The 1980s were a big year for blockbusters, including Indiana Jones and Star Wars, but some of the decade’s highest-grossing films come as a surprise.
Summary
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The 1980s saw a surge of epic action, science fiction, and fantasy films due to a growing desire for escapism after the tensions and economic changes of the Cold War.
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Filmmakers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg dominated the 1980s with their blockbuster films and continue to influence the film landscape today.
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Original dramas like “Rain Man” and high-concept films like “Back to the Future” and “Batman” achieved significant box office success, demonstrating the diversity of successful films in the 1980s.
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Many iconic films were released in the 1980s, but some of the highest-grossing films of the 1980s are still a surprise. The 1980s were an incredible era for cinema, as it was marked by a variety of films that were hugely entertaining and reflected the cultural and historical dynamics of the time. The era was a transitional period for the film industry, as filmmakers were becoming more ambitious with technology and genres were beginning to blend more than ever. After the tensions of the Cold War and economic changes, ’80s movies were a major source of escapism, leading to an influx of epic action, science fiction, and fantasy films.
The successful franchise was born in the 1980s and iconic characters were born that still appear in new films today. It’s safe to say that the 1980s box office was truly taken over by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. While a couple of films without their involvement made the top 10, the two renowned filmmakers dominated the decade and their influence on the film landscape is as prevalent today as it was in the 1980s. Lucas and Spielberg capitalized on the desire to heroic narratives and fantastical worlds, and the rest of Hollywood followed suit. Here are the 10 highest-grossing films of the 1980s, with figures of box office mojo.
10 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Although Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny bombed at the box office, the Indiana Jones The franchise remains one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom It was actually considered a disappointment when it was released, as critics and audiences were disappointed by the dark and dour tone of the prequel compared to the exciting adventure film that it is. Raiders of the lost ark. However, the 1984 film still generated huge profits for the studio, earning $333 million on a budget of just $28 million.
9 Rain Man (1988)
While it’s not surprising that a Tom Cruise movie would become one of the biggest earners of the 2020s, an original drama would never make the decade’s top 10 in today’s movie landscape, even if it had Cruise as its lead. . However, that is exactly what happened when rain man It earned $354 million worldwide. rain man follows two long-lost brothers who are totally different but end up forming an extremely emotional bond. It’s a testament to the script and performances that the film stands out among artists like Indiana Jones and Star Wars although not be high concept or tied to established intellectual property
8 Top Gun (1986)
Top gun is another movie starring Cruise, only the 1986 release is a high-octane action movie full of thrills. Cruise plays Maverick, a fighter pilot who becomes the best in the country, and it’s full of intense scenes in the sky, huge ’80s pop songs, and one of the biggest bromances in movie history. The film grossed $357 million worldwide and was the first film to show how big of a movie star Cruise really was. More than 35 years later, Top Gun: Maverick’s The ending and overall story surprised audiences, the film grossed $1.5 billion and performed even better than its predecessor.
7 Back to the Future (1985)
He Return to the future The franchise is a perfect example of diminishing returns, as each sequel made significantly less than the last, but there’s no denying the overwhelming success of the first film at the box office. The 1985 time travel film took full advantage of the impact Steven Spielberg had on the decade with sentimentality and family adventures injected into an irresistible high concept. Return to the future It was also a coming-of-age film, a comedy film, and an influential science fiction film all rolled into one. As a result, Return to the future It grossed $383 million worldwide.
6 Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
After playing Han Solo, audiences were going to show up in droves to see Ford’s next big-budget film. Given that he was cast in Steven Spielberg and George Lucas’ action-adventure project with John Williams as composer, it was a recipe for success. Raiders of the lost ark was a phenomenal success at the box office, grossing a total of $389 million and launching an iconic character. The film was such a hit and spoke for itself that it didn’t even need “Indiana Jones” in the title, as the archaeologist’s name was added to the title of the 1981 film years later.
5 Batman (1989)
bat Man earned $411 million worldwide thanks to how director Tim Burton turned the once ridiculous ’60s television character into a fresh, dark and disturbing enigma. While Warner Bors. has been praised for Barbie marketing, the studio has quietly been the gold standard in movie marketing for a long time, as many of batman The success comes from the merchandising and how the film became a brand before its release. The yellow and the black bat Man The logo was already on t-shirts and belt buckles before the movie even hit theaters, and it was about to become a hit.
4 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Although some had lost interest in the franchise after Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doomthe threequel, Indiana Jones and the last crusade, had a greater participation than ever. The 1989 film grossed a total of $474 million and proved to be a box office success for several reasons. The title alone indicated that it might be the last time audiences see Indiana Jones. The film was also considered an important return to form after the relatively disappointing Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The popular Sean Connery was also in the film, as Henry, Indy’s father, played comically.
3 Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
None of the immediate follow-ups to Star Wars (1977) was as spectacularly successful as the original film, but despite grossing $300 million less than the 1977 film, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi It still earned $475 million worldwide. The 1983 film is the epic conclusion to the space saga and perfectly summarizes each story arc. While the Ewoks have a bad reputation, there’s no denying how exciting many of the scenes remain, such as the jungle chase and the battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.
2 Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back was following the incredible success of the first Star Wars movie. Since after 1977 pop culture seemed to orbit around Star Wars, the 1980 film surprisingly grossed $230 million less than its predecessor. However, $538 million is yet another milestone for the franchise. As The end of The Empire Strikes Back has possibly the most famous cinematic plot twist of all time, the film also undoubtedly spread by word of mouth.
1 ET The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Harrison Ford was cut from ET the alien, since he had a small role that was taken away from him. Since even a simple Ford cameo would have helped any film’s box office, it was a brave move for Spielberg to cut the famous actor from the film. However, Spielberg was right, since he not only Eastern Time was successful without Ford, but the 1982 film became the highest-grossing film of the decade, surpassing all others. Indiana Jones film, earning $792 million. Since the film is not part of any existing franchise, of all the highest-grossing films of the 1980s, Eastern Time It is the greatest success story.