Blockbusters have existed for decades. What once started with movies like Jaws breaking records at the summer box office has become the ultimate goal for any movie being released in theatres. Lately, though, I have been feeling like some of Hollywood has lost sight of what a blockbuster movie really entails.
Some focus on mastering the CGI, others believe it comes down to the perfect chemistry between the cast—but what truly makes a film a blockbuster?
The answer to that question likely lies in the films that helped define the term, so let’s take a look back at the films that helped shape the modern meaning of a blockbuster.
Star Wars
On May 25, 1977, the first Star Wars film was released, and it was the start of something amazing. Although we now know this film as Episode IV: A New Hope, originally it was simply called Star Wars. The name was changed after its massive box-office success, when filmmakers realized they could keep expanding the world they had created. This was the first time that the concept of a film series was truly actualized; before that, films were typically a one-and-done situation.
This film was the highest-grossing film of all time upon its release, and it was so popular that some theatres kept it playing for up to a year. Not only did the film itself rake in massive revenue, but everything associated with it did as well. For the first time, merchandise was created off the back of a film—toys, shirts, action figures—and eventually, even a dedicated section of a theme park.
The special effects were unlike anything that had come before—you could say they were out of this world. Combine that with an epic soundtrack and an outstanding cast, and you can see why this blockbuster changed the game for filmmaking.
Jurassic Park
Fast forward to June 11, 1993, and this iconic dinosaur film took the title of highest-grossing film ever. Where Star Wars introduced groundbreaking special effects and animatronics, Jurassic Park took it to the next level by combining the first realistic use of CGI with practical effects to create life-like dinosaurs.
Its cutting-edge visuals had people rushing to the theatre not because they were excited for the story, but because they wanted the experience of seeing dinosaurs on screen in a way that had never been possible before.
It was a big-budget film that more than paid off, and it began to make filmmakers realize that the best films are sometimes an investment. You get back what you put in—and if you put in enough, you might get back far more. Jurassic Park certainly made back far more than it cost to produce, and that’s not even counting the sequels, games, merchandise, and theme park rides it spawned.
The Matrix
Unlike many blockbusters, this film didn’t have a summer release when it hit theatres in March 1999—but that didn’t stop it from becoming a Hollywood-changing hit.
What made The Matrix unique was that it was a completely original concept built from the ground up by its creators—there was no book, no prior film, no existing story to draw from. And yet they still managed to craft an intricate, deeply intriguing world entirely on their own. This time, the popularity came from more than the visuals—it came from the story and the philosophical questions woven into it. The Matrix wasn’t afraid to reach into taboo territory involving control and the nature of reality, and that boldness paid off.
It didn’t hurt that it was the first film to introduce the “bullet time” effect, where the camera moves around frozen action in a stylistic, visually appealing way—nor did it hurt to include Keanu Reeves in a black trenchcoat.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Another blockbuster that arrived outside of summer was this beloved book-to-film adaptation, which premiered on November 16, 2001. Honestly, this movie could have been released on any date, and I’m almost certain the box office numbers would have been the same.
This film had an advantage many others don’t—it came with a massive, devoted fanbase already primed to watch, because they were already obsessed with the books. In that sense, filmmakers took an unbeatable story that millions already loved and brought it to life on screen. It was a strong foundation to build from—but if they had slacked on the execution, the future of the franchise would have been at risk. Because this film was never intended to stand alone; it was made with the goal of turning all seven books into blockbuster hits—and that’s exactly what they did.
The success of this film and the franchise that followed changed Hollywood in a different way than the rest. It opened studios’ eyes to the enormous potential of adapting beloved existing stories into box office hits.
Iron Man
Released on May 2, 2008, Iron Man set off the largest, most epic blockbuster domino effect of all time. Before it broke the box office that summer, superhero movies existed and some were reasonably popular—but none had become a cultural phenomenon the way Iron Man did.
This was a film that took all the elements of the blockbusters that came before it and executed them brilliantly—great effects, a compelling story with an already established fanbase, and an actor who embodied his character so completely that it’s now impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. It was a recipe for Hollywood-altering success.
But it was the film’s ending that truly changed cinema forever. Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, teased the Avengers Initiative, and just like that, the largest cinematic universe ever created was set in motion.
The Avengers & The Avengers: Endgame
Following Iron Man, several more Marvel films arrived—including Thor and Captain America—each teasing the Avengers Initiative in its own way. By this point, the global fanbase had already exploded, but the question lingered: could they actually pull it off? Could they weave all of these separate stories together into one cohesive, compelling film?
On May 4, 2012, that question was answered. The Avengers hit theatres and scored the biggest opening weekend of all time. It wasn’t just a good movie—it was a movie that redefined what a blockbuster could be.
But even that was just the beginning. Marvel continued building its universe, adding new heroes and stories across more than a decade, all leading toward one endpoint—literally titled Endgame. Twenty-one films made up the Infinity Saga, with the twenty-second serving as its conclusion. Avengers: Endgame remains the second-highest-grossing film of all time, and personally, I’m still shocked it isn’t the first (Avatar holds the title).
Hollywood will forever try to replicate what Marvel did…and I worry nothing will ever be able to. There was something special about spending over a decade with these characters—investing in each of their individual journeys, then watching them all converge together to defeat Thanos in the end—it’s a feeling that can’t be recreated.
And that, I think, is the real lesson of the modern blockbuster: it was never just about special effects, or even a great story. At its core, it’s about creating something that makes people feel—something that brings people together across cultures, generations, and backgrounds, and reminds us that we have more in common than we think.
