List of highest-grossing films in the United States by year explained

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]

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: (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), (2019), and (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:

Year	Film	Gross	style=text-align:right;	Ref.
1977	Star Wars	$221,280,994	style=text-align:center;	^[2]
1978	Grease	$159,978,870	style=text-align:center;	^[3]
1979	Kramer vs. Kramer	$106,260,000	style=text-align:center;	^[4]
1980	The Empire Strikes Back	$209,398,025	style=text-align:center;
1981	Raiders of the Lost Ark	$212,222,025	style=text-align:center;	^[5]
1982	E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial	$359,197,037	style=text-align:center;	^[6]
1983	Return of the Jedi	$252,583,617	style=text-align:center;	^[7]
1984	Beverly Hills Cop	$234,760,478	style=text-align:center;	^[8]
1985	Back to the Future	$210,609,762	style=text-align:center;	^[9]
1986	Top Gun	$176,781,728	style=text-align:center;	^[10]
1987	Three Men and a Baby	$167,780,960	style=text-align:center;	^[11]
1988	Rain Man	$172,825,435	style=text-align:center;	^[12]
1989	Batman	$251,188,924	style=text-align:center;	^[13]
1990	Home Alone	$285,761,243	style=text-align:center;	^[14]
1991		$204,843,345	style=text-align:center;	^[15]
1992	Aladdin	$217,350,219	style=text-align:center;	^[16]
1993	Jurassic Park	$357,067,947	style=text-align:center;	^[17]
1994	Forrest Gump	$329,694,499	style=text-align:center;	^[18]
1995	Toy Story	$191,796,233	style=text-align:center;	^[19]
1996	Independence Day	$306,169,268	style=text-align:center;	^[20]
1997	Titanic	$600,788,188	style=text-align:center;	^[21]
1998	Saving Private Ryan	$216,540,909	style=text-align:center;	^[22]
1999		$431,088,295	style=text-align:center;	^[23]
2000	How the Grinch Stole Christmas	$260,044,825	style=text-align:center;	^[24]
2001	Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone	$317,575,550	style=text-align:center;	^[25]
2002	Spider-Man	$403,706,375	style=text-align:center;	^[26]
2003		$377,027,325	style=text-align:center;	^[27]
2004	Shrek 2	$441,226,247	style=text-align:center;	^[28]
2005		$380,270,577	style=text-align:center;	^[29]
2006		$423,315,812	style=text-align:center;	^[30]
2007	Spider-Man 3	$336,530,303	style=text-align:center;	^[31]
2008	The Dark Knight	$533,345,358	style=text-align:center;	^[32]
2009	Avatar	$749,766,139	style=text-align:center;	^[33]
2010	Toy Story 3	$415,004,880	style=text-align:center;	^[34]
2011	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2	$381,011,219	style=text-align:center;	^[35]
2012	The Avengers	$623,357,910	style=text-align:center;	^[36]
2013		$424,668,047	style=text-align:center;	^[37]
2014	American Sniper	$350,126,372	style=text-align:center;	^[38]
2015	Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens	$936,662,225	style=text-align:center;	^[39]
2016	Rogue One: A Star Wars Story	$532,177,324	style=text-align:center;	^[40]
2017	Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi	$620,181,382	style=text-align:center;	^[41]
2018	Black Panther	$700,059,566	style=text-align:center;	^[42]
2019		$858,373,000	style=text-align:center;	^[43]
2020	Bad Boys For Life	$206,305,244	style=text-align:center;	^[44]
2021		$804,793,477	style=text-align:center;	^[45]
2022		$718,732,821	style=text-align:center;	^[46]
2023	Barbie	$636,236,401	style=text-align:center;	^[47]
2024	Inside Out 2	$596,404,306	style=text-align:center;	^[48]

See also

• List of highest-grossing films in the United States and Canada

Notes and References

1. Web site: Domestic Yearly Box Office. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
2. News: . 'Star Wars' B.O. History . May 17, 1999 . 30.
3. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1978. Box Office Mojo. July 25, 2022.
4. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1979. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
5. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1981. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
6. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1982. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
7. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1983. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
8. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1984. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
9. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1985. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
10. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1986. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
11. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1987. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
12. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1988. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
13. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1989. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
14. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1990. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
15. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1991. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
16. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1992. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
17. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1993. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
18. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1994. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
19. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1995. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
20. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1996. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
21. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1997. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
22. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1998. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
23. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 1999. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
24. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2000. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
25. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2001. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
26. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2002. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
27. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2003. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
28. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2004. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
29. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2005. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
30. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2006. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
31. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2007. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
32. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2008. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
33. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2009. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
34. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2010. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
35. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2011. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
36. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2012. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
37. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2013. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
38. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2014. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
39. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2015. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
40. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2016. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
41. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2017. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
42. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2018. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
43. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2019. Box Office Mojo. March 26, 2020.
44. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2020. Box Office Mojo. November 8, 2022.
45. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2021. Box Office Mojo. January 15, 2021.
46. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2022. Box Office Mojo. March 7, 2022.
47. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2023 . 2023-08-25 . Box Office Mojo.
48. Web site: Domestic Box Office For 2024 . 2024-06-23 . Box Office Mojo.