2004 in film is an overview of events, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies, festivals, a list of country-specific lists of films released, notable deaths and film debuts. Shrek 2 was the year's top-grossing film, and Million Dollar Baby won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
American film critic and professor Emanuel Levy described 2004 as "a banner year for actors, particularly men." He went on to emphasize, "I can't think of another year in which there were so many good performances, in every genre. It was a year in which we saw the entire spectrum of demographics displayed on the big screen, from vet actors such as Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman, to seniors such as Pacino, De Niro, and Hoffman, to newcomers such as Topher Grace. As always, though, the center of the male acting pyramid is occupied by actors in their forties and fifties, such as Sean Penn, Johnny Depp, Liam Neeson, Kevin Kline, Don Cheadle, Jim Carrey. In terms of film genres, Levy stated, "The year's most prominent genre was the biopicture, a genre that in the past has suffered from lack of prestige and abundance of clichés. There were a dozen worthy biopictures, including Alexander, The Aviator, Beyond the Sea, Finding Neverland, Hotel Rwanda, Kinsey, Motorcycle Diaries, and Ray. Celebrating entrepreneurs, playwrights, singers, sex researchers, composers, and politicians, they continued to show one alarming bias: They were all about men. You don't have to be a feminist critic or a sociologist to deduct that, as far as real or reel heroes are concerned, women matter less in Hollywood and American society at large. Can't anyone come up with a strong part for a femme-driven bio a la British film Vera Drake, without relegating women to showbiz personae." Levy also stated, "Classic Hollywood cinema, which reached its height during the golden age of studio system and has been in decline, is kept alive by one major force: Clint Eastwood. The "Man With No Name" has become the "Man With the Best Name", a director who's experiencing an unparallel artistic height with “Million Dollar Baby,” a follow-up to the equally sublime Mystic River."[1]
The top 10 films released in 2004 by worldwide gross are as follows:[2]
| Rank | Title | Distributor | Worldwide gross | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shrek 2 | DreamWorks | $935,454,538 | |
| 2 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Warner Bros. | $798,076,924 | |
| 3 | Spider-Man 2 | Sony Pictures / Columbia | $789,728,142 | |
| 4 | The Incredibles | Buena Vista | $631,442,092 | |
| 5 | The Passion of the Christ | Icon / Newmarket | $611,486,736 | |
| 6 | The Day After Tomorrow | 20th Century Fox | $552,639,571 | |
| 7 | Meet the Fockers | Universal / DreamWorks | $522,657,936 | |
| 8 | Troy | Warner Bros. | $497,409,852 | |
| 9 | Shark Tale | DreamWorks | $374,583,879 | |
| 10 | Ocean's Twelve | Warner Bros. | $362,744,280 |
Shrek 2 set a new record for total gross by an animated film making it the highest-grossing animated film of all time. The record was later surpassed by Toy Story 3 in 2010. It also remained the highest-grossing non-Disney animated film until it was surpassed by Despicable Me 2 in 2013. It remains to this day the highest-grossing animated film not distributed by Disney or Universal. On July 7, Spider-Man 2 reached a $200 million domestic gross in a record time of eight days. On July 18, after 19 days in release, Spider-Man 2 reached $300 million domestically in another record time. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban has the highest international revenue of $546 million compared to Shrek 2s $487.5 million.
The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson, became the first blockbuster motion picture of 2004 and also the highest grossing R-rated film domestically. Meet the Fockers beat 2003's Bruce Almighty record for the highest-grossing comedy film; both were released by Universal.
| Month | Day | Event |
| January | 25 | Golden Globe Awards: Major winners include and Lost in Translation. |
| 26 | Golden Raspberry Award nominations announced, leading films are:
| |
| 27 | Academy Awards nominations announced, leading films are:
| |
| February | 4 | 9th Empire Awards Major winners include Love Actually and |
