Tom Hankshas been one of the greatest actors of the last 40 years. Although he started as a comedy actor, over the years he’s also become one of our greatest dramatic performers, earning two Oscars in consecutive years for two roles that couldn’t be more different; Andrew Beckett inPhiladelphia, and Forrest inForrest Gump.
The actor has kept working as a lead character and a supporting player in films he really loves, while working with incredible directors like Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, and Clint Eastwood. Even now, at 67, Hanks is still a box office draw, as one of his last movies,A Man Called Otto,earned more than $100 million worldwide, in the quietest way possible. That’s no surprise, as audiences always loved the actor and went to the movies to see him. Here are Tom Hanks' top 10 movies, ranked by box office numbers.
10Apollo 13 (1995) - $355.2 Million
Apollo 13tells the real-life story of the astronauts aboard a rocket ship, who should’ve landed on the Moon, but couldn’t after some massive internal damage. After that, their mission and NASA’s was to bring them back home safely.
Why People Love Apollo 13
Astronauts have always held an incredible place in people’s imagination, and the tale of Commander Jim Lovell (Hanks) and his team, stole the hearts of every audience member who had ever looked to the sky and wondered what being up there would be like. Ron Howard directed the film, and the whole cast, which includes Bill Paxton, Ed Harris, and Kevin Bacon, is great, but no one is better than Hanks, who sells both his Commander’s great qualities, while also his frustration that he won’t be landing on the moon, his dream, anytime soon. The film also gave us one of the most quoted lines ever: “Houston, we have a problem.”
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9Toy Story (1995) - $393.4 Million
Toy Storywas the answer to a question every kid has: “What do my toys do when I’m not around?“ The film was a great adventure for kids to see, as we discover the world of Woody (Hanks) and the rest of the toys, especially as he might be losing his place as Andy’s favorite toy to Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), an astronaut toy, who doesn’t know what he really is.
Why Was Toy Story So Successful?
This film put Pixar on the map, showing the world a new kind of animation and how these films could be great viewing for both kids and adults, as it has some jokes and ideas for both. The movie became a before and after for animation as a whole, and for Pixar in particular, as they were the first to become one of the biggest animation companies in the whole world when they were bought by Disney.
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8Cast Away (2000) - $429.6 Million
A man survives a plane crash and ends up as aCast Away,alone on an island. That’s the plot of this movie, but Hanks and the script proved that that single idea could hold a film if there was an incredible movie star performance at its center, as the actor gives here, maintaining the audience’s attention for more than two hours.
Why Cast Away Was a Massive Hit
The sheer charisma and A-lister status of Hanks. He’s alone for most of the film, other than his companion,Wilson, one of the greatest movie props of all time, so if his performance didn’t work, neither would the film. The actor lost a ton of weight to sell the transformation’s character as he spent years alone on the island, and it was worth it, as the movie is still remembered as one of his best.
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Related:Best Tom Hanks Movies, Ranked
7Saving Private Ryan (1998) - $482.3 Million
Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryanis all about the Second Ranger Battalion, who, after surviving the Invasion of Normandy, must go behind enemy lines to find and rescue Private Ryan (Matt Damon), as all his brothers have been killed in the war, and the Army has decided he must go home to his family.
Why Saving Private Ryan Made So Much Money
Directed by Steven Spielberg at the top of his game, this is stillthe best war film ever madeand has influenced how every war movie is shot and edited since. Loved by both critics and audiences, this movie was a must-see for everyone when it was released. The whole cast does great work, but it’s Hanks who is the best, as his Captain Miller is all duty and sacrifice, while also being a fantastic leader and having great empathy for everyone on his team. From here on, Hanks and Spielberg became a producing team that made some incredible shows, likeBand of Brothers,andThe Pacific.
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6Angels & Demons (2009) - $485.9 Million
Angels & Demons
Angels & Demonswas the sequel toThe Da Vinci Code, and Hanks comes back as Robert Langton as he tries to save The Vatican from a possible nuclear bomb, and other conspiracies that involve the Illuminati.
