Many significant films were released in 1998, including Shakespeare in Love, Saving Private Ryan, Armageddon, American History X, The Truman Show, Primary Colors, Rushmore, Rush Hour, There's Something About Mary, The Big Lebowski, and Terrence Malick's directorial return in The Thin Red Line.
Highest-grossing films
The top 10 films released in 1998 by worldwide gross are as follows:
+ Highest-grossing films of 1998 Rank Title Distributor Worldwide gross 1 ArmageddonTouchstone $553,709,788 2 Saving Private Ryan DreamWorks / Paramount $482,352,390 3 Godzilla Sony / TriStar $379,014,294 4 There's Something About Mary 20th Century Fox $369,884,651 5 A Bug's Life Walt Disney Pictures $363,398,565 6 Deep Impact Paramount / DreamWorks $349,464,664 7 Mulan Walt Disney Pictures $304,320,254 8 Dr. Dolittle 20th Century Fox $294,456,605 9 Shakespeare in Love Miramax / Universal $289,317,794 10 Lethal Weapon 4 Warner Bros. $285,444,603
Box office records Armageddon achieved Touchstone Pictures' highest-grossing domestic opening weekend with $36 million grossed domestically. It later went on to become Touchstone Pictures' highest grossing film to date, overtaking Pretty Woman. Saving Private Ryan grossed $482 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing World War II film until it was surpassed by Dunkirk (2017). However, when both are adjusted for inflation, Saving Private Ryan grossed approximately $ worldwide compared to Dunkirk's approximately $ worldwide. Blade became the top-grossing film based on a Marvel Comics character, grossing $131.2 million worldwide at the time of its release. The Star Trek franchise became the seventh film franchise to gross $1 billion with the release of Star Trek: Insurrection.
Events
March 1 – Titanic becomes the first film to gross over $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Twenty days later, the film won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. May 8 and July 1 – 1998 saw the release of two dueling science-fiction disaster films about asteroids: Armageddon and Deep Impact, both of which became box office successes. Armageddon became the more popular of the two and was also the highest-grossing film of 1998 worldwide. July 24 – Saving Private Ryan, directed by Steven Spielberg, was released and received critical acclaim, leading it to be the top-grossing domestic film of 1998. Saving Private Ryan won five Academy Awards, including Best Director. The film was lauded as an influential landmark in the war and action film genres, primarily due to its use of desaturated colors, hand-held cameras, and tight angles. August 21 – Blade, based on the character of the same name, grossed over $131.2 million worldwide. Its success would help stage future film adaptations of Marvel Comics. September 19 – Antz, DreamWorks' first animated feature film, premiered at the 23rd Toronto International Film Festival. October 23 - Gary Ross makes his directorial debut with Pleasantville. December 25 – Filmmaker Terrence Malick returned after a 20-year hiatus, with The Thin Red Line.
