List of the top summer movies since 'Jaws' turned it into blockbuster season in 1975

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Jaws” turns 50 this week, and its legacy of the summer movie blockbuster remains strong.

The titles that have packed the most summer moviegoers into theaters since 1975 represent some of the best known films of the last half century, including five “Star Wars” movies, Pixar favorites like “Toy Story 3” and “Finding Nemo,” superheroes galore and both “Top Gun” films. They also include some surprises, and movies both less bombastic and less enduring.

Combined, the top-earning summer films between 1975 and 2024 earned more than $15 billion through the summer months, a figure not adjusted for inflation, according to the tracking firm Comscore.

It's also worth noting that box-office tracking before 1981 was not as robust as it is today — and there was essentially no summer movie season in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic shuttered theaters across the country.

Here’s a list of the top summer movie each year, along with the film’s gross earnings from its release date through Labor Day, according to Comscore's data.

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1975: “Jaws,” $260 million

1976: “The Omen,” $60.9 million

1977: “Star Wars,” $221.3 million

1978: “Grease,” $132.5 million

1979: “Alien,” $79 million

1980: “Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back,” $222.7 million

1981: “Superman II,” $59.2 million

1982: “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” $242 million

1983: “Star Wars: Episode VI - Return Of The Jedi” $222.3 million

1984: “Ghostbusters,” $189.1 million

1985: “Rambo: First Blood Part II,” $139 million

1986: “Top Gun,” $131.3 million

1987: “Beverly Hills Cop II,” $151 million

1988: “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” $130.7 million

1989: “Batman,” $239 million

1990: “Ghost,” $125 million

1991: “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” $183.1 million

1992: “Batman Returns,” $159.8 million

1993: “Jurassic Park,” $316.6 million

1994: “The Lion King,” $262.3 million

1995: “Batman Forever,” $181.4 million

1996: “Independence Day,” $282 million

1997: “Men In Black,” $235.1 million

1998: “Armageddon,” $193 million

1999: “Star Wars: Episode I - Phantom Menace,” $421.4 million

2000: “Mission: Impossible II,” $214 million

2001: “Shrek,” $263 million

2002: “Spider-Man,” $403.7 million

2003: “Finding Nemo,” $332.7 million

2004: “Shrek 2,” $436.7 million

2005: “Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith,” $380 million

2006: “Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” $414 million

2007: “Spider-Man 3,” $336.5 million

2008: “The Dark Knight,” $504.8 million

2009: “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” $400.6 million

2010: “Toy Story 3,” $409 million

2011: “Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows II,” $375.6 million

2012: “Marvel’s The Avengers,” $620.3 million

2013: “Iron Man 3,” $409 million

2014: “Guardians Of The Galaxy,” $281.2 million

2015: “Jurassic World,” $647.4 million

2016: “Finding Dory,” $482.9 million

2017: “Wonder Woman,” $409.5 million

2018: “Incredibles 2,” $602.6 million

2019: “The Lion King,” $523.6 million

2020: “Tenet,” $20 million

2021: “Black Widow,” $182.7 million

2022: “Top Gun Maverick,” $701.3 million

2023: “Barbie,” $612.3 million

2024: “Inside Out 2,” $650.8 million

Picture Courtesy: Peacock/Universal Pictures via AP