Steven Spielberg is arguably the most iconic director of all time. His films have entertained audiences since 1975, and his newest movie, The Fabelmans, has been brilliantly reviewed and is expected to fare very well when awards season rolls around.
Spielberg's films don't just succeed critically, however, but commercially too. His films have grossed over ten billion dollars at the global box office, making him the top-grossing director of all time. But which of his films took the biggest bite out of the box office? To answer that, we need to turn to Box Office Mojo.
10 'Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark' - $389,925,971
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark saw the arrival of a truly iconic character, one that audiences would feel such an affinity towards that three decades after his introduction, Indy will soon return to the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Indy's trademark wit and the effortlessly charismatic performance of Harrison Ford ensured Raiders of the Lost Ark triumphed at the global box office. The action-adventure flick went on to gross $389,925,971, according to Box Office Mojo, and cemented Spielberg's status as the first and best director of blockbuster movies.
9 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade' - $474,171,806
After a somewhat disappointing second adventure, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was a return to form for the world's favorite archeologist. The action set pieces remained as spectacular as ever, but Spielberg made a conscious effort to ensure Indy was funnier than ever. In fact, Last Crusade might just be Spielberg's funniest film altogether.
The decision to introduce audiences to Indy's father, played with the perfect amount of snarl and charm by Sean Connery, breathed fresh life into the franchise. Helping the film to earn a substantial $474,171,806 at the global box office, according to Box Office Mojo, and cementing its place as the 121st best movie ever made, according to IMDb.
8 'Jaws' - $476,512,065
It may have been a nightmare production that went over budget and over schedule, but that didn't stop Jaws from becoming the first blockbuster movie, a term given to the film because people literally queued around the block to see it.
The story of three men's quest to stop a killer shark from terrorizing their small town was also the first movie in history to earn $100 million at the domestic box office. Overall, the film that kept people out of the sea for years has earned a whopping $476,512,065 at the global box office, according to Box Office Mojo.
7 'Saving Private Ryan' - $482,349,603
Saving Private Ryan was a monumental success in just about every sense of the word. The film managed to capture the horrors of war in a way that no previous film had, resulting in rave reviews and earning Spielberg the Oscar for best director.
Buoyed by exceptional performances from Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, and the rest of the cast, Spielberg created a true masterpiece that many still consider being the pinnacle of all war films. Saving Private Ryan grossed $482,349,603 at the global box office, according to Box Office Mojo.
6 'Ready Player One' - $582,918,849
The Ready Player One novel is so grand in scale and filled with so many pop culture references that it felt tailor-made for Steven Spielberg to direct the film adaptation. Still, Spielberg managed to put his own spin on the source material, including recreating the Overlook hotel for one of the movie's most memorable sequences.
Ready Player One felt like Spielberg's grand return to the blockbuster after a period of time spent working on more dramatic films, and fans couldn't get enough. According to Box Office Mojo, the film earned a highly impressive $582,918,849 at the global box office. Now we just have to hope Spielberg returns to adapt the sequel novel too.
5 'War of the Worlds' - $603,873,119
There have been countless adaptations of War of the Worlds across just about every possible medium, but for most, Steven Spielberg's 2005 adaptation is the most awe-inspiring. The action flick sees the director combine moments of sheer terror with nail-biting tension, resulting in a movie that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats throughout.
War of the Worlds opened to strong reviews, and Spielberg's reputation combined with Tom Cruise's star power ensured audiences turned out in their masses. The film went on to gross $603,873,119 at the global box office, according to Box Office Mojo.
4 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park' - $618,638,999
Steven Spielberg has not made many sequels in his career. In fact, aside from the Indiana Jones franchise the director has only ever returned for a sequel once, for another dino-filled adventure.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park is an entertaining film in its own right, excelling in particular when the action arrives in San Francisco, but it never quite lived up to the awe-inspiring thrills of its predecessor. Still, audiences were more than happy to travel to The Lost World, resulting in a global box office return of $618,638,999, according to Box Office Mojo.
3 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' - $790,653,942
No director is immune to the occasional misfire and unfortunately for Steven Spielberg, his arrived in the form of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the long-awaited return of the whip-wielding archeologist. The film isn't bad per se; it just doesn't live up to the three that came before it.
That being said, the movie still features exceptional action set pieces, including the car chase beside a cliff and Indy's escape at the beginning of the film. Fans were ecstatic about Indy's return, resulting in a whopping global box office return of $790,653,942, according to Box Office Mojo.
2 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' - $792,910,554
No matter their age, it seems that E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is the definitive movie of everybody's childhood. Even now, families gather together to watch the tale of Elliott and the friendly alien whom he helps return home.
With E.T., Spielberg directed the cinematic equivalent of a hug. A warm and comforting film that perfectly captured the spirit and feelings associated with childhood, and audiences responded emphatically. The movie is still beloved to this very day and referenced regularly in pop culture, making it no surprise that it grossed $792,910,554 at the global box office, according to Box Office Mojo.
1 'Jurassic Park' - $1,109,832,231
Jurassic Park is, in our opinion, a perfect movie. It's hard to even begin to describe exactly what made this film so revolutionary and iconic. Firstly, there are the animatronic dinosaurs that made audiences feel as if the extinct creatures really had been brought back to life, and beyond that, there are the unforgettable characters, terrifying set pieces, and fast-moving plot.
With Jurassic Park, Spielberg struck cinematic gold. Perhaps most remarkably, the film's special effects look better than many of the blockbuster movies that came out this year (Morbius, we're looking at you). No director is more deserving of breaking the billion-dollar mark, and Spielberg reached that milestone with Jurassic Park. The film grossed a staggering $1,109,832,231 at the global box office, according to Box Office Mojo.