The 15 Highest-Grossing ‘90s Movies Of All Time (According To Box Office Mojo)

There was a lot to love about the ‘90s. Blockbusters, VHS tapes, and of course, the movies that couldeventually be found on VHS tapes in Blockbusters. The 1990s produced some of the most iconic films of all time. While some were sci-fi action adventures, others were daring romances or gorgeous animations. We’re here to look at the best of these and stack them up based on their performance at the box office.

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In this ranking, we’ll be using data from Box Office Mojo. Additionally, we’ll only be focusing on films' domestic box office performances at the time of their release, so money acquired overseas or during re-releases won’t count toward the totals. With that said, it’s time for one major flashback. Here are the highest-grossing films of the ‘90s, with 5 more added onto our list for good measure!

Updated on June 5th, 2020 by Derek Draven: As mentioned in our updated intro, we're counting the highest-grossing films of the 1990s, with 5 more added to the list to round it off. Older fans grew up with these hits, while the newer generation might still need a history lesson! Regardless of who you are, these films hit the right note with audiences, and generated millions of dollars at the box office! Re-watch them again, or experience them for the first time.

15 Terminator 2: Judgment Day ($205 Million)

Dropping at the start of the 1990s, James Cameron's follow-up to his classic Terminator film was everything audiences expected, and way more they could never have imagined. With a bigger budget, Schwarzenegger's iconic action hero status, and Visual Effects technology successfully tested in Cameron's sleeper hit The Abyss, Terminator 2 was a phenomenon, to say the least.

In fact, it was so good that every subsequent sequel put out since has failed to generate even half the enthusiasm as fans had for the original. The latest sequel, Terminator: Dark Fate attempted to pick up where T2 left off, but was critically panned by audiences who skipped it.

14 Ghost ($217 Million)

Patrick Swayze hit his stride when he starred in Ghost, a story of a murdered man straddling the space between reality and the after-life, while attempting to save his widowed wife from the same fate. The film is a mixture of side-splitting comedy, heartwarming drama and chilling scenes of demons dragging evildoers down to Hell.

It also spawned a limitless number of parodies, including the Naked Gun franchise, who were all too quick to capitalize on the infamous and erotic pottery scene. In the end, Ghost charmed moviegoers out of $217 million.

13 Mrs. Doubtfire ($219 Million)

It's hard to watch Mrs. Doubtfire without choking up at the realization that Robin Williams is no longer with us. Here, he plays comedy to such great and heartwarming effect as a dad who goes through the craziest of transformations, just to see his kids.

The movie will forever remain timeless as an example of the goodness, integrity, and honesty of classic movie-making. It also scored well with audiences, striking up $219 million at the box office, which was difficult for comedy films at that time.

12 The Lost World: Jurassic Park ($229 Million)

The follow-up to the 1993 classic Jurassic Park gave audiences ample reason to climb back into the world of dinosaurs. This time, the action takes place on Isla Sorna, otherwise known as Site B, where many of the experiments involving dinosaur resurrections first took place.

With the ever-insane (and lovable) Jeff Goldblum taking center stage as a more serious Ian Malcolm, audiences were treated to director Steven Spielberg's nail-biting action sequences which cranked up the volume by doubling everything the original had to offer - including two T-Rexes.

11 Twister ($241 Million)

Who would have thought that a movie about tornado-chasing knuckleheads would turn out to be such a huge hit? The combined performances of actors Helen Hunt and the late, great Bill Paxton was zany and crazy enough to earn it a cool $241 Million at the box office, which was surprising for what should have been a niche film.

It was anything but, and quickly morphed into a Category 5 blockbuster. There hasn't been a film quite like Twister ever since, and even though it threw realism completely out the door, it was no less breathtaking to watch on the big screen.

10 Toy Story 2 ($245 Million)

Pixar’s Toy Story was the highest-grossing film of 1995, scoring $191 million at the domestic box office, so it came as no surprise when the 1999 sequel did even better. Toy Story 2 took in a crazy $245 million.

This addition to the Toy Story franchise followed the gang on their daring mission to rescue Woody from a toy collector. After the cowboy meets other toys from the “Woody’s Roundup†series like Bullseye and Jessie, though, leaving becomes a more challenging task.

