Why Are Hit Movies Called Blockbusters?

The answer is—oddly enough—likely connected to military technology and World War II. The term blockbuster was first used during that war to describe bombs that were capable of destroying a city block. The British Royal Air Force deployed them to devastating effect on German cities. However, the term quickly evolved to mean something large or hugely impactful. In the early 1940s it began being used by movie publicists and journalists, and by the mid-1950s “Hollywood blockbuster” was in common usage. Although this is the most widely held theory of its origins, a few others have also been proposed. Notably, some have suggested that “blockbuster” came from long lines that formed outside movie theaters and went around the block.

While a blockbuster is a good thing in Hollywood, a bomb is not. That term refers to a highly anticipated film—especially one with a big budget—that fails at the box office.