These Sports Movies Hit A Box Office Home Run
Sports are often considered one of the greatest unifiers—and dividers—of people. Depending on where you live, which team you support, and the culture around your sport, things can get pretty hairy. But everyone seems to forget that when a truly great sports movie is made, there's nothing quite like filing into theaters to watch an epic tale of triumph, defeat, and determination, often complete with a metaphor about the enduring nature of humanity.
Let's examine the times when sports unified people to watch a great game on the big screen. Here are some of the highest-grossing sports movies in history.
Caddyshack
This epic sports comedy featuring Bill Murray, his brother Brian Murray, Chevy Chase, and Rodney Dangerfield, tells the story of a young caddy vying for a sports scholarship only offered to caddies. Focusing on the happenings at the exclusive golf course, the inner rivalries between the golfers—and one particularly persistent gopher—Caddyshack is widely viewed as one of the greatest sports movies of all time.
It was one of the highest-grossing movies of the year in 1980, making $3.9 million during its first weekend and $60 million overall. Adjusted for inflation, its worldwide gross was an astonishing $135.7 million.
Orion Pictures, Caddyshack (1980)
Ali
The 2001 autobiographical film starring Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, and Jon Voight chronicled the at-times turbulent life of the greatest boxer of all time. Depicting 10 years in the life of Ali from 1964 to 1974, including his conversion to Islam, winning the heavyweight title, and the Rumble In The Jungle fight against George Foreman, the film also included multiple scenes of infamous moments throughout the fight for civil rights in the United States during that period.
A classic that not only told the life of Ali, but gave space for social commentary as well, Ali grossed $142.2 million worldwide.
Field Of Dreams
Field of Dreams has a place in the Library of Congress for a reason. The 1989 sports fantasy drama stars Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, and Burt Lancaster. Costner's character, Ray Kinsella, is a farmer who cuts a baseball diamond into his cornfield to play baseball on. Mysteriously, the ghosts of baseball's past begin to appear in the field in this feel-good family movie about the lasting impact of America's greatest baseball players.
Field Of Dreams was not only selected to be installed in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry, it has also grossed $147.9 million.
Gordon Company, Field of Dreams (1989)
The Fighter
The Fighter (2010) is an American autobiographical movie about the life of American boxer "Irish" Micky Ward and his older half-brother, Dicky Eklund. The fighting duo, depicted by Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale respectively, were legends in the boxing world in the 1970s, '80s, and '90s before Micky's retirement in 2003.
Showcasing the brothers' battles with their own demons, substance abuse, and the rough and tumble world of professional boxing, The Fighter was a huge hit among viewers, grossing $129 million worldwide.
Mandeville Films, The Fighter (2010)
Cinderella Man
This 2005 film starring Russell Crowe, Paul Giamatti, and Renée Zellweger told the story of the life of James J Braddock, the boxing World Heavyweight Champion from 1935 to 1937. The movie captures many of his highs and lows, from breaking his right hand and becoming a day-laborer, to a return to in-ring action and eventually capturing the World Heavyweight Championship. Cinderella Man explores various themes, including life in the Great Depression in the United States, as well as how James Braddock became emblematic of hope for many during that awful time.
Cinderella Man was a huge box office success, grossing $150 million worldwide and being nominated for (and winning) multiple awards across the film industry.
Invictus
Undoubtedly one of the best depictions of Nelson Mandela ever, Invictus (2009) stars Morgan Freeman as Mandela and Matt Damon as South African Springbok rugby captain, Francois Pienaar. It tells the story of South Africa's preparation and participation in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, following deep racial divisions in the country at the end of the Apartheid era and Mandela's release from prison.
Invictus grossed $152 million worldwide and brought many back to that glorious day of a triumphant South Africa, led by one of history's best people.
Bring It On
Bring It On (2000) is a teen sports comedy stars Kristen Dunst, Eliza Dushku, and Gabrielle Union in a drama that will hit every American high school teenager: A cheerleading competition is afoot and two schools have a rivalry going on.
Bring It On has spawned six direct-to-video sequels, with the latest being in 2022. But the original movie remained at #1 in the box office for two weeks, grossing $153 million worldwide.
