The year 1996 involved many significant films. The major releases this year included Scream, Fargo, Trainspotting, The Rock, The English Patient, Twister, Space Jam, Mission: Impossible, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a film version of the musical Evita. The year also featured Roland Emmerich's top grossing Independence Day.
Highest-grossing films
The top 10 films released in 1996 by worldwide gross are as follows:
+ Highest-grossing films of 1996RankTitleDistributor Worldwide gross 1Independence Day 20th Century Fox $817,400,891 2Twister Warner Bros. / Universal $499,230,797 3Mission: Impossible Paramount $457,696,359 4 The Rock Hollywood $335,062,621 5 The Hunchback of Notre Dame Walt Disney Pictures $325,338,851 6 101 Dalmatians $320,689,294 7 Ransom Touchstone $309,492,681 8 The Nutty Professor Universal $273,961,019 9 Jerry Maguire Sony / TriStar $273,552,592 10 Space Jam Warner Bros. $250,180,384
Box office records Independence Day became the highest-grossing film of Will Smith's career, up until it was surpassed by Aladdin (2019) which grossed $1.054 billion. However, adjusting for inflation, Independence Day in 2019 grossed $1.324 billion. Rumble in the Bronx was released in North America, becoming Jackie Chan's first major box office hit in the region, with its US box office alone earning over 20 times its budget. It was Chan's biggest ever hit up until then.
Context The theatrical year of 1996 achieved a $5.8 billion domestic gross milestone and saw a record twelve films earning over $100 million by the end of December, with Independence Day earning over $300 million. However, the film industry experienced a surplus of releases between 1995 and 1996 that resulted in several box office flops, studio bankruptcies and sales, and otherwise successful films struggling to turn in a profit. The average cost of producing and marketing film rose to $60 million, a 20% increase from the previous year, with a contributing factor being the record high-salaries for stars such as Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, Jim Carrey, Harrison Ford, Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, Julia Roberts, and Demi Moore that became the subject of industry scrutiny following several high profile flops that were released in between 1995 and 1996. This resulted in studios having to cut their film slate by fifty percent to offset growing production and marketing costs and ensure more profits. Events January 22 - The first Critics' Choice Awards ceremony was held. June 19 – The Hunchback of Notre Dame has one of the largest premieres for a motion picture, taking place at the Superdome in New Orleans, with an audience of 65,000 people, as well as free admission. The film received generally positive reviews, and was a commercial success in box-office revenue. July 10 – Nickelodeon releases its first feature film, Harriet the Spy, a spy-comedy-drama film based on the 1964 novel of the same name. It also launches the career of then-child actress Michelle Trachtenberg. Mid-July – Production begins on Titanic. September 20 – 75-year-old English actor Sir Dirk Bogarde has a severe stroke. He continued to need a wheelchair until his death in 1999. December 20 – Scream is released and after a slow start becomes a surprising box office hit, ultimately earning more than $100 million domestic sales. Hailed as an influential landmark in the horror genre, it revitalized the declining slasher genre by satirizing the subgenre with characters that are well-versed in its clichés. Scream’s success lead to studios capitalizing especially on marketing horror films towards the teenage and young adult demographic.
Award ceremonies 1st Empire Awards
Awards Category/Organization 54th Golden Globe AwardsJanuary 19, 1997 2nd Critics' Choice AwardsJanuary 20, 1997 Producers, Directors, Screen Actors, and Writers Guild Awards 69th Academy AwardsMarch 24, 1997 50th BAFTA AwardsApril 29, 1997 Drama Musical or Comedy Best Film The English Patient Evita Fargo The English Patient Best Director Miloš FormanThe People vs. Larry Flynt Anthony MinghellaThe English Patient Joel CoenFargo Best Actor Geoffrey RushShine Tom CruiseJerry Maguire Geoffrey RushShine Best Actress Brenda BlethynSecrets & Lies MadonnaEvita Frances McDormandFargo Brenda BlethynSecrets & Lies Best Supporting Actor Edward NortonPrimal Fear Cuba Gooding, Jr.Jerry Maguire Paul ScofieldThe Crucible Best Supporting Actress Lauren BacallThe Mirror Has Two Faces Joan AllenThe Crucible Lauren BacallThe Mirror Has Two Faces Juliette BinocheThe English Patient Best Screenplay, Adapted Scott Alexander and Larry KaraszewskiThe People vs. Larry Flynt Anthony MinghellaThe English Patient Billy Bob ThorntonSling Blade Anthony MinghellaThe English Patient Best Screenplay, Original Joel and Ethan CoenFargo Mike LeighSecrets & Lies Best Original Score The English PatientGabriel Yared N/AN/A The English PatientGabriel Yared Best Original Song "You Must Love Me"Evita N/AN/A "You Must Love Me"Evita N/A Best Foreign Language Film Kolya Ridicule N/A Kolya Ridicule
Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival): Secrets & Lies, directed by Mike Leigh, United Kingdom
Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival): Michael Collins, directed by Neil Jordan, Ireland / United Kingdom
Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival): Sense and Sensibility, directed by Ang Lee, United States
People's Choice Award (Toronto International Film Festival): Shine, directed by Scott Hicks, Australia
1996 films By country/region List of American films of 1996 List of Argentine films of 1996 List of Australian films of 1996 List of Bangladeshi films of 1996 List of British films of 1996 List of Canadian films of 1996 List of French films of 1996 List of Hong Kong films of 1996 List of Indian films of 1996 List of Hindi films of 1996 List of Kannada films of 1996 List of Malayalam films of 1996 List of Marathi films of 1996 List of Tamil films of 1996 List of Telugu films of 1996 List of Japanese films of 1996 List of Mexican films of 1996 List of Pakistani films of 1996 List of Russian films of 1996 List of South Korean films of 1996 List of Spanish films of 1996
