10 Forgotten ’80s Blockbusters That Once Ruled the Box Office

10 Forgotten ’80s Blockbusters That Once Ruled the Box Office

The 1980s delivered some of the most memorable movies in cinema history, but not every box-office champion from that decade stayed famous.

Many films that packed theaters and earned millions have quietly slipped from our collective memory, overshadowed by franchises and classics that continue to dominate pop culture.

This list celebrates those forgotten giants—movies that once ruled the box office but rarely get mentioned today, even though they were massive hits that defined their moment.

1. Stir Crazy (1980)

Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor teamed up for this prison comedy that absolutely exploded at theaters.

Back in 1980, this film became the third-highest-grossing movie of the entire year, pulling in audiences who couldn’t get enough of the duo’s chemistry.

The story follows two friends wrongly convicted of bank robbery who end up behind bars.

Their hilarious attempts to survive prison life had audiences rolling in the aisles nationwide.

Despite outperforming countless other releases from that era, Stir Crazy rarely comes up in conversations about ’80s comedy classics.

Its box-office dominance has been largely forgotten, even though it defined comedy for millions back then.

2. Arthur (1981)

Dudley Moore played a lovable millionaire with a serious drinking problem in this romantic comedy that earned nearly $100 million domestically.

That made it one of 1981’s biggest moneymakers, and audiences adored Moore’s charming performance alongside Liza Minnelli.

The film won two Academy Awards and launched countless quotable lines into everyday conversation.

Moore’s portrayal of the childish, wealthy Arthur became iconic overnight, and the theme song topped music charts.

Yet somehow, Arthur has faded from the spotlight compared to other defining ’80s crowd-pleasers.

Modern audiences rarely recognize this once-dominant comedy hit that captured hearts across America.

3. The Jewel of the Nile (1985)

Following the massive success of Romancing the Stone, this sequel brought back Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas for another exotic adventure.

The film earned over $96 million worldwide, proving audiences couldn’t resist their on-screen chemistry and thrilling escapades.

Turner’s character gets kidnapped in the Middle East, launching another wild treasure hunt filled with danger and romance.

The action-packed storyline delivered everything fans wanted from a follow-up adventure.

Unfortunately, The Jewel of the Nile never achieved the same lasting cultural footprint as similar adventure franchises.

Its impressive box-office haul has been mostly forgotten over time.

4. Spies Like Us (1985)

Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd were at the absolute peak of their comedic powers when this Cold War spy spoof hit theaters.

The film pulled in strong box-office numbers, capitalizing on the duo’s Saturday Night Live fame and impeccable comic timing.

Two incompetent government employees get mistakenly recruited as decoy spies during a dangerous mission.

Their bumbling adventures through international espionage had audiences laughing throughout the mid-’80s.

Compared to other mid-decade hits, Spies Like Us has strangely faded into obscurity.

Its once-impressive earnings and star power haven’t translated into lasting cultural relevance the way similar comedies have.

5. Crocodile Dundee (1986)

Paul Hogan’s charming Australian bushman became a worldwide sensation practically overnight.

This surprise international phenomenon ranked among the highest-grossing films of the entire 1980s decade, dominating theaters across multiple continents with its fish-out-of-water humor.

An Australian crocodile hunter travels to New York City, where his outback survival skills create hilarious cultural clashes.

The film’s blend of action, romance, and comedy struck a perfect chord with global audiences.

Despite its incredible box-office dominance back then, Crocodile Dundee gets referenced far less today.

Modern moviegoers might be shocked to learn just how massively popular this film once was.

6. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Groundbreaking animation technology merged with live-action filmmaking created something audiences had never seen before.

This technical and financial triumph earned over $350 million worldwide, stunning everyone with its seamless blend of cartoons and real actors in 1940s Los Angeles.

Bob Hoskins starred as a detective investigating a murder in a world where animated characters live alongside humans.

The film’s noir style mixed with slapstick comedy appealed to both children and adults.

Despite its massive success, Who Framed Roger Rabbit often gets overlooked in favor of later animation milestones.

Its revolutionary achievements deserve more recognition in blockbuster history.

7. Big (1988)

Tom Hanks delivered a career-defining performance as a 12-year-old boy trapped in an adult’s body.

This magical comedy grossed over $150 million worldwide, launching Hanks into superstardom and earning him his first Academy Award nomination.

After making a wish at a carnival machine, young Josh wakes up as a grown man.

His childlike wonder navigating the adult world created some of cinema’s most memorable moments, including that iconic toy store piano scene.

Yet Big often gets overshadowed by flashier ’80s blockbusters in retrospective discussions.

Its massive commercial success and cultural impact deserve far more recognition than they receive today.

8. Rain Man (1988)

Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of an autistic savant named Raymond earned him an Academy Award and made this the top-grossing film of 1988 worldwide.

Tom Cruise starred alongside him as Raymond’s selfish younger brother who discovers family means more than money.

Their cross-country road trip transformed both characters and touched audiences everywhere.

The film swept the Oscars, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Original Screenplay.

Despite being an Oscar juggernaut and box-office king, Rain Man is seldom included in modern discussions of ’80s blockbusters.

Its once-dominant status has quietly faded from popular memory.

9. Three Men and a Baby (1987)

This family comedy became the highest-grossing U.S. film of 1987, beating out action movies and sci-fi competitors that seemed destined for box-office glory.

Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson played three bachelors whose lives get turned upside down by a surprise baby delivery.

Watching these clueless men learn to change diapers and mix formula created comedy gold.

Their transformation from party-loving singles to responsible caregivers resonated with audiences nationwide.

Though its once-dominant popularity ruled theaters, Three Men and a Baby has cooled considerably over time.

Few remember it was the year’s biggest hit.

10. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)

Rick Moranis played an inventor whose shrinking machine accidentally miniaturizes his children to quarter-inch size.

Disney’s surprise family blockbuster grossed over $220 million worldwide, becoming one of the studio’s biggest live-action hits and spawning multiple sequels and a theme park attraction.

The kids’ dangerous journey through their own backyard—now a jungle filled with giant insects and sprinklers—thrilled young audiences everywhere.

Creative special effects made ordinary objects look terrifyingly huge and spectacular.

Despite its enormous success and cultural footprint at the time, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids rarely appears on modern blockbuster retrospectives.

Its box-office dominance has been strangely forgotten.