| 15 | BAFTA Awards Major winners include Scarlett Johansson, Best Actress and Bill Murray, Best Actor | |
| 22 | Screen Actors Guild Awards Charlize Theron, The Actor for Best Female Actor, Johnny Depp, The Actor for Best Male Actor, Tim Robbins, The Actor for Best Male Supporting Actor, Renée Zellweger, The Actor for Best Female Supporting Actor. | |
| 23 | becomes the second film in history to gross more than $1 billion in worldwide box office receipts. | |
| 25 | The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson's major motion picture about the last days of Jesus's life on Earth, opens huge in time for Lent. | |
| 28 | Gigli dominates the Golden Raspberry Awards, walking away with 6 awards, including Worst Picture, Worst Actress (Jennifer Lopez), Worst Actor (Ben Affleck), Worst Director (Martin Brest), Worst Screenplay (Brest) and worst on-screen couple (Lopez and Affleck). Worst supporting acting awards went to actress Demi Moore for and actor Sylvester Stallone for . | |
| 29 | 76th Academy Awards wins picture and director awards as well as nine others for a total of 11 Academy Awards, a tie for the most ever won by a single film. | |
| May | 22 | Fahrenheit 9/11, a controversial documentary by Michael Moore wins the top prize, the Palme d'Or, at the Cannes Film Festival. |
| June | 5 | The 2004 MTV Movie Awards were held at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California and hosted by Lindsay Lohan. |
| 27 | Fahrenheit 9/11 breaks the record for highest opening-weekend earnings in the United States for a documentary, earning $23.9 million. And going on to earn over $119M in domestic box office earnings. | |
| July | 1 | Marlon Brando, considered by many to be the greatest actor of all time, dies at the age of 80 from respiratory failure at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. |
| October | 29 | Voices of Iraq released, the first "wikified" documentary film created by sending multiple DV cameras to participants. |
| December | 13 | The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced the nominees for the 2005 Golden Globes awards with comedy Sideways garnering seven nominations and actor Jamie Foxx with three for his work in both film and television. |
| 21 | The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces seven films are eligible for the Academy Award for Visual Effects: | |
| 28 | The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces that 267 films released in 2004 are eligible for consideration of the Academy Award for Best Picture. |
| Month | Date | Name | Age | Country | Profession | Notable films |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2 | 102 | US | Actress | ||
| 2 | 76 | US | Actress | |||
| 4 | 59 | UK | Director | |||
| 4 | 70 | UK | Actor | |||
| 6 | 72 | Canada | Actor | |||
| 7 | 77 | Sweden | Actress | |||
| 8 | 85 | UK | Cinematographer | |||
| 9 | 77 | UK | Actor | |||
| 10 | 62 | US | Actor | |||
| 10 | 87 | US | Actor, Director | |||
| 13 | 69 | US | Actor | |||
| 14 | 88 | US | Actress | |||
| 14 | 84 | Germany | Actress | |||
| 14 | 66 | US | Actor, Director | |||
| 17 | 89 | US | Producer | |||
| 17 | 72 | US | Actor | |||
| 22 | 83 | US | Actress, Dancer | |||
| 27 | 78 | US | Actor | |||
| 27 | 85 | US | Actor | |||
| 28 | 80 | US | Actor | |||
| 28 | 66 | US | Actor | |||
| 29 | 66 | US | Director | |||
| February | 2 | 79 | US | Director | ||
| 4 | 59 | US | Actor | |||
| 8 | 57 | US | Producer | |||
| 10 | J. C. Quinn | 63 | US | Actor | ||
| 11 | 56 | US | Voice Actor | |||
| 12 | 92 | US | Producer | |||
| 13 | 69 | US | Screenwriter | |||
| 13 | John Trumper | 80 | UK | Film Editor | ||
| 14 | 81 | US | Costume Designer | |||
| 15 | 86 | US | Actress | |||
| 23 | 58 | US | Singer, Actor | |||
| 23 | 88 | US | Actor | |||
| 26 | 79 | UK | Actor | |||
| 26 | 94 | Canada | Film Editor | |||
| 29 | 64 | US | Actor | |||
| March | 2 | 87 | US | Actress | ||
| 3 | Arthur Kempel | 59 | US | Composer | ||
| 5 | 91 | Austria | Actor | |||
| 6 | 94 | US | Actress | |||
| 7 | 79 | UK | Production Designer, Art Director | |||
| 7 | 64 | US | Actor | |||
| 8 | 50 | US | Actor | |||
| 10 | 63 | Germany | Actor | |||
| 15 | 74 | France | Animator, Director | |||
| 15 | 50 | US | Production Designer | |||
| 18 | 82 | Russia | Actor | |||
| 21 | 79 | France | Actress, Choreographer | |||
| 24 | 81 | Ireland | Actor | |||
| 25 | 81 | UK | Actor | |||
