The summer blockbuster has become a staple in the film industry. Summer is the best time of the year to draw massive crowds of moviegoers and rank as much profit as possible, From May to August. Movie theaters are bombarded with the best output from studios as many people are looking to escape the heat while looking to be entertained. Summer blockbusters are packed with action, special effects, big-name stars, and compelling stories, making them perfect for success.

It's weird to think the summer blockbuster wasn't a thing right until 1975. A single movie that year came out in the summer of that year sparked a nationwide fear of sharks, making every single beachgoer afraid of going for a swim. Since then, summer blockbusters are pumped yearly into theaters, many of them exploring themes affecting society or simply creating a unique brand of spectacle that cannot be achieved in any other form of media.

Of course, the cinematic landscape changes from decade to decade, and in 2012, The Avengers was released, cementing the MCU proper and becoming one of the biggest game changers in movie history.

That said, here's a list of the biggest summer blockbusters of all time from their inception in 1975 all the way up until 2012.

20 Jaws (1975)

Roy Scheider fighting off a shark in Jaws
Universal Pictures

The first entry in the list is the one who started it all. If there is an official timestamp for modern cinema, it is "Before Jaws" and "After Jaws." With a script by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb, the movie stars Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, and Lorraine Gary. Jaws was the riskiest venture ever for Universal Studios, who bet everything on the vision of a young, inexperienced filmmaker named Steven Spielberg. The shooting of this film was a logistical nightmare.

The final product was a movie that introduced a new form of terror to audiences using imaginative POVs to immerse the audience in the sight of an unseen monster. This wasn't an artistic choice on behalf of Spielberg. It was done because the production team couldn't get the mechanical shark to work correctly. This was the first summer film to break the $100 million box office landmark and the go-to reference for any aspiring director expecting to make it big in Hollywood.

19 The Omen (1976)

The 1976 supernatural horror The Omen
20th Century Fox

Just as The Exorcist sparked outrage from conservative media in 1973, The Omen went far beyond in its attempt to shock audiences. Released in June 1976, the film was directed by Richard Donner with a script by David Seltzer. The cast had solid mainstays such as Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, and David Warner. The film's plot revolves around an accomplished diplomat and his wife living in Rome who secretly adopted a child after losing their own in labor. The kid would be named "Damien."

Years later, a series of twisted events happen around the boy. The family's Rottweiler is incredibly protective of him. His nanny suddenly hangs herself, and Damien refuses to be baptized or enter sacred grounds. Damian learns about a potential sibling and makes his mother miscarry. The father tracks down Damian's origins and finds out he was born from a Jackal, branding him as the son of the beast. This eerie horror flick collected $60 million in its heyday, sparking three more sequels.

18 Star Wars (1977)

star-wars-a-new-hope-vader-faith
20th Century Fox

Before it became a multimillion-dollar property, Star Wars was the name of the third film directed by George Lucas. Before being rebranded "Episode IV: A New Hope," this sci-fi vehicle was made with tooth and nails, a diminished budget, and a lot of effort. With a script solely written by Lucas, the film launched Mark Hammil, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher to stardom, along with veterans such as Peter Cushing and Alec Guinness. Released in May of 1977, the film broke the Jaws record by collecting $410 million in its initial run, with subsequent releases ballooning its total gross to $775 million.

Star Wars is a film that has everything, and it's meant for everyone. The story is timeless: a farm boy in a galaxy far away finds himself in the middle of a galactic conflict that leads him to become the face of a rebellion and the driving force behind the resurgence of an ancient order of protectors of the galaxy named the Jedi while fighting the evil behind the galactic empire. The finished result of Lucas's efforts is a timeless classic beloved by many people worldwide.

17 Alien (1979)

Alien
20th Century Fox

Released in 1979 with a production budget of $11 million, this film is considered by many to be Ridley Scott's magnum opus. The ominous tagline "In space, no one can hear you scream" fits Alien like a glove. With a screenplay by Bryan O'Bannon, the film stars Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Yaphet Kotto, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, and Ian Holm. The film grossed 84$ million in its initial run and spanned five sequels, two of them set before the first film's events.

Alien was something unlike anything done at that time. It has the same vibe as Jaws, but the film is claustrophobic. Ridley Scott plays your senses like a fiddle by giving glimpses of the monster hunting the crew. Nobody is safe in the Nostromo, a cargo ship taken from its original course and driven into a problematic situation. It was a landmark for sci-fi and horror, awarded by the Academy for best visual effects and best art direction. The film increased the profile of all actors and made Sigourney Weaver a superstar.

16 Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Raiders of the Lost Ark
Paramount Pictures.

