2002 in film is an overview of events, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies, festivals, a list of country- and genre- specific lists of films released, notable deaths and film debuts. Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures celebrated their 90th anniversaries in 2002.

Highest-grossing films

The top 10 films released in 2002 by worldwide gross are as follows:

Highest-grossing films of 2002
RankTitleDistributorWorldwide gross
1The Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersNew Line$936,689,735
2Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsWarner Bros.$878,979,634
3Spider-ManSony$821,708,551
4Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones20th Century Fox$653,741,940
5Men in Black IISony$441,818,803
6Die Another DayMGM / 20th Century Fox$431,971,116
7SignsBuena Vista$408,247,917
8Ice Age20th Century Fox$383,257,136
9My Big Fat Greek WeddingIFC$368,744,044
10Minority Report20th Century Fox / DreamWorks$358,372,926

2002 was the first year to see three films cross the eight-hundred-million-dollar milestone, surpassing the previous year's record of two eight-hundred-million-dollar films. It also surpasses the previous year's record of having the most ticket sales in a single year (fueled by the success of various sequels and the first Spider-Man movie).

Events

  • March 1 — Paramount Pictures reveals a new-on screen logo that was used until December 2011 to celebrate its 90th anniversary.
  • May – The Pianist directed by Roman Polanski wins the "Palme d'Or" at the Cannes Film Festival.
  • May 3–5 – Spider-Man becomes the first film to earn $100 million in one weekend. This surpassed the previous all-time opening weekend record held by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, as well as the previous May opening weekend record held by The Lost World: Jurassic Park. The film went on to earn over $800 million worldwide, surpassing Batman to become the highest-grossing superhero film of all time and Men in Black to become Sony's most successful film.
  • May 16 – Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones opens in theaters. Although a huge success, it was the first Star Wars film not to be the highest-grossing of the year.
  • Amélie directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet wins the 2002 César Award for Best Film, Best Director, Best Music, and Best Art Direction. Amélie also became the highest-grossing French-language film in the United States ever.
  • Another French-language film Brotherhood of the Wolf also became the second-highest-grossing French-language film in the United States in the last two decades.

Awards

Category/Organization8th Critics' Choice Awards January 17, 200360th Golden Globe Awards January 19, 200356th BAFTA Awards February 23, 2003Producers, Directors, Screen Actors, and Writers Guild Awards75th Academy Awards March 23, 2003
DramaMusical or Comedy
Best FilmChicagoThe HoursChicagoThe PianistChicago
Best DirectorSteven Spielberg Catch Me If You Can and Minority ReportMartin Scorsese Gangs of New YorkRoman Polanski The PianistRob Marshall ChicagoRoman Polanski The Pianist
Best ActorJack Nicholson About Schmidt Daniel Day-Lewis Gangs of New YorkJack Nicholson About SchmidtRichard Gere ChicagoDaniel Day-Lewis Gangs of New YorkAdrien Brody The Pianist
Best ActressJulianne Moore Far from HeavenNicole Kidman The HoursRenée Zellweger ChicagoNicole Kidman The HoursRenée Zellweger ChicagoNicole Kidman The Hours
Best Supporting ActorChris Cooper Adaptation.Christopher Walken Catch Me If You CanChris Cooper Adaptation.
Best Supporting ActressCatherine Zeta-Jones ChicagoMeryl Streep Adaptation.Catherine Zeta-Jones Chicago
Best Screenplay, AdaptedAdaptation. and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind Charlie KaufmanAbout Schmidt Alexander Payne and Jim TaylorAdaptation. Charlie and Donald KaufmanThe Hours David HareThe Pianist Ronald Harwood
Best Screenplay, OriginalTalk to Her Pedro AlmodóvarBowling for Columbine Michael MooreTalk to Her Pedro Almodóvar
Best Animated FilmSpirited Away—N/a—N/a—N/a—N/aSpirited Away
Best Original SongLose Yourself 8 MileThe Hands That Built America Gangs of New York—N/a—N/aLose Yourself 8 Mile
Best Original ScoreCatch Me If You Can John WilliamsFrida Elliot GoldenthalThe Hours Philip Glass—N/aFrida Elliot Goldenthal
Best Foreign Language FilmY Tu Mamá TambiénTalk to Her—N/aNowhere in Africa

Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival):

The Pianist, directed by Roman Polanski, Poland

Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival):

The Magdalene Sisters, directed by Peter Mullan, U.K. / Ireland

Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival):

Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi), directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Japan

