In the 1970s, a movie called Jaws became the first to make over $100 million at the box office, setting a standard for success. Now, the big goal for films is to earn $1 billion worldwide. Throughout these decades, one filmmaker has remained on top, consistently creating the highest-grossing movies: Steven Spielberg.
With 60 years of filmmaking, Spielberg has directed 36 feature films that have made a stunning $10.7 billion at the box office! He is the only director to cross the $10 billion mark. James Cameron comes second with $8.8 billion, followed by the Russo Brothers, Michael Bay, and Peter Jackson, all of whom have made over $6.5 billion.
Breaking Records in Hollywood
Spielberg’s movies have set many box office records. His 1975 film Jaws was the first to earn over $100 million in the U.S. Later, his film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial became the highest-grossing movie of all time, earning $791 million worldwide. In 1993, Spielberg became the first to have a billion-dollar movie with Jurassic Park, which made $1.05 billion.
Even in the 21st century, Spielberg has directed successful films like Catch Me If You Can ($352 million), War of the Worlds ($603 million), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ($786 million), and Ready Player One ($603 million).
Challenges After the Pandemic
However, Spielberg’s latest films have not performed as well at the box office after the pandemic. His 2021 musical West Side Story only made $75 million, even though it had a $100 million budget and received great reviews and an Oscar. His recent movie, The Fabelmans, did even worse, grossing just $45 million globally, but critics still say it’s one of his best works.
Right now, Spielberg is working on a new movie featuring Frank Bullitt, a fictional San Francisco police officer, starring Bradley Cooper.
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