The 25 highest-grossing summer blockbusters of all time

To some, this was a surprise hit, not so much from the fact it was popular, but because of how much money it made in the United States. Big names like Kevin Hart, Eric Stonestreet and Dana Carvey were involved with this family film that takes us into the happenings of pets while their owners are away. It was successful enough to spawn a 2019 sequel.  

Taking it back to the days when Tobey Maguire was Spider-Man. His nemesis this time around is Doc Ock (played superbly by Alfred Molina). As we will see later down this list, "Spider-Man" and summer truly do go hand in hand. This sequel made more than $40 million on the first day it was released and further solidified Maguire as a blockbuster star of the early 2000s.  

Any film released as part of the "Star Wars" franchise will be popular and, obviously, make a lot of money. Of the second trilogy, this should be considered the most entertaining of the three and was a solid setup for "A New Hope." To no surprise, this was the highest-grossing domestic movie of 2005 and ranks among the top 30 of all time in the same category regardless of season. 

The eighth and final installment of the Harry Potter film franchise wrapped up the big-screen version of the books quite well. While it might have been hard to say goodbye to Harry, Ron and Hermione (at least on film), the legacy certainly lives on for fans of all ages. To no surprise, it was the highest-grossing film of 2011 in the United States and wasamong the top 15 ever. 

As we've seen already, and will see the rest of the way, sequels have become a summer staple. The hype is huge, even if enough fail to live up to the advanced billing. Here's one sequel that certainly delivered, reportedly bettering the gross of the original "Guardians of the Galaxy" just three weeks after being released. It's Marvel, so movie fans tend to go crazy for anything associated with the brand.  

Tom Holland takes over as the latest to play Peter Parker and his alter ego within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. "Far From Home" might not have dazzled as much as the first film with Holland in tow, "Spider-Man: Homecoming," but it's still a wildly entertaining ride and following the results of "Avengers: Endgame." It delivered a more dramatic and personal plot than the first installment.

The follow-up to the successful 2007 "Transformers" movie, Shia LaBeouf is back for another go around. This sequel was No. 1 at the box office for two weeks and was the second-highest grossing film in the U.S. for 2009. Though the film found itself on several "worst of ..." lists, it was more serviceable than what followed within the franchise , especially when Mark Wahlberg was brought into the mix.  

We talked about the sequel with Tobey Maguire in the lead role, but here is where it all began. Sam Raimi directed this modern take of the popular superhero, and it was a hit right out of the gate. Among the Maguire-featured movies in the franchise, this should be considered the best, especially with the dastardly Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin. 

This is the film that began Phase 3 of the MCE. It might also have been one of the more harrowing movies within the entire Marvel franchise of films. While the action was entertaining, it was kind of disturbing to see the Avengers squaring off against each other because Captain America and Tony Stark (Iron Man) have issues involving Bucky "Winter Soldier" Barnes and the role of the unit in general. 

Robert Downey Jr. turned Iron Man into one of the most iconic superheros in modern film history. "Iron Man" was the movie that kicked off the MCE (in terms of release order), and "Iron Man 3" opened the second phase of the film franchise. The third installment made $1.2 billion worldwide. Though some might have grown a little tired of Tony Stark's schtick, the picture received mostly favorable reviews.     

While fans wait for the highly anticipated release of "Wonder Woman 1984" (apparently still set for August 2020), let's go back to the first go-around. Gal Gadot brought one of DC Comics' most beloved superheroes to life on the big screen to much fanfare. Overall the film made more than $800 million worldwide and Gadot earned mostly strong reviews for her role that Lynda Carter made famous on television.

These Pixar gems are instant moneymakers. With Tom Hanks tied to the franchise, it really could not get much bigger. The third installment, which was the highest-grossing film of 2010, might also be the most heartwarming of the bunch, as Andy heads off to college. At the time, it was also the highest-grossing animated film (clearing $1 billion worldwide) in history before a little movie called "Frozen" came along. 

Back for more, this is the fifth film in the "Jurassic Park" franchise and the sequel to 2015's "Jurassic World" (which we'll go to later). Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) return for more while trying to rescue the genetically engineered dinosaurs from a pretty severe volcano. The movie made a little more than $1.3 billion around the world, as the "Jurassic Park" franchise continued to grow. 

