1998 in film

Many significant films were released in 1998, including Shakespeare in Love, Saving Private Ryan, Armageddon, American History X, The Truman Show, Primary Colors, Rushmore, Rush Hour, There's Something About Mary, The Big Lebowski, and Terrence Malick's directorial return in The Thin Red Line.

Highest-grossing films

The top 10 films released in 1998 by worldwide gross are as follows:[1]

Highest-grossing films of 1998
Rank Title Distributor Worldwide gross
1 Armageddon Buena Vista $553,709,788
2 Saving Private Ryan DreamWorks / Paramount $485,000,000
3 Godzilla Sony / TriStar $379,014,294
4 There's Something About Mary 20th Century Fox $369,884,651
5 A Bug's Life Buena Vista $363,398,565
6 Deep Impact Paramount / DreamWorks $349,464,664
7 Mulan Buena Vista $304,320,254
8 Dr. Dolittle 20th Century Fox $294,456,605
9 Shakespeare in Love Miramax / Universal $289,317,794
10 Lethal Weapon 4 Warner Bros. $285,444,603

Box office records

  • Saving Private Ryan grossed $485 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing World War II film until it was surpassed by Dunkirk (2017). However, when both are adjusted for 2024 inflation, Saving Private Ryan grossed approximately $868 million worldwide compared to Dunkirk's approximately $665 million worldwide.[2]
  • Blade became the top-grossing film based on a Marvel Comics character, grossing $131.2 million worldwide at the time of its release.
  • The Star Trek franchise became the seventh film franchise to gross $1 billion with the release of Star Trek: Insurrection.[3]

Events

  • March 1 – Titanic becomes the first film to gross over $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Twenty days later, the film won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
  • May 8 and July 1 – 1998 saw the release of two dueling science-fiction disaster films about asteroids: Armageddon and Deep Impact, both of which became box office successes. Armageddon became the more popular of the two and was also the highest-grossing film of 1998 worldwide.
  • July 24 – Saving Private Ryan, directed by Steven Spielberg, was released and received critical acclaim, leading it to be the top-grossing domestic film of 1998. Saving Private Ryan won five Academy Awards, including Best Director. The film was lauded as an influential landmark in the war and action film genres, primarily due to its use of desaturated colors, hand-held cameras, and tight angles.
  • August 21 – Blade, based on the character of the same name, grossed over $131.2 million worldwide. Its success would help stage future film adaptations of Marvel Comics.
  • September 19 – Antz, DreamWorks' first animated feature film, premiered at the 23rd Toronto International Film Festival.
  • December 25 – Filmmaker Terrence Malick returned after a 20-year hiatus, with The Thin Red Line.

Awards

Category/Organization 56th Golden Globe Awards
January 24, 1999
4th Critics Choice Awards
January 1999
Producers, Directors, Screen Actors, and Writers Guild Awards 71st Academy Awards
March 21, 1999
52nd BAFTA Awards
April 11, 1999
Drama Musical or Comedy
Best Film Saving Private Ryan Shakespeare in Love Saving Private Ryan Shakespeare in Love
Best Director Steven Spielberg
Saving Private Ryan
Peter Weir
The Truman Show
Best Actor Jim Carrey
The Truman Show
Michael Caine
Little Voice
Ian McKellen
Gods and Monsters
Apt Pupil
Roberto Benigni
Life Is Beautiful
Best Actress Cate Blanchett
Elizabeth
Gwyneth Paltrow
Shakespeare in Love
Cate Blanchett
Elizabeth
Gwyneth Paltrow
Shakespeare in Love
Cate Blanchett
Elizabeth
Best Supporting Actor Ed Harris
The Truman Show
Billy Bob Thornton
A Simple Plan
Robert Duvall
A Civil Action
James Coburn
Affliction
Geoffrey Rush
Shakespeare in Love
Best Supporting Actress Lynn Redgrave
Gods and Monsters
Kathy Bates
Primary Colors
Joan Allen
Pleasantville
Kathy Bates
Primary Colors
Judi Dench
Shakespeare in Love
Best Screenplay, Adapted Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard
Shakespeare in Love
Scott B. Smith
A Simple Plan
Scott Frank
Out of Sight
Bill Condon
Gods and Monsters
Elaine May
Primary Colors
Best Screenplay, Original Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard
Shakespeare in Love
Andrew Niccol
The Truman Show
Best Animated Film N/a N/a A Bug's Life / The Prince of Egypt (TIE) N/a N/a N/a
Best Original Score The Truman Show
Burkhard Dallwitz and Philip Glass
Saving Private Ryan
John Williams
N/A Life Is Beautiful
Nicola Piovani
Elizabeth
David Hirschfelder
Best Original Song "The Prayer"
Quest for Camelot
"When You Believe"
The Prince of Egypt
N/A "When You Believe"
The Prince of Egypt
N/A
Best Foreign Language Film Central Station Life Is Beautiful N/A Life Is Beautiful Central Station

