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With 33 feature films to his name, Steven Spielberg is undoubtedly one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.

Since the 1970s, his films have captivated audiences and earned numerous accolades, including 13 Best Picture nominations and two Best Director wins (for Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan). However, his success at the Academy Awards is just one aspect of Spielberg's success. To date, his films have generated a whopping $10.1 billion at the global box office.

As fans of Spielberg's work, we have compiled a chronological list of all his films, including the loose connections between them that form what fans have dubbed the "Spielbergverse." In this universe, Spielberg's films are connected through subtle references and Easter eggs, creating a shared world that spans genres, time periods, and even dips into other directors' universes.

For example, online theories have suggested that long before the opening of Jurassic Park, John Hammond did some gene-altering work on sharks that ultimately led to a giant shark wreaking havoc on Amity Island in Jaws. In addition, some fans think that the Spielbergverse integrates with the "Star Wars" universe. Images of R2-D2 and C-3PO appear in Spielberg's films, while members of the ET alien race appear to be voting members of the Galactic Senate in The Phantom Menace.

Therefore, if you want to enjoy the full Spielberg Universe, you must start a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Watching his movies in chronological order also reveals how his filmography follows the United States' historical timeline (and even continues into the future). Think about it: One of Speilberg's most iconic films, Amistad, is set in 1837, while AI Artificial Intelligence is set in the 2100s.

Anyway, here's The Spielbergverse.

Spielbergverse: Steven Spielberg movies in chronological order

Here’s our chronological guide to all of Steven Spielberg’s films. We’ve included an at-a-glance version of this guide for those of you who want to scan a spoiler-free movie order. We also appended a quick chronological order just for Spielberg’s "historical" films. Finally, in a separate bulleted list closing out this guide, we rounded up all the films he's directed that were Oscar-nominated.

Amistad (1997)

Amistad starts farther back in time than any other Spielberg film. Set in 1837, the movie portrays the true story of a group of slaves led by Cinque (Djimon Hounsou), who seize control of the ship La Amistad. Their journey takes them to America, where they are embroiled in a years-long court battle that reaches the Supreme Court. The case for the slaves' freedom is powerfully argued by John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins).

Amistad received four nominations at the 70th Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for Anthony Hopkins. However, it did not win any Oscars. Amistad also received nods from the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards but did not win. It still received critical acclaim for its performances and production design, however, and is regarded as an important film that explores a significant moment in American history.

Lincoln (2012)

Lincoln is set in January 1865, with Daniel Day-Lewis starring in the title role as America's 16th president. The film specifically focuses on Lincoln's work with members of Congress to ratify the 13th Amendment, which would outlaw slavery in the United States.

Lincoln won several awards. At the 85th Academy Awards, the movie received two awards, including Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis. The film was also nominated for 10 other Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Steven Spielberg, but he did not win. Lincoln also won several other awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis.

The Color Purple (1985)

The Color Purple is set in the early 1900s and follows the story of Celie (Whoopi Goldberg), a young woman who endures a childhood filled with horrific abuse at the hands of her father. Later, she is married off to a widower named Mister (Danny Glover), who also abuses her. Despite the hardships she faces, the film showcases her journey of triumph over her abusers. This film also marks the debut performance of Oprah Winfrey.

The Color Purple was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. However, it did not win any of the awards it was nominated for, which was a controversial outcome at the time. But it has since gained widespread recognition for its performances and impactful storytelling.

War Horse (2011)

As you might've guessed by the title of the film, War Horse is set in World War I. The movie features Jeremy Irvine as Albert Narracott, a young boy living in rural England who has a close bond with his horse, Joey. When Albert's family falls on hard times, they are forced to sell Joey, who ends up on the front lines in the western theater of World War I.

War Horse was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, but it did not win any of the nominated awards. Despite not winning any major awards, the film was still a critical and commercial success, praised for its performances, direction, and cinematography.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

The second film in the Indiana Jones franchise, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, is actually Spielberg's first film chronologically. And if you’re interested in any Star Wars connections to Spielberg films, you’ll notice the club in the opening scene of the film is called Club Obi Wan.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is set one year before the events of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

In the movie, Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones narrowly avoids an assassination attempt by fleeing from a crashing plane that lands him in a remote village in northern India. The villagers inform Indiana of a cult that has stolen a sacred stone, along with most of the village's children. When Indy realizes the stone could be a sacred religious relic, he sets out to find it and rescue the children.

