film surpassed the $100 million mark. "American Gangster" finished its box office run in North America with $130,164,645. The film experienced similar success overseas. "American Gangster" was released in the United Kingdom on November 16, and became the highest-grossing film of