1998 films

By country/region

  • List of American films of 1998
  • List of Argentine films of 1998
  • List of Australian films of 1998
  • List of Bangladeshi films of 1998
  • List of British films of 1998
  • List of Canadian films of 1998
  • List of French films of 1998
  • List of Hong Kong films of 1998
  • List of Indian films of 1998
    • List of Hindi films of 1998
    • List of Kannada films of 1998
    • List of Malayalam films of 1998
    • List of Marathi films of 1998
    • List of Tamil films of 1998
    • List of Telugu films of 1998
  • List of Japanese films of 1998
  • List of Mexican films of 1998
  • List of Pakistani films of 1998
  • List of Russian films of 1998
  • List of South Korean films of 1998
  • List of Spanish films of 1998

By genre/medium

  • List of action films of 1998
  • List of animated feature films of 1998
  • List of avant-garde films of 1998
  • List of crime films of 1998
  • List of comedy films of 1998
  • List of drama films of 1998
  • List of horror films of 1998
  • List of science fiction films of 1998
  • List of thriller films of 1998
  • List of western films of 1998

Births

  • January 1
    • Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Dutch-born English-Spanish actress
    • Lara Robinson, Australian actress
  • January 4
  • January 5 – Marie Iitoyo, Japanese model and actress
  • January 9
  • January 12
  • January 15 – Ben Levi Ross, American actor and singer
  • January 16
  • January 18 – Shin Ye-eun, South Korean actress
  • January 19 – Lily Donoghue, American actress
  • January 22 – Joe Serafini, American actor
  • January 23 – Rachel Crow, American actress/singer and comedian
  • January 24 – Ada-Nicole Sanger, American actress
  • January 26 – Moonbin, South Korean singer and actor (d. 2023)
  • January 27 – Devin Druid, American actor
  • January 28 – Ariel Winter, American actress
  • February 2 – Nina Bloomgarden, American actress
  • February 6
    • Jay Lycurgo, British actor
    • Aviva Mongillo, Canadian actress and singer
  • February 9 – Isabella Gomez, American actress
  • February 10 – Ayesha Madon, Australian actress
  • February 11
    • Olivia Scott Welch, American actress
    • Lauren Tsai, American actress, visual artist, and model
  • February 13 – Bella Campos, Brazilian actress
  • February 15 – Zachary Gordon, American actor
  • February 16 – Lizze Broadway, American actress
  • February 17
    • Fernanda Urdapilleta, Mexican actress
    • Kayla Cromer, American actress
  • February 21 – Ella-Rae Smith, English actress and model
  • February 22 – Sophie Wilde, Australian actress
  • February 26 – Keyla Monterroso Mejia, American actress and comedian
  • March 3 – Jayson Tatum, American Basketball Player
  • March 5 – Micah Fowler, American actor
  • March 6 – Odessa Young, Australian actress
  • March 11
    • Valentina Herszage, Brazilian actress
    • Emil Wakim, Lebanese-American actor and comedian
  • March 13 – Jack Harlow, American rapper, singer, and actor
  • March 15 – Juan Paiva, Brazilian actor
  • March 18
    • Abigail Cowen, American actress
    • Keana Lyn Bastidas, Canadian actress
  • March 19 – Caylee Cowan, American actress
  • March 22 – Paola Andino, Puerto Rican-American actress
  • March 24 – Christopher Briney, American actor
  • March 25
    • Ryan Simpkins, American actor
    • Rhianne Barreto, British actress
    • Jessica Reynolds, Irish actress
  • March 26 – Emily Tosta, Dominican actress
  • March 29 – Alex Neustaedter, American actor
  • April 3 – Paris Jackson, American model, actress, and musician
  • April 6
    • Peyton List, American actress
    • Spencer List, American actor
  • April 9
  • April 10 – Ruby Jerins, American actress
  • April 12 – Larry Saperstein, American actor
  • April 16 – Jordana Beatty, Australian actress
  • April 20 – Felix Mallard, Australian actor
  • April 24
    • Ryan Newman, American actress
    • Alli Simpson, Australian actress and singer
  • April 27 – Froy Gutierrez, American actor
  • April 29 – Ella Hunt, English actress
  • April 30 – Olivia DeJonge, Australian actress
  • May 1 – Grayson Russell, American actor
  • May 3 – Highdee Kuan, American actress
  • May 4
    • Temara Melek, American actress
    • Taylar Hender, American actress
  • May 5 – Chelsea Clark, Canadian actress
  • May 7 – MrBeast, American YouTuber
  • May 8 – Corey Mylchreest, English actor
