Which One Made The Biggest Theatrical Profit?

Steven Spielberg is undoubtedly one of the most prolific and acclaimed filmmakers in the history of cinema. From iconic blockbusters such as E.T., the Indiana Jones series, Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park, and Schindler’s List, to his more recent works like West Side Story and The Fabelmans, the veteran filmmaker has built a stellar filmography. The Oscar-winning auteur’s next directorial effort, Disclosure Day, which features Emily Blunt in the lead role, is all set to hit the big screen on June 12, 2026.

It remains to be seen how Disclosure Day performs at the box office and whether it can outperform some of his other alien-themed movies like the iconic sci-fi film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and Tom Cruise’s War of the Worlds (2005). Meanwhile, let’s take a look at how the last five films directed by Steven Spielberg performed at the global box office and find out which one among them delivered the biggest theatrical profit beyond its estimated break-even point.

Steven Spielberg’s Last 5 Films—Worldwide Earnings, Budget & Break-Even

Here are the worldwide totals of the last five films directed by the legendary filmmaker, according to data from Box Office Mojo, along with their estimated budgets and theatrical break-even points (using the 2.5x multiplier rule).

1. The Fabelmans (2022)

• Worldwide Total: $45.6 million 
• Budget: $40 million 
• Break-Even: $100 million

2. West Side Story (2021)

• Worldwide Total: $76 million 
• Budget: $100 million 
• Break-Even: $250 million

3. Ready Player One (2018)

• Worldwide Total: $607.9 million 
• Budget: $175 million
• Break-Even: $437.5 million

4. The Post (2017)

• Worldwide Total: $193.8 million 
• Budget: $50 million
• Break-Even: $125 million

5. The BFG (2016)

• Worldwide Total: $194.7 million 
• Budget: $140 million
• Break-Even: $350 million

Theatrical Profits (Estimated)

1. Ready Player One: $170.4 million
2. The Post: $68.8 million
3. The Fabelmans: -$54.4 million
4. The BFG: -$155.3 million
5. West Side Story: –$174 million

What the Above Numbers Indicate

Based on the above figures and calculations, it can be observed that among the last five Steven Spielberg-directed films, Ready Player One was not only the highest-grossing film worldwide, but it also generated the highest estimated theatrical profit ($170.4 million) over its break-even point. However, this figure is still much lower than some of his most profitable films, like Jurassic Park, which earned a theatrical profit of roughly $945 million.
On the other hand, three films from the above list, The Fabelmans, The BFG, and West Side Story, were not able to make a theatrical profit, despite their positive critical reception. Now, it will be interesting to see how his next film, Disclosure Day, performs at the box office and the profit it generates from its theatrical run.

Ready Player One Trailer

Stay tuned to Koimoi for more box office updates and stories.

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