Updated
Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Jun 13
Steven Spielberg’s 35 Films Get Ranked, With E.T. Beating Jaws for No. 1
Updated
Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Jun 13

Steven Spielberg’s 35 Films Get Ranked, With E.T. Beating Jaws for No. 1

3 articles · Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Jun 13

Summary

  • A new ranking of Steven Spielberg’s 35 directed films puts 1982’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial at No. 1, ahead of 1975’s Jaws and 2006’s Munich.
  • The list argues Spielberg’s best work channels awe, empathy and family tension, while praising E.T. for its emotional intimacy and Jaws for its enduring terror and craft.
  • At the bottom, 1997’s The Lost World: Jurassic Park lands at No. 35, with The BFG, Twilight Zone: The Movie’s “Kick the Can” segment and Ready Player One also near the worst-ranked titles.
  • The article places Spielberg’s new 2026 release Disclosure Day at No. 28, calling it uneven but crediting the 79-year-old director with still delivering strong action set pieces.

Insights

From the hopeful wonder of 'E.T.' to the paranoia of 'Disclosure Day,' how has Spielberg's vision of alien contact evolved?
With his new alien epic struggling, has Spielberg’s iconic style of cinematic wonder lost its connection with modern audiences?