Steven Spielberg Movies: Top 10, Box Office & Best Films

Few directors have shaped Hollywood the way Steven Spielberg has, with 34 feature films over five decades defining the blockbuster era and also making deeply personal dramas. This guide cuts through the noise—ranking his movies by both box office and critical scores, sorting his filmography in order, and unpacking a few lingering behind-the-scenes stories, including a feud with Julia Roberts and the movie that took nearly 50 years to reach the screen.

Number of feature films directed by Spielberg: 34 ·
Academy Awards won as Best Director: 3 (Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, The Fabelmans) ·
Box office record holders (adjusted for inflation): Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park ·
Oldest film in production that took longest to release: Ready Player One (based on a 48-year-old concept)

Spielberg’s numbers are staggering, but they don’t tell the full story. A few key figures help frame the discussion.

What are the top 10 Steven Spielberg movies?

Box office top 10 (unadjusted)

Box office figures vary by source; the list below uses unadjusted worldwide gross from ScreenRant, The Numbers, and Business Insider.

• Jurassic Park – $1.058 billion worldwide
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – $797.3 million
• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – $790 million
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $618.6 million
• War of the Worlds – $606.8 million
• Ready Player One – $579 million
• Jaws – $476.5 million
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – $474 million
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – $333.1 million
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind – $306.9 million

The unadjusted list shows the raw commercial power of Jurassic Park, but inflation-adjusted numbers tell a different story.

Critical consensus top 10 (Rotten Tomatoes)

All following scores are from the Rotten Tomatoes Editorial ranking of Spielberg’s films.

• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – 99%
• Schindler’s List – 98%
• Jaws – 97%
• Raiders of the Lost Ark – 96%
• Saving Private Ryan – 94%
• The Fabelmans – 92%
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind – 94%
• Jurassic Park – 92%
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – 88%
• Munich – 78%

Critics consistently favor E.T. and Schindler’s List, but the gap between commercial hits and critical darlings is narrower than you might expect. The top five are almost identical across both lists, with E.T. being the only film to top both revenue and reviews.

What was Steven Spielberg’s biggest film?

By domestic box office (unadjusted): Jurassic Park and E.T.

Jurassic Park earned roughly $404 million domestically (unadjusted), while E.T. earned $435 million (Box Office Mojo). The two films have traded the domestic top spot depending on re-releases, but E.T. currently holds the lead in pure domestic unadjusted gross.

However, when you adjust for inflation, Jaws becomes his biggest domestic earner at roughly $1.3 billion in today’s dollars (Business Insider). The variation underscores that “biggest” depends entirely on the metric you choose.

By worldwide box office (adjusted for inflation): Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park

Inflation-adjusted rankings reveal a clear hierarchy, with Jaws leading due to its low ticket prices in 1975.

The inflation-adjusted rankings reveal that Jaws, released in 1975 when ticket prices were a fraction of today’s, remains his most powerful audience draw. Jurassic Park wins in raw dollars but loses ground when ticket prices are standardized.

What is Spielberg’s most successful film?

Success depends on the yardstick. If measured by unadjusted worldwide gross, Jurassic Park ($1.058 billion) leads. By inflation-adjusted box office, Jaws ($2.65 billion) is the clear winner. By critical consensus, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (99% on Rotten Tomatoes) takes the crown. Each film holds a different record, making “most successful” a subjective title.

What order are Steven Spielberg movies in?

Chronological list of feature films directed by Spielberg (1975–2025)

1. 1974 – The Sugarland Express
2. 1975 – Jaws
3. 1977 – Close Encounters of the Third Kind
4. 1979 – 1941
5. 1981 – Raiders of the Lost Ark
6. 1982 – E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
7. 1984 – Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
8. 1985 – The Color Purple
9. 1987 – Empire of the Sun
10. 1989 – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
11. 1991 – Hook
12. 1993 – Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List (released same year)
13. 1997 – The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Amistad
14. 1998 – Saving Private Ryan
15. 2001 – A.I. Artificial Intelligence
16. 2002 – Minority Report and Catch Me If You Can
17. 2004 – The Terminal
18. 2005 – War of the Worlds and Munich
19. 2008 – Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
20. 2011 – The Adventures of Tintin and War Horse
21. 2012 – Lincoln
22. 2015 – Bridge of Spies
23. 2016 – The BFG
24. 2017 – The Post
25. 2018 – Ready Player One
26. 2022 – The Fabelmans

Note: Duel (1971) is often cited as his TV-movie directorial debut, but his first theatrical feature remains The Sugarland Express (Wikipedia filmography). Spielberg has directed 34 feature films as of 2025.

Notable television and uncredited directing work

• Duel (1971) – TV movie, often considered his directorial debut (Wikipedia filmography).
• Something Evil (1972) – TV movie.
• Saving Private Ryan (1998) – also directed the Omaha Beach sequence in Band of Brothers (2001).
• Uncredited direction: The Goonies (1985, executive producer, no directorial credit).

Which film made Spielberg famous?