Beacon Pictures, Bring It On (2000)
Tin Cup
Tin Cup (1996) stars Kevin Costner and Rene Russo. This comedy is another Costner foray into the world of sport, this time appearing as Roy McAvoy, a washed-up former golf pro who's bad attitude cost him a shot at the big leagues. Not a golf instructor, McAvoy falls for the girlfriend, Dr Molly Griswold, of his PGA Tour star rival, David Simms. Tin Cup sees McAvoy dust off his clubs again—swinging for both the PGA Tour and the heart of Dr Molly Griswold.
Touted among golf fans as being a classic, Tin Cup grossed $157 million at the box office.
Any Given Sunday
Easily one of the greatest American football dramas of all time, Any Given Sunday (1999) is a star-studded cast that features Dennis Quaid, Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, L.L. Cool J, Aaron Eckhart, and Elizabeth Berkeley. Telling the epic tale of a fictitious team, the Miami Sharks, Any Given Sunday is based on a quote from the fictitious coach Tony D'Amato that any team can win or lose on "any given Sunday". The movie is loosely based on the 1984 novel of the same name by NFL star Pat Toomay.
Any Given Sunday performed fantastically in theaters—hardly surprising, given the huge fanbase of the national pastime. It grossed $181.4 million worldwide.
Warner Bros., Any Given Sunday (1999)
The Bad News Bears
The Bad News Bears (1976), starring Walter Mathau, Tatum O'Neill, and Vic Morrow, is a redemption story of a washed-up has-been minor league coach taking on the task of coaching a team of misfits known as "The Bears". It's a favor to a lawyer-councilman who's (possibly/definitely) corrupt and has a vendetta against the local baseball league for excluding his son from playing in the league due to lack of talent.
The Bad News Bears spawned two sequels and grossed $182 million worldwide at the box office.
Paramount, The Bad News Bears (1976)
Creed
A spin-off from the infamous Rocky series, Creed (2015) tells the story of Adonis (Michael B Jordan), the son of Apollo Creed (Rocky's rival from the first and second Rocky movies), who seeks to follow in his father's footsteps and enlists the help of Rocky Balboa to do so.
The first spin-off of Rocky since 2006's hit Rocky Balboa saw a renewed interest in the film series, with Creed grossing $188.6 million worldwide.
Blades Of Glory
In 2007, Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, and John Heder starred in Blades of Glory, a sports comedy about male figure skaters Chazz Michaels (Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Heder), who are forced to share a gold medal at the Winter Olympics—though their time on the podium is short-lived, quickly descending into fisticuffs and anarchy that sees the pair stripped of their medals. They can only return to singles' competitions once they've competed as a duo—with each other.
Bitter rivals are forced to become partners in this funny, but at times ridiculous, film. Still, it was popular among theatergoers, grossing $193 million worldwide.
DreamWorks, Blades of Glory (2007)
White Men Can't Jump
This 1992 basketball flick starring Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, White Men Can't Jump tells the story of two street basketball players, Billy Hoyle (Harrelson) and Sidney Deane (Snipes), who are out to beat LA's finest street ballers. Showing the two play in high-prized tournaments, White Men Can't Jump is widely considered a cult classic of basketball movies.
Its worldwide ticket sales constituted $200 million. A remake of the film was released in 2023.
Twentieth Century, White Men Can't Jump (1992)
The Longest Yard
Despite the remake in 2005 with Adam Sandler being better known, The Longest Yard's original showing was in 1974, starring Burt Reynolds. This prison sports drama depicts a washed-up NFL quarterback who's sent to prison for being involved in a car crash whilst on probation for point shaving (a type of game fixing).
The Longest Yard grossed $208 million worldwide at the box office—meanwhile, its remake in 2005 only grossed $158 million worldwide.
Paramount, The Longest Yard (2005)
Creed II
The second in the Creed films did better than the first! Seeing Michael B Jordan reprise his role as Adonis Creed, and Sylvester Stone reprise his role as Rocky Balboa, Creed II sees Adonis face off against Ivan Drago's son, also a dangerous fighter—just like his father was. Will Adonis avenge his father's death? Find out in Creed II (2018).
Grossing $214.8 million worldwide, Creed II is the most successful spin-off of the Rocky series.
