The rise of cutting-edge commercial blockbusters in the 1980s saw the emergence of several highly influential filmmakers, andRobert Zemeckisranked chiefly among them. With his highly imaginative stories, aptitude for humor, and creative use of music,Zemeckis created some of the most memorable films, characters, and moments in screen history. While he was noted for his use of breakthrough technology, Zemeckis never failed to put his films’ technical merit over the stories and characters at hand. Like his contemporaries,Steven SpielbergandRichard Donner, Zemeckis’ name became an indication of quality due tothe many classics he helmed.
Despite the success that he found during the initial stages of his career,Zemeckis has struggled to deliver box office hits in the 21st century. Hisuse of photo-realistic animation has been controversial, and the general quality of his projects has declined. Nonetheless, he’s still a fascinating filmmaker whose new work is always worth checking out for its redeeming values. Here are the ten highest-grossing Robert Zemeckis movies at the global box office.
10‘Beowulf’ (2007)
Worldwide gross: $196,393,745
While releasing a film based on the classic Old English poem of the same name was certainly a creative risk,Beowulfstood out asone of the rare PG-13 animated filmsput into wide release.Considering that the medium is largely associated with films made for a family audience, a more mature fantasy epic was an ambitious endeavor, and it’s not one that necessarily paid off for Zemeckis. Despitegrossing over $196 million at the global box office,Beowulf’s $150 million budget meant that it was likely not a profitable release.
While the film’s critical response was no more enthusiastic than its financial performance,Beowulfis a film that only Zemeckis could have made. It’s hard to imagine another filmmaker having the bravery to adapt a time-old story in a challenging medium like animation that was still in its evolutionary phase.
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9‘Back to the Future: Part III’ (1990)
Worldwide gross: $245,077,583
Although the series itself is often considered to be one of thebest trilogies in film history,Back to the Future: Part IIIbecame the lowest-grossing film in theBack to the Futurefranchise. With a global box officetotal of over $245 million, the triumphant third chapter in the time travel adventure series grossed almost $100 million less than its predecessor. Perhaps the happy ending dismayed audiences from seeing it multiple times, asBack to the Future: Part IIIdoes not end with a cliffhanger that teases future installments in the series.
Despite underperforming in comparison to the first two entries in the franchise,Back to the Future: Part IIImay have benefitted from the resurgence of Westerns in the 1990s. The popularity of films likeUnforgiven, Tombstone, Young Guns,andWyatt Earpsuggested that the genre itself had made a major comeback.
Back to the Future 3
8‘What Lies Beneath’ (2000)
Worldwide gross: $291,420,351
While he has often included moments of suspense and intrigue within his films,What Lies Beneathwas Zemeckis’ first true horror film,which made it stand out compared to the more family-friendly projects he’d helmed earlier in his career. Witha worldwide box office gross of over $291 million,What Lies Beneathwas clearly successful in getting an audience engaged in its frequent twists and turns. Like many Zemeckis films,What Lies Beneathutilized groundbreaking computer-generated effects that only made it more exciting.
While Zemeckis’ name was reason enough to see the film,What Lies Beneathmay have benefited froma rare villainous turn from Harrison Ford. Although Ford has played some of the most iconic film heroes in cinematic history, seeing him show his dark side gave viewers a compelling reason to check out Zemeckis’ dark supernatural thriller.
What Lies Beneath
In What Lies Beneath, Claire Spencer begins experiencing eerie occurrences in her home, leading her to suspect that a supernatural presence is attempting to communicate with her. As her scientist husband dismisses her fears, Claire embarks on a quest for the truth, uncovering hidden secrets that challenge her reality.
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7‘The Polar Express’ (2004)
Worldwide gross: $318,226,393
While some have argued thatthe film is more horrifying than it is heartwarming, Zemeckis’ 2004 adaptation of the classic children’s novelThe Polar Expressbecame one of the most successful Christmas films of all time at the global box office. Witha worldwide box office gross of over $318 million,The Polar Expresscertainly generated interest due to its immersive use of live-action and animated characters. Its success is notable considering that 2004 was a year packed with animated films, includingShrek 2andThe Incredibles.
While its status as an actual classic has been debated,The Polar Expressinspired Zemeckis to continue working in the realm of computer animation. The film’s strong financial performance must have indicated to him that the odd “uncanny valley” effect that the style highlighted did not impede the audience’s entertainment.
The Polar Express
6‘A Christmas Carol’ (2009)
Worldwide gross: $325,286,646
Following the disastrous box office performance ofBeowulf, Zemeckis decided to go back to the style ofThe Polar Expressby adapting another holiday classic with his stylized animation. While it was met with the same criticisms that his previous work had,A Christmas Carolbecame the highest-grossing animated film of Zemeckis’ career. Witha global box office performance of over $325 million, Zemeckis’ version ofA Christmas Carolvastly outperformedall other versions of theCharles Dickensclassic.