Bloody Sunday, directed by Paul Greengrass, U.K. / Ireland

2002 films

By country/region

By genre/medium

Births

Deaths

MonthDateNameAgeCountryProfessionNotable films
January1Carol Ohmart74USActressThe Scarlet HourHouse on Haunted Hill
1Julia Phillips57USProducerTaxi DriverThe Sting
6Mario Nascimbene88ItalyComposerThe VikingsRoom at the Top
7Avery Schreiber66USActorRobin Hood: Men in TightsCaveman
9Bill McCutcheon77USActorSteel MagnoliasFamily Business
11Henri Verneuil81TurkeyDirector, ScreenwriterI as in IcarusThe Sheep Has Five Legs
12Stanley Unwin90UKActorChitty Chitty Bang BangCarry On Regardless
13Ted Demme38USDirector, ProducerBlowRounders
15Jeremy Hawk83UKActorElizabethStealing Heaven
17Queenie Leonard96UKActressAnd Then There Were NoneAlice in Wonderland
19Roy Conrad61USActorPatch AdamsCasino
20Harold Kasket75UKActorThe Man Who Knew Too MuchThe 7th Voyage of Sinbad
21Peggy Lee81USSinger, ActressLady and the TrampPete Kelly's Blues
23Howard A. Smith89USFilm EditorBreakfast at Tiffany'sThe Delicate Delinquent
29Stratford Johns76UKActorCromwellWild Geese II
29Harold Russell88CanadaActorThe Best Years of Our LivesInside Moves
February1Hildegard Knef76GermanyActressThe Snows of KilimanjaroFedora
4George Nader80USActorCongo CrossingFour Girls in Town
6Guy Stockwell68USActorThe War LordTobruk
7Diane Hart75UKActressThe Wicked LadyHappy Go Lovely
11Barry Foster74UKActorFrenzyRyan's Daughter
13Waylon Jennings64USSinger, ActorNashville RebelMoonrunners
15Lucille Lund88USActressPrison ShadowsThe Black Cat
18Giustino Durano78ItalyActorLife Is BeautifulLucky to Be a Woman
18Jack Lambert81USActorHow the West Was WonKiss Me Deadly
18Byrne Piven72USActorBeing John MalkovichMiracle on 34th Street
19Gene Ruggiero91USFilm EditorAround the World in 80 DaysThe Shop Around the Corner
20Fredric Steinkamp73USFilm EditorTootsieOut of Africa
21John Thaw60UKActorChaplinSweeney!
22Chuck Jones89USAnimator, DirectorThe Bugs Bunny/Road Runner MovieGay Purr-ee
25Claire Davenport68UKActressReturn of the JediThe Elephant Man
26Lawrence Tierney82USActorReservoir DogsDillinger
27Spike Milligan83IndiaActorLife of BrianThe Big Freeze
28Mary Stuart75USActressAdventures of Don JuanThe Big Punch
March2Mary Grant85UKCostume DesignerSweet Smell of SuccessWe're No Angels
4Eric Flynn62ChinaActorEmpire of the SunSafari 3000
4Shirley Russell66UKCostume DesignerRedsTommy
10Irene Worth85USActressDeathtrapLost in Yonkers
16Carmelo Bene64ItalyActor, DirectorOne Hamlet LessOedipus Rex
17Rosetta LeNoire90USActressThe Sunshine BoysBrewster's Millions
17William Witney86USDirectorThe Crimson GhostAdventures of Captain Marvel
18Denis Forest41CanadaActorThe MaskCliffhanger
23Richard Sylbert73USProduction DesignerChinatownThe Graduate
23James Culliford74UKActorThe Trygon FactorQuatermass and the Pit
26Louis M. Heyward81USProducer, ScreenwriterThe Abominable Dr. PhibesPajama Party
27Milton Berle93USActor, ComedianIt's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldWho's Minding the Mint?
27Dudley Moore66UKActorArthur10
27Billy Wilder95AustriaDirector, ScreenwriterSome Like It HotDouble Indemnity
April2Jack Kruschen80CanadaActorThe ApartmentThe War of the Worlds
3Roy Huggins87USScreenwriterPushoverToo Late for Tears
4Harry O'Connor44USStuntmanThe Perfect StormXXX
6Nobu McCarthy67CanadaActressThe Geisha BoyWake Me When It's Over
7John Agar81USActorSands of Iwo JimaFort Apache
8María Félix88MexicoActressEnamoradaFrench Cancan
15Dave King72UKActorRedsThe Long Good Friday
16Alexander Doré78UKActorChitty Chitty Bang BangCasino Royale