By genre/medium List of action films of 1996 List of animated feature films of 1996 List of avant-garde films of 1996 List of crime films of 1996 List of comedy films of 1996 List of drama films of 1996 List of horror films of 1996 List of science fiction films of 1996 List of thriller films of 1996 List of western films of 1996
Births January 1 – Lydia Peckham, New Zealand actress January 3 – Florence Pugh, English actress January 4 – Emma Mackey, English-French actress January 5 – Maxim Baldry, English actor January 6 – Courtney Eaton, Australian actress January 15 – Dove Cameron, American actress January 16 – Brandon Walters, Indigenous Australian actor January 21 – Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Dominican-American actor January 25 – Tati Gabrielle, American actress January 27 – Braeden Lemasters, American actor, musician and singer January 29 – Bryn Apprill, American voice actress January 31 – Joel Courtney, American actor February 2 – Paul Mescal, Irish actor February 7 David Castro, American actor Ruby O. Fee, German actress Jake Goldberg, American actor February 9 Jimmy Bennett, American actor Kelli Berglund, American actress February 16 Alex Aiono, American actor Nana Komatsu, Japanese actress February 17 – Sasha Pieterse, American actress February 21 – Sophie Turner, English actress February 24 – Mana Kinjo, Japanese actress and model (d. 2020) February 28 – Bobb'e J. Thompson, American actor March 1 – Jackson White, American actor March 5 – Taylor Hill, American model and actress March 6 – Dillon Freasier, American former actor March 10 - Mia Rose Frampton, American actress March 16 Ajiona Alexus, American actress and singer March 18 Madeline Carroll, American actress Eva Noblezada, American actress and singer March 21 – Han Ji-hyun, South Korean actress March 22 Jonathan Mason, English actor Izzy Meikle-Small, English actress March 26 – Harrison Houde, Canadian actor, producer, director, YouTuber and musician March 31 – Liza Koshy, American media personality and actress April 6 Myha'la, American actress April 14 Abigail Breslin, American actress Abby Quinn, American actress April 16 – Anya Taylor-Joy, American-English actress April 17 – Dee Dee Davis, American actress April 23 – Charlie Rowe, English actor April 28 – Tony Revolori, American actor April 29 – Katherine Langford, Australian actress May 5 – Mark McKenna, Irish actor, singer-songwriter and producer May 6 – Dominic Scott Kay, American actor and singer May 9 Noah Centineo, American actor Mary Mouser, American actress May 16 – Aleyse Shannon, American actress May 17 – Ryan Ochoa, American actor, rapper, songwriter and producer May 21 – Sang Heon Lee, South Korean actor June 1 – Tom Holland, English actor June 2 – Brittany O'Grady, American Actress June 4 – Maria Bakalova, Bulgarian actress June 13 – Kodi Smit-McPhee, Australian actor June 20 – Claudia Lee, American actress and singer June 24 – Harris Dickinson, English actor June 25 – Lele Pons, Venezuelan-American actress July 9 – Meg DeLacy, American actress and singer July 11 – Alessia Cara, Canadian singer-songwriter and actress July 16 – Nicky Jones, American actor July 17 – Grace Caroline Currey, American actress July 22 – Skyler Gisondo, American actor July 23 – Rachel G. Fox, American actress July 24 – Herizen Guardiola, American singer, songwriter, and actress July 25 – Jaafar Jackson, American actor and singer July 27 – Ashlyn Sanchez, American former child actress July 30 – Jacob Lofland, American actor August 1 – Cymphonique Miller, American actress and singer August 2 – Kansas Bowling, American actress, director, screenwriter and cinematographer August 7 – Liam James, Canadian actor August 9 – Céline Buckens, Belgian-British actress August 10 – Jacob Latimore, American actor and singer August 14 – Brianna Hildebrand, American actress August 21 – Jamia Simone Nash, American actress August 29 – Linden Porco, Canadian actor September 1 – Zendaya, American actress and singer September 2 – Austin Abrams, American actor September 3 – Joy, South Korean singer, actress and host September 12 – Colin Ford, American actor September 13 – Lili Reinhart, American actress September 14 – Leo Woodall, English actor September 15 – Jake Cherry, American actor September 16 – Ryusei Yokohama, Japanese actor September 17 – Ella Purnell, English actress September 18 – C.J. Sanders, American former child actor September 19 Stéphane Bak, French actor and comedian Connor Swindells, English actor and model September 30 – Lurie Poston, American actor and singer October 4 – Ella Balinska, English actress October 5 – Mary Gibbs, American actress October 6 – Raff Law, English actor October 9 Jacob Batalon, American actor Samuel Honywood, English former teen actor October 12 – Vitória Strada, Brazilian actress and model October 18 – Nadji Jeter, American actor October 19 – Chance Perdomo, British-American actor (d. 2024) October 25 – Keean Johnson, American actor October 26 – Harry Lawtey, British actor October 27 – Samantha Logan, American actress October 28 Jasmine Jessica Anthony, American actress Laine MacNeil, Canadian actress October 29 C. J. Wallace, American actor Victoria Konefal, American actress October 30 – Kennedy McMann, American actress November 1 – Daniela Melchior, Portuguese actress November 2 - Clara Rosager, Danish actress November 7 – Lorde, New Zealand singer November 9 – Kevin Afghani, American voice actor November 11 – Tye Sheridan, American actor November 13 – Otto Farrant, English actor November 14 – Mason Gooding, American actor November 16 – Mackenyu, Japanese actor November 18 Josh Heuston, Australian actor Noah Ringer, American former child actor