This Spielberg movie won one Oscar for Best Visual Effects at the 57th Academy Awards. It was also nominated for Best Original Score, Best Sound, and Best Film Editing, but did not win in those categories. The film is now considered one of the best in the Indiana Jones franchise.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Raiders of the Lost Ark is set in 1936 and features Indiana Jones in a race against the Nazis to find the Ark of the Covenant, which the Nazis believe will make their armies invincible. He is joined in his adventure by Karen Allen's Marion Ravenwood. The film includes a clear connection to the Star Wars Universe, as R2-D2 and C3PO appear in hieroglyphics when Indy enters the Well of Souls to find the Ark.

Raiders of the Lost Ark received five Academy Awards, including Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound Effects Editing. Spielberg missed out on winning his first Oscar for Best Director. It was also nominated for Best Picture. Still, Raiders of the Lost Ark became a massive commercial and critical success, launching a franchise that has continued for over 40 years.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is set two years later in 1938 and follows Indiana as he sets out to find his missing father, Henry (Sean Connery), who is searching for the Holy Grail. Indiana travels to Venice to meet with Allison Doody's Elsa Schneider before embarking on a global adventure that includes facing off against more Nazis.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Sound, Best Original Score, and Best Sound Effects Editing, but it did not win in any of the nominated categories. Nevertheless, the film was a critical and commercial success, with audiences and critics praising the chemistry between Ford and Connery and the movie's blend of action, adventure, and humor.

1941 (1979)

This comedy is set in the immediate aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Dan Aykroyd stars as Motor Sergeant Frank Tree, and the movie follows the story of a Japanese submarine that is out to attack Los Angeles. However, it turns out that human error is much more dangerous than the perceived threat of the Japanese attack.

Spielberg's 1941 is generally regarded as one of his worst films, although it was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects. It did not win in any of those categories. The movie has a cult following now and is seen as an interesting footnote in Spielberg's career, showcasing his experimentation with different genres and styles.

Empire of the Sun (1987)

Empire of the Sun tells the story of Jamie Graham, played by Christian Bale, who is a child of a wealthy British family living in Shanghai during World War II. When the Japanese invade, Jamie is separated from his family and eventually sent to an internment camp by Japanese soldiers.

The movie received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Sound, but it did not win any of the categories.

Schindler’s List (1993)

Schindler's List follows Liam Neeson's portrayal of Oskar Schindler, a Nazi Party member who purchases a factory and begins using Jewish labor from the Krakow Ghetto to run it. As he witnesses more of the horrors inflicted on Jews by the Nazis, Oskar's only goal becomes saving as many lives as possible.

The movie received a whopping 12 Academy Award nominations, winning seven of the awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The film's poignant storytelling and masterful direction Spielberg made it one of the most acclaimed and unforgettable movies of the 1990s.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

The final World War II film directed by Spielberg is often regarded as the best war film of all time. It stars Tom Hanks as Army Ranger Captain John Miller, who is tasked with finding Private James Ryan in the French countryside in the aftermath of the D-Day landings in Normandy.

The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won five of them, including Best Director for Spielberg. Despite losing out on Best Picture to Shakespeare in Love, Saving Private Ryan remains a landmark achievement in Spielberg's career and in the history of war films.

The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

The Adventures of Tintin is Spielberg's only foray into the world of animated films. The movie is based on the comic book series of the same name created by writer Herge in 1929. It follows a young journalist named Tintin, played by Jamie Bell, as he sets out to find the treasure of a missing shipwreck known as the Unicorn.

The movie was nominated for Best Original Score at the 84th Academy Awards, but did not win in the category.