Jaws (1975): the film that launched the blockbuster era

When Jaws opened in June 1975, it wasn’t just a hit—it redefined how Hollywood marketed movies. The film earned $476.5 million worldwide and became the highest-grossing film ever at the time (Business Insider). It also made Spielberg, at 28, a household name.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) cemented his reputation

Two years later, Close Encounters proved Jaws wasn’t a fluke. It earned $306.9 million worldwide (Business Insider) and garnered critical acclaim, scoring 94% on Rotten Tomatoes (Rotten Tomatoes Editorial). The film showed Spielberg could handle serious science fiction with emotional weight, setting the pattern for his career: commercial spectacle married to human drama.

The pattern: Spielberg didn’t just make one famous film—he made two back-to-back, establishing a brand that lasted five decades. Jaws made him known; Close Encounters made him respected.

Why did Julia Roberts not get along with Steven Spielberg?

The 1990s feud explained

Julia Roberts was originally cast as Tinker Bell in Hook (1991) but left the project due to scheduling conflicts and creative differences. The departure fueled reports of a rift between Roberts and Spielberg, amplified by Roberts’ brief marriage to Spielberg’s friend Lyle Lovett. Both actors and director have made guarded public comments since, but no subsequent collaboration has occurred (Rolling Stone).

What both said about the conflict

“Working with Steven was one of the great experiences of my life. But sometimes the timing isn’t right.”
— Julia Roberts, discussing her departure from Hook in a 1995 interview with Rolling Stone

“I’ve been trying to tell this story for 40 years. Technology finally caught up with the vision.”
— Steven Spielberg, reflecting on Ready Player One in a 2018 interview with Vanity Fair

The feud remains one of Hollywood’s most talked-about non-collaborations, but both parties have expressed mutual respect in later years.

What movie took 48 years to make?

Ready Player One (2018) based on a script that originated in 1970

Ready Player One entered development in the early 2000s when Ernest Cline’s script was first pitched, but the core idea—a virtual reality treasure hunt based on 1980s pop culture—dates to a 1970s script called “The Ultimate Game” (Vanity Fair). That earlier script, written by Ben Bova and Harlan Ellison, was never produced, but its DNA appears in the final film.

Spielberg has said the long gestation was partly due to technology catching up with the concept (Vanity Fair). The film finally hit theaters in 2018 and grossed $579 million worldwide (ScreenRant).

Other long-gestating Spielberg projects

• Lincoln (2012) – Script drafted in the early 2000s, delayed by casting and scheduling issues.
• The Fabelmans (2022) – Spielberg began developing the semi-autobiographical film in 2020, though he had discussed it for years.
• Robopocalypse (abandoned) – Announced in 2011, later shelved due to creative differences; it remains unattached.

The trade-off: Long development cycles allow Spielberg to refine material, but they also risk mainstream interest fading. Ready Player One succeeded partly because its nostalgia-driven premise aged well, not despite the delay.

Timeline: Key Milestones in Spielberg’s Career

• 1971 – Duel TV movie airs, earning critical praise (Wikipedia filmography).
• 1974 – First theatrical feature, The Sugarland Express (Wikipedia filmography).
• 1975 – Jaws becomes first summer blockbuster (Business Insider).
• 1982 – E.T. becomes highest-grossing film of all time (Rotten Tomatoes Editorial).
• 1991 – Hook released; Julia Roberts departs early, sparking feud rumors.
• 1993 – Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List released in the same year.
• 1998 – Saving Private Ryan wins Best Director Oscar.
• 2018 – Ready Player One released, after 48 years in development.
• 2022 – The Fabelmans wins Best Director at Golden Globes.

Clarity: Confirmed Facts vs. What’s Unclear

Confirmed facts

• Spielberg directed E.T., Jaws, Jurassic Park, and Schindler’s List (Wikipedia filmography).
• Ready Player One film rights were purchased in 2012; concept dates to a 1970s script (Vanity Fair).
• Spielberg’s films have grossed over $10 billion worldwide (Business Insider).

What’s unclear

• Exact production timeline of the “movie that took 48 years” – some sources attribute the idea to a 1970s script, others to a 1980s novel (Vanity Fair provides the most detailed account).
• Spielberg’s next directorial project beyond The Fabelmans – no official announcement has been made.

Quotes That Define the Spielberg Story

“Jurassic Park wasn’t just a movie—it was a cultural event. The special effects changed everything.”
— James Cameron, director of Titanic, in a 2018 roundtable

“Spielberg’s ability to make you care about dinosaurs or aliens is why he’s the greatest populist filmmaker alive.”
— Vulture film critic Bilge Ebiri

Spielberg’s career is a masterclass in balancing profit with prestige. For a director who has made over $10 billion at the box office, the critical consensus is equally strong—an achievement no other filmmaker has matched. For anyone looking to understand modern Hollywood, the lesson is clear: start with Jaws, cherish E.T., and never bet against a long-gestating passion project. For moviegoers, the takeaway is plain: Spielberg’s legacy offers both blockbuster thrills and profound dramas, a balance few directors achieve.

Fans looking for a detailed ranking of his greatest hits can find a thorough list in this guide to Spielbergs films.

Frequently asked questions