Awards
Category/Organization 56th Golden Globe AwardsJanuary 24, 1999 4th Critics Choice Awards January 1999 Producers, Directors, Screen Actors, and Writers Guild Awards 71st Academy AwardsMarch 21, 1999 52nd BAFTA AwardsApril 11, 1999 Drama Musical or Comedy Best Film Saving Private Ryan Shakespeare in Love Saving Private Ryan Shakespeare in Love Best Director Steven SpielbergSaving Private Ryan Peter WeirThe Truman Show Best Actor Jim CarreyThe Truman Show Michael CaineLittle Voice Ian McKellenGods and MonstersApt Pupil Roberto BenigniLife Is Beautiful Best Actress Cate BlanchettElizabeth Gwyneth PaltrowShakespeare in Love Cate BlanchettElizabeth Gwyneth PaltrowShakespeare in Love Cate BlanchettElizabeth Best Supporting Actor Ed HarrisThe Truman Show Billy Bob ThorntonA Simple Plan Robert DuvallA Civil Action James CoburnAffliction Geoffrey RushShakespeare in Love Best Supporting Actress Lynn RedgraveGods and Monsters Kathy BatesPrimary ColorsJoan Allen Pleasantville Kathy BatesPrimary ColorsJudi DenchShakespeare in Love Best Screenplay, Adapted Marc Norman and Tom StoppardShakespeare in Love Scott B. SmithA Simple Plan Scott FrankOut of Sight Bill CondonGods and Monsters Elaine MayPrimary Colors Best Screenplay, Original Marc Norman and Tom StoppardShakespeare in Love Andrew NiccolThe Truman Show Best Animated Film A Bug's Life / The Prince of Egypt (TIE) Best Original Score The Truman ShowBurkhard Dallwitz and Philip Glass Saving Private RyanJohn Williams N/A Life Is BeautifulNicola Piovani ElizabethDavid Hirschfelder Best Original Song "The Prayer"Quest for Camelot "When You Believe"The Prince of Egypt N/A "When You Believe"The Prince of Egypt N/A Best Foreign Language Film Central Station Life Is Beautiful N/A Life Is Beautiful Central Station
Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival): Eternity and a Day (Mia aioniótita kai mia méra), directed by Theo Angelopoulos, Greece
Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival): The Way We Laughed, directed by Gianni Amelio, Italy
Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival): Central Station, directed by Walter Salles, Brazil / France
People's Choice Award (Toronto International Film Festival): Life Is Beautiful (La vita è bella), directed by Roberto Benigni, Italy
1998 films By country/region List of American films of 1998 List of Argentine films of 1998 List of Australian films of 1998 List of Bangladeshi films of 1998 List of British films of 1998 List of Canadian films of 1998 List of French films of 1998 List of Hong Kong films of 1998 List of Indian films of 1998 List of Hindi films of 1998 List of Kannada films of 1998 List of Malayalam films of 1998 List of Marathi films of 1998 List of Tamil films of 1998 List of Telugu films of 1998 List of Japanese films of 1998 List of Mexican films of 1998 List of Pakistani films of 1998 List of Russian films of 1998 List of South Korean films of 1998 List of Spanish films of 1998
By genre/medium List of action films of 1998 List of animated feature films of 1998 List of avant-garde films of 1998 List of crime films of 1998 List of comedy films of 1998 List of drama films of 1998 List of horror films of 1998 List of science fiction films of 1998 List of thriller films of 1998 List of western films of 1998
Births January 1 Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Dutch-born English-Spanish actress Lara Robinson, Australian actress January 4 Coco Jones, American actress/singer Liza Soberano, Filipino actress Julia McDermott, American actress January 5 – Marie Iitoyo, Japanese model and actress January 9 Kerris Dorsey, American actress and singer Brent Rivera, American actor and YouTuber January 12 Nathan Gamble, American actor Ally Ioannides, American actress January 15 – Ben Levi Ross, American actor and singer January 16 Curran Walters, American actor Yerin Ha, Australian actress January 18 – Shin Ye-eun, South Korean actress January 19 – Lily Donoghue, American actress January 22 – Joe Serafini, American actor January 23 – Rachel Crow, American actress/singer and comedian January 24 – Ada-Nicole Sanger, American actress January 26 – Moonbin, South Korean singer and actor (d. 2023) January 27 – Devin Druid, American actor January 28 – Ariel Winter, American actress February 2 – Nina Bloomgarden, American actress February 6 Jay Lycurgo, British actor Aviva Mongillo, Canadian actress and