The second of the five films in the series starring Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley. We continue the adventures of Jack Sparrow, a character who has come to define Depp's stellar professional career. Dead Man's Chest is the highest-grossing film in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and though plenty are partial to the debut The Curse of the Black Pearl, it's well worthy of celebration.  

Those on all levels of "Star Wars" fandom were waiting presumably forever for this film. It came 16 years following "Return of the Jedi," and, yes, "The Phantom Menace" made a ton of cash. However, as the months and, ultimately, years passed, it's arguably the worst of the nine films within the "Star Wars" saga. Sure it has its moments, but for true fans it's a forgettable film.  

The most recent film in the "Toy Story" franchise, no doubt this was going to be a monster hit. After all, fans had to wait almost a decade to see Woody, Buzz and the gang back together. We get to see how the toys are doing while now living with Bonnie. Around the globe, the movie made a little over $1 billion while introducing a whole new rung of children to the "Toy Story" legacy.

Another trend that seems pretty obvious from our list is that summer also means a plethora of animated movies that the whole family can enjoy. Following the huge success of the original "Shrek" film, it was only a matter of time before a sequel surfaced. Shrek, Donkey and Princess Fiona helped make this the highest-grossing movie of 2004. It earned nearly $920 million worldwide, also making it the highest-grossing animated film until "Toy Story 3" in 2010.

Four years after The Dark Knight  earned blockbuster status (stay tuned), Christian Bale was back as Batman, this time, taking on Bane (Tom Hardy) as the cape crusader tries to again find his place in Gotham City. Unfortunately, the release of the movie was marred by the mass shooting at a Colorado theater during a midnight showing of the highly anticipated film — which ranks among the best in the annals of all Batman-related pictures.

The first of two Avengers movies on this list directed by sci-fi guru Joss Whedon. Among all the MCE films, "Ultron" tends to rank high on the list. It told the tale of a time when the group was coming together and believing in the same cause — without letting egos completely get in the way. The movie cleared more $1.4 billion around the globe and is the only Avengers film to appear in Phase 2 of the MCE.

Whether regarded as a sequel or spinoff, the love for the "Finding Nemo"-related film, and Dory (voiced again by Ellen DeGeneres) specifically, obviously remained high. Both movies are among the most beloved animated pictures of all time. In terms of worldwide monetary success, "Dory" brought in over $1 billion and was the third highest-grossing movie of 2016. 

This was the film that truly showed the talent of the late Heath Ledger while giving a stirring and visually disturbed version of the Joker. (Ledger posthumously won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor). It's a movie that's still powerful to watch — no matter how many times — to this day and to appreciate the work, not just from Ledger but also from Christian Bale as Batman and director Christopher Nolan. 

Whether on stage or screen, "The Lion King" is traditionally a hot ticket. When this Jon Favreau-directed, photorealistic computer-animated version of the classic film from 1994 was released, audiences responded in earnest. By late July, the movie had already grossed $1 million worldwide, as this uniquely produced version of the film once again captured the hearts of fans from all ages, especially those who enjoyed the film 25 years prior. 

More Pixar fun from the Parr Family. It's not easy trying to raise a family and fight crime, especially as superheroes. It took 14 years for the sequel to arrive, but for most it was well worth the wait. To no surprise, "Incredibles 2" was a smash hit as it keeps pretty good company with some of the most popular films of all time — and is currently the highest-grossing summer animated film in history.

Joss Whedon's directorial debut within the Avengers portion of the MCE, it was released in early May, and when all was said and done it was the highest grossing movie of 2012 — in the United States. The movie made $1.5 billion worldwide and reportedly was the highest-grossing picture from Disney, at the time. With the "Avengers Initiative" revived, the door was opened to an entirely new adventure within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Following some down time, Steven Spielberg and the "Jurassic Park" film franchise started up again. Obviously, the return to Isla Nublar was a mega hit and was the first film to make more than $500 million during its opening weekend. The movie was able to essentially turn a new generation of dinosaur fans on to the "Jurassic Park" films and was the first of what is expected to be the second trilogy of movies within the franchise.