Back in the 80s, both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg had an established partnership, being involved in each other's projects at some stage. The pinnacle of their collaboration was the creation of Indiana Jones. The character is an original idea by George Lucas and Phillip Kauffman. With a script by Lawrence Kasdan, Raiders of the Lost Ark was developed to revive serial films from the early 20th century into something new. The result was a property that many see as a timeless classic.

Set in 1936, Raiders of the Lost Ark sees an archeologist named Indiana Jones track down the Ark of Covenant with the Nazis trailing him to recover the ancient artifact. The final product is a total rollercoaster full of adventure, comedy, drama, and fantastical elements. The film had a budget of $20 million and collected $330.5 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1981 and spawning four more sequels. The upcoming Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is set to retire the character for good.

Related: 10 of the Most Highly Rewatchable Sci-Fi Movies

15 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

E.T the Extra-Terrestrial
Universal Pictures

As you read down this ranking, you'll realize by now why Steven Spielberg is one of the most accomplished directors of our times. The man has been batting home runs for most of his career. He has a natural talent for storytelling, no matter the genre. E.T. was a smaller endeavor than other entries in his filmography, yet this movie dethroned Star Wars with the largest box office gross of 1982. The film premiered on May 26 with a budget of $11 million and a total income of $792.9 million. Now that's a payday.

Written by Melissa Mathison and starring Dee Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote, Robert MacNaughton, and Drew Barrymore. The film was based on the premise of an imaginary friend developed by Spielberg, who later further developed the idea with Mathison. The final product is a story about a sweet alien coming to Earth to gather data about the planet who finds himself lost and makes friends with a kid named Elliot. The film is a total tear-jerker that still holds up well to this day.

14 Ghostbusters (1984)

Stay Puft Marshmallow Man GHOSTBUSTERS iv
Columbia Pictures

1984 was the year of Eddie Murphy, who made it big with Beverly Hills Cop; however, in the June of the same year, one of the most beloved properties was brought to life by Columbia Pictures. A pet project for Dan Aykroyd, who has an immense fascination with spirituality, Ghostbusters was an idea that was further developed by him and his partner in crime, Harold Raimis. The SNL alumni brought Ivan Reitman to direct and produce the film.

Ghostbusters was made with a small budget of $25 million and became the box office success of the summer, ranking at $295.2 million until Muphy's offering dethroned them in December. This gathering of talent was enough to convince other powerhouses such as Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, and Ernie Hudson to join the cast. The movie represented an unprecedented challenge for all parties involved since the visual effects of the ghosts had to be made using practical effects. The finished result still speaks for itself almost 40 years later.

13 Back to the Future (1985)

Back to the Future by Robert Zemeckis
Universal Pictures

Back to the Future is honored to be the highest-grossing film of 1985. Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Loyd, Lea Thompson, and Crispin Glover, the movie was released in July with a production budget of $19 million and recouping $381 million on its first run on cinemas worldwide. Written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, the film was directed by Zemeckis himself. The script was crafted with Fox in mind but went into production with actor Eric Stoltz instead. He would be fired after three weeks of shooting.

While not the first film to go into time travel hijinks, Back to the Future offered something different. The plot stated time as a linear concept that could be affected by the actions of people in the past to create a brand new future. The film is also famed for making Delorean cars cool. The property proved popular enough to allow Zemeckis to finish the planned trilogy filming the remaining two sequels back to back.

12 Top Gun (1986)

Top Gun
Paramount Pictures

A divisive entry, that's for sure. Legacy media have labeled Top Gun as militaristic propaganda with subtle gay undertones. The fact is that this movie was the highest-grossing film of 1986. Made with a budget of $15 million, the movie earned $357 million in its first theatrical run and is still considered a beloved American classic. The script by Jim Cash and Jacks Epps Jr. is based on the "Top Guns" article written by Ehud Yonay. The movie was directed by Tony Scott and stars Tom Cruise, Kelly McGuillis, Val Kilmer, and Anthony Edwards.

The film centers around forming a top elite squad of pilots to carry on a sensitive mission as Top Guns in the Naval Fighter Weapons School—the plot of the film centers on rivalries, friendship, and motivation to keep forward. Top Gun is regarded as one of Tom Cruise's legacy roles, one he would revisit in 2022 in Top Gun: Maverick, which came very close to being the highest-grossing film of 2022 until Avatar: The Way of the Water entered the chat.

11 Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution 

Until 1988 there had been no film like Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Given the current legalities and red tape surrounding studios, there won't be another film like this ever again. Based on the book Who Censored Roger Rabbit? by Gary K. Wolf, the screenplay was adapted by Jeffrey Pierce and Peter Seaman. The ever-reliable Robert Zemeckis directed the film. Starring human mainstays Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, and Charles Fleischer, the film also features an all-star cast of cartoon characters from Warner and Disney.