Toy Story 2 is one of the few Disney animated sequels that has been regarded more highly than the original.

9 Men in Black ($250 Million)

This 1997 sci-fi action comedy starred Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith as a set of secret agents who conceal the extraterrestrial lifeforms that hide on earth.

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The film was wildly successful, with many praising the writing, leads, and overall charisma of the film. This led the franchise to receive a collection of sequels and a spinoff including Men in Black II, Men in Black 3, and Men in Black: International. The original took in over $250 million at the box office.

8 Home Alone ($285 Million)

After Kevin is accidentally left out of the McCallister family vacation, he must face two robbers who have their sites set on his home. This 1990 film was well received and quickly cemented as a family classic. The movie brought in over $285 million at the box office and received multiple sequels, most notably the Christmas sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York that saw the original cast returning to the big screen.

Disney recently announced plans to remake Home Alone for its new Disney+ streaming service, though details on how this will actually play out are scarce.

7 The Sixth Sense ($293 Million)

Dead people weren’t the only thing that The Sixth Sense saw; It also eyed a giant box office score, bringing in $293 domestically upon its first release.

This supernatural horror drama tells the story of a boy who has the ability to talk to the dead and the child psychologist who tries to help him make sense of it.

The film received six Academy Award nominations and has and been cemented as a classic film in the horror genre.

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6 Independence Day ($306 Million)

This 1996 sci-fi action film tells the story of aliens who attempt to take over and destroy the world on Fourth of July weekend as well as the humans who try to stop them.

The film starred names like Jeff Goldblum, Will Smith, and Mary McDonnell, and was given generally favorable reviews for being unsettling and intense. The film received $306 million at the domestic box office. It additionally received a sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence, in 2016.

5 The Lion King ($312 Million)

Disney’s stunning classic about a lion cub’s journey to take back his homeland became the highest-grossing animated film of the ‘90s, bringing in over $312 million — and with movies including Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin released that same decade, those numbers say a lot.

The film received universal acclaim for its beautiful visuals, genuine emotions, and memorable songs. It received a direct-to-video sequel and spin-off, two TV series, and a 2019 CGI remake.

Related: The Lion King: 10 Things You Never Knew About Scar

4 Forrest Gump ($329 Million)

Forrest Gump tells the tale of a slow-witted but sweet man whose life and romance occurs alongside a slew of major United States events in the 20th-century.

Tom Hanks' expert acting skills alongside the heartwarming feel of the film led it to perform well at the domestic box office, taking in $329 domestically. The film additionally received the Best Picture award at the 67th Academy Awards.

3 Jurassic Park ($357 Million)

Jurassic Park absolutely destroyed the box office, bringing in $357 million upon its first release. The sci-fi adventure follows a group who must escape the genetically engineered dinosaurs that have been let loose on the island they're visiting.

The classic film was praised for being edge-of-your-seat scary, graphically impressive, and massive. It received two immediate sequels, The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III. Additionally, the franchise got new life breathed into it in 2015 with the release of Jurassic World and again in 2018 with the distribution of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Related: 10 Best Spielberg Movies Ever, According to IMDb

2 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace ($431 Million)

While Star Wars was originally an '80s staple, it would eventually sneak itself into the tail end of the '90s. George Lucas premiered the franchises' first prequel, Star Wars: Episode I, in 1999 and theaters everywhere filled with eager fans.

Though the film received reviews that weren't as overwhelmingly positive as the ones given to the original trilogy, Episode 1 still managed to take in over $431 million at the box office. After all, fans couldn't wait to find out about the origins of Anakin Skywalker.

1 Titanic ($600 Million)

The highest-grossing movie of the ‘90s is none other than Titanic: the tragic love story centered on the privileged but lonely Rose and Jack, the poor but imaginative artist she meets.

The chemistry between leads Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet was magnetic, and the scale of the film felt daunting. This earned Titanic critical acclaim as well as the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1998. The film also took in over $600 million at the domestic box office and, including re-releases, $2.1 billion worldwide.

NEXT: The 10 Highest-Grossing Summer Blockbusters Of All Time

source https://screenrant.com/grossing-90s-movies-box-office-mojo/