List of highest-grossing films in the United States by year
This is a listing of the highest-grossing films by year, based on their United States box-office gross. The films are listed by in-year release, rather than the gross they accumulated during a calendar year.[1]
Six different directors have directed the highest-grossing film on multiple occasions: George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Sam Raimi, Robert Zemeckis, and Chris Columbus. Spielberg has the record, directing four of the yearly highest-grossing films: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Jurassic Park (1993), and Saving Private Ryan (1998). Lucas has directed three such films, all of which are part of the Star Wars franchise, which he created: the original Star Wars (1977), and two of its prequels The Phantom Menace (1999), and Revenge of the Sith (2005). James Cameron has also directed three such films: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Titanic (1997), and Avatar (2009). Sam Raimi, Robert Zemeckis and Chris Columbus have directed two each: Spider-Man (2002) and Spider-Man 3 (2007) for Raimi; Back to the Future (1985) and Forrest Gump (1994) for Zemeckis; Home Alone (1990) and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) for Columbus.
Films that are a part of larger film or media franchises are frequently atop the highest-grossing films in the United States. The Star Wars franchise has had the highest-grossing film in 8 different years since 1977. In addition to the five aforementioned which Lucas directed, the franchise has also had The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and The Last Jedi (2015–2017, respectively), top a year. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had four films atop the yearly U.S. box office: The Avengers (2012), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). No Way Home also gave the Spider-Man film franchise its third leading film. Batman films, Harry Potter, Top Gun, and Toy Story are the other franchises with two films to top the U.S. box office in a single year.
By in-year release
The following is the annual listing:
Year | Film | Gross | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
1977 | Star Wars | $221,280,994 | [2] |
1978 | Grease | $159,978,870 | [3] |
1979 | Kramer vs. Kramer | $106,260,000 | [4] |
1980 | The Empire Strikes Back | $209,398,025 | [2] |
1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $212,222,025 | [5] |
1982 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | $359,197,037 | [6] |
1983 | Return of the Jedi | $252,583,617 | [7] |
1984 | Beverly Hills Cop | $234,760,478 | [8] |
1985 | Back to the Future | $210,609,762 | [9] |
1986 | Top Gun | $176,781,728 | [10] |
1987 | Three Men and a Baby | $167,780,960 | [11] |
1988 | Rain Man | $172,825,435 | [12] |
1989 | Batman | $251,188,924 | [13] |
1990 | Home Alone | $285,761,243 | [14] |
1991 | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | $204,843,345 | [15] |
1992 | Aladdin | $217,350,219 | [16] |
1993 | Jurassic Park | $357,067,947 | [17] |
1994 | Forrest Gump | $329,694,499 | [18] |
1995 | Toy Story | $191,796,233 | [19] |
1996 | Independence Day | $306,169,268 | [20] |
1997 | Titanic | $600,788,188 | [21] |
1998 | Saving Private Ryan | $216,540,909 | [22] |
1999 | Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace | $431,088,295 | [23] |
2000 | How the Grinch Stole Christmas | $260,044,825 | [24] |
2001 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | $317,575,550 | [25] |
2002 | Spider-Man | $403,706,375 | [26] |
2003 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | $377,027,325 | [27] |
2004 | Shrek 2 | $441,226,247 | [28] |
2005 | Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith | $380,270,577 | [29] |
2006 | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest | $423,315,812 | [30] |
2007 | Spider-Man 3 | $336,530,303 | [31] |
2008 | The Dark Knight | $533,345,358 | [32] |
2009 | Avatar | $749,766,139 | [33] |
2010 | Toy Story 3 | $415,004,880 | [34] |
2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 | $381,011,219 | [35] |
2012 | The Avengers | $623,357,910 | [36] |
2013 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire | $424,668,047 | [37] |
2014 | American Sniper | $350,126,372 | [38] |
2015 | Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens | $936,662,225 | [39] |
2016 | Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | $532,177,324 | [40] |
2017 | Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi | $620,181,382 | [41] |
2018 | Black Panther | $700,059,566 | [42] |
2019 | Avengers: Endgame | $858,373,000 | [43] |
2020 | Bad Boys For Life | $206,305,244 | [44] |
2021 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | $804,793,477 | [45] |
2022 | Top Gun: Maverick | $718,732,821 | [46] |
2023 | Barbie | $636,236,401 | [47] |
See also
References
- ^ "Domestic Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ a b "'Star Wars' B.O. History". Variety. May 17, 1999. p. 30.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1978". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1979". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1981". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1982". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1983". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1984". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1985". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1986". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1987". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1988". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1989". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1990". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1991". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1992". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1993". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1994". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1995". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1996". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1997". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1998". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 1999". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2000". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2001". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2002". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2003". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2004". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2005". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2006". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2007". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2008". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2009". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2010". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2011". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2012". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2013". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2014". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2015". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2016". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2017". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2018". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2019". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2020". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2021". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2022". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2023". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- v
- t
- e
- Star Wars (1977)
- Grease (1978)
- Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
- The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
- Return of the Jedi (1983)
- Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
- Back to the Future (1985)
- Top Gun (1986)
- Three Men and a Baby (1987)
- Rain Man (1988)
- Batman (1989)
- Home Alone (1990)
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- Aladdin (1992)
- Jurassic Park (1993)
- Forrest Gump (1994)
- Toy Story (1995)
- Independence Day (1996)
- Titanic (1997)
- Saving Private Ryan (1998)
- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
- Spider-Man (2002)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- Shrek 2 (2004)
- Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
- Spider-Man 3 (2007)
- The Dark Knight (2008)
- Avatar (2009)
- Toy Story 3 (2010)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)
- The Avengers (2012)
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
- American Sniper (2014)
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
- Rogue One (2016)
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
- Black Panther (2018)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- Bad Boys for Life (2020)
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
- Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
- Barbie (2023)