The Fablemans (2022)

The Fablemans is Spielberg’s most recent film. It’s a semi-autobiographical story of a boy who falls in love with motion pictures in the 50s and sets out to make his own movies while navigating his parents' marital problems. Gabriel LaBelle stars as the Spielberg-esque Sammy Fableman.

The film received seven Oscar nominations, including both Best Picture and Best Director.

The Fablemans received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.

West Side Story (2021)

Spielberg directed the 2021 remake of the 1961 Best Picture winner. The film follows the doomed love affair between Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler) as they try to balance their feelings for one another with the rival gangs they are tied to.

West Side Story was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning 10, including Best Supporting Actress for Rita Moreno, who also won an Oscar for her role in the 1961 original film.

Bridge of Spies (2015)

Another film that was nominated for Best Picture, Bridge of Spies is loosely based on the real-life events surrounding a prisoner exchange between the USSR and the US. Tom Hanks stars as James Donovan, a lawyer who agrees to represent Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) after he's arrested for spying for the Soviet Union in 1957. After successfully avoiding the death penalty, Donovan is tasked with negotiating a back-channel prisoner exchange with the Soviet Union when a US pilot with surveillance equipment crashes in Soviet territory.

The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, but did not win any.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

The fourth Indiana Jones film sees Spielberg and Harrison Ford reunite for another chapter in one of their most memorable characters' stories. Unfortunately, the film doesn't live up to either person's legacy. This time out, a much older Indy is racing to find aliens instead of religious artifacts, and he's pitted against KGB agents instead of Nazis. Karen Allen returns as Marion from Raiders of the Lost Ark and Shia Lebeouf plays Mutt Williams, Indy and Marion's child.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was nominated for several awards, including an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, but it did not win any awards.

Catch Me if You Can (2003)

Catch Me If You Can is based on the autobiography of Frank Abagnale, who claimed to have defrauded companies out of millions of dollars in the 1960s using fake checks and other schemes. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Abagnale, who begins his conman career while he is still a teenager living with his parents. Tom Hanks plays Carl Hanratty, an FBI agent who is chasing down Abagnale.

The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, but did not win any.

The Post (2017)

The Post follows the Washington Post’s handling of the Pentagon Papers, which were thousands of classified documents detailing America’s failures in Vietnam that were leaked to the Post in 1971. The film stars Tom Hanks as Ben Bradlee, executive editor of the Washington Post and Meryl Streep as Katharine Graham, the owner and publisher of the paper, as they both weigh whether the papers should be published in the face of the financial struggles of the Washington Post at that time.

The Post was nominated for two Academy Awards, Best Picture and Best Actress for Streep's performance.

Duel (1971)

Duel was Spielberg's first film. It originally aired on ABC as part of its Movie of the Week series before eventually getting a theatrical release. The film follows Dennis Weaver as David Mann, who is returning home on a business trip when he happens upon an old tanker truck driving slowly in the Mojave desert. He passes the truck, which just starts a game of cat and mouse between Mann and the mysterious driver of the truck.

The film did not receive any major awards.

Munich (2005)

Munich chronicles the aftermath of a Palestinian terrorist organization assassinating 11 members of the 1972 Israeli Olympic team.

The film follows the story of Avner Kaufman (Eric Bana), an agent of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, who is directed to resign so that he may assassinate 11 of the Palestinians responsible for the attack without any connection back to Mossad or the country.

Munich was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

The Sugarland Express (1974)

The Sugarland Express was Spielberg's second feature film to receive a theatrical release. It stars Goldie Hawn as Lou Jean Poplin, a woman in Texas who convinces her husband to break out of prison early so that he can help her stop their son from being placed in foster care.

The film was not nominated for any major awards.

Jaws (1975)

Spielberg's first big hit, Jaws, essentially invented the summer blockbuster. The film follows the sheriff of a small beach town called Amity Island as a rash of shark attacks break out over the Fourth of July weekend. Roy Schneider plays the sheriff, Martin Brody.

There are a couple of interesting online theories surrounding Jaws.

One posits that Martin Brody, the sheriff of Amity Island, is actually the son of Marcus Brody, the museum curator from the Indiana Jones franchise, played by Denholm Eliot. Another theory suggests that the shark responsible for the attacks in Jaws was genetically modified to be much larger than normal and is possibly a precursor to the genetic testing that led to the creation of the Jurassic Park dinosaurs.

