What are the most-searched sports movies of all time?

Though there aren’t any big sports movies in contention at the Oscars this weekend, there’s an ongoing debate about the best examples of the genre in cinema history. What are the most-searched sports movies of all time in the United States? Since Google Trends data started in 2004, these are America’s most search-friendly sports stories on screen.

1. “Cars”

This 2006 Pixar classic was a hit with all ages, grossing $462 million worldwide. A hotshot rookie race car named Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) gets stranded in a run-down town and learns that winning isn’t everything. The movie is still popular nearly two decades after its theatrical release. Over the years, “Cars” and its successful sequels have produced countless memes that have introduced new audiences to the magic.

2. “Rocky”

“Rocky” is the ultimate underdog story. Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is a Philadelphia boxer who gets an opportunity to fight the world heavyweight champion. This film spawned the most successful sports franchise of all time. Though the original came out in 1976, Hollywood is still pumping out spin-off movies set in this universe (“Creed,” “Creed II” and “Creed III”).

3. “Space Jam”

At the height of Michael Jordan’s popularity, the NBA legend teamed up with the Looney Tunes in this live-action/animated film. The Looney Tunes must defeat the Monstars (who steal the basketball abilities of Charles Barkley, Muggsy Bogues, Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson and Shawn Bradley) to earn their freedom, so they enlist the help of Jordan. The movie grossed $231 million worldwide and became a classic thanks to its fun story and incredible soundtrack. A sequel starring LeBron James (“Space Jam: A New Legacy”) was released in 2021.

4. “The Karate Kid”

Released in 1984, “The Karate Kid” is about a teenager who moves to a new town and learns karate from a martial arts master to stand up to his bullies. The film was a huge success, leading to three sequels, a 2010 remake and a recent spin-off TV…