Rotten Tomatoes’ June 12, 2026 ranking puts E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial first, followed by Schindler’s List and Jaws. That is one outlet’s Tomatometer-based ordering, not a definitive verdict on Spielberg’s films. Below, the films are presented in that dated order, with brief context to help you choose what to watch.
What this ranking includes
This guide covers theatrical feature films directed by Steven Spielberg, using the order displayed in Rotten Tomatoes’ “36 Steven Spielberg Movies Ranked,” updated June 12, 2026. It follows the outlet’s critic-score ordering rather than claiming an objective ranking. The Tomatometer reflects critics’ reviews; Rotten Tomatoes displays audience response separately as the Popcornmeter.
![Steven Spielberg Director's Collection (Jaws / E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial / Jurassic Park / The Lost World: Jurassic Park / Duel / The Sugarland Express / 1941 / Always) [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41i5edYtJbL._SL160_.jpg)
Spielberg has directed work in other formats, too. This feature-film list does not count television movies or shorts, and it excludes his direction of a segment in Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), an anthology feature. Producer credits are not treated as directing credits. AFI’s role-based catalog is useful for distinguishing those roles, but its surfaced director list ends at Bridge of Spies (2015) and is not a complete current filmography.
Spielberg films ranked by Rotten Tomatoes’ June 2026 order
Scores below are the Tomatometer values displayed on the page updated June 12, 2026; aggregate scores can change. The explanations give viewing context, not an alternative score.
#1 Best Overall
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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) — 99%
A lonely boy befriends an extraterrestrial in a story built around childhood, family, and separation. Rotten Tomatoes ranks it first in this snapshot.
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Schindler’s List (1993) — 98%
A historical drama about Oskar Schindler’s effort to save Jewish people during the Holocaust. Its placement reflects a very strong critic score in the cited ranking.
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Jaws (1975) — 97%
A seaside community confronts a great white shark, with suspense driven by the threat’s gradual arrival and the town’s response.
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Catch Me if You Can (2002) — 96%
This crime drama follows teenage impostor Frank Abagnale and the agent pursuing him, balancing pursuit with a portrait of reinvention.
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Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) — 94%
Indiana Jones races to find the Ark of the Covenant in an adventure shaped by serial-style cliffhangers, action, and archaeological fantasy.
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Saving Private Ryan (1998) — 94%
A squad is sent behind enemy lines in World War II to bring home one soldier. The film combines combat with questions about duty and the cost of survival.
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The Fabelmans (2022) — 92%
A coming-of-age drama about a young filmmaker and the family experiences that shape his view of the world. It is among the later films included in the ranking.
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West Side Story (2021) — 91%
Spielberg’s film adaptation of the musical reimagines a love story amid rivalry between two New York street gangs.
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Bridge of Spies (2015) — 91%
A Cold War drama centered on a lawyer drawn into negotiations over a captured American pilot and a Soviet prisoner.
Rank #4
![Steven Spielberg Director's Collection [Blu-ray] [1971]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51wxOG21nCL._SL160_.jpg)
Steven Spielberg Director's Collection [Blu-ray] [1971]- The disk has English audio.
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Jurassic Park (1993) — 91%
A theme park built around cloned dinosaurs turns dangerous when its systems fail, blending spectacle with survival adventure.
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Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) — 91%
A man becomes consumed by a mysterious encounter and an image he cannot explain, as the film approaches first contact through wonder and suspense.
How to read the scores and ordering
The list is a useful snapshot of Rotten Tomatoes’ critic-score ordering, not a universal ranking of artistic merit. The source page says its list ranks films from lowest to highest on the Tomatometer, while its visible countdown begins with E.T. at number one. This article follows that displayed countdown. Its ordering should not be confused with audience scores: on the same June 12, 2026 page, E.T. shows a 72% Popcornmeter, while Schindler’s List shows 97% and Jaws 91%.
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A personal ranking may weigh different things: storytelling and construction, visual direction, performances, emotional or thematic force, originality and influence, or rewatchability. Those criteria can produce a different order without contradicting the critic-score snapshot.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why some Spielberg titles are not in this feature-film list
Spielberg’s filmography spans formats and roles. AFI separates director credits from producer, writer, cast, and other credits, so a producer credit alone does not make a film one of his directed movies. The AFI Catalog also covers a defined period and its surfaced director list ends in 2015; it should not be used as a complete inventory of later work. Rotten Tomatoes’ ranked guide includes later features such as The BFG (2016), Ready Player One (2018), West Side Story (2021), and The Fabelmans (2022).
The anthology film Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) is a special case: AFI credits Spielberg with directing its second segment. It is excluded here because the scope is theatrical features directed as whole films, not individual anthology segments. Television movies and shorts are outside the scope as well.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Rotten Tomatoes, “36 Steven Spielberg Movies Ranked,” by Alex Vo, updated June 12, 2026. The displayed order and Tomatometer figures are a dated snapshot and may change.
- American Film Institute, AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Steven Spielberg. Role-based credits help distinguish directing from other work.
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