The best summer blockbusters of all time know what it takes to appeal to a huge audience, and they have stood the test of time. Since the 1970s, a few movies have helped define the summer blockbuster as it is known today. The concept has evolved into a mainstay of every film lover’s calendar. Summer always means that it’s time for big-budget, high-concept action movies hoping to make a splash at the box office.

A good summer blockbuster must be financially successful, and these movies often influence the landscape of cinema. Audiences want to see a combination of creative action, good humor and a bold original concept. This is why sci-fi thrillers and superhero movies tend to do so well. Movies which tick all the boxes can become classic summer blockbusters, and they can launch long-running franchises too.

15

The Lion King (1994)

Box office: $968.4 million

Summers usually herald the arrival of big-budget children’s movies to coincide with the school holidays. The Lion King remains one of the most successful and influential children’s blockbusters of all time, and it represents the peak of the 1990s Disney Renaissance. The animated musical famously follows the structure of Hamlet, with Simba rising to take on his uncle. Fortunately, it has a much happier ending. The Lion King made just shy of a billion dollars at the box office, and it was just as popular when it was released on home video.

14

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Box office: $519 million

The Terminator was a big hit for James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger, but it took seven years for them to get together for a sequel. By that time, Cameron had already started to develop his reputation as a master of action blockbusters, particularly with 1986’s Aliens. Terminator 2: Judgement Day builds on the good work of the first with much more exciting action, and it reworks Arnie’s character into a hero. Terminator 2 is a relentlessly thrilling action movie that strings together its big set pieces with an endearing story.

13

Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

Box office: $389.9 million

Steven Spielberg is the king of the summer blockbuster, and he has delivered dozens of box office hits over the years. Raiders of the Lost Ark kicked off a trilogy of these hits in the 1980s, but its hero is a throwback to pulp action figures of the 1930s and 1940s. Harrison Ford is perfectly cast as the affable college professor who suddenly becomes a daring adventurer when the time calls for it. Raiders of the Lost Ark kicked off the Indiana Jones franchise in style. Its first iconic action sequence is the rolling boulder scene which opens the movie, but there are plenty of others in Indy’s globe-trotting adventure.

12

Back To The Future (1985)

Box office: $388.8 million

Back to the Future parodies a lot of sci-fi’s most self-indulgent and outlandish tropes, but it still delivers an exciting adventure stroy which shows a deep appreciation for the genre. Back to the Future has its roots in sci-fi literature like The Time Machine, not just other movies, and this has given it a timeless appeal. Back to the Future obviously has a fun concept, but the movie’s biggest asset is its two perfectly cast leads. Back to the Future is packed with great quotes, exciting action scenes, and time-hopping fun, but Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd all these elements even better.

11

Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003)

Box office: $654.3 million

The first Pirates of the Caribbean movie was one of the first great blockbusters of the 21st century, but its style is a throwback to much older adventure stories. The Curse of the Black Pearl blends swashbuckling adventure with an exciting story of romance, but the real key to the film’s success is the mysterious supernatural element. The curse evokes the ideal sense of mystery, but it also allows the movie to dip its toe into some child-friendly horror. With Jack Sparrow as the lovable wildcard, and the stuffy British colonizers, Pirates of the Caribbean remixes the great archetypes of the genre.

10

Inception (2010)

Box office: $839 million

Christopher Nolan has developed a reputation as a singular director of cerebral blockbusters, and Inception is the greatest example of this. No other director could draw in such massive audiences for movies which some people proudly don’t understand, but Nolan has just as much box office influence as most franchises. Inception takes a unique sci-fi concept and spins it into inventive action scenes, like the revolving corridor sequence. The A-list cast and Hans Zimmer’s droning, imposing score help create the perfect atmosphere, and Inception‘s enigmatic ending makes sure that it lingers in the mind.

9

Top Gun (1986)

Box office: $357.3 million

Top Gun is a little lightweight in some of its dialogue and the romantic subplot, but the aerial fight scenes are still relentlessly entertaining. In this way, Top Gun represents the pinnacle of simplistic action movies, and these have always been big money. Audiences will forgive a lot of mediocre writing if a movie can deliver high-speed thrills, a gorgeous soundtrack, and a strangely intense beach volleyball scene. Decades later, Top Gun: Maverick was an even bigger success than its predecessor, and the legacy sequel managed to woo the critics too.