The experiment proved incredibly successful, making this movie the second-highest-grossing film of the year, right behind Rain Man. The unique script had a plot revolving around the framing of a titular character in killing an important figure related to the lives of toon characters. The story occurs in a world without boundaries between humans and 'toons. It was a massive hit, earning three Oscar awards for best editing, sound effects, and visual effects.

10 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Terminator 2 judgment day t-800 shotgun
Tri-Star Pictures

Terminator 2 is written, directed, and produced by James Cameron, who brings back the team from the first entry along with new faces. If there ever was someone keeping close tabs on following Spielberg's steps, it has to be James Cameron. The filmmaker is well known for being a master of his craft and meticulous in getting things done correctly. This commitment to filmmaking was what made the first Terminator film so special. After the slight bump in the road that ways The Abyss, Cameron had to get his groove back, and he did so with the highest-grossing film of 1991.

The story picks up where the first film left off: It's been ten years after Kyle Reese saved Sarah O'Connor, who is now locked up in a mental facility while his kid is living with foster parents. A new terminator Model, the T-1000 travels back in time to kill the future resistance leader. Connor sends back a reprogrammed T-800 to keep him safe. Premiered in August, T2 was the most expensive film ever made at the time. With a budget of $94 million, it earned $520.9 million in its first theatrical run.

Related: Why Younger Audiences Should Care About (And Watch) Old Movies

9 Jurassic Park (1993)

jurassic-park
Universal Pictures

If there's one undeniable fact for the late 20th century is that the only one who was able to top Spielberg was Spielberg himself. And so he did in 1993 with Jurassic Park. Released in June, this was a year where the director overplayed his hand by handling two big projects in the same year, the other being Schindler's List. If you think this would compromise the quality of the finished products, you'd be dead wrong. Jurassic Park became the first blockbuster to gross over a billion dollars in its theatrical run.

The film was an adaptation of a book written by Michael Crichton. Spielberg secured the rights to the story and asked the writer to do the screenplay himself. David Koepp revised the finished version. The ensemble cast included big names such as Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, BD Wong, and Samuel L. Jackson. The dinosaurs were brought to life by combining practical effects with CGI. The story would spark five additional sequels, expanding beyond the novel's scope.

8 The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution 

If you need hard proof that animation is a medium, not a genre, look at the box office champion of 1994. Released in June, The Lion King earned the top spot dead to rights on a small budget of $45 million; it managed to score $968.5 million in its first theatrical run. Directed by the team of Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, based on a screenplay by Irene Mecchi and Jonathan Roberts, the Lion King is essentially a retelling of Hamlet in a jungle setting.

The film also rounded up an all-star cast of established actors, with Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Rowan Atkinson, and Whoopi Goldberg playing key roles. The film is regarded for having one of the best scores ever made by Disney, with a bestselling album still in print and two academy awards for best music. The Lion King is considered the golden standard of Disney animation and one of the best movies ever made.

7 Independence Day (1996)

independence-day-canceled
20th Century Studios

The undisputed champion of 1996 has to be Independence Day. Released on July 3 and directed by Rolan Emerich with a script by Dean Devlin and Emerich himself. The all-star cast gathers working actors such as Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Randy Quaid, and Vivica A. Fox. The film also cemented Will Smith as a bankable movie star. The film had a budget of $75 million and garnered a total box office gross of $817.4 million.

This fantastic action film takes the basic premise of an Alien invasion and turns the volume to eleven. The visitors arrive with much fanfare but unknown intentions. With the world expecting benevolent visitors, everyone is shocked when the aliens open their ships to unleash the first firing salvo declaring war on humanity. It's up to the standing forces left around the planet to find a weakness in the alien stronghold and defend what's left of the world.

6 Armageddon (1998)

Armageddon movie
Buena Vista Pictures

In 1998 Hollywood somehow managed to pit two films about asteroids colliding with Earth simultaneously. Armageddon was the one who brought people in spades to theaters. Jonathan Hensleigh and J.J. Abrams wrote the original screenplay; Tony Gilroy handled the adaption. The movie was directed by the master of spectacle Michael Bay. with an ensemble cast featuring Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck, Will Patton, Keith David, Michael Clarke Duncan, Peter Stormare, and Steve Buscemi; this huge blockbuster had a budget of 150 million and grossed $553 million back worldwide.

The fast-paced story begins with an asteroid the size of Texas and its trajectory to Earth being spotted by an amateur astrologist. The international community brought their best talents to save the world and decided the only way to do so was by drilling the asteroid's surface to plant nuclear bombs. The script was very similar to the story depicted in Deep Impact, but this film managed to connect more with American audiences. It's a tragic comedy of sorts with a lot of funny lines but also many touching moments.

