The first decade of the 21st century was a transformative period for Hollywood, marked by groundbreaking franchises, revolutionary visual effects, and unforgettable storytelling. From epic fantasy sagas to superhero origins and animated masterpieces, the 2000s delivered some of the most iconic films in cinema history.
Here’s a look at the most popular and influential Hollywood movies from 2000 to 2010, year by year.
2000: The Dawn of a New Era
1. Gladiator
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix
- Genre: Historical Epic
- Box Office: $460 million
- Legacy: Won 5 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor (Crowe).
2. Mission: Impossible II
- Director: John Woo
- Starring: Tom Cruise
- Genre: Action/Spy thriller
- Box Office: $546 million
3. X-Men
- Director: Bryan Singer
- Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart
- Genre: Superhero
- Legacy: Launched the modern superhero movie boom.
2001: Fantasy and Adventure Dominate
1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- Director: Peter Jackson
- Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen
- Box Office: $887 million
- Legacy: Redefined fantasy cinema.
2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
- Director: Chris Columbus
- Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson
- Box Office: $974 million
- Legacy: Started the highest-grossing film franchise of the 2000s.
3. Shrek
- Director: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
- Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy
- Box Office: $484 million
- Legacy: First Best Animated Feature Oscar winner.
2002: Sequels and Sci-Fi Thrive
1. Spider-Man
- Director: Sam Raimi
- Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst
- Box Office: $825 million
- Legacy: First $100M+ opening weekend in history.
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- Box Office: $947 million
3. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
- Director: George Lucas
- Box Office: $653 million
2003: Pirates, Superheroes, and Animated Hits
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
- Director: Gore Verbinski
- Starring: Johnny Depp
- Box Office: $654 million
- Legacy: Made Depp’s Jack Sparrow iconic.
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- Box Office: $1.14 billion
- Legacy: Won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture.
3. Finding Nemo
- Director: Andrew Stanton
- Box Office: $940 million
- Legacy: One of Pixar’s biggest hits.
2004: Sequels and New Franchises
1. Shrek 2
- Box Office: $928 million
- Legacy: Highest-grossing animated film at the time.
2. Spider-Man 2
- Box Office: $789 million
- Legacy: Considered one of the best superhero sequels.
3. The Incredibles
- Director: Brad Bird
- Box Office: $633 million
- Legacy: Won Best Animated Feature.
2005: Batman Begins and King Kong
1. Batman Begins
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Starring: Christian Bale
- Box Office: $373 million
- Legacy: Revived the Batman franchise.
2. King Kong
- Director: Peter Jackson
- Box Office: $550 million
3. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
- Box Office: $868 million
2006-2010: The Rise of Superheroes and CGI
2006 Highlights:
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest ($1.06B)
- The Da Vinci Code ($760M)
2007 Highlights:
- Spider-Man 3 ($895M)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End ($963M)
2008 Highlights:
- The Dark Knight ($1B) – Heath Ledger’s legendary Joker.
- Iron Man ($585M) – Launched the MCU.
2009 Highlights:
- Avatar ($2.92B) – Highest-grossing film ever at the time.
- The Hangover ($467M) – Comedy blockbuster.
2010 Highlights:
- Toy Story 3 ($1.07B) – Emotional conclusion.
- Inception ($836M) – Mind-bending sci-fi.
Conclusion: A Decade of Innovation
The 2000s were defined by:
✔ Superhero boom (Spider-Man, Batman, Iron Man)
✔ Fantasy epics (LOTR, Harry Potter, Pirates)
✔ Animation dominance (Shrek, Finding Nemo, Toy Story 3)
✔ Groundbreaking CGI (Avatar, King Kong)
This decade set the stage for modern Hollywood, with many franchises still thriving today.
Which 2000s movie is your favorite? Let me know in the comments! 🎬