16Robert Urich55USActorMagnum ForceTurk 182
17James Copeland84UKActorTorture GardenThe Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
19Reginald Rose81USScreenwriter12 Angry MenThe Wild Geese
21Terry Walsh62UKStuntman, ActorWho Framed Roger RabbitSuperman
22Linda Lovelace53USPorn ActressDeep ThroatLinda Lovelace for President
23Carla Fry40USProducer, ExecutiveThe MaskLost in Space
25Michael Bryant74UKActorGandhiHamlet
28John Wilkinson82USSound EngineerPlatoonBreakfast at Tiffany's
May2Ron Soble74USActorPapillionTrue Grit
5George Sidney85USDirectorShow BoatAnnie Get Your Gun
8Lou Lombardo91USFilm EditorThe Wild BunchMoonstruck
10Linda Francis62USCasting DirectorSwingersPrince of Darkness
11Bill Peet87USScreenwriterDumboPeter Pan
14Ray Stricklyn73USActorYoung Jesse JamesThe Lost World
15Bryan Pringle67UKActorBrazilThree Men and a Little Lady
23Dorothy Spencer93USFilm EditorStagecoachCleopatra
25Pat Coombs75UKActressWilly Wonka & the Chocolate FactoryCarry On Doctor
June2Herman Cohen76USProducerI Was a Teenage WerewolfBerserk!
3Lew Wasserman89USStudio Executive
3Sam Whipple41USActorThe RockThe Doors
7Signe Hasso86SwedenActressWhere There's LifeJohnny Angel
21Sidney Armus77USActorSleepless in SeattleOne Fine Day
22Chang Cheh79ChinaDirector, ScreenwriterThe One-Armed SwordsmanVengeance
25Charles C. Bennett62USProduction DesignerNew Jack CityDrumline
26Dolores Gray78USActressThe Opposite SexDesigning Woman
28François Périer82FranceActorNights of CabiriaOrpheus
29Rosemary Clooney74USSinger, ActressWhite ChristmasRed Garters
July4Ivan Moffat84CubaScreenwriterGiantBlack Sunday
5Katy Jurado78MexicoActressHigh NoonOne-Eyed Jacks
6John Frankenheimer72USDirector, ProducerThe Manchurian CandidateRonin
8Ward Kimball88USAnimatorSnow White and the Seven DwarfsMary Poppins
9Gerald Campion81UKActorChitty Chitty Bang BangLittle Dorrit
9Rod Steiger77USActorOn the WaterfrontIn the Heat of the Night
15Phil Roth72USActorOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestHarry and Tonto
17Harry W. Gerstad93USFilm EditorHigh NoonChampion
23Leo McKern82AustraliaActorA Man for All SeasonsLadyhawke
24Maurice Denham92UKActorAnimal FarmThe Day of the Jackal
26Buddy Baker84USComposerThe Fox and the HoundNapoleon and Samantha
August3Peter Miles64USActorQuo VadisPossessed
9Peter Matz73USComposer, Arranger, ConductorFunny LadyMarlowe
14Peter R. Hunt77UKFilm Editor, DirectorOn Her Majesty's Secret ServiceDr. No
15Henry Batista88USFilm EditorThe Caine MutinyRiders in the Sky
15Yuriy Yakovlev71BulgariaActorThe Past-MasterFarsighted for Two Diopters
16Jeff Corey88USActorButch Cassidy and the Sundance KidLittle Big Man
18Dean Riesner83USScreenwriterDirty HarryPlay Misty for Me
23Dennis Fimple78USActorKing KongHouse of 1000 Corpses
25Stanley R. Greenberg74USScreenwriterSoylent GreenSkyjacked
30J. Lee Thompson88UKDirectorThe Guns of NavaroneCape Fear
September3Ted Ross68USActorThe WizArthur
5Cliff Gorman65USActorAll That JazzNight and the City
7Katrin Cartlidge41UKActressFrom HellBreaking the Waves
7Michael Elphick55UKActorCry of the BansheeO Lucky Man!
11Kim Hunter79USActressA Streetcar Named DesirePlanet of the Apes
14LaWanda Page81USActressZapped!Friday
16James Gregory90USActorThe Manchurian CandidateThe Sons of Katie Elder
18Hazel Brooks78South AfricaActressBody and SoulArch of Triumph
22Carmen Phillips65USActressEasy RiderPlease Don't Eat the Daisies
27P.A. Lundgren91SwedenArt Director, Production DesignerThe Seventh SealThrough a Glass Darkly
28Whitney Blake76USActressMy Gun Is Quick-30-
