The Highest Grossing Movie Each Year Of The ’80s, Ranked By IMDb

In the ’80s, movies weren’t grossing as much money as they do these days. In fact, instead of annual billion dollar hits, some of the films to win each year at the box office during the decade wouldn’t even crack half of that total.

Another difference in that era is that the highest-grossing movies weren’t always sequels or part of a franchise, which happened often in the 2010s. Something that remained the same though is that the movies that made the most money weren’t always the ones considered to be the best, with the decade’s annual box office winners being mixed bags in terms of quality.

10 1987 – Three Men And A Baby (6.1)

It’s not often that a comedy, at least not one that isn’t part of a franchise, wins the box office. It was surprisingly the case in 1987 though when Three Men and a Baby managed to take in $167.7 million, outgrossing the likes of Predator, Fatal Attraction, and Lethal Weapon.

The film was helped by the trio of lead actors in Ted Danson, Steve Guttenberg, and Tom Selleck, who were all big stars during the ’80s. The premise of three bachelors coming together to take care of a child also lent itself to plenty of fun and hilarious moments.

9 1986 – Top Gun (6.9)

Although it may not have the most impressive rating on IMDb, there aren’t many films from the ’80s that are more iconic than 1986’s Top Gun. It has become so notable that a highly-anticipated sequel was greenlit and is slated to arrive in theaters later this year.

When Top Gun came out originally, it was an instant hit, winning the box office with a worldwide gross of $357.2 million. The plot centers on the adventures of U.S. Navy fighter pilots, leading to huge action scenes. It’s one of the movies that helped make Tom Cruise into a household name.

8 1984 – Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (7.5)

Back when the Indiana Jones series was limited to just a trilogy, many fans seemed to agree that the second installment was the worst of the bunch. That entry was Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which was released in 1984 and turned out to be a big box office success.

On a worldwide level, this sequel brought in $333.1 million and ensured that a third movie would also be made to round out the story. Indy went after a mystical stone and attempted to rescue kids from slavery in an adventure that was well-received but the film lacked overall due to some disappointing characters.

7 1982 – E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (7.8)

The decade doesn’t seem to matter all that much when it comes to Steven Spielberg because his movies are typically blockbusters whenever they arrive. In 1982, he released a huge hit in E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, which racked up an impressive $792.9 million.

The number ranked among the highest of the decade and though the IMDb rating isn’t over 8.0, it’s still very good. The story of a troubled kid bonding with and alien that lands on Earth and helping him escape is iconic and remains a classic to this day.

6 1988 – Rain Man (8.0)

Another surprising box office winner came in 1988. While almost everyone who has seen Rain Man can attest to the quality of the Best Picture winner, it’s not the kind of movie that typically outgrosses everything else. In fact, it’s the last Best Picture to take the box office crown.

Rain Man did so by raking in $354.8 million around the world. The film deals with the relationship between a car dealer (Tom Cruise) and his estranged savant brother (Dustin Hoffman), who is left their father’s estate. The high praise for the movie is likely what kept drawing audiences to return.

5 1989 – Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (8.2)

If the second installment in the Indiana Jones trilogy grossed a lot, then it’s only fitting that the third entry managed to surpass it. Fans had waited nearly a decade by the time 1989 rolled around and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade made its way into theaters.

This time around, Indy was joined by his father (Sean Connery) as they attempted to find the Holy Grail before the Nazis could. Since it was so hotly anticipated and seen as the end of the franchise for the time, it rose to $474.1 million and received critical acclaim, arguably being the best of the three films.

4 1983 – Return Of The Jedi (8.3)

There was almost no way that Return of the Jedi wasn’t going to take the box office crown of 1983. The movie was designed to be the end of the most infamous trilogy in Hollywood to that point, with the first two installments not only being considered classics but being huge blockbusters of their own.

It didn’t quite make as much as the other entries but Return of the Jedi still managed to pull in $475.1 million. It is often viewed as the worst of the original trilogy but was still a commercial and critical success, wrapping up the personal story between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, while adding to the love story between Leia Organa and Han Solo, all on top of great action and special effects.

3 1981 – Raiders Of The Lost Ark (8.4)

It all had to start somewhere for the impressive Indiana Jones trilogy and that was back in 1981. The world was introduced to Harrison Ford’s iconic character in Raiders of the Lost Ark as he got hired by the government to locate the Ark of the Covenant before Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.

Although it was only the beginning of the franchise, Raiders of the Lost Ark started strong with a $389.9 million total gross. That success was monumental because without it, one of the greatest characters in cinema history wouldn’t have been given another chance to further his story.

2 1985 – Back To The Future (8.5)

Along the same lines as Raiders of the Lost Ark, another great series managed to win the box office in its debut year. That came in 1985 when Back to the Future first premiered and blew away audiences with its fantastic blend of comedy, action, and sci-fi antics.

Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) became legendary characters almost immediately, with the film making $381.9 million. Audiences fell in love as the two traveled decades into the past, with almost every action possibly ruining their futures.

1 1980 – The Empire Strikes Back (8.7)

Following the incredible groundbreaking release of Star Wars in 1977, news that a sequel was on the horizon had audiences salivating. In 1980, they got what they were hoping for as The Empire Strikes Back arrived and it was watched by millions en route to a whopping $538.3 million box office intake.

It took what worked in the first film and expanded on it, introducing memorable new characters like Yoda and Lando Calrissian while also going deeper into the lore and delivering a jaw-dropping plot twist. To this day, many Star Wars fans still consider this the peak of the franchise.

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