'' American Gangster '' premiered in New York on October 20 , 2007 , and was released in the United States and Canada on November 2 . The film was well received by most film critics , and grossed over US$ 266.5 million worldwide , with domestic grosses standing at $ 130.1 million . Many of the people portrayed , including Roberts and Lucas , have stated that the film took a lot of creative license with the story , and three former DEA agents sued Universal claiming the agency 's portrayal was demoralizing . '' American Gangster '' was nominated for twenty-one awards , including two Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Supporting Actress ( Ruby Dee ) , and won three including a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for Dee
Screen Actors Guild Award
14th Screen Actors Guild Awards
American Gangster (film)