4 No. 1 Hit Movies From the 1980s That Prove the Right Actor Can Make or Break a Film

While modern audiences are more drawn to franchises and sequels rather than the actors attached to the film, in the 1980s, actors were everything. Many original films succeeded solely because of the talent that was attached, with stars like Chevy Chase, Sylvester Stallone, Eddie Murphy, and more being some of the most popular faces of the decade. However, of all the films that were released in the 1980s, these four are the best proof that the right actor can make or break a film.

All four of the films on this list debuted at number one at the box office, but some stayed at the top for a lot longer. The lead actors attached to each of these films were major contributors to the critical and commercial success of these films, but each for a different reason.

4) Raiders of the Lost Ark

The Indiana Jones series is one of the most popular movie franchises of all time, but at the time of its release, Raiders of the Lost Ark wasn’t a guaranteed hit. Ahead of its 1981 release, the box office was in decline, with studios hoping to bring it back to life. The crowded year featured major sequels, such as Superman II and The Great Muppet Caper, which overshadowed George Lucas and Steven Spielberg’s original film. Luckily, their names combined with the star power of Harrison Ford, who had become a major name thanks to Star Wars, made Raiders an unexpected hit.

Raiders finished its first weekend at number one, having made $8.3 million. The film catapulted Harrison Ford into even greater stardom, and Paramount was eager to make a sequel. The movie series has continued until the fifth film’s release in 2023, the likely final film due to Harrison Ford’s increasing age. While side characters have had the opportunity to get promoted to a protagonist in a spinoff, such as Shia LaBeouf and Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s characters, fans clearly don’t want an Indiana Jones movie without Harrison Ford.

3) The Terminator

With Raiders of the Lost Ark, the original film was able to bank on the popularity of Harrison Ford. However, 1984’s The Terminator proves that an actor can make or break a movie even if that actor isn’t a superstar. During development of The Terminator, director James Cameron wasn’t a big fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger. At the time, Schwarzenegger was mainly known for the documentary Pumping Iron and the film Conan the Barbarian. Cameron believed that the film would need a bigger star for the titular role, but after Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson turned it down. Cameron agreed to meet with Schwarzenegger, and while he expected not to like him, he ended up loving him.’

While Linda Hamilton is the star of The Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger is definitely the face of the film. He was all over the film’s marketing campaign, and in the years since the movie’s release, he has become synonymous with the film’s brand. Schwarzenegger plays the role of a robotic killer perfectly, which is why he’s been brought back for so many of the sequels. Now, Schwarzenegger is one of the most iconic movie stars of all time, but this is mostly due to the fact that he and The Terminator made each other.

2) Batman

Tim Burton’s 1989 film Batman is one of the most successful movies of the decade, and it takes on the subject of actors making or breaking films in a different way. Like Harrison Ford ahead of Raiders, Michael Keaton was a major star ahead of the film. He had previously appeared in hits like Beetlejuice and Mr. Mom. Unfortunately for the film, both of those were comedies. So, when Keaton’s Batman casting was announced, many fans were upset. They didn’t believe that Keaton could bring Burton’s darker Batman vision to life. Luckily, they were wrong.

Batman made $40.49 million in its opening weekend, making it number one at the box office. This was in large part due to how incredible the film looked, with it straying from the Adam West version and feeling more like the comics. Batman wouldn’t have worked without Keaton’s masterful portrayal of Bruce Wayne and Batman, proving that the actor made the film, even if the fans didn’t know they wanted it.

1) Back to the Future

The previous three entries are examples of a movie hinging on an actor, but they are all subjective explanations of how important the stars were to the film. However, 1985’s Back to the Future is different. Early in production, Eric Stoltz was cast as Marty McFly. The studio wanted Michael J. Fox, but due to his unavailability, the Mask star was chosen instead. However, Stoltz just didn’t work. The actor was taking things way too seriously, leading Robert Zemeckis and other creatives on the film to realize that he wasn’t right for the part. So, he was let go. The film then took a $4 million budget increase in order to hire Fox, reshot many of the scenes that had already been finished with Stoltz, and complete the movie.

This version of the film worked perfectly, with Fox’s version of the character matching the comedic, heightened tone of the film. Fans agreed, with the film making $11.3 million in its opening weekend and going down as one of the best movies ever made. Back to the Future‘s Marty McFly casting is an empirical testament to how the quality of a movie can completely change based on one casting decision. While Stoltz’s Back to the Future would have been interesting to see, the team made the right choice by casting Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly.

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