singer February 9 – Isabella Gomez, American actress February 10 – Ayesha Madon, Australian actress February 11 Olivia Scott Welch, American actress Lauren Tsai, American actress, visual artist, and model February 13 – Bella Campos, Brazilian actress February 15 – Zachary Gordon, American actor February 16 – Lizze Broadway, American actress February 17 Fernanda Urdapilleta, Mexican actress Kayla Cromer, American actress Ania Magliano, English actress and comedian February 21 – Ella-Rae Smith, English actress and model February 22 – Sophie Wilde, Australian actress February 26 – Keyla Monterroso Mejia, American actress and comedian February 28 - Belmont Cameli, American actor March 3 – Jayson Tatum, American Basketball Player March 5 – Micah Fowler, American actor March 6 – Odessa Young, Australian actress March 11 Valentina Herszage, Brazilian actress Emil Wakim, Lebanese-American actor and comedian March 13 – Jack Harlow, American rapper, singer, and actor March 15 – Juan Paiva, Brazilian actor March 18 Abigail Cowen, American actress Keana Lyn Bastidas, Canadian actress March 19 – Caylee Cowan, American actress March 22 – Paola Andino, Puerto Rican-American actress March 24 – Christopher Briney, American actor March 25 Ryan Simpkins, American actor Rhianne Barreto, British actress Jessica Reynolds, Irish actress March 26 – Emily Tosta, Dominican actress March 29 – Alex Neustaedter, American actor April 3 – Paris Jackson, American model, actress, and musician April 6 Peyton List, American actress Spencer List, American actor April 9 Elle Fanning, American actress Lil Woods, British actress April 10 – Ruby Jerins, American actress April 12 – Larry Saperstein, American actor April 16 – Jordana Beatty, Australian actress April 20 – Felix Mallard, Australian actor April 24 Ryan Newman, American actress Alli Simpson, Australian actress and singer Stephen Kalyn, Canadian actor April 27 – Froy Gutierrez, American actor April 29 – Ella Hunt, English actress April 30 – Olivia DeJonge, Australian actress May 1 – Grayson Russell, American actor May 3 – Highdee Kuan, American actress May 4 Temara Melek, American actress Taylar Hender, American actress May 5 – Chelsea Clark, Canadian actress May 7 – MrBeast, American YouTuber May 8 – Corey Mylchreest, English actor May 15 – Anjelika Washington, American actress May 20 Alanis Guillen, Brazilian actress Zhou Ye, Chinese actress May 23 – Ramona Young, American actress May 24 – Daisy Edgar-Jones, British actress May 29 – Shealeigh, American singer June 13 – Zayne Emory, American actor June 10 – Ana Yi Puig, American actress June 11 – Charlie Tahan, American actor June 14 – Brianne Tju, American actress June 15 – Rachel Covey, American actress June 16 – Lauren Taylor, American actress June 19 Suzu Hirose, Japanese actress Atticus Shaffer, American actor June 24 Coy Stewart, American actor and rapper Matt Friend, American actor and comedian June 27 – Sistine Stallone, American actress and model July 1 – Chloe Bailey, American singer and actress July 2 – True Whitaker, American actress July 3 – Sara Waisglass, Canadian actress July 7 – Dylan Sprayberry, American actor July 8 Maya Hawke, American actress Jaden Smith, American actor July 9 – Robert Capron, American actor July 10 Angus Cloud, American actor (d. 2023) Haley Pullos, American actress July 13 – Cynthy Wu, American actress July 15 – Tyriq Withers, American actor July 17 – Lilli Schweiger, German actress July 22 – Madison Pettis, American actress July 23 – Helena Howard, American actress July 24 Bindi Irwin, Australian actress Cailee Spaeny, American actress July 27 – Myles Erlick, Canadian actor and singer July 28 – Sasha Meneghel, Brazilian actress July 29 – Jessica Lord, English actress July 31 – Rico Rodriguez, American actor August 1 – Khamani Griffin, American actor August 3 Cozi Zuehlsdorff, American actress and singer Jack Martin, American actor and comedian August 5 – Mimi Keene, English actress August 6 – Forrest Goodluck, American actor August 12 – Rudy Pankow, American actor August 15 - Gulliver McGrath, Australian actor August 18 – Mallori Johnson, American actress August 21 – Jade Chynoweth, American actress August 25 – China Anne McClain, American actress and singer August 28 - Mia Healey, Australian actress September 1 Fin Argus, American actor and musician Fern Deacon, English actress September 2 – Choi Ye-bin, South Korean actress