Jaws was Spielberg's first film nominated for Best Picture, and it won three Academy Awards.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind stars Richard Dreyfuss as Roy Neary, an electrician who is called out one night as nearby UFOs are disrupting power. After witnessing the UFOs that night, Neary becomes obsessed and begins to have unexplainable visions that lead him to a geological formation known as the Devil’s Tower.

It's worth noting some Redditors think R2-D2 can be seen in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Go to about 1 hour 54 minutes into the film, and he’s in the first shot of the Mothership as it turns and rises in frame.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind won one Academy Award for Best Cinematography and was also nominated for eight additional Oscars.

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

In ET. The Extra-Terrestrial, a young boy named Elliot, portrayed by Henry Thomas, takes in an alien who was left behind and calls him E.T. Elliot introduces E.T. to American culture and customs, while the government tries to capture the alien. Elliot, with the aid of his friends, sets out to help E.T. return home and avoid capture by the government.

The film received nine Academy Award nominations, including nods for Best Picture and Best Director. It won four Oscars in other categories.

BFG (2016)

The BFG is a film adaptation of the children's book of the same name by Roald Dahl. Set in 1980s London, the movie follows Ruby Barnhill's Sophie, an orphan who is taken by the Big Friendly Giant, or BFG, to his homeland of Giant Country. Together, they hatch a plan to defeat the other giants who enjoy eating children.

The film received positive reviews for its visual effects and heartwarming story, and was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 89th Academy Awards, but it was a commercial disappointment.

Always (1989)

Always follows Pete Sandich, played by Richard Dreyfuss, a firefighter pilot who has a habit of risking his life. When he dies while saving another pilot, he's given one final task of helping his girlfriend through the grieving process and finding a new love.

The film did not win any major awards, but it has been noted for its stunning aerial sequences.

Hook (1991)

Depending on your age, you might remember Hook as either a major commercial failure or a staple of childhood television. It features Robin Williams as a grown-up version of Peter Pan, who left Neverland and found success as a lawyer, forgetting about his past. However, when Hook, played by Dustin Hoffman, returns to take Peter's children, he must return to Neverland to relearn the lessons he taught to children as Peter Pan.

Hook received five Academy Award nominations, although it did not win any. Despite its initial negative reception, the film has since gained a cult following and nostalgic appreciation for its imaginative take on the classic story.

Jurassic Park (1993)

  • Where to stream: Watch Jurassic Park (1993) on Amazon Prime Video

Jurassic Park stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum as scientists hired by John Hammond, portrayed by Richard Attenborough, to inspect the safety of his new dinosaur theme park. However, they soon realize that the cloned dinosaurs are not as safe as they thought.

In Jurassic Park, the power goes out, and a computer screen displays the word "Ah-ah-ah! You didn't say the magic word!" This is reportedly a reference to a scene in Schindler's List - where a Nazi guard says the same thing to prisoners trying to enter a restroom.

Jurassic Park's groundbreaking visual effects and thrilling storyline made it a cultural phenomenon upon its release in 1993. Jurassic Park won three Oscars for Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

Jeff Goldblum returned as mathematician Ian Malcolm in the film The Lost World: Jurassic Park. The plot revolves around John Hammond's revelation of a second island inhabited by dinosaurs, and his decision to send Malcolm's girlfriend, Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore), there to document the animals. Determined to rescue her himself, Malcolm embarks on a dangerous journey to the island.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It was a commercial success, too, grossing over $618 million at the box office worldwide. In fact, it was the highest-grossing film of 1997.

The Terminal (2004)

The Terminal is a film that tells the story of Viktor Navorski, portrayed by Tom Hanks. Navorski arrives at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, only to discover that a coup has taken place in his home country and the US does not recognize the new government, rendering his passport useless. As a result, Navorski is unable to leave the airport or enter the city, and is stranded in the terminal.

The Terminal received mixed reviews from critics and did not receive any major awards. However, it is often cited as one of Hanks' most memorable performances.

