With the arrival of summer, it had us thinking here at Video2DVD Transfer about the most successful summer films of all time. Films are released throughout the year, but which were released during the summertime? There were so many amazing films to choose from that could have made it on this list, but here, some of the highest grossing have made it into our top 6, can you guess which films will be on the list?
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
This film ultimately grossed $770.2 million at the Box Office. Directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by George Lucas, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the greatest adventure films of all time. Harrison Ford portrayed the titular character of Indiana Jones, a 1930’s whip-wielding archaeologist in a race to find the Ark of the Covenant before Nazi Germany does.
The Lion King (1994)
The Lion King grossed $775.6 million at the box office, and is seen by many as the crowning achievement of the Disney Renaissance of animation. Met with unprecedented critical and commercial success, until 2004’s Shrek, the Lion King was the highest-grossing animated movie at the box office. Loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the film tells the story of a young lion cub who grows from a prince to a king to avenge his father’s death. This remains one of the most beloved Disney films ever made.
Jurassic Park (1993)
Steven Spielberg continued to dominate the summer box office in the 1990’s with June 1993’s Jurassic Park, grossing $799.7 million at the box office. Based on the bestselling novel by Michael Crichton about a zoo of dinosaurs brought back to life by genetic engineering, it was a huge hit with audience’s due to the ground-breaking special effects.
Jaws (1975)
Steven Spielberg’s shark thriller Jaws was the film that started it all when it came to summer blockbusters, earning $1.114 billion at the box office. Upon its release in June 1975, it became a massive hit of unprecedented nature. Jaws grossed $260 million in its initial theatrical run, making it the highest grossing film ever made. It sent fear to any beach-goer, and who can forget the dramatic soundtrack the film brings.
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)
Another Steven Spielberg film, this classic brought $1.23 billion at the box office. This heart-warming film is about a boy who befriends a gentle alien, winning over audiences of all ages. Though it was released in June 1982, it didn’t leave theatres until June 1983, and this long run helped E.T beat Star Wars as the highest grossing film of all time at the U.S box office.
Star Wars (1977)
Is it any surprise that the original Star Wars is the biggest summer blockbuster of all time? This film released in May 1977 grossed $1.55 billion at the box office. The adventure and thrill the original brings is beloved by generations of audiences. George Lucas’s classic sci-fi film stayed in theatres for over 500 straight days. There were several Star Wars films that could have made it on this list, but none beats the original.
In terms of adjusted grosses, Star Wars sits behind only Gone With The Wind as the highest-grossing film ever made at the U.S box office. The tremendous influence Star Wars continues to have in pop culture means it’s unlikely that any film will ever dethrone Star Wars as the summer box office king.
Summer has seen some fantastic film releases throughout the years, some of which set incredible, unbeatable heights. If you’ve got some old films that you would like to transfer to DVD, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today and we’ll be happy to help you.