Thesummerblockbusterhas become a staple in the film industry. Summer is the best time of the year to draw massive crowds of moviegoers and rank as much profit as possible, From May to August. Movie theaters are bombarded with the best output from studios as many people are looking to escape the heat while looking to be entertained. Summer blockbusters are packed with action, special effects, big-name stars, and compelling stories, making them perfect for success.
It’s weird to think the summer blockbuster wasn’t a thing right until 1975. A single movie that year came out in the summer of that year sparked a nationwide fear of sharks, making every single beachgoer afraid of going for a swim. Since then, summer blockbusters are pumped yearly into theaters, many of them exploring themes affecting society or simply creating a unique brand of spectacle that cannot be achieved in any other form of media.
Of course, the cinematic landscape changes from decade to decade, and in 2012,The Avengerswas released,cementing the MCU properand becoming one of the biggest game changers in movie history.
That said, here’s a list of the biggest summer blockbusters of all time from their inception in 1975 all the way up until 2012.
20Jaws (1975)
The first entry in the list is the one who started it all. If there is anofficial timestamp for modern cinema, it is “Before Jaws” and “After Jaws.” With a script by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb, the movie stars Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, and Lorraine Gary.Jawswas the riskiest venture ever for Universal Studios, who bet everything on the vision of a young, inexperienced filmmaker named Steven Spielberg. The shooting of this film was a logistical nightmare.
The final product was a movie that introduced a new form of terror to audiences using imaginative POVs to immerse the audience in the sight of an unseen monster. This wasn’t an artistic choice on behalf of Spielberg. It was done because the production team couldn’t get the mechanical shark to work correctly. This was the first summer film to break the $100 million box office landmark and the go-to reference for any aspiring director expecting to make it big in Hollywood.
19The Omen (1976)
Just asThe Exorcistsparked outrage from conservative media in 1973,The Omenwent far beyond in its attempt to shock audiences. Released in June 1976, the film was directed by Richard Donner with a script by David Seltzer. The cast had solid mainstays such as Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, and David Warner. The film’s plot revolves around an accomplished diplomat and his wife living in Rome who secretly adopted a child after losing their own in labor. The kid would be named “Damien.”
Years later, a series of twisted events happen around the boy. The family’s Rottweiler is incredibly protective of him. His nanny suddenly hangs herself, and Damien refuses to be baptized or enter sacred grounds. Damian learns about a potential sibling and makes his mother miscarry. The father tracks down Damian’s origins and finds out he was born from a Jackal, branding him as the son of the beast. This eerie horror flick collected $60 million in its heyday,sparking three more sequels.
18Star Wars (1977)
Before it became a multimillion-dollar property,Star Warswas the name of the third film directed by George Lucas. Before being rebranded “Episode IV: A New Hope,” this sci-fi vehicle was made with tooth and nails, a diminished budget, and a lot of effort. With a script solely written by Lucas, the film launched Mark Hammil, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher to stardom, along with veterans such as Peter Cushing and Alec Guinness. Released in May of 1977, the film broke the Jaws record by collecting $410 million in its initial run, with subsequent releases ballooning its total gross to $775 million.
Star Warsis a film that has everything,and it’s meant for everyone. The story is timeless: a farm boy in a galaxy far away finds himself in the middle of a galactic conflict that leads him to become the face of a rebellion and the driving force behind the resurgence of an ancient order of protectors of the galaxy named the Jedi while fighting the evil behind the galactic empire. The finished result of Lucas’s efforts is a timeless classic beloved by many people worldwide.
17Alien (1979)
Released in 1979 with a production budget of $11 million, this film is considered by many to be Ridley Scott’s magnum opus. The ominous tagline “In space, no one can hear you scream” fitsAlienlike a glove. With a screenplay by Bryan O’Bannon, the film stars Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Yaphet Kotto, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, and Ian Holm. The film grossed 84$ million in its initial run and spanned five sequels, two of them set before the first film’s events.
Alienwas something unlike anything done at that time. It has the same vibe as Jaws, but the film is claustrophobic.Ridley Scott plays your senses like a fiddleby giving glimpses of the monster hunting the crew. Nobody is safe in the Nostromo, a cargo ship taken from its original course and driven into a problematic situation. It was a landmark for sci-fi and horror, awarded by the Academy for best visual effects and best art direction. The film increased the profile of all actors and made Sigourney Weaver a superstar.
16Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Back in the 80s, both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg had an established partnership, being involved in each other’s projects at some stage. The pinnacle of their collaboration was the creation ofIndiana Jones. The character is an original idea by George Lucas and Phillip Kauffman. With a script by Lawrence Kasdan,Raiders of the Lost Arkwas developed to revive serial films from the early 20th century into something new. The result was a property that many see as a timeless classic.