Why Angels & Demons Makes the List
Surprisingly, this is the only Hanks franchise he has as an actor (he also has one as a voice actor), and although this sequel made less money at the box office than its first film, critics liked it more, as this time, the whole mystery was a bit more focused and understandable. Hanks’ Langton is still a great character, as he’s almost a Sherlock Holmes, and the actor sells both his bravery and smarts with his eyes closed. There was a third movie in the franchise,Inferno, but it didn’t make enough at the cinemas to be part of this list.
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5Toy Story 2 (1999) - $497.3 Million
Toy Story 2
Toy Story 2is all about Woody (Hanks), as he discovers he has a lot of market value when a toy collector kidnaps him to sell him to Japan with his new friends fromWoody’s Roundup, the team of toys that were part of his TV series. The rest of Andy’s toys, led by Buzz (Tim Allen), will do everything in their hand to try to rescue him.
Why Toy Story 2 Was Such a Hit
Sequels always do better than the first film if they find an audience, and in the time between the first and second films, Pixar had become a titan of animation, so it also had much more recognition. The company used all those resources to improve on the first film and create a much more complete and delightful story. This time, it’s Woody who needs to get rescued by his friends.
4Forrest Gump (1994) - $678.2 Million
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gumptells the story of a simple man who was part of some of the most important moments in American history while affecting the lives of everyone around him, but especially the life of his childhood friend, Jenny (Robin Wright).
Why Forrest Gump Was Such a Massive Hit for Hanks
Although there aredifferences between the film and the book, this movie became an absolute success, earning rave reviews, becoming one of the most quoted movies ever, and getting Hanks his second Academy Award (and second in two years, a feat not many have gotten before or since). Forrest Gump is all love and kindness, even if he’s not the smartest man, and Hanks was able to sell that duality incredibly well, creating one of his most iconic characters ever.
3The Da Vinci Code (2006) - $760 Million
The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Codewas the adaptation of the best-selling book of the same name by Dan Brown. This is the story of Robert Langdon (Hanks), a symbologist who uncovers a secret about the birth of Christianity, kept that way by a society in the shadows that will do anything, including murder, to avoid the truth being made public.
Why The Da Vinci Code Was Such a Success
The book was the talk of the town (and the world) for a moment, so it made perfect sense to adapt it into a big Hollywood production that evensparked some religious controversy. Hanks is great as the lead, being both smart and adventurous, as he keeps being surprised by the story and the mysteries that are unfolding around him.
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2Toy Story 3 (2010) - $1.06 Billion
Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3tells the story of Buzz (Tim Allen), Woody (Hanks), and the rest of the toys, as they have one last adventure before Andy goes to college, while understanding that they’re not the most important thing for him anymore.
Why Toy Story 3 is One of Hanks’ Best
The script for this movie is beautiful, as it tackles moving on, and discovering a new phase in life and how one must adapt to it. This was the perfect conclusion to the franchise (even if its success almost guaranteed a fourth film), as the toys ended in a happy place (after almost being burned to death), but without Andy, the kid they spent all those years playing with. Hanks’ voice performance is great, as he’s mournful, sad, and even melancholic about losing Andy, while also trying to make the best of their situation and ending in a pretty good place.
1Toy Story 4 (2019) - $1.07 Billion
Toy Story 4
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Toy Story 4is the latest entry in the franchise, as this time Woody (Hanks) must help the newest creation of their kid Bonnie, named Forky (Tony Hale), who feels more like trash than a toy. When Forky jumps out of the RV, Woody goes to get him back and starts a new journey for both where they’ll meet some new friends. Meanwhile, Buzz (Tim Allen) is trying to rescue Woody and ends up at a carnival.
Why Toy Story 4 Was Hanks’ Biggest Box Office Success
It’s surprising howToy Storyhas become Hanks’ biggest franchise ever, even if he has won two Academy Awards, and has been part of some of the biggest films of the last 40 years. The actor always gives Woody a sense of earnestness and adventure that makes him the audience’s favorite, and the franchise has been going on for so long that some people who were kids when they saw the original film are now bringing their own kids for the latest.There’s already been aToy Story 5announced, and that will probably surpass the box office success of this movie, that, for now, is Tom Hanks’ greatest box office success ever.