| 26 | 67 | US | Composer | |||
| 26 | 82 | US | Actress | |||
| 27 | 74 | UK | Stuntman, Actor | |||
| 28 | 82 | UK | Actor, Director | |||
| 29 | 80 | US | Sound Engineer | |||
| 29 | 93 | France | Actress | |||
| April | 1 | 58 | US | Actress | ||
| 4 | 91 | UK | Film Editor | |||
| 4 | 87 | Canada | Actor | |||
| 7 | 69 | US | Actor | |||
| 17 | 73 | Canada | Actor | |||
| 18 | 81 | US | Actress | |||
| 19 | 77 | UK | Director, Screenwriter | |||
| 19 | 76 | UK | Actor | |||
| 21 | 68 | UK | Casting Director | |||
| 25 | 78 | US | Actor | |||
| May | 1 | 84 | US | Screenwriter | ||
| 3 | 71 | UK | Actor | |||
| 4 | 78 | US | Actor | |||
| 5 | Vern Taylor | 71 | US | Actor | ||
| 6 | 78 | US | Actress | |||
| 9 | 82 | US | Actress | |||
| 9 | 76 | US | Actor, Producer | |||
| 14 | 91 | UK | Actress | |||
| 17 | 84 | US | Actor | |||
| 18 | 73 | US | Actor | |||
| 23 | 84 | US | Actress | |||
| 27 | 73 | US | Actress | |||
| 28 | 91 | US | Actress | |||
| 31 | 60 | US | Art Director | |||
| June | 3 | 86 | UK | Actor | ||
| 4 | 60 | US | Cinematographer | |||
| 4 | 83 | Italy | Actor, Director | |||
| 4 | 73 | Italy | Actor | |||
| 5 | 58 | UK | Actress | |||
| 5 | 54 | UK | Actor | |||
| 5 | 93 | US | ||||
| 6 | 88 | UK | Actress | |||
| 7 | 95 | US | Visual Effects Artist | |||
| 9 | 73 | US | Actress | |||
| 10 | 73 | US | Singer, Actor | |||
| 13 | 91 | US | Screenwriter | |||
| 14 | 89 | US | Producer | |||
| 18 | 81 | US | Actress | |||
| 18 | 66 | US | Actor | |||
| 19 | 62 | UK | Actor | |||
| 26 | 92 | UK | Actress | |||
| 30 | 80 | US | Actor | |||
| July | 1 | 80 | US | Actor | ||
| 6 | 46 | US | Actor | |||
| 6 | 59 | US | Actor | |||
| 9 | 79 | Italy | Cinematographer | |||
| 9 | 86 | US | Actress | |||
| 11 | 82 | US | Actress | |||
| 12 | 69 | US | Actor | |||
| 13 | 64 | UK | Actor | |||
| 17 | 67 | UK | Actor | |||
| 18 | 87 | US | Actor | |||
| 19 | 78 | Germany | Director | |||
| 21 | 75 | US | Composer | |||
| 22 | 92 | UK | Actress | |||
| 23 | 82 | Italy | Actor, Singer | |||
| 27 | 89 | US | Actor | |||
| 28 | 75 | US | Actor | |||
| 31 | 77 | Italy | Actress | |||
| 31 | 87 | US | Actress | |||
| August | 1 | 84 | US | Actress | ||
| 3 | 51 | US | Film Editor | |||
| 8 | 95 | US | Actor | |||
| 8 | 96 | Canada | Actress | |||
| 9 | 92 | US | Composer | |||
| 12 | 72 | UK | Actor | |||
| 16 | 83 | US | Actress | |||
| 18 | 82 | US | Composer | |||
| 18 | 83 | UK | Actor | |||
| 22 | 83 | Canada | Director | |||
| 25 | 85 | UK | Production Designer | |||
| 26 | 90 | US | Cinematographer | |||
| 27 | 78 | US | Actor | |||
| 30 | 63 | US | Actor | |||
| September | 8 | 92 | US | Animator | ||
| 9 | 52 | US | Actress | |||
| 10 | 51 | US | Actor | |||
| 11 | 77 | UK | Sound Engineer | |||
| 11 | 76 | US | Lyricist | |||
| 15 | 77 | UK | Film Editor | |||
| 17 | 88 | Estonia | Actress | |||
| 18 | 82 | US | Director | |||
| 19 | 61 | Italy | Actress | |||
| 19 | 90 | Canada | Film Editor | |||
| 24 | 49 | US | Actor | |||
| 30 | 89 | UK | Producer | |||
| 30 | 83 | US | Actor | |||
| October | 3 | 77 | US | Actress | ||
| 5 | 82 | US | Actor, Comedian | |||
| 8 | 67 | France | Actress | |||
| 10 | 52 | US | Actor | |||
| 17 | 81 | US | Actor | |||
| 26 | 89 | US | Actress | |||
| 28 | 72 | US | Composer | |||
| 28 | 88 | US | Cinematographer | |||
| 30 | 80 | US | Actress, Dancer | |||
| 31 | 78 | Lithuania | Actress | |||
| November | 6 | 70 | UK | Actor | ||
| 6 | 70 | US | Actress | |||
| 6 | Edward Warschilka | 76 | Hungary | Film Editor | ||
| 7 | 85 | US | Actor | |||
| 9 | 83 | US | Actor | |||
| 12 | 87 | US | Actor | |||
| 13 | 87 | Italy | Composer | |||
| 13 | 75 | UK | Sound Engineer | |||
| 14 | 65 | France | Composer | |||
| 19 | 72 | Germany | Actor | |||
| 20 | 55 | UK | Actress | |||
| 22 | Jerry Bick | 81 | US | Producer | ||
| 25 | 71 | US | Actor | |||
| 26 | 71 | France | Director, Screenwriter | |||
| 27 | 72 | US | Actor | |||
| 28 | 94 | UK | Actress | |||
| December | 1 | William Sackheim | 85 | US | Screenwriter, Producer | |
| 4 | 102 | Austria | Actor | |||
| 9 | 78 | France | Cinematographer | |||
| 10 | 94 | US | Screenwriter | |||
| 15 | 66 | Austria | Actress | |||
| 16 | 49 | Italy | Actor | |||
| 20 | 56 | US | Casting Director | |||
| 21 | 83 | US | Actor | |||
| 28 | 69 | US | Actor | |||
| 29 | 77 | US | Actor | |||
| 29 | 57 | New Zealand | Actress | |||