Rocky Balboa
The sixth installment in the main Rocky series, Rocky Balboa (2006) saw Sylvester Stallone reprise his role as Rocky, planning to re-enter the ring after years away, but on a small, local level. However, all of that changes when he receives a challenge he can't refuse from the reigning World Heavyweight Champion, Mason Dixon.
Rocky Balboa grossed a knock-out $218 million at the box office, grossing $2 million on its first night on December 20, 2006.
Ford V. Ferrari
This 2019 movie is about one of motorsports' greatest rivalries. Starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon, Ford v. Ferrari sees British racing driver Ken Miles (Bale) pair up with Ford designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) to create a Ford F1 car that can conquer Italian racing giant Ferrari in a single race: 24 Hours at Le Mans, in France in 1966.
Ford v. Ferrari premiered in November 2019 and has grossed $224.4 million worldwide, including $10.9 million on the very first day of its release.
Chernin Entertainment, Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Seabiscuit
This one's based on the 1999 fiction book Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillebrand, about the life of Seabiscuit, a hugely popular racing horse during the Great Depression in the United States. Seabiscuit was an undersized thoroughbred that wasn't supposed to do well, but ended up winning a two-horse special at Pimlico against War Admiral, the 1937 Triple Crown winner, by four horse lengths.
It's fair to say that Seabiscuit was the 1930s Secretariat. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture in 2003, losing out to The Lord of The Rings: Return Of The King. However, it was still a commercial success, grossing $225.9 million worldwide.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby
This fictionalized movie about NASCAR racer Ricky Bobby saw Will Ferrell, Sacha Baron Cohen, Leslie Bibb, Amy Adams, and Gary Cole star in one of the funniest (and, at times, ridiculous) NASCAR movies of all time. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) also saw cameo appearances from real NASCAR racers Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jamie Murray.
Released in August of 2006, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby grossed $227.8 million worldwide.
Columbia, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
Remember The Titans
When a local school board in Alexandria, Virginia is forced to integrate an all-white and an all-black school in a post-segregation world, tensions flare and school football may be the only thing that brings the community (and the students of the team) together. Starring Denzel Washington as Herman Boone, Remember The Titans is a film that explores the complexities of a post-segregation America in a compelling narrative.
Remember The Titans is often thought of as one of the most important pieces of American cinema and one of the best sports movies of all-time. It grossed $232.4 million worldwide.
Walt Disney, Remember The Titans (2000)
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
A 2004 comedy starring Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Justin Long was almost guaranteed to be a good performer. Both Stiller and Vaughn had been huge names in the comedy world for many years, while this was one of Long's breakthrough roles. In this flick, two dodgeball teams face off for a chance to win $50,000 in a dodgeball tournament.
The slapstick hilarity of the movie, which was at times ridiculous, grossed $247.5 million worldwide. In 2023, it was announced that a sequel was in the works.
Twentieth Century, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)
The Karate Kid
This 1984 coming-of-age film became an instant cult classic. The Karate Kid stars Pat Morita, Ralph Macchio, and Elizabeth Shue in one of the greatest films of the 1980s. To deal with bullying at his new school, Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) enlists the help of former war veteran and handyman, Mr. Miyagi (Morita) to help him learn karate. Much to the chagrin of the school bullies, LaRusso learns karate and whoops those bullies into next week.
One of the most successful films of 1984 and a cultural icon, The Karate Kid grossed $247.7 million worldwide and has spawned a franchise that involves several movies, an animated series, and a musical.
Columbia, The Karate Kid (1984)
Rocky V
Rocky V (1990) is the fifth installment in the Rocky series, starring Sylvester Stallone as the eponymous title character. Set after the events of Rocky IV, Rocky V sees a struggling Rocky agree to train the up-and-coming fighter, Tommy Gunn. Unfortunately for Rocky (and Gunn), the pair eventually find themselves in a fight with each other.
Rocky V grossed $260.4 million worldwide, becoming the fourth best-selling movie of all the Rocky series.
United Artists, Rocky V (1990)
The Longest Yard (2005)
The 2005 version of The Longest Yard outsold the original from 1974 by a long way. Adam Sandler starred in this remake that was almost instantly a classic and one of Sandler's best-known movies.
Reprising the story of the 1974 film, The Longest Yard performed excellently at the box office, grossing $273.7 million worldwide.
