Top 50 Summer Blockbusters Over the Last Five Decades

In the past, summer was considered a sluggish period for cinemas. Without central air conditioning, attracting audiences to stuffy, enclosed theaters during outdoor-friendly weather was a challenge. Studios were reluctant to gamble on summer releases, even as theater conditions improved.

The 1970s marked a turning point. Hollywood discovered that ambitious ideas, high-octane action, and groundbreaking special effects could draw crowds even in peak summer. Studios began investing heavily in these “summer blockbusters,” and their bets consistently paid off.

Examining 50 years of summer hits reveals fascinating insights into film history. From Jaws to Barbie, these are the most significant summer blockbusters released since 1974.

1. The Longest Yard (1974)

In 1974, the idea of a summer blockbuster was unheard of. However, this football comedy starring Burt Reynolds dominated the season, earning $43 million at the box office. While impressive for its time, this figure paled in comparison to the massive successes Hollywood would later achieve.

2. Jaws (1975)

When Jaws debuted in June 1975, it revolutionized the film industry. As the first movie to screen in over 400 theaters, it shattered records by becoming the first to surpass $100 million in box office revenue, eventually grossing $260 million domestically. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this marine thriller is hailed as the original summer blockbuster, setting a benchmark Hollywood continues to chase.

3. The Omen (1976)

Satanic horror captivated moviegoers in the 1970s. Following the success of The Exorcist (released during Christmas), The Omen raked in $60.9 million domestically. While summer isn’t typically associated with horror releases, the 6/6/76 UK premiere date was too enticing for distributors to ignore.

4. Star Wars (1977)

The first Star Wars film demonstrated that Jaws’ success wasn’t a one-time phenomenon. It surpassed the shark thriller’s record, grossing $461 million domestically. Fans recognized George Lucas’ space opera as groundbreaking, though few anticipated its enduring influence on pop culture.

5. Grease (1978)

This vibrant teen musical, centered on summer romance, was perfectly timed for a June release. Despite lacking flashy action scenes, it resonated with audiences, earning $190 million in the U.S.

6. The Amityville Horror (1979)

This chilling horror film concluded the 1970s wave of supernatural hits. While Alien left a more lasting cultural imprint, The Amityville Horror outperformed it at the domestic box office that summer, earning $86.4 million.

7. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The second Star Wars installment cemented the franchise’s dominance in sci-fi. It surpassed the original’s success, grossing $290.5 million domestically. Any doubts about a summer movie becoming a cultural phenomenon were erased by Empire.

8. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Following their individual successes in the 1970s, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas joined forces to create another summer hit. Raiders of the Lost Ark revitalized 1930s adventure serials with a modern, high-budget twist. The thrilling film grossed $248.2 million domestically and birthed the beloved Indiana Jones series.

9. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

E.T. demonstrated that heartfelt family films could rival action and horror in box office appeal. It earned $435.1 million domestically and secured Spielberg Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Picture, solidifying his status as a cinematic giant.

10. Return of the Jedi (1983)

By the time the third installment of the original Star Wars trilogy premiered, the franchise was a box office juggernaut. It grossed $309.3 million domestically, surpassing Empire but not the original film.

11. Ghostbusters (1984)

Ghostbusters pioneered the action-comedy genre that became a hallmark of 1980s cinema. Its mix of dazzling special effects and witty humor from Saturday Night Live veterans captivated audiences, leading to a domestic gross of $242.2 million in the summer of 1984.

12. Back to the Future (1985)

Following Ghostbusters, another sci-fi comedy adventure took theaters by storm. The tale of a teenager navigating time travel, dodging his mother’s advances, and helping his father win her heart became an unlikely summer hit. Back to the Future grossed $210.6 million in the U.S.

13. Top Gun (1986)

In May 1986, Paramount introduced an action film featuring rising star Tom Cruise. With breathtaking stunts and visuals that brought the Navy’s elite flight school to life, Top Gun became the ultimate patriotic summer hit, grossing $179.8 million domestically.

14. Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)

By the 1980s, sequels had become a Hollywood staple. Beverly Hills Cop II, starring Eddie Murphy, built on the success of the original action comedy, earning $153.7 million domestically.

15. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Director Robert Zemeckis delivered another hit without relying on time travel or teen idols. His film featured Bob Hoskins as a gritty detective paired with an animated rabbit. Who Framed Roger Rabbit grossed $156.5 million nationwide.

16. Batman (1989)

Tim Burton’s Batman marked the beginning of a new era for summer blockbusters. It earned $251.3 million domestically, with $40.5 million coming from its opening weekend. The enduring popularity of Batman movies has ensured their continued production for decades.

17. Ghost (1990)

The summer of 1990 was dominated by a supernatural love story. Ghost captivated audiences, grossing $217.6 million in the U.S.

18. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Terminator 2 surpassed its predecessor in scale and box office success. James Cameron’s sci-fi action sequel grossed $205.9 million in 1991.

19. Batman Returns (1992)

Tim Burton’s eccentric and dark sequel to Batman marked his final involvement in the franchise. Despite mixed reviews, it became the summer’s top blockbuster, earning $162.9 million domestically.

20. Jurassic Park (1993)

Unsurprisingly, Spielberg’s visually stunning dinosaur epic was a massive hit. Jurassic Park opened with $47 million in its first weekend and went on to gross $402.8 million in the U.S.

21. The Lion King (1994)

As the first animated feature on this list, The Lion King debuted during Disney’s creative peak. Its breathtaking animation and Elton John’s iconic soundtrack helped it dominate the summer box office, earning $422.8 million domestically.

22. Batman Forever (1995)

The third installment in the Batman series, without Tim Burton or Michael Keaton, still managed to gross $184.1 million in the U.S. However, it struggled to win the approval of critics and fans.

23. Independence Day (1996)

Premiering on a date that mirrored its title, Independence Day became the ultimate summer blockbuster. The alien invasion film grossed $306.2 million in 1996 and marked the beginning of Will Smith’s box office dominance.

24. Men in Black (1997)

Smith solidified his star power with another sci-fi success the next year. Men in Black earned $250.7 million domestically after its summer 1997 release.

25. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Unlike Spielberg’s earlier summer hits, Saving Private Ryan offered a raw and realistic take on war. The World War II drama resonated with audiences, grossing $217 million in the U.S.

26. The Phantom Menace (1999)

George Lucas’s first Star Wars prequel was more than just highly anticipated—it was a cultural phenomenon. Despite mixed reviews, the immense hype around Phantom Menace drove it to $474.5 million domestically, making it the summer’s biggest hit.

27. Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Upon its 2000 release, Mission: Impossible II earned $215.4 million domestically. The Tom Cruise-led franchise has remained a box office force for over two decades.

28. Shrek (2001)

The massive success of Shrek signaled a transition from traditional hand-drawn animation to CGI. Grossing $267.7 million domestically, it established Dreamworks as a powerhouse in animated films.

29. Spider-Man (2002)

Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man became the first Marvel film to dominate both the summer and annual box office. Its $115 million opening weekend and $403.7 million domestic total reshaped the industry, paving the way for the superhero genre’s dominance in the years to come.

30. Finding Nemo (2003)

While Disney’s traditional animation struggled in the early 2000s, Pixar soared. Finding Nemo became the studio’s highest-grossing film at the time, earning $380.8 million domestically during its summer 2003 release.

31. Shrek 2 (2004)

Shrek 2 surpassed its predecessor by hundreds of millions, earning $441.2 million domestically.

32. Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Despite mixed reactions to the first two prequels, Star Wars fans flocked to theaters to witness Anakin’s transformation into Darth Vader in Episode III. The film grossed $380.3 million in the U.S.

33. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)

Disney’s swashbuckling adventure, inspired by their theme park ride, became a surprise hit in 2003. The sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, outperformed the original, grossing $423.3 million domestically.

