Look, everyone loves Tom Hanks. It’s basically a law of nature at this point. He’s the guy who survived an island with a volleyball and made us all cry about it. But if you actually try to sit down and map out tom hanks movies in order by year, you realize the sheer volume of work is a bit overwhelming. We aren't just talking about a few hits; we are talking about nearly five decades of cinematic history that redefined what a "leading man" looks like.
He didn't start as the "America’s Dad" figure we know today. Not even close. Before the Oscars and the gravitas, he was the goofy kid in a dress on TV. Honestly, looking back at his early 80s filmography is like watching a completely different person evolve in real time.
The Early Years: Slapstick and Perms (1980–1987)
Hanks made his debut in a low-budget slasher flick called He Knows You're Alone in 1980. He had a tiny role. If you blinked, you missed him. But the industry noticed. Soon after, he landed Bosom Buddies, and the big screen came calling.
- 1980: He Knows You're Alone
- 1982: Mazes and Monsters (Actually a TV movie, but a cult classic for the "D&D is dangerous" crowd)
- 1984: Splash
- 1984: Bachelor Party
Splash was the big one. Working with Ron Howard, Hanks proved he could carry a romantic comedy where the leading lady was, well, a fish. It was weird. It worked. 1985 brought The Man with One Red Shoe and Volunteers, which were... fine. He was still finding his footing. By 1986, we got The Money Pit, which features arguably the greatest hysterical laugh in film history. Then came Nothing in Common and the military drama Every Time We Say Goodbye.
In 1987, he did Dragnet with Dan Aykroyd. It was a spoof of the old detective show. It’s goofy, sure, but it showed he could play the "straight man" to a more eccentric partner.
The Transformation: When Things Got Serious (1988–1993)
1988 changed everything. Big was the turning point. Playing a kid in a man's body sounds like an easy gimmick, but Hanks brought a vulnerability to Josh Baskin that earned him his first Oscar nomination.
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- 1988: Big
- 1988: Punchline
- 1989: The 'Burbs
- 1989: Turner & Hooch
- 1990: Joe Versus the Volcano
- 1990: The Bonfire of the Vanities
- 1992: Radio Flyer (Narrator)
- 1992: A League of Their Own
People forget Punchline. He plays a struggling, slightly mean stand-up comic. It’s dark. It showed he had a bite. Then came the "dog movie," Turner & Hooch. Everyone remembers the slobber. 1990 was a rough year, though. The Bonfire of the Vanities is widely cited as one of the biggest casting missteps in Hollywood history. He was just too "nice" for the role.
But then, 1992 happened. "There's no crying in baseball!" A League of Their Own gave us Jimmy Dugan, the washed-up, grumpy manager. It was the first time we saw him lean into being a character actor rather than just the charming lead.
The Golden Era: Back-to-Back Icons (1993–1999)
This is the stretch where he became untouchable. You've heard the trivia: he's one of only two actors to win Best Actor Oscars back-to-back.
- 1993: Sleepless in Seattle
- 1993: Philadelphia
- 1994: Forrest Gump
- 1995: Apollo 13
- 1995: Toy Story
- 1996: That Thing You Do! (He directed this one, too)
- 1998: Saving Private Ryan
- 1998: You've Got Mail
- 1999: Toy Story 2
- 1999: The Green Mile
Philadelphia was a massive risk. Playing a lawyer with AIDS in 1993 was a statement. He lost a scary amount of weight for it. Then came Forrest Gump. You can't escape that movie. It’s woven into the fabric of the 90s.
By the time he did Saving Private Ryan in 1998, he wasn't just an actor; he was the face of American heroism. Captain Miller is the quiet, shaking leader we all wanted to believe in. And don't forget Woody. voicing a pull-string cowboy in Toy Story made him a hero to a whole new generation.
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The Everyman of the 2000s (2000–2010)
Hanks started the millennium by talking to a volleyball. Cast Away is basically a one-man show for two hours. It’s an incredible feat of acting.
- 2000: Cast Away
- 2002: Road to Perdition
- 2002: Catch Me If You Can
- 2004: The Ladykillers
- 2004: The Terminal
- 2004: The Polar Express
- 2006: The Da Vinci Code
- 2007: Charlie Wilson's War
- 2009: Angels & Demons
- 2010: Toy Story 3
This era was heavy on collaborations. He worked with Spielberg again on Catch Me If You Can (playing the dogged FBI agent) and The Terminal. He also stepped into the world of Dan Brown with The Da Vinci Code. Honestly, the Robert Langdon movies aren't his best work, but they were massive hits.
Real-Life Heroes and Modern Classics (2011–2020)
As he aged, Hanks shifted toward playing real people. People who actually existed and did extraordinary things. It’s sort of his "thing" now.
- 2011: Larry Crowne (Directorial effort)
- 2011: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
- 2012: Cloud Atlas
- 2013: Captain Phillips
- 2013: Saving Mr. Banks (He played Walt Disney!)
- 2015: Bridge of Spies
- 2016: A Hologram for the King
- 2016: Sully
- 2016: Inferno
- 2017: The Circle
- 2017: The Post
- 2019: Toy Story 4
- 2019: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
- 2020: Greyhound
- 2020: News of the World
"Look at me... I am the captain now." Captain Phillips was intense. That final scene in the medical bay? Pure masterclass. He followed that up by playing Sully Sullenberger and then Fred Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. He's basically cornered the market on "men with high moral centers."
The Current Chapter: 2021 to 2026
We are currently seeing a mix of quirky character roles and a return to the stories he loves most—WWII and family dramas.
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- 2021: Finch
- 2022: Elvis (He played the villainous Colonel Tom Parker)
- 2022: Pinocchio
- 2022: A Man Called Otto
- 2023: Asteroid City
- 2024: Freaky Tales (Cameo)
- 2024: Here
- 2025: The Phoenician Scheme
- 2025: John Candy: I Like Me (Documentary appearance)
- 2026: Toy Story 5
- TBA: Greyhound 2
In 2024, he reunited with Robert Zemeckis and Robin Wright for Here. It used de-aging tech to show the characters over decades in one single room. It was ambitious, even if it divided critics. Looking ahead to 2025, he’s in Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, and yes, he’s coming back as Woody in Toy Story 5 in 2026. Because apparently, we can never say goodbye to that cowboy.
Why Tom Hanks Movies Still Matter
There’s a reason we keep coming back to this filmography. Hanks represents a kind of stability. Even when he plays a cranky guy like in A Man Called Otto, there's a kernel of humanity there that feels real. He doesn't do "cool" or "edgy" very often. He does "honest."
If you're looking to do a marathon, don't just stick to the big ones. Try watching The 'Burbs right before Philadelphia. The tonal whiplash is fascinating. It shows a man who spent forty years figuring out how to be us, just slightly better.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- The "Un-Hanks" Watch: Check out Road to Perdition or Elvis if you want to see him play against type. He can be scary when he wants to be.
- The Hidden Gems: Don't sleep on That Thing You Do! or A Hologram for the King. They are smaller, quieter, but incredibly charming.
- The WWII Connection: If you like Saving Private Ryan, watch Greyhound. He wrote the screenplay himself, and it’s a tight, 90-minute thriller that doesn't waste a second.
To get the most out of your watch list, try grouping them by director. Seeing how he changes when working with Spielberg versus Zemeckis is the best way to understand his craft.