  • May 15 – Anjelika Washington, American actress
  • May 20
    • Alanis Guillen, Brazilian actress
    • Zhou Ye, Chinese actress
  • May 23 – Ramona Young, American actress
  • May 24 – Daisy Edgar-Jones, British actress
  • May 29 – Shealeigh, American singer
  • June 13 – Zayne Emory, American actor
  • June 10 – Ana Yi Puig, American actress
  • June 11 – Charlie Tahan, American actor
  • June 14 – Brianne Tju, American actress
  • June 15 – Rachel Covey, American actress
  • June 16 – Lauren Taylor, American actress
  • June 19
  • June 24
    • Coy Stewart, American actor and rapper
    • Matt Friend, American actor and comedian
  • June 27 – Sistine Stallone, American actress and model
  • July 1 – Chloe Bailey, American singer and actress
  • July 2 – True Whitaker, American actress
  • July 3 – Sara Waisglass, Canadian actress
  • July 7 – Dylan Sprayberry, American actor
  • July 8
  • July 9 – Robert Capron, American actor
  • July 10
    • Angus Cloud, American actor (d. 2023)
    • Haley Pullos, American actress
  • July 13 – Cynthy Wu, American actress
  • July 15 – Tyriq Withers, American actor
  • July 17 – Lilli Schweiger, German actress
  • July 22 – Madison Pettis, American actress
  • July 23 – Helena Howard, American actress
  • July 24
  • July 27 – Myles Erlick, Canadian actor and singer
  • July 28 – Sasha Meneghel, Brazilian actress
  • July 29 – Jessica Lord, English actress
  • July 31 – Rico Rodriguez, American actor
  • August 1 – Khamani Griffin, American actor
  • August 3 – Cozi Zuehlsdorff, American actress and singer
  • August 5 – Mimi Keene, English actress
  • August 6 – Forrest Goodluck, American actor
  • August 12 – Rudy Pankow, American actor
  • August 15 - Gulliver McGrath, Australian actor
  • August 18 – Mallori Johnson, American actress
  • August 21 – Jade Chynoweth, American actress
  • August 25 – China Anne McClain, American actress and singer
  • August 28 - Mia Healey, Australian actress
  • September 1
    • Fin Argus, American actor and musician
    • Fern Deacon, English actress
  • September 2 – Choi Ye-bin, South Korean actress
  • September 4 – Ainsley Seiger, American actress
  • September 5 – Helena Barlow, English actress
  • September 8
    • Emma Laird, British actress
    • Sierra Capri, American actress
  • September 9 – Amita Rao, American actress and comedian
  • September 13 – Nell Williams, English actress
  • September 16
    • Belissa Escobedo, American actress
    • Emily Fairn, English actress
  • September 17 – Miles Gutierrez-Riley, American actor
  • September 19 – Phia Saban, English actress
  • September 22 – Isis Hainsworth, English actress
  • October 1
  • October 2 – Zack Morris, English actor
  • October 6 – Matt Cornett, American actor
  • October 7 – Josh Levi, American actor and singer
  • October 10 – Cameron Gellman, American actor
  • October 11 – Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, English actress
  • October 14 – Ariela Barer, American actress
  • October 17 – Erin Kellyman, English actress
  • October 18 – Emily Robinson, American actress
  • October 19
    • Katie Douglas, Canadian actress
    • Sidney Flanigan, American actress
  • October 23
  • October 26 – Samantha Isler, American actress
  • October 28 – Nolan Gould, American actor
  • November 2 – Josh Wiggins, American actor
  • November 4
    • Meadow Walker, American actress
    • Darcy Rose Byrnes, American and Irish actress
  • November 7 – Octavio Ocaña, Mexican actor (died 2021)
  • November 13
    • Gattlin Griffith, American actor
    • Jaquel Spivey, American actor
  • November 17 – Kara Hayward, American actress
  • November 23 – Bradley Steven Perry, American actor
  • November 24 – Peyton Meyer, American actor
  • November 29 – Lovie Simone, American actress
  • December 2
    • Amber Montana, American actress
    • Celeste O'Connor, Kenyan-born American actor
    • Annalise Basso, American actress
  • December 8
  • December 15 – Chandler Canterbury, American former child actor
  • December 16
    • Kiara Muhammad, American actress
    • Clara Moneke, Brazilian actress
  • December 17 – Jasmine Armfield, English actress
  • December 23 – G Hannelius, American actress and singer
  • December 27 – Briar Nolet, Canadian actress
  • December 28 – Jared Gilman, American actor
  • December 29
  • December 31 – Hunter Schafer, American actress

