For decades, Tom Hanks has been one of Hollywood’s most trusted movie stars.
He has played astronauts, soldiers, lawyers, castaways, toy cowboys and ordinary men caught in extraordinary situations. And while awards and critical praise have followed him throughout his career, there is another way to measure Hanks’ remarkable run in Hollywood:
the box office.
From emotional dramas to massive animated franchises, some of Hanks’ movies have earned hundreds of millions of dollars around the world. His biggest films include several movies that became cultural landmarks long after they left theaters.
So, which Tom Hanks movies have made the most money?
Here are some of his biggest worldwide box-office successes.
1. Toy Story 5
The latest chapter in the Toy Story franchise has given Hanks another enormous box-office achievement.
Hanks once again lends his voice to Woody, the cowboy toy who has become one of the most recognizable animated characters in movie history.
The film has pushed the franchise into another billion-dollar chapter, making it one of the biggest commercial successes associated with Hanks.
What’s even more remarkable is that the character has remained popular across multiple generations.
Parents who grew up watching the original Toy Story can now watch the newer films with their own children.
That’s the kind of longevity very few Hollywood stars ever experience.
2. Toy Story 4
Before Toy Story 5, there was another massive success.
Toy Story 4 brought Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang back for another emotional adventure.
But the film wasn’t simply another animated sequel.
For longtime fans, it felt like another farewell.
Hanks’ performance as Woody once again brought warmth and emotion to a character who had been part of audiences’ lives for decades.
The result was a major worldwide box-office success.
3. Toy Story 3
Then came Toy Story 3.
Released in 2010, the movie became one of the most emotional entries in the franchise.
The story centered around Andy growing up and preparing to leave his toys behind.
For audiences who had watched the original film in the 1990s, the story hit particularly hard.
Hanks’ Woody was at the center of that emotional journey.
And the box-office result showed just how powerful the franchise had become.
4. The Da Vinci Code
Tom Hanks moved from animation into mystery and conspiracy with The Da Vinci Code.
Released in 2006, the movie featured Hanks as Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor pulled into a dangerous mystery involving ancient secrets and a murder investigation.
The film became a worldwide phenomenon.
Its success also proved that Hanks could still lead a huge global blockbuster outside of his most familiar genres.
5. Forrest Gump
Few movies are more closely associated with Tom Hanks than Forrest Gump.
The 1994 film transformed Hanks into an even bigger Hollywood icon and earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor.
But the movie wasn’t only an awards-season success.
It became a major box-office hit and one of Hanks’ most recognizable performances.
The story of Forrest Gump touched audiences because it combined comedy, romance, tragedy and history through the eyes of an unusually innocent character.
Decades later, the movie remains one of his defining films.
6. Angels & Demons
Hanks returned as Robert Langdon in Angels & Demons, the follow-up to The Da Vinci Code.
The thriller sent audiences across Europe as Langdon attempted to solve a mystery involving the Catholic Church and a potentially devastating threat.
Although it didn’t reach the extraordinary heights of its predecessor, it still became a major international hit.
7. Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan was very different from the lighter films audiences often associate with Hanks.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, the 1998 World War II drama starred Hanks as Captain John Miller.
But its importance goes far beyond its box-office performance.
The movie became one of the most acclaimed war films of its era, and Hanks’ performance helped anchor its emotional story.
The opening sequence became particularly famous for its intense depiction of the Normandy landings.
8. The Polar Express
Hanks took on multiple roles in The Polar Express, including the mysterious conductor who takes a young boy on a magical Christmas journey.
The animated adventure became a popular holiday movie and developed a long life beyond its original theatrical release.
For many families, The Polar Express eventually became part of their annual Christmas tradition.
9. Catch Me If You Can
In Catch Me If You Can, Hanks played FBI agent Carl Hanratty opposite Leonardo DiCaprio.
The film followed a young con artist who successfully impersonated pilots, doctors and lawyers while staying one step ahead of the authorities.
Hanks brought a quieter, more determined energy to the role, creating an unusual relationship between his character and DiCaprio’s fugitive.
It became one of the most entertaining films of Hanks’ career.
10. Sully
Not every Hanks hit needed explosions or superheroes.
In Sully, Hanks portrayed airline captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, whose emergency landing on the Hudson River saved the lives of everyone aboard.
The film focused less on spectacle and more on the man behind one of aviation’s most famous emergencies.
Once again, Hanks demonstrated why he has become so effective at portraying ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances.
The Bigger Picture Behind Tom Hanks’ Box Office Success
What makes Hanks’ box-office record especially interesting is the variety.
His biggest movies aren’t all from one franchise.
Some are animated.
Some are historical dramas.
Some are thrillers.
Some are based on real events.
And others are deeply emotional character stories.
His career has stretched across generations, and his movies have attracted audiences ranging from children watching Woody for the first time to adults returning to films they loved decades earlier.
Tom Hanks’ Secret May Be His Versatility
There is a reason audiences have continued returning to Hanks’ movies for so many years.
He can make a massive Hollywood production feel personal.
Whether he’s standing on a battlefield, sitting alone on an island or speaking through an animated cowboy, there’s usually something familiar about his performances.
That may be the real secret behind his extraordinary career.
Tom Hanks doesn’t just play movie characters.
He makes audiences care about them.
And that’s why, after decades in Hollywood, his movies continue to attract audiences around the world.