8

Barbie (2023)

Box office: $1.446 billion

Movie theaters are still struggling to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but many of them can thank the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon for keeping their doors open. Barbie is exactly the kind of fun, lighthearted movie that makes a great blockbuster. It’s always a sign of a movie’s success when it inspires scores of imitators, and there are already upcoming movies trying to replicate Barbie‘s success. However, the true lesson isn’t that people want to see more movies based on toys, it’s that audiences value original stories and bright, enjoyable movies.

7

Iron Man (2008)

Box office: $585.8 million

Iron Man seemed like a risky gamble to lead the MCU’s first movie. At the time, he wasn’t the universally popular hero that he is today, but Robert Downey Jr.’s lovable performance and some explosive action scenes made Iron Man a smash hit. More importantly, it teased an expansive future with Nick Fury telling Tony Stark about the Avenger Initiative. This made fans hungry for more. Post-credits teases are a Marvel tradition now, but few have ever had the impact of the first one, which ensured that Iron Man wouldn’t be the studio’s only ludicrously successful summer blockbuster.

6

Independence Day (1996)

Box office: $817.4 million

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Will Smith was an unparalleled box office draw, with his movies consistently making hundreds of millions of dollars in different genres. This started with Bad Boys and Independence Day. Smith is at his best in Independence Day. He gets plenty of chances to crack wise and show off his comedy chops, but there are also moments which make full use of his skills as a dramatic actor. Independence Day‘s effects have held up surprisingly well, making its alien invasion story just as exciting as ever.

5

The Dark Knight (2008)

Box office: $1.006 billion

With Christopher Nolan’s flair for blockbuster action and one of the most popular comic book heroes in the world, it’s no surprise that The Dark Knight was an immense success, both financially and critically. The slightly unusual thing is that The Dark Knight is the second movie in a trilogy, but it massively outshines Christian Bale’s two other turns as Batman. This can be largely attributed to Heath Ledger’s Joker, who immediately became an iconic movie villain with his twisted worldview and theatricality. The Dark Knight is an intelligent superhero movie with plenty of punch.

4

Jaws (1975)

Box office: $476.5 million

Steven Spielberg’s first great masterpiece contributed to the modern idea of a summer blockbuster more than any other movie. After Jaws, studios invested more in action thrillers with unique concepts, but the movie is far more than just a slice of history. Jaws is a beautifully scripted story about three men from different walks of life who come together to stop a common enemy. Their dynamic forms the basis of the film’s dramatic intensity, and the shark attack scenes deliver the thrills. With John Williams’ iconic score and a shark that is hinted at long before it breaks the surface of the ocean, Jaws is just as terrifying now as it was 49 years ago.

3

The Avengers (2012)

Box office: $1.519 billion

Superhero team-ups are common nowadays, but The Avengers changed the landscape of the genre. After steadily putting the pieces in place, The Avengers brought a team of superheroes together for a cinematic event that may seem quaint by the standards of Infinity War and Endgame, but was seismic at the time. The first outing for the MCU’s super team is still arguably the best Avengers movie, and it’s interesting how it avoids most of the MCU’s most common criticisms. There is a ton of breathtaking action to enjoy, but The Avengers also tells an interesting story featuring a cast of talented actors at the top of their game. Some of the team’s internal disagreements are as compelling as Loki’s invasion.

2

Star Wars (1977)

Box office: $775.4 million

Star Wars is one of the greatest summer blockbusters of all time, and it spawned a franchise that has delivered a string of other summer classics. It’s telling that the sequel trilogy has struggled to free itself from the long shadow cast by the original trilogy, but these aren’t the only movies that have been influenced by the story of Luke Skywalker’s journey from humble beginnings as a moisture farmer on Tattooine to joining the rebellion and harnessing the powers of the force. The plethora of aliens and droids have fascinated hardcore fans for decades, but Star Wars is accessible for anyone. It works for people who understand the political allegory, and also for children who want to see explosions and Darth Vader.

1

Jurassic Park (1993)

Box office: $1.058 billion

Jurassic Park broke box office records all over the world in 1993, including the global record for the highest-grossing movie of all time. The first movie in the Jurassic Park franchise has something for everyone. There are moments of nerve-shredding tension and thrilling action, but there is also plenty of humor in the quieter moments. One thing Jurassic Park does better than any of its sequels is that it tells a compelling human story, and this raises the stakes for when the T. Rex eventually comes thundering into view. Jurassic World 4 is racing toward a summer 2025 release date to reboot the franchise once more, but it will likely struggle to recapture the brilliance of the original.