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]
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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:
References
- "Domestic Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- "'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.