Deaths

Month Date Name Age Country Profession Notable films
January 4 Mae Questel 89 US Actress
5 Sonny Bono 62 US Singer, Actor
6 Walt Barnes 79 US Actor
6 Murray Salem 47 US Actor, Screenwriter
7 Jacqueline DeWit 85 US Actress
7 Dorothy Wilson 88 US Actress
  • One in a Million
  • Scarlet River
16 Lorenzo Mongiardino 81 Italy Production Designer
21 Yoshifumi Kondō 47 Japan Animator, Director
24 Jack Lord 77 US Actor
26 Ethelreda Leopold 83 US Actress
  • In the Sweet Pie and Pie
  • G.I. Wanna Home
28 Jim Bohan 52 US Actor
30 Ferdy Mayne 81 Germany Actor
February 1 Jack T. Collis 75 US Art Director, Production Designer
2 Duilio Del Prete 59 Italy Actor
3 Davy Kaye 81 UK Actor
5 Douglas Gamley 73 Australia Composer, Conductor
15 George White 86 US Film Editor
17 Felix Nelson 84 US Actor
17 Sheila Raynor 91 UK Actor
18 James Villiers 67 UK Actor
21 John Nicolella 52 US Director, Producer
23 Chuck Hayward 89 US Actor, Stuntman
24 Henny Youngman 91 UK Comedian, Actor
26 James Algar 75 US Director, Producer, Animator
27 J. T. Walsh 54 US Actor
March 4 Betty Bird 96 Italy Actress
  • The Escape to Nice
  • Waterloo
5 Donald Woods 91 Canada Actor
10 Lloyd Bridges 85 US Actor
17 Helen Westcott 70 US Actress
20 Beverley Cross 66 UK Screenwriter
25 Daniel Massey 64 UK Actor
30 Ramsay Ames 79 US Actress
April 1 Gene Evans 75 US Actor
1 Lucille Norman 76 US Singer, Actress
3 Charles Lang 96 US Cinematographer
4 Kay Hughes 84 US Actress
  • The Big Show
  • Dick Tracy
11 Rodney Harvey 30 US Actor
21 Peter Lind Hayes 82 US Actor
22 Marvin Worth 72 US Producer
24 Leslie Stevens 74 US Screenwriter, Director
28 Jerome Bixby 75 US Screenwriter
28 Dorothy Lovett 83 US Actress
  • Meet Dr. Christian
  • The Mantrap
29 Mary Castle 67 US Actress
  • Gunsmoke
  • The Jailbreakers
May 2 Maidie Norman 85 US Actress
3 Gene Raymond 89 US Actor
9 Alice Faye 83 US Actress, Singer
9 Nat Perrin 93 US Screenwriter, Director
11 Gene Fowler Jr. 80 US Film Editor
14 Frank Sinatra 82 US Singer, Actor
15 Linwood G. Dunn 93 US Visual Effects Artist
20 Wolf Mankowitz 73 UK Screenwriter
21 Douglas Fowley 86 US Actor
22 John Derek 71 US Actor, Director
28 Phil Hartman 49 US Actor, Comedian, Screenwriter
June 1 Darwin Joston 60 US Actor
2 Dorothy Stickney 101 US Actress
4 Josephine Hutchinson 94 US Actress
5 Jeanette Nolan 85 US Actress
12 Theresa Merritt 73 US Actress
18 Charles Korvin 90 Slovakia Actor
23 Kurt Kren 69 Austria Director
  • 8/64: Ana – Aktion Brus
  • 10/65: Selbstverstümmelung
23 Maureen O'Sullivan 87 Ireland Actress
24 Henry G. Saperstein 80 US Producer
July 1 Claire Kelly 64 US Actress
4 Gregg Burge 40 US Actor
6 Roy Rogers 86 US Actor, Singer
  • Son of Paleface
  • King of the Cowboys
10 William Preston 76 US Actor
16 Leigh Brown 59 US Screenwriter
17 Joseph Maher 64 Ireland Actor
19 Betty Marsden 79 UK Actress
21 Robert Young 91 US Actor