War of the Worlds (2005)

Tom Cruise stars in this adaptation of the HG Wells novel, War of the Worlds. The story follows the emergence of tri-pod war-machines that were buried by aliens thousands of years ago in order to launch an invasion of Earth. Tom Cruise's character must navigate the ensuing chaos and destruction as he attempts to transport his two children from New York to Boston to reunite with their mother.

War of the Worlds received mixed reviews from critics but was a commercial success, grossing over $591 million worldwide. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects. However, the film did not win any of these awards. The film is often cited as one of the best science fiction films of the 2000s and has influenced other works in the genre.

Minority Report (2002)

Minority Report is a film adaptation of a short story by Philip K Dick. The story takes place in 2053, after America has implemented a program that employs clairvoyants to prevent crimes before they occur. In the movie, Tom Cruise plays John Anderton, the head of the precrime program who becomes a fugitive when the clairvoyants predict that he will murder a man he has never met within 36 hours.

Minority Report was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Sound Editing category. It was also commercially successful, grossing over $358 million worldwide. The film's themes of surveillance and government control even influenced several films and TV shows to come.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

In the 2100s, Haley Joel Osment stars as David, a prototype robot child given to the Swintons after their own child is placed in cryostasis with a terminal illness. Though the family grows to love David, they abandon him in the woods after their son is cured and returns home. David embarks on a quest to find the blue fairy from "Pinocchi with the hope that he can become a real boy and earn the love of his mother once again.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence received two Academy Award nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Original Score. It was also a commercial success, grossing over $235 million worldwide. Spielberg, and writer, Brian Aldiss, have both stated they felt the movie was ahead of its time and has since influenced other science fiction films and TV shows - including Her (2013) and Ex Machina (2014).

Spielbergverse: Spoiler-free version

Every Steven Spielberg movie in chronological order

Here is every Steven Spielberg film in chronological order, but bulleted for at-a-glance reading and free of spoilers:

  • Amistad (1997)
  • Lincoln (2012)
  • The Color Purple (1985
  • War Horse (2011)
  • Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
  • Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
  • 1941 (1979)
  • Empire of the Sun(1987)
  • Schindler's List (1993)
  • Saving Private Ryan (1998)
  • The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
  • The Fablemans (2022)
  • Bridge of Spies (2015)
  • Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
  • Catch Me If You Can (2003)
  • The Post (2017)
  • Duel (1971)
  • Munich (2005)
  • The Sugarland Express (1974)
  • Jaws (1975)
  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind
  • E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
  • BFG (2016)
  • Hook (1991)
  • Jurassic Park (1993)
  • The Lost World: Jurassic Park
  • The Terminal (2004)
  • War of the Worlds (2005)
  • Minority Report (2002)
  • A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

All of Steven Spielberg's "historical" films in chronological order

Want to watch all of Spielberg's films set in historical time periods? We got you. Here's that order, bulleted and spoiler-free:

  • Amistad (1997)
  • Lincoln (2012)
  • The Color Purple (1985)
  • War Horse (2011)
  • 1941 (1979)
  • Empire of the Sun(1987)
  • Schindler's List (1993)
  • Saving Private Ryan (1998)
  • Bridge of Spies (2015)
  • The Post (2017)
  • Munich (2005)

Steven Spielberg's Oscar-nominated movies

Finally, we've listed all of Spielberg's films nominated either for Best Director or Best Picture, below.

Best Picture nominations (wins in bold)

  • Jaws (1975)
  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
  • E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
  • The Color Purple (1985)
  • Schindler’s List (1993)
  • Saving Private Ryan (1998)
  • Munich (2005)
  • Warhorse (2011)
  • Lincoln (2012)
  • Bridge of Spies (2015)
  • The Post (2017)
  • West Side Story (2021)
  • The Fablemans (2022)

Best Director nominations (wins in bold)

  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
  • E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
  • Schindler’s List (1993)
  • Saving Private Ryan (1998)
  • Munich (2005)
  • Lincoln (2012)
  • West Side Story (2021)
  • The Fablemans (2022)

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