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Industry Studios, festivals, awards, release strategies and box office vocabulary.

Blockbuster: Meaning & Definition in Film

A high-budget film designed for mass appeal and significant box-office returns.

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Origin of the Term

“Blockbuster” originally described large bombs in WWII; in film, it first appeared in the 1970s to denote tent-pole films like Jaws (1975) that “busted blocks” of occupied seats.

Blockbuster: Characteristics

Blockbusters feature big budgets, marquee stars, extensive marketing and wide releases. They often belong to action, sci-fi or superhero genres to maximize global draw.

Blockbuster: Economic Impact

Studios depend on a few blockbusters each year to subsidize smaller projects. Merchandising, tie-ins and theme-park attractions further monetize these films.

Examples and Criticism

While films like Avatar and Avengers: Endgame shattered records, critics argue that blockbuster dominance can stifle mid-budget and indie filmmaking, narrowing theatrical diversity.

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More Film Industry & Awards Terms

Entries filed on the same shelf as Blockbuster, each with the one-line answer first. They are the words that usually come up in the same conversation.

All 835 terms

  • Sensitivity Consultant

    A Sensitivity Consultant is a specialist who reviews a film's script and production elements to identify and provide feedback on potentially insensitive, biased, or harmful portrayals of marginalized groups or sensitive subject matter.

  • Streaming Rights

    Legal permissions governing the distribution of films via online streaming platforms.

  • Provisional Certificate

    A provisional certificate is a temporary or interim document used in film production to meet an initial requirement before a final, official certificate can be issued.

  • Showrunner

    A showrunner steers a series’ creative arc while juggling budgets, schedules and studio politics in an era of peak-TV overflow.

  • Audio Deepfake

    An audio deepfake is a piece of synthetically generated audio, created using AI, that is used to mimic a real person's voice without their consent, typically for malicious purposes.

  • Fan Voting

    Fan voting is a mechanism by which the general public, rather than an exclusive group of critics or peers, determines the winner of an award or poll.