27 Binnie Barnes 95 UK Actress
28 Lenny McLean 49 UK Actor
29 Jerome Robbins 79 US Director, Choreographer West Side Story
29 O. Z. Whitehead 87 US Actor
August 1 Eva Bartok 71 Hungary Actress
7 Bob Wyman 66 US Film Editor
11 Derek Newark 65 UK Actor
  • City Under the Sea
  • Dad's Army
15 Marc Akerstream 44 Canada Stuntman, Actor
16 Phil Leeds 82 US Actor
18 Persis Khambatta 49 India Actress
24 E. G. Marshall 84 US Actor
24 Gene Page 58 US Composer
26 Wade Dominguez 32 US Actor
26 Penny Edwards 70 US Actress
  • Street Bandits
  • Missing Women
September 2 Fernando Carrere 87 Mexico Art Director
6 Akira Kurosawa 88 Japan Director, Screenwriter
6 Elaine Shepard 85 US Actress
  • Seven Days Ashore
  • You Can't Fool Your Wife
8 Leonid Kinskey 95 Russia Actor
11 Dane Clark 86 US Actor
19 Patricia Hayes 88 UK Actress
21 Clara Calamai 89 Italy Actress
22 John Garrie 75 UK Actor
30 Marius Goring 86 UK Actor
30 Stephen Pearlman 63 US Actor
October 2 Gene Autry 91 US Actor, Singer
3 George Davis 84 US Art Director
3 Roddy McDowall 70 UK Actor
8 Gigi Reder 70 Italy Actor
  • Fantozzi
  • Who Is Afraid Of Dracula?
11 Richard Denning 84 US Actor
17 Joan Hickson 92 UK Actress
22 Eric Ambler 89 UK Screenwriter
23 Christopher Gable 58 UK Actor
24 Dennis Ayling 81 UK Visual Effects Artist Alien
26 Rick Dior 51 US Sound Engineer
27 Rosamund John 85 UK Actress
  • When the Bough Breaks
  • Green for Danger
28 James Goldman 71 US Screenwriter
November 2 Tommy Duggan 89 UK Actor
3 Martha O'Driscoll 76 US Actress
4 Vincent Winter 50 UK Actor, Production Manager
5 Momoko Kōchi 66 Japan Actress
8 Jean Marais 84 France Actor, Director
9 Ursula Reit 84 Germany Actress
13 Valerie Hobson 81 UK Actress
17 Dick O'Neill 70 US Actor
17 Esther Rolle 78 US Actress
19 Alan J. Pakula 70 US Director, Producer, Screenwriter
22 Nicky Blair 72 US Actor
25 Enrico Sabbatini 66 Italy Costume Designer
25 Flip Wilson 64 US Comedian, Actor
30 Ruth Clifford 98 US Actress
  • The Dramatic Life of Abraham Lincoln
  • The Amazing Woman
December 1 Freddie Young 96 UK Cinematographer
7 John Addison 78 UK Composer
8 John Veitch 78 US Producer, Executive
13 Lew Grade 91 UK Producer
13 Ariadna Welter 68 Mexico Actress
  • The Devil's Hand
  • The Boxer
14 Norman Fell 74 US Actor
17 John Robert Lloyd 78 US Production Designer
20 Irene Hervey 89 US Actress
21 Roger Avon 84 UK Actor
23 David Manners 98 Canada Actor
25 Richard Paul 58 US Actor
26 Hurd Hatfield 81 US Actor
28 William Frankfather 54 US Actor
29 Don Taylor 81 US Actor, Director

Film debuts

References

  1. ^ "1998 Worldwide Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  2. ^ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  3. ^ "Star Trek Franchise Box Office History". The Numbers. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  4. ^ "Felix Nelson Filmography". American Film Institute. Retrieved April 1, 2024.