A story with universal themes. Characters who are endlessly quotable. Not every movie has achieved the record-breaking longevity of the ones on this list, with theatrical runs lasting a year or even decades. The movies that did earn this popularity were more than just crowd-pleasers, too.
One is a Bollywood rom-com with lifelong fans. Another has roaring dinosaurs breaking free of their cages. An accomplishment they all share, no matter how different they are in genre or story, is how they made a mark in pop culture.
Let’s check out the movies that have spent the most time in theaters.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Time in theaters: 52 Weeks
‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ (1982)Credit: Universal Pictures
The legacy of this Steven Spielberg-directed film is still going strong; just look at how it influenced Stranger Things. More than that, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial told the sweet story of a boy who befriends a lost alien, with scenes and a score by John Williams that were full of imagination.
It stayed in theaters for almost a whole year after its release in June 1982. But the biggest achievement was that it earned the rare box office record that still hasn’t been beaten: E.T. was in the weekend Top 10 for 44 weeks. And it wouldn’t be the only film by Spielberg to be such a hit with moviegoers.
Jurassic Park (1993)
Time in theaters: 70 Weeks
‘Jurassic Park’ (1993)Credit: Universal Pictures
The epic score by John Williams and the groundbreaking CGI to bring the dinos to life have made Jurassic Park a spectacle. The prehistoric creatures felt as real as the human cast. More spectacular than either of those sights or sounds was the staying power.
Eleven years after Steven Spielberg’s enormous success with E.T., he gave audiences another summer blockbuster to rush to see at their local cinemas. Released in June 1993, the theatrical run for this Spielberg classic lasted until October 1994.
The Sound of Music (1965)
Time in theaters: Over 4 years
The musical that taught you, “La, a note to follow so.” Julie Andrews is a young governess who joins the von Trapp family, teaches the children to love music, and falls in love with their father, leading to their eventual escape from the Nazis. The catchy songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein will most definitely get stuck in your head.
‘The Sound of Music’ (1965)Image via 20th Century-Fox
It had a select theater release rollout to utilize the 70mm format and stereophonic sound system before getting a wider release. It went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 1966, and the success with audiences would keep going, much longer than Julie Andrews can spin on a mountaintop. By the end, The Sound of Music had an original theatrical run that lasted over four years.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
Time in theaters: Over 30 years
Director Aditya Chopra’s Bollywood rom-com tells the love story of a British Indian couple, Raj (Shah Rukh Khan) and Simran (Kajol), who have to overcome disapproving families. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge turned Khan and Kajol into stars, and their characters went on to become embedded within South Asian pop culture.
‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ (1995)Credit: Yash Raj Films
The movie was so beloved that it has continued to play at Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir cinema hall for thirty years and counting. That impressive feat can demonstrate what happens when a film finds passionate fans who will keep rewatching it. An incredibly loyal fanbase is what Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge shares with the film that has, by far, the longest theatrical run in movie history.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Time in theaters: Over 50 years
Within a dark void, red lips with pearly whites materialize to sing about Flash Gordon and Forbidden Planet to open this film. The level of strangeness would only increase from there.
‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ (1975)Credit: 20th Century Fox
The Rocky Horror Picture Show bombed when it was released in 1975, but Fox executives then decided to release the horror-comedy musical as a midnight movie. Slowly, it turned into a cult sensation with shadowcasts and audience participation embracing the weirdos and otherness within the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry).
“It does hold the record for being the longest continuously running film in cinematic history,” media scholar and author Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock said in an interview for CBS Sunday Morning. By 2025, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is believed to have made around $160 million worldwide, with a legacy that isn’t declining any time soon. The fanbase might “shiver with antici…pation” as it will play on the largest screen yet after getting picked for the next immersive experience at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