Set in 1936,Raiders of the Lost Arksees an archeologist named Indiana Jones track down the Ark of Covenant with the Nazis trailing him to recover the ancient artifact.The final product is a total rollercoasterfull of adventure, comedy, drama, and fantastical elements. The film had a budget of $20 million and collected $330.5 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1981 and spawning four more sequels. The upcoming Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is set to retire the character for good.
Related:10 of the Most Highly Rewatchable Sci-Fi Movies
15E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
As you read down this ranking, you’ll realize by now why Steven Spielberg is one of the most accomplished directors of our times. The man has been batting home runs for most of his career. He has a natural talent for storytelling, no matter the genre.E.T.was a smaller endeavor than other entries in his filmography, yet this movie dethroned Star Wars with the largest box office gross of 1982. The film premiered on May 26 with a budget of $11 million and a total income of $792.9 million. Now that’s a payday.
Written by Melissa Mathison and starring Dee Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote, Robert MacNaughton, and Drew Barrymore. The film was based on the premise of an imaginary friend developed by Spielberg, who later further developed the idea with Mathison. The final product is a story about a sweet alien coming to Earth to gather data about the planet who finds himself lost and makes friends with a kid named Elliot.The film is a total tear-jerkerthat still holds up well to this day.
14Ghostbusters (1984)
1984 was the year of Eddie Murphy, who made it big withBeverly Hills Cop; however, in the June of the same year, one of the most beloved properties was brought to life by Columbia Pictures. A pet project for Dan Aykroyd, who has an immense fascination with spirituality,Ghostbusterswas an idea that was further developed by him and his partner in crime, Harold Raimis. The SNL alumni brought Ivan Reitman to direct and produce the film.
Ghostbusterswas made with a small budget of $25 million and became the box office success of the summer, ranking at $295.2 million until Muphy’s offering dethroned them in December. This gathering of talent was enough to convince other powerhouses such as Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, and Ernie Hudson to join the cast. The movie represented an unprecedented challenge for all parties involved sincethe visual effects of the ghostshad to be made using practical effects. The finished result still speaks for itself almost 40 years later.
13Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Futureis honored to be the highest-grossing film of 1985. Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Loyd, Lea Thompson, and Crispin Glover, the movie was released in July with a production budget of $19 million and recouping $381 million on its first run on cinemas worldwide. Written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, the film was directed by Zemeckis himself. The script was crafted with Fox in mind but went into production with actor Eric Stoltz instead. He would be fired after three weeks of shooting.
While not the first film to go into time travel hijinks,Back to the Futureoffered something different. The plot stated time as a linear concept that could be affected by the actions of people in the past to create a brand new future.The film is also famed for making Delorean cars cool. The property proved popular enough to allow Zemeckis to finish the planned trilogy filming the remaining two sequels back to back.
12Top Gun (1986)
A divisive entry, that’s for sure. Legacy media have labeledTop Gunas militaristic propaganda with subtle gay undertones. The fact is that this movie was the highest-grossing film of 1986. Made with a budget of $15 million, the movie earned $357 million in its first theatrical run and is still considered a beloved American classic. The script by Jim Cash and Jacks Epps Jr. is based on the “Top Guns” article written by Ehud Yonay. The movie was directed by Tony Scott and stars Tom Cruise, Kelly McGuillis, Val Kilmer, and Anthony Edwards.
The film centers around forming a top elite squad of pilots to carry on a sensitive mission as Top Guns in the Naval Fighter Weapons School—the plot of the film centers on rivalries, friendship, and motivation to keep forward.Top Gunis regarded as one of Tom Cruise’s legacy roles, one he would revisit in 2022 inTop Gun: Maverick, which came very close to being the highest-grossing film of 2022 untilAvatar: The Way of the Waterentered the chat.
11Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)
Until 1988 there had been no film likeWho Framed Roger Rabbit?Given the current legalities and red tape surrounding studios, there won’t be another film like this ever again. Based on the bookWho Censored Roger Rabbit?by Gary K. Wolf, the screenplay was adapted by Jeffrey Pierce and Peter Seaman. The ever-reliable Robert Zemeckis directed the film. Starring human mainstays Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, and Charles Fleischer, the film also features an all-star cast of cartoon characters from Warner and Disney.
The experiment proved incredibly successful, making this movie the second-highest-grossing film of the year, right behindRain Man. The unique script had a plot revolving around the framing of a titular character in killing an important figure related to the lives of toon characters. The story occurs in a worldwithout boundaries between humans and ‘toons. It was a massive hit, earning three Oscar awards for best editing, sound effects, and visual effects.
