Steven Spielberg is an American filmmaker. He is considered one of the founding pioneers of the New Hollywood era, as well as one of the most popular directors and producers in film history.The cinema of Steven Spielberg: Empire of light. Nigel Morris. Wallflower Press. 2007 He is also one of the co-founders of Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks Pictures.
In a career spanning more than five decades, Spielberg's films have spanned many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as archetypes of modern Hollywood escapist filmmaking. In later years, his films began addressing humanistic issues such as the transatlantic slave trade, civil rights, war, and terrorism.
Spielberg won the Academy Award for Best Director for Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan, as well as receiving six other nominations.Directors with two or more Oscars Three of Spielberg's films—Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Jurassic Park—achieved box office records, originated, and came to epitomize the blockbuster film. The worldwide box office receipts of all Spielberg-directed films exceed $10 billion, making him the highest-grossing director in cinematic history.
Film Spielberg has worked as a producer, executive producer, director, or in an otherwise creative capacity on several films where he was not credited.
Director and writer Short films YearFilmCredited as NotesDirectorProducerWriter 1959The Last Gun 1961Fighter Squad Escape to Nowhere 1967Slipstream Unfinished 1968Amblin'Also uncredited editor
Feature films Year Title Director Producer Writer Notes 1964FirelightPartially lost 1971DuelExtended theatrical version of original TV movie 1973Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies 1974The Sugarland ExpressTheatrical film directing debut 1975JawsInducted into the National Film Registry in 2001 1977Close Encounters of the Third KindAlso visual effects conceptsInducted into the National Film Registry in 2007 19791941 1981Raiders of the Lost ArkInducted into the National Film Registry in 19991982E.T. the Extra-TerrestrialInducted into the National Film Registry in 1994 Poltergeist1983Twilight Zone: The Movie Segment: "Kick the Can" 1984Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 1985The Color Purple The Goonies Also uncredited second-unit director and editor 1987Empire of the Sun 1989 Indiana Jones and the Last CrusadeAlways 1991Hook 1993Jurassic ParkInducted into the National Film Registry in 2018 Schindler's ListInducted into the National Film Registry in 2004 1997The Lost World: Jurassic Park Amistad 1998Saving Private RyanInducted into the National Film Registry in 2014 2001A.I. Artificial Intelligence 2002Minority Report Catch Me If You Can 2004The Terminal 2005War of the Worlds Munich 2008Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull2011The Adventures of TintinAlso lighting consultant and uncredited virtual camera operator War Horse 2012Lincoln 2015Bridge of Spies 2016The BFG 2017The Post 2018Ready Player One 2021West Side StoryAlso end title designer 2022The Fabelmans 2026Disclosure Day co-produced with Kristie Macosko Krieger
Producing credits Producer YearTitleDirectorNotes 1991An American Tail: Fievel Goes WestPhil NibbelinkSimon Wells 2005Memoirs of a GeishaRob Marshall 2006Flags of Our FathersClint EastwoodLetters from Iwo Jima 2011Super 8J. J. Abrams 2014The Hundred-Foot JourneyLasse Hallström2015AuschwitzJames MollShort filmAuschwitz (2015) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb2023MaestroBradley CooperThe Color PurpleBlitz the Ambassador 2024Music by John WilliamsLaurent Bouzereau Documentary filmhttps://www.lucasfilm.com/news/music-by-john-williams-premiere https://amblin.com/movie/music-by-john-williams https://imagine-entertainment.com/documentary/music-by-john-williams///2025Hamnet Chloé Zhao
Executive producer YearTitleDirectorNotes 1978I Wanna Hold Your Hand Robert Zemeckis 1980Used Cars 1981Continental Divide Michael Apted 1984Gremlins Joe Dante 1985Back to the Future Robert Zemeckis Young Sherlock Holmes Barry Levinson1986An American Tail Don Bluth The Money Pit Richard Benjamin1987Batteries Not Included Matthew Robbins Innerspace Joe Dante1988Who Framed Roger Rabbit Robert Zemeckis The Land Before Time Don Bluth1989Back to the Future Part II Robert Zemeckis Tummy Trouble Rob MinkoffFrank MarshallShort film Dad Gary David Goldberg1990Arachnophobia Frank MarshallAlso uncredited second-unit director Dreams Akira Kurosawa Back to the Future Part III Robert Zemeckis Roller Coaster Rabbit Rob MinkoffFrank Marshall Short film Gremlins 2: The New Batch Joe Dante Joe Versus the Volcano John Patrick Shanley1992Tiny Toon Adventures:How I Spent My Vacation Rich AronsKen BoyerKent ButterworthBarry CaldwellAlfred GimenoArt LeonardiByron VaughnsDirect-to-video1993Trail Mix-Up Barry CookShort film We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story Dick ZondagRalph ZondagPhil NibbelinkSimon Wells 1994The Flintstones Brian Levant1995Casper Brad Silberling Balto Simon Wells 1996Twister Jan de Bont1997Men in Black Barry Sonnenfeld1998 The Mask of Zorro Martin Campbell Deep Impact Mimi Leder1999 Wakko's Wish Liz HolzmanRusty MillsTom Ruegger Direct-to-video 2001Jurassic Park III Joe Johnston 2002Men in Black II Barry Sonnenfeld2005The Legend of Zorro Martin Campbell 2006Monster House Gil Kenan2007Transformers Michael Bay 2008Eagle Eye D. J. Caruso2009Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Michael Bay The Lovely Bones Peter Jackson2010Hereafter Clint Eastwood True Grit Coen brothers2011Transformers: Dark of the Moon Michael Bay Cowboys & Aliens Jon Favreau Real Steel Shawn Levy 2012Men in Black 3 Barry Sonnenfeld 2014Transformers: Age of Extinction Michael Bay 2015Jurassic World Colin Trevorrow 2017Transformers: The Last Knight Michael Bay2018Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom J.A. Bayona First Man Damien Chazelle Bumblebee Travis Knight2019Men in Black: International F. Gary Gray 2022Jurassic World: Dominion Colin Trevorrow2023Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Steven Caple Jr.Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny James Mangold2024Twisters Lee Isaac ChungTransformers One Josh Cooley2025 Jurassic World Rebirth Gareth Edwards
