# List of highest-grossing films in the United States by year

This is a listing of the highest-grossing films by year, based on their United States box-office gross. The films are listed by in-year release, rather than the gross they accumulated during a calendar year.
Six different directors have directed the highest-grossing film on multiple occasions: George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Sam Raimi, Robert Zemeckis, and Chris Columbus. Spielberg has the record, directing four of the yearly highest-grossing films: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Jurassic Park (1993), and Saving Private Ryan (1998). Lucas has directed three such films, all of which are part of the Star Wars franchise, which he created: the original Star Wars (1977), and two of its prequels The Phantom Menace (1999), and Revenge of the Sith (2005). James Cameron has also directed three such films: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Titanic (1997), and Avatar (2009). Sam Raimi, Robert Zemeckis and Chris Columbus have directed two each: Spider-Man (2002) and Spider-Man 3 (2007) for Raimi; Back to the Future (1985) and Forrest Gump (1994) for Zemeckis; Home Alone (1990) and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) for Columbus.
Films that are a part of larger film or media franchises are frequently atop the highest-grossing films in the United States. The Star Wars franchise has had the highest-grossing film in 8 different years since 1977. In addition to the five aforementioned which Lucas directed, the franchise has also had The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and The Last Jedi (2015–2017, respectively), top a year. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had four films atop the yearly U.S. box office: The Avengers (2012), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). No Way Home also gave the Spider-Man film franchise its third leading film. Batman films, Harry Potter, Top Gun, and Toy Story are the other franchises with two films to top the U.S. box office in a single year.

## By in-year release

The following is the annual listing:
| Year | Film | Gross |
| 1977 | Star Wars | $221,280,994 |
| 1978 | Grease | $159,978,870 |
| 1979 | Kramer vs. Kramer | $106,260,000 |
| 1980 | The Empire Strikes Back | $209,398,025 |
| 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $212,222,025 |
| 1982 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | $359,197,037 |
| 1983 | Return of the Jedi | $252,583,617 |
| 1984 | Beverly Hills Cop | $234,760,478 |
| 1985 | Back to the Future | $210,609,762 |
| 1986 | Top Gun | $176,781,728 |
| 1987 | Three Men and a Baby | $167,780,960 |
| 1988 | Rain Man | $172,825,435 |
| 1989 | Batman | $251,188,924 |
| 1990 | Home Alone | $285,761,243 |
| 1991 | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | $204,843,345 |
| 1992 | Aladdin | $217,350,219 |
| 1993 | Jurassic Park | $357,067,947 |
| 1994 | Forrest Gump | $329,694,499 |
| 1995 | Toy Story | $191,796,233 |
| 1996 | Independence Day | $306,169,268 |
| 1997 | Titanic | $600,788,188 |
| 1998 | Saving Private Ryan | $216,540,909 |
| 1999 | Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace | $431,088,295 |
| 2000 | How the Grinch Stole Christmas | $260,044,825 |
| 2001 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | $317,575,550 |
| 2002 | Spider-Man | $403,706,375 |
| 2003 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | $377,027,325 |
| 2004 | Shrek 2 | $441,226,247 |
| 2005 | Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith | $380,270,577 |
| 2006 | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest | $423,315,812 |
| 2007 | Spider-Man 3 | $336,530,303 |
| 2008 | The Dark Knight | $533,345,358 |
| 2009 | Avatar | $749,766,139 |
| 2010 | Toy Story 3 | $415,004,880 |
| 2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 | $381,011,219 |
| 2012 | The Avengers | $623,357,910 |
| 2013 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire | $424,668,047 |
| 2014 | American Sniper | $350,126,372 |
| 2015 | Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens | $936,662,225 |
| 2016 | Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | $532,177,324 |
| 2017 | Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi | $620,181,382 |
| 2018 | Black Panther | $700,059,566 |
| 2019 | Avengers: Endgame | $858,373,000 |
| 2020 | Bad Boys For Life | $206,305,244 |
| 2021 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | $804,793,477 |
| 2022 | Top Gun: Maverick | $718,732,821 |
| 2023 | Barbie | $636,236,401 |
| 2024 | Inside Out 2 | $652,980,194 |