Paramount, The Longest Yard (2005)
The Karate Kid II
The 1986 sequel to The Karate Kid was one of the most highly-anticipated movies of the 1980s following the success of The Karate Kid. Seeing the movie transported to Okinawa, Japan was one of the first of major changes to the film, which also saw Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita reprise their roles as The Karate Kid and Mr Miyagi. "Wax on, wax off" was the order of the day as Miyagi and LaRusso took on enemies old and new in Japan.
Grossing $284.6 million worldwide, The Karate Kid II built on the unbelievable groundwork laid by The Karate Kid just two years prior.
Columbia, The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
A League Of Their Own
Telling the story of the establishment of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that ran from 1943 to 1954, A League Of Their Own (1992) shows the women who established the AAGPBL and their fight for recognition in a sport dominated by men, male chauvinism, sexism in the mid-1940s.
Not only did A League Of Their Own gross $293 million worldwide, but it was also installed into the Library of Congress' American Film Institute collection.
Columbia, A League of Their Own (1992)
Million Dollar Baby
Million Dollar Baby (2004) stars Hilary Swank and Clint Eastwood in this boxing drama about a girl and her boxing coach with everything to prove. Million Dollar Baby follows the journey of Maggie Fitzgerald from the amateurs to the big leagues, consistently improving and winning bouts—until tragedy strikes.
The twists and turns aplenty in Million Dollar Baby earned it $342.1 million at the box office,
Warner Bros., Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Days Of Thunder
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman star along John Simpson and John C Reilly in this NASCAR-centric movie, Days of Thunder (1990). Bitter rivals become friends after a serious injury affects them both in competition, but a faster recovery time for Cole Trickle (Cruise) sees him taking on an underhanded hotshot Russ Wheeler, in his enemy-turned-friend's Daytona 500 car.
The star-studded cast of Kidman and Cruise definitely helped Days of Thunder's box office appeal, as it grossed $342.2 million worldwide.
Paramount, Days Of Thunder (1990)
Cool Runnings
Have you ever heard of the men's Jamaican bobsleigh team? No? If you haven't, you should have. Cool Runnings (1993) is a sports action-comedy which tells the tale of a team of Jamaican men who undertake a seemingly impossible and very unlikely task of forming a bobsleigh team to compete at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games.
This heart-warming, feel-good tale of determination grossed $343 million worldwide and is one of the most iconic sports stories of all time.
Walt Disney, Cool Runnings (1993)
The Love Bug
The first installment in the Herbie film series, The Love Bug (1968) tells the story of a sentient Volkswagen Beetle named Herbie, owner Jim Douglas, and Jim's love interest, Carole Bennett. Herbie's sentience sends Jim and Carole on an adventure through the Sierra Mountains, from the Yosemite Valley to Virginia City and back.
This feel-good motoring story turned up the hype on the already iconic VW Beetle, grossing $344 million worldwide and beginning the Herbie franchise.
Walt Disney, The Love Bug (1969)
The Waterboy
Starring Adam Sandler and Kathy Bates, The Waterboy (1998) is a coming-of-age film where a "waterboy" for a failing college team (Sandler) leads his teammates to glory after being fired by his previous college team, the rivals of his new failing team.
The Waterboy is one of Sandler's most successful sports films, grossing $371.5 million worldwide.
Touchstone, The Waterboy (1998)
The Blind Side
The Blind Side (2009) stars Sandra Bullock, Quinton Aron, Tim McGraw, and Kathy Bates. Michael Oher (Aron) has drifted in and out of high school for the last few years while battling homelessness, but all that changes when he meets Leigh Anne Tuohy and her husband Sean. With the Tuohys Eventually becoming Michael's legal guardians, The Blind Side tells the story of Michael's road to the NFL from poverty.
The Blind Side grossed $373.4 million worldwide.
Alcon Entertainment, The Blind Side (2009)
Heaven Can Wait
Heaven Can Wait (1978) stars Warren Beaty as Joe Pendleton, a star quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, who is killed in an auto accident, only to return to earth as an angel to inhabit another body: that of rich, greedy multimillionaire industrialist Leo Farnsworth. Heaven Can Wait details Farnsworth's fight to get back into college football.
Grossing $386.8 million worldwide, Heaven Can Wait is one of the most successful movies about football ever.