October3Tad Horino81USActorMulholland DriveRed Sonja
4André Delvaux76BelgiumDirectorThe Man Who Had His Hair Cut ShortRendezvous at Bray
4Buddy Lester85USActorOcean's 11The Nutty Professor
8Phyllis Calvert87UKActressIndiscreetOh! What a Lovely War
9Charles Guggenheim78USDocumentarianThe Johnstown FloodRobert Kennedy Remembered
12Hilyard M. Brown92USArt DirectorCleopatraThe Night of the Hunter
13Keene Curtis79USActorMacbethSliver
13Dennis Patrick84USActorJoeHouse of Dark Shadows
18Chuck Domanico58USMusicianMidnight RunThe Truth About Cats & Dogs
21George Hall85CanadaActorBig DaddyMrs Brown
23Adolph Green87USScreenwriter, Lyricist, ActorSingin' in the RainMy Favorite Year
23Nathan Juran95RomaniaDirectorThe 7th Voyage of Sinbad20 Million Miles to Earth
24Charmian May65UKActressBridget Jones's DiaryThe Dawning
24Peggy Moran84USActressThe Mummy's HandKing of the Cowboys
24Scott Plank43USActorHolesMr. Baseball
25Micheline Cheirel85FranceActressFlight to NowhereCornered
25Richard Harris72UKActorA Man Called HorseGladiator
27André de Toth90HungaryDirector, ScreenwriterHouse of WaxThe Gunfighter
28Margaret Booth104USFilm EditorMutiny on the BountyThe Way We Were
28Lawrence Dobkin83USActor, DirectorPattonThe Ten Commandments
29Marina Berti78ItalyActressPrince of FoxesEager to Live
29Glenn McQueen41CanadaAnimatorToy StoryMonsters, Inc.
30Lee H. Katzin67USDirectorWhat Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?Le Mans
31Raf Vallone86ItalyActorBitter RiceThe Godfather Part III
November1Keith A. Wester62USSound EngineerThe RockAir Force One
2Lo Lieh63IndonesiaActorKing BoxerThe 36th Chamber of Shaolin
4Antonio Margheriti72ItalyDirector, ScreenwriterCode Name: Wild GeeseThe Stranger and the Gunfighter
14Eddie Bracken87USActorThe Miracle of Morgan's CreekHome Alone 2: Lost in New York
17Marvin Mirisch84USProducerRomantic ComedyDracula
18James Coburn74USActorThe Great EscapeAffliction
22Parley Baer88USActorThe Young LionsThe Ugly Dachshund
22Joan Barclay88USActressThe Singing OutlawThe Shanghai Cobra
22Adele Jergens84USActressThe Dark PastDown to Earth
24Noel Davis75UKCasting DirectorRedsRobin Hood: Prince of Thieves
25Karel Reisz76Czech RepublicDirector, ProducerThe French Lieutenant's WomanIsadora
26Stanley Black89UKComposer, ConductorThe Day the Earth Caught FireThe Trollenberg Terror
27Billie Bird94USActressSixteen CandlesDennis the Menace
27Wolfgang Preiss92GermanyActorThe Longest DayA Bridge Too Far
29Daniel Gélin81FranceActorThe Man Who Knew Too MuchMurmur of the Heart
29John Justin85UKActorThe Thief of BagdadThe Big Sleep
December2Edgar Scherick78USProducerThe Stepford WivesThe Taking of Pelham One Two Three
3Glenn Quinn32IrelandActorLive Nude GirlsDr. Giggles
10Peter Tanner88UKFilm EditorKind Hearts and CoronetsHamburger Hill
12Brad Dexter85USActorThe Magnificent SevenThe Asphalt Jungle
14Sidney Glazier86USProducerThe ProducersTake the Money and Run
14Ruth Kobart78USActressDirty HarrySister Act
15Arthur Jeph Parker79USSet DecoratorSilveradoPrivate Benjamin
17James Hazeldine55UKActorPink Floyd – The WallThe Ruling Class
18Edward Norris91USActorCareer GirlDecoy
22Duke Callaghan88USCinematographerConan the BarbarianJeremiah Johnson
22Susan Fleming94USActressMillion Dollar LegsRange Feud
22Clay Tanner71USActorRosemary's BabyThe Outlaw Josey Wales
22Kenneth Tobey85USActorThe Thing from Another WorldThe Candidate
27George Roy Hill81USDirectorThe StingButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
30Mary Brian96USActressThe VirginianThe Front Page

Film debuts

External links