The top grossing summer films of all time
The summer movie that started it all actually made people scared to do one very summery activity: go to the beach. The 1975 thriller "Jaws" set t…

The summer movie that started it all actually made people scared to do one very summery activity: go to the beach. The 1975 thriller “Jaws” set the bar for summer releases — and now studios count on them to bring in a majority of the years’ earnings. Will this year’s summer blockbusters make it to the list? Check out our interview with Claude Brodesser-Akner, West Coast editor for “Vulture,” New York Magazine’s online entertainment site, to see why he says this year’s blockbusters are different and how “The Matrix” was a game changer.
Here are the top 10 summer movies of all time (adjusted for inflation) according to Hollywood.com.
Star Wars (1977) – $1,289,662,081
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982) – $1,062,887,574
Jaws (1975) – $974,679,803
Empire Strikes Back (1980) – $768,957,136
Return of the Jedi (1983) – $709,474,258
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – $659,021,792
Jurassic Park (1993) – $656,349,535
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999) – $645,783,843
Forrest Gump (1994) – $601,672,695
The Lion King (1994) – $599,564,900