34. Spider-Man 3 (2007)

The summer of 2007 was dominated by threequels, with Shrek, Spider-Man, and Pirates releasing weeks apart. All three franchises had previously shattered box office records, making the competition fierce. Spider-Man 3 emerged as the winner, earning $336.5 million domestically.

35. The Dark Knight (2008)

While Spider-Man 3 performed well financially, its lukewarm reception led many to believe the superhero genre was fading. This notion was disproven a year later when The Dark Knight, the second film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, grossed $535.2 million domestically. It redefined superhero films with its darker, more serious tone. That same summer, the Marvel Cinematic Universe began with Iron Man.

36. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

The sequel to Transformers became a box office juggernaut, earning $402.1 million domestically.

37. Toy Story 3 (2010)

Pixar’s decade-long success reached its peak with the third installment of their flagship series. Toy Story 3 not only grossed $415 million domestically but also secured a Best Picture Oscar nomination—a rare feat for an animated film.

38. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011)

The concluding installment of Harry Potter became the highest-grossing film in the original series, earning $381.2 million domestically. While the previous seven movies were also financial hits, their holiday releases excluded them from this list.

39. The Avengers (2012)

Bringing multiple superheroes together in one film was a bold move for The Avengers in 2012, but it proved wildly successful. The Marvel blockbuster grossed $623.4 million domestically, ensuring the MCU’s dominance at the summer box office for years to come.

40. Iron Man 3 (2013)

Following The Avengers’ record-breaking success, audiences eagerly returned for more Iron Man. The final film in the character’s original trilogy brought in $409.0 million domestically.

41. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

In 2014, Marvel demonstrated it could succeed without Iron Man, Thor, or Captain America. Guardians of the Galaxy, featuring unknown characters from an obscure comic, still managed to gross $333.2 million domestically.

42. Jurassic World (2015)

Chris Pratt dominated the summer box office for the second consecutive year with Jurassic World. The reboot of Jurassic Park was a massive success, earning $652.3 million domestically.

43. Finding Dory (2016)

Thirteen years after Finding Nemo ruled the summer box office, its sequel achieved the same feat, grossing $486.3 million domestically.

44. Wonder Woman (2017)

By 2017, the MCU’s success had begun to shape DC’s approach. While the DC Extended Universe has been inconsistent, Wonder Woman stood out as a major hit, earning $412.6 million domestically.

45. Incredibles 2 (2018)

The 2010s saw Pixar excel with sequels. The follow-up to The Incredibles grossed $608.6 million domestically, becoming a standout success.

46. The Lion King (2019)

Disney’s CGI-driven remake of The Lion King mirrored the original’s success, becoming the summer’s top blockbuster. It grossed $543.6 million domestically, surpassing the 1994 version’s earnings without adjusting for inflation.

47. The New Mutants (2020)

The summer of 2020 was an unusual period for cinema. Pandemic-related closures and social distancing shifted audiences and studios toward streaming. The New Mutants, an X-Men film, was one of the few major releases to debut in theaters, earning a modest $23.8 million domestically but still topping the summer box office.

48. Black Widow (2021)

By mid-2021, theaters had reopened, but the box office was still recovering from the pandemic. Black Widow, one of the first MCU films post-Avengers saga, led the summer with $183.6 million domestically.

49. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Tom Cruise revitalized the summer blockbuster after a challenging period for the industry. Like its 1986 predecessor, Top Gun: Maverick was a cinematic experience, grossing $718.7 million domestically and reigniting the debate about the value of theaters in the streaming era.

50. Barbie (2023)

Fifty years after the term “summer blockbuster” was coined, Barbie redefined the genre. Greta Gerwig’s comedic take on the iconic doll earned $612.3 million domestically and over $1 billion globally, breaking records for the highest-grossing live-action comedy and the highest-grossing film by a solo woman director. Its success was amplified by the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, as it released alongside Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which also became a summer hit, nearing $1 billion worldwide.