5 The Sixth Sense (1999)

Malcolm and Cole from The Sixth Sense
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

The Sixth Sense has the honor of being the first film by the master of twists, M. Night Shyamalan. It also established the sad fact he's mostly a one-trick pony since all his movies have the unexpected turn near the end that either subverts expectations or proves how predictable the film's plot was. The film was released in August, almost three months after the year's top contender: Star Wars Episode I. It still managed to nab a decent chunk of cash, ranking a box office gross of $672.8 million against a measly budget of $40 million.

The thriller is designed to surprise you with its unusual ending. Most of the runtime feels like a horror drama where a Phycologist named Malcolm Crowe, played by Bruce Willis, is helping a kid named Cole, brilliantly played by Haley Joel Osment, to deal with ghost sights. While assisting Cole, Crowe feels his marriage grow strained to the point of feeling detached from his wife. The movie received accolades all around, with six Oscars nominations. The snub of Joel Osment is still considered one of the cardinal sins of the Academy, one that was alluded to by the night's winner Sir Michael Caine in his acceptance speech of the award for his role in The Cider House Rules.

Related: 15 Recent Movies Many Critics Disliked, but Fans Loved

4 Gladiator (2000)

Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator
DreamWorks Distribution / Universal Pictures

The second entry from Ridley Scott in the ranking was the second-highest-grossing film of the year 2000 since Mission Impossible 2 was the leading contender. However, Gladiator was an original IP which gives the movie such a high profile. Everyone involved in the production was already a seasoned veteran. The grand-scale epic was filmed on a budget of $103 million and made back $503.2 million.

The script of David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson brought together the talents of Russell Crowe, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou, and Richard Harris. It was also the first high-profile gig for Joaquin Phoenix, who killed it with his depiction of Emperor Commodus. To this day, the movie is still considered one of the most significant historical dramas ever made. It was popular to the point of having Ridley Scott return to make a sequel.

3 Spider-Man (2002)

Spider-Man Tobey Maguire
Sony Pictures

Quick story time: did you know Marvel Comics, the company that now owns the blockbuster spot almost on a yearly slate, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in 1996? The company had to sell the film rights to virtually all their IPs to movie studios to return to the land of the living. The X-Men landed on Fox, and Spider-Man landed on Sony; the rest is history. Spider-Man is the go-to mascot for Marvel, so it's surprising that he didn't get a proper film right after 2002. A previous attempt by James Cameron was now dead and buried. Sony chose a new name to get into the game: Sam Raimi.

Directed by Raimi with a script by David Koepp and starring Tobey McGuire, Willem Dafoe, and Kirsten Dunst, Spider-Man was the first ever bid budget superhero film to reach a worldwide gross of $825 million on a budget of $130 million. It didn't peak as the largest film of the year because it faced intense competition from LOTR: The Two Towers and Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets, with both films grossing over $900 million each. Still, it opened the eyes of studio executives to the potential of Superheroes as bankable properties, a trend we have seen exploited to death.

2 The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Audrey Tautou and Tom Hanks
Sony Pictures.

It's difficult to explain the widespread phenomenon that was The Da Vinci Code. The suspense thriller written by Dan Brown took the world by storm in 2003. Columbia Pictures quickly bought the rights to the novel for $6 million. Ron Howards was drawn to the project since he was already a book fan. This led to the casting of heavy hitters as Howard's prestige brought frequent collaborators into the fold.

Tom Hanks, Ian McKellen, and Alfred Molina were quick to sing. The director choose two French mainstays to make the cast more diverse: Jean Reno and Audrey Tautou of Amelie fame. The result was a flawless adaptation of the novel full of conspiracies, twists, and turns. Produced on a budget of $125 million, the film would gross $760 million worldwide, with the studio quickly nabbing the rest of Dan Brown's novels to make two more sequels to this film.

1 The Dark Knight (2008)

Batman and the Joker sitting across from one another
Warner Bros. Pictures

2008 was the first year a Superhero film retained the highest box office gross worldwide. The Dark Knight, the second entry in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, took home a whopping $1.006 billion on a budget of $185 million. The film is still regarded as one of the best Superhero films in history, with superb acting, a solid script, and flawless direction. The Nolan brothers crafted the script along with David S. Goyer, and most of the cast from Batman Begins reprised their roles, with the notable exception of Katie Holmes, who Maggie Gyllenhaal replaced.

The casting of Heath Ledger as the Joker was a point of contention by many fans, who saw the actor as a rom-com staple. The sad early departure of Ledger increased the curiosity of many people worldwide. Many wondered if the thrilling portrayal had affected his state of mind. All doubts disappeared on the worldwide premiere on July 18. The Dark Knight received accolades everywhere. The film garnered six Academy Awards nominations, taking home the best sound editing and best-supporting actor for Heath Ledger, who would be the second actor to receive the award posthumously and the second time a leading actor took home the award for playing the character.