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Steven Spielberg has done an exceptional job over the course of his career, exhibiting the manner in which he approaches filmmaking. The illustrious director has given his audience access to his unique point of view by communicating directly with them through each of his films. His intuition is especially apparent in works of art like "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," which he directed. But does Steven Spielberg's long list of box office successes include enough blockbusters to put him in the running for the title of all-time highest-grossing director? Let's explore.
Steven Speilberg’s Story: The Early Days
Steven Allan Spielberg was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on December 18, 1946, but was raised in Phoenix, Arizona. His parents, Leah and Arnold Spielberg were Jewish Austrian and Romanian immigrants. His father was an electrical engineer with experience in the computer business. His mother played the concert piano. Spielberg's childhood was marked by frequent relocation, as his father had several jobs located in various cities.
This caused Spielberg to frequently feel like an outsider. As a child, he was frequently bullied since he wasn't able to maintain up with the other children his age. He also had dyslexia, which made him vulnerable to criticism and condemnation from his professors. To fight this, Spielberg sought sanctuary in filmmaking. He grew captivated with them and frequented the theater many times every week. This is when he first discovered his passion for storytelling.
Because of Alfred Hitchcock's use of surprise and tension, his interest in his work was very strong. He would eventually adapt this concept into his own art. Spielberg attended California State University to learn about the film after graduating from high school. To seek a career in Hollywood, he dropped out of school after only one semester. He was aware that the path ahead would be difficult, but he was nonetheless resolute. Using his father's camcorder, he produced his first short video at age 12 and proceeded to do so throughout his adolescence.
A Whole List Of Iconic Movies
Every generation that has grown up since the 1970s has had its own seminal Spielberg film, regardless of when they were born. The early films in his career, such as Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and E.T., had a formative influence on the young audiences who watched them. Similarly, children who were raised in the 1990s frequently credit movies like Hook and Jurassic Park as being formative in the growth of their passion for watching movies. And that's not even adding the movies like Back to the Future and Jurassic World that he produced but didn't direct, like the ones I just mentioned.
During that decade, Steven Spielberg also unofficially but formally became a favorite of the Academy Oscars, earning awards for films such as Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. His subsequent performances in the historical dramas Lincoln, Bridge of Spies, and The Post helped to further establish his commitment to bringing history to life. And films like War of the Worlds, The Adventures of Tintin, and Ready Player One ensured that escapism-themed entertainment remained a viable option. All of this contributes to a career in Hollywood that is unparalleled in its scope and depth of diversity.
Is He The Highest-Grossing Filmmaker Of All Time?
Fans may be left wondering if Spielberg is the director with the most box office receipts of all time after everything is said and done. Do all of these films add up to Spielberg's dominance in the Hollywood film industry? To tell the truth, they do. The website The-Numbers.com asserts that Spielberg's filmography entitles him to hold that position. His films have grossed a total of $10.5 billion over the course of their careers, with each feature bringing in an average of $293 million. His biggest hit? Spielberg's only film to earn $1 billion worldwide was in 1993's Jurassic Park.
The directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who has worked on a number of Marvel films, including the upcoming Avengers: Endgame, as well as Peter Jackson, who is known for his work on The Lord of the Rings, came in second place. Michael Bay rounds out the top 5 owing to the Transformers franchise that was developed by Steven Spielberg. And rounding out the top 10 are such illustrious figures as James Cameron, the director of Harry Potter, David Yates, Christopher Nolan, J.J. Abrams, and Tim Burton.
Spielberg Never Stops Pursuing His Passion
Spielberg has, thankfully, never allowed his success and luxury life to cause him to become complacent. The director never stops pursuing his own passions, which explains why there are so many episodes that are set in the past. However, he has also expanded into new musical genres as his career has progressed. For example, Spielberg is going to try his hand at directing a movie musical for the first time with his next film. He has been working toward that objective for a good number of years.
In addition, he is not going the easy road with the next project that is being eagerly anticipated. Spielberg is taking a risk by remaking West Side Story, which was the most successful movie musical of all time and was released in 1961. Instead of creating an original musical, Spielberg is taking this risk. His version stars Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort. In addition to this, it is now scheduled to be released in theaters only on December 10th, 2021.
Sources: Cheat Sheet, The National News, Looper