Documentary films YearTitleDirector1998The Last Days James Moll2000 A Holocaust szemei János Szász 2006Spell Your Name Sergey BukovskySpell Your Name (2006) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb 2013Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking:The Story of Richard D. Zanuck Laurent BouzereauDon't Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck (2013) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb 2016Finding Oscar Ryan SuffernFinding Oscar (2016) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb
Cameos Year FilmRoleDirector 1975 Jaws Amity Point Lifestation Worker (voice)Steven Spielberg 1980 The Blues Brothers Cook County AssessorJohn Landis 1984 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Tourist at AirportSteven SpielbergGremlins Man in Electric WheelchairJoe Dante 1990 Gremlins 2: The New Batch Man in scooter 1997 The Lost World: Jurassic Park Man Eating PopcornSteven SpielbergMen in Black Alien on TV MonitorBarry Sonnenfeld 2001Vanilla Sky Guest at partyCameron Crowe 2002 Austin Powers in Goldmember HimselfJay Roach 2011 Paul Himself (voice)Greg Mottola
Documentary appearances Year Film 1982 Room 6662000Chuck Jones: Extremes & Inbetweens – A Life in Animation 2001 Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures 2004 Double DareThe Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing 2005 Directed by John Ford 2006 The Shark Is Still Working 2010 Hollywood Don't Surf! 2011 Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan 2013Drew: The Man Behind the Poster 2015Everything Is CopyBack in Time 2016Mike Nichols: American MastersScore: A Film Music Documentary 2017 Spielberg 2019The Movies2022Light & Magic2023Albert Brooks: Defending My Life2024Music by John Williams2025Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story2026Marty, Life is Short
Other uncredited roles Year FilmRoleDirector 1983Scarface Co-directed one scene for Brian De PalmaBrian De Palma 1984The NeverEnding Story Assisted in post-productionWolfgang Petersen2000Gladiator Creative consultantRidley Scott 2005 Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith Second-unit directorGeorge Lucas2011Fright Night Storyboarding scenes and assistance with editingCraig Gillespie2013The Wolf of Wall Street Co-directed one scene for Martin ScorseseMartin Scorsese2019How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World Provided some story suggestions to Dean DeBloisDean DeBlois2025Jurassic World Rebirth Creative consultantGareth Edwards
Box office performances of feature films YearFilmBudgetDomesticTotal worldwide1971Duel$450,000 N/A $2,5441974The Sugarland Express$3,000,000$7,500,000$7,505,1661975Jaws$9,000,000$280,083,300$490,736,3001977Close Encounters of the Third Kind$19,400,000$135,189,114$306,889,11419791941$35,000,000$31,755,742$92,455,7421981Raiders of the Lost Ark$20,000,000$248,159,971$389,925,9711982E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial$10,500,000$439,454,989$797,307,4071983Twilight Zone: The Movie$10,000,000$29,450,919$29,450,9191984Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom$28,200,000$179,870,271$333,107,2711985The Color Purple$15,000,000$98,467,863$98,468,1021987Empire of the Sun$25,000,000$22,238,696$22,239,1211989Always$31,000,000$43,858,790$74,134,790Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade$48,000,000$197,171,806$474,171,8061991Hook$70,000,000$119,654,823$300,854,8231993Jurassic Park$63,000,000$407,185,075$1,103,136,084Schindler's List$22,000,000$96,898,818$322,161,2451997The Lost World: Jurassic Park$73,000,000$229,086,679$618,638,999Amistad$36,000,000$44,229,441$44,229,4411998Saving Private Ryan$70,000,000$217,049,603$482,352,3902001A.I. Artificial Intelligence$100,000,000$78,616,689$235,926,6352002Minority Report$102,000,000$132,072,926$358,372,926Catch Me If You Can$52,000,000$164,615,351$352,114,3122004The Terminal$60,000,000$77,872,883$219,100,0842005War of the Worlds$132,000,000$234,280,354$603,874,366Munich$70,000,000$47,403,685$130,982,4072008Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull$185,000,000$317,101,119$786,636,0332011The Adventures of Tintin$135,000,000$77,591,831$373,994,233War Horse$70,000,000$79,884,879$177,584,8792012Lincoln$65,000,000$182,207,973$275,293,4502015Bridge of Spies$40,000,000$72,313,754$165,478,8392016The BFG$140,000,000$55,483,770$194,670,6102017The Post$50,000,000$81,903,458$193,764,6642018Ready Player One$175,000,000$137,715,350$607,874,4222021West Side Story$100,000,000$38,530,322$76,016,1712022The Fabelmans$40,000,000$17,348,945$45,614,2132026Disclosure Day$115,000,000$116,636,645$241,492,397Total$2,219,550,000$4,738,885,834$11,026,557,876
Critical reception of feature films