Paramount, Heaven Can Wait (1978)
Rocky III
The third Rocky movie saw Sylvester Stallone reprise his role as Rocky, who's rich and famous beyond imagination. However, he loses his trainer and father figure Mickey, and then his world championship to Clubber Lang. Rocky must search into the depths of his soul and turn to his old enemy, Apollo Creed, for help to regain his fire and his world title.
Rocky III grossed an astonishing $389.6 million worldwide.
United ArtistsRocky III (1982)
The Karate Kid (2010)
In this 2010 remake of the 1984 classic, starring Jaden Pinkett-Smith and Jackie Chan, we see the retelling of the tale of the Karate Kid nearly 20 years later, with the setting moved to China. The Karate Kid performed well at the box office, grossing $408.4 million.
Columbia, The Karate Kid (2010)
Space Jam
When Space Jam was released in 1996, it was a groundbreaking sports movie that featured a live-action and animated amalgamation with characters from Looney Tunes and some of basketball's finest: Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Patrick Ewing. Telling the story of the Looney Tunes' desperate attempt to win a basketball match, they must enlist the help of NBA greats Jordan and Bird in a family-friendly sports comedy for the ages.
Performing well across all demographics, Space Jam grossed $518 million worldwide and has spawned two sequels.
Warner Bros., Space Jam (1996)
Jerry Maguire
A feel-good film about the struggles of a sports agent, Jerry Maguire (1996) is widely considered a sports-centric classic. Telling the story of the title character, Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) quits his big job for a company after having a crisis of conscience and decides to strike out on his own, starting his own firm. One big client, football star Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr), and single mother Dorothy Boyd (Renée Zellweger) join him in his new venture, despite his old staff and clients staying with his previous boss.
Jerry Maguire performed excellently at the box office, grossing $566 million worldwide in a huge commercial success.
Rocky II
One of the most anticipated movies of 1979 was Rocky II. Following the unbelievable success of the eponymous Rocky, Rocky II sees Sylvester Stallone reprise his role as everyone's favorite boxer, Rocky Balboa, whom—despite losing his world title fight with Apollo Creed—still has plenty of fight left in him. The arrogant Apollo Creed baits Rocky into getting back into the ring—and might wish he hadn't.
Rocky II grossed an incredible $742.4 million worldwide, but it couldn't eclipse two other Rocky titles.
Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Rocky II (1979)
Rocky IV
Rocky IV is widely considered the best Rocky film (after the original, of course), pitting our eponymous hero against Ivan Drago—the Russian responsible for killing Rocky's friend, Apollo Creed. In a film rich with Cold War-era themes of West-versus-East, Rocky IV is an absolute classic.
Given that it was released in 1985 and adopts many themes centric to the Cold War, Rocky IV was almost guaranteed to do well in theaters—it grossed an amazing $775 million worldwide.
Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Rocky IV (1985)
Rocky
And then there was one—of course, the highest-grossing sports movie of all time is the original Rocky (1976), telling the story of a young boxer destined for great things when he is arbitrarily chosen to take on Apollo Creed, the reigning world heavyweight champion, when Creed's scheduled opponent is injured. With training support from Mickey Goldmill, who becomes more of a father figure, and the love of his girlfriend Adrian, will Rocky prevail against the mighty Apollo Creed?
Rocky is widely considered the greatest sports movie of all time. It spawned a massive franchise with multiple sequels and has an enduring legacy. At the box office? It grossed $967.6 million, making it one of the most successful movies in history and beginning one of the most successful movie franchises in history.
Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Rocky (1976)
Concussion Rings The NFL's Bell
Concussion was released in 2015, starring Will Smith as Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist studying the effects of football on players' brains, particularly the effects of multiple concussions that can occur during a football player's career. Based on a shocking true story, the NFL attempted to stymie and stop Omalu's research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) brain denigration suffered by NFL players due to multiple concussions.
There were even reports that Sony Pictures had 'altered' Concussion to prevent protests by the NFL, according to an New York Times exposé published in September 2015.
Shedding a light on brain injuries long suppressed by the NFL and based on a 2009 exposé by Jeanne Marie Laskas, published in GQ, Concussion earned $40 million from its $50 million budget. It also shone a broader light on the subject of CTE and the NFL.
