Special Report
Biggest Fourth of July Blockbusters of All Time
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A film’s opening weekend can make or break the movie’s lifetime value. Big opening weekends create a marketing buzz that helps future ticket sales. By raising interest in the film at the box office, consumers are also more likely to purchase later DVDs, story merchandise, and attend potential sequels long after the film has left theaters. A film’s opening weekend often accounts for more than a third of lifetime ticket sales.
Because the opening weekend is so important to a film’s success, studios release films when the public has more free time and is looking for entertainment. Studios have long released movies on Independence Day weekend to capitalize on vacationing Americans looking to escape the summer heat in an air conditioned theater.
Using data from online movie revenue tracker Box Office Mojo, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the highest grossing July Fourth weekend releases since 1982. The vast majority of the most successful films on this list are action flicks.
Click here to see the biggest Fourth of July blockbusters of all time.
Despite the holiday weekend boost, the films on this list are far from boasting the most successful opening weekends of all time. In fact, even the most successful July Fourth opening weekend film over the past 25 years only ranks 42nd among all of the top grossing weekend movies over the same period.
Independence Day weekend releases don’t tend to be the best feature films. Films vying for accolades are generally released during November and December, just ahead of the awards season. Movies released during the school summer vacation, by contrast, aim to please children and young adults with fun — and perhaps less dramatic and critically acclaimed — pictures.
To determine the biggest Fourth of July weekend blockbusters of all time, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed gross revenue figures adjusted for ticket price inflation from Box Office Mojo. All adjusted gross and ticket sales figures as well as the release date came from Box Office Mojo. While some of these films were released before, or after, July 4, Box Office Mojo only counted ticket sales for the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of each respective holiday weekend.
These are the biggest Fourth of July blockbusters of all time.
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/leewrightonflickr/
25. The Patriot
> Release date: June 28th, 2000
> July 4th weekend gross: $36.8 million
> All time gross: $185.9 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 4.2 million
> All time tickets sold: 21.0 million
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Source: Wikimedia Commons
24. The Devil Wears Prada
> Release date: June 30th, 2006
> July 4th weekend gross: $37.2 million
> All time gross: $168.4 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 4.2 million
> All time tickets sold: 19.0 million
Source: Wikimedia Commons
23. The Legend of Tarzan
> Release date: July 1st, 2016
> July 4th weekend gross: $40.0 million
> All time gross: $131.6 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 4.5 million
> All time tickets sold: 14.9 million
Source: Wikimedia Commons
22. Die Hard 2: Die Harder
> Release date: July 6th, 1990
> July 4th weekend gross: $45.4 million
> All time gross: $245.6 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 5.1 million
> All time tickets sold: 27.8 million
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Source: The Conmunity - Pop Culture Geek / Wikimedia Commons
21. The Last Airbender
> Release date: July 1st, 2010
> July 4th weekend gross: $46.2 million
> All time gross: $146.5 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 5.2 million
> All time tickets sold: 16.6 million
Source: Wikimedia Commons
20. Wild Wild West
> Release date: June 30th, 1999
> July 4th weekend gross: $48.2 million
> All time gross: $198.0 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 5.5 million
> All time tickets sold: 22.4 million
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Source: Wikimedia Commons
19. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
> Release date: July 1st, 2009
> July 4th weekend gross: $49.4 million
> All time gross: $232.9 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 5.6 million
> All time tickets sold: 26.3 million
Source: Wikimedia Commons
18. Apollo 13
> Release date: June 30th, 1995
> July 4th weekend gross: $51.5 million
> All time gross: $349.7 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 5.8 million
> All time tickets sold: 39.6 million
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alan-light/210252831
17. The Firm
> Release date: July 2nd, 1993
> July 4th weekend gross: $54.2 million
> All time gross: $338.1 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 6.1 million
> All time tickets sold: 38.2 million
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Source: Dick Thomas Johnson / Wikimedia Commons
16. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
> Release date: July 2nd, 2003
> July 4th weekend gross: $64.6 million
> All time gross: $220.4 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 7.3 million
> All time tickets sold: 24.9 million
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/garryknight/7468555248
15. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
> Release date: July 3rd, 1991
> July 4th weekend gross: $66.7 million
> All time gross: $430.1 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 7.5 million
> All time tickets sold: 48.7 million
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Source: Wikimedia Commons
14. The Perfect Storm
> Release date: June 30th, 2000
> July 4th weekend gross: $67.8 million
> All time gross: $299.5 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 7.7 million
> All time tickets sold: 33.9 million
Source: Wikimedia Commons
13. Armageddon
> Release date: July 1st, 1998
> July 4th weekend gross: $68.0 million
> All time gross: $379.9 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 7.7 million
> All time tickets sold: 43.0 million
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bagogames/13628118464
12. The Amazing Spider-Man
> Release date: July 3rd, 2012
> July 4th weekend gross: $70.5 million
> All time gross: $297.7 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 8.0 million
> All time tickets sold: 33.7 million
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Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cdharrison/367040140
11. Superman Returns
> Release date: June 28th, 2006
> July 4th weekend gross: $70.9 million
> All time gross: $270.0 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 8.0 million
> All time tickets sold: 30.5 million
Source: Wikimedia Commons
10. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
> Release date: June 30th, 2010
> July 4th weekend gross: $74.3 million
> All time gross: $334.2 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 8.4 million
> All time tickets sold: 37.8 million
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Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/greyloch/11059953793
9. Hancock
> Release date: July 2nd, 2008
> July 4th weekend gross: $77.1 million
> All time gross: $280.6 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 8.7 million
> All time tickets sold: 31.7 million
Source: Jeremy Thompson / Wikimedia Commons
8. Men in Black II
> Release date: July 3rd, 2002
> July 4th weekend gross: $79.3 million
> All time gross: $289.7 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 9.0 million
> All time tickets sold: 32.8 million
Source: Superchilum / Wikimedia Commons
7. War of the Worlds
> Release date: June 29th, 2005
> July 4th weekend gross: $89.5 million
> All time gross: $323.1 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 10.1 million
> All time tickets sold: 36.5 million
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Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/114305749@N08
6. Transformers
> Release date: July 3rd, 2007
> July 4th weekend gross: $90.6 million
> All time gross: $410.2 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 10.2 million
> All time tickets sold: 46.4 million
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
5. Despicable Me 2
> Release date: July 3rd, 2013
> July 4th weekend gross: $94.2 million
> All time gross: $414.5 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 10.7 million
> All time tickets sold: 46.9 million
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Source: Wikimedia Commons
4. Men in Black
> Release date: July 2nd, 1997
> July 4th weekend gross: $98.4 million
> All time gross: $482.8 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 11.1 million
> All time tickets sold: 54.6 million
24/7 Wall St.
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairmcmillan/116475896
3. Independence Day
> Release date: July 3rd, 1996
> July 4th weekend gross: $100.5 million
> All time gross: $612.3 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 11.4 million
> All time tickets sold: 69.3 million
Source: vimeo.com
2. Transformers: Dark of the Moon
> Release date: June 29th, 2011
> July 4th weekend gross: $108.9 million
> All time gross: $391.3 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 12.3 million
> All time tickets sold: 44.3 million
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Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures
1. Spider-Man 2
> Release date: June 30th, 2004
> July 4th weekend gross: $125.5 million
> All time gross: $531.8 million
> July 4th weekend tickets sold: 14.2 million
> All time tickets sold: 60.2 million
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