Despite being an unqualified financial success,A Christmas Carolput a tentative end to Zemeckis’ experimentation with animation, indicating he was more interested in films suited for adult audiences. The subsequent decade saw him making more serious films likeFlight, Allied,andThe Walk; while these projects were not major box office successes, they may have been more creatively satisfying for Zemeckis.
A Christmas Carol
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5‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ (1988)
Worldwide gross: $329,803,958
Considered one of the riskiest projects in film history,Who Framed Roger Rabbitis a film that simply could not be made today. The film made tremendous leaps in visual effects, combining live-action and animated characters into a seamless adventure that appealed to viewers young and old. While earning the rights to the variousLooney Toonscharacters was itself a challenge, Zemeckis risked making a film that was either too dark for kids or too silly for adults. He thankfully pulled it off, delivering an all-time classic thatearned over $329 million at the global box office.
Who Framed Roger Rabbitwas also a critical hit, winning four Academy Awards for Best Editing, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects, and a Special Achievement Award. It’s been a success that proved difficult to replicate, as theoften-teased sequel has yet to come to fruition.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
4‘Back to the Future: Part II’ (1989)
Worldwide gross: $332,500,002
While it grossed only slightly less than its predecessor,Back the the Future: Part IIsolidified theBack to the Futurefranchise as one of the most successful in blockbuster history. Following up a film that was considered “perfect” was certainly not an easy task, but Zemeckis managed to take the story in a far darker direction that distinguished it from its predecessor.Earning over $332 million at the global box office,Back to the Future: Part IImanaged to generate enough enthusiasm for the third film in the franchise to become a success in the subsequent year.
While it’s been debatedwhich of theBack to the Futurefilms is actually the best,Back to the Future: Part IIcertainly had an outsized impact on popular culture. The film was embraced by the film community once more in 2015 when fans examined how many of the film’s “predictions” about the future actually came to fruition.
Back to the Future 2
After visiting 2015, Marty McFly must repeat his visit to 1955 to prevent disastrous changes to 1985…without interfering with his first trip.
3‘Back to the Future’ (1985)
Worldwide gross: $384,577,472
Easily one of themost rewatchable films of the 1980s,Back to the Futurebecame a box office smash hit due to its inventive blend of different genres. While obviously, the time travel storyline appealed to fans of the science fiction genre, the relatable story featuring Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) trying to survive his high school experience clearly connected with youthful viewers. The film coasted toa global box office total of over $384 million, becoming the highest-grossing film of Zemeckis’ career at the time.
Back to the Future’s success spawned a highly successful franchisethat included two direct sequels, an animated television series, several video games, multiple theme park rides, and a popular Broadway musical that recently debuted to positive reviews. While Zemeckis has indicatedhe’s not interested in a fourth film in the series,Back to the Futurewill certainly be well-remembered in the years to come.
Back to the Future
2‘Cast Away’ (2000)
Worldwide gross: $429,632,142
While its production was itself a dangerous experiencethat nearly killed actorTom Hanks,Cast Awaywas surprisingly successful at the worldwide box office, considering how dark the film’s subject material was.Zemeckis’ gripping survival thrillerearned over $429 million at the global box office, and scored positive reviews from critics. While survival thrillers have been a recurring cinematic genre that was popular in previous years,Cast Away’s gritty take on the classic story indicated to viewers that it was an event worth watching on the big screen.
Cast Awaycertainly benefited from the hype surrounding the performance by Hanks, who earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance as Chuck Nolan. While it was hardly his first dramatic turn, Hanks’ radical physical transformation was unlike anything else that he had ever done at that point in his career.
1‘Forrest Gump’ (1994)
Worldwide gross: $678,226,465
In addition to being the biggest and most successful film of Zemeckis’ career,Forrest Gumpwas one of the most popular and well-loved films of the 1990s. The film grossed anastounding global box office total of over $678 million, indicating that viewers went to see the film multiple times in order to experience its inspirational quality. The film proved to be a success that the Academy Awards couldn’t ignore; in addition towinning the Oscar for Best Picture,Forrest Gumpwalked away with six trophies, including Best Director for Zemeckis.
Forrest Gumpis the type of old-fashioned crowd-pleaser that the industry simply doesn’t make anymore, as it seems unlikely that the industry will ever be capable of producing a film quite like it ever again. While Zemeckis himself has certainly made notable projects in recent years,Forrest Gumpis perhaps the most defining film of his legacy.
