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It looked like The Super Mario Bros. Movie was going to win 2023, landing at No. 16 on the list... and then Barbie came along to take the crown.
by Erik Childress and RT Staff | December 12, 2023 | Comments
TAGGED AS: Box Office, movies, Summer
(Photo by ©Warner Bros. Studios)
[Box office figures as of 11/20/2023]
AfterAvengers: Endgame andAvatar duked it out for bragging rights as the all-time highest-grossing movie in 2019, the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, which effectively shuttered theaters (some of them never to reopen), and this list seemed safe for the time being. But in late 2021, Spider-Man: No Way Home blew everyone away and nostalgia-bombed its way into the top 10.
Just a few months later, the decades-in-the-making sequelTop Gun: Maverick also shocked the world by swooping past the $1 billion mark, and another half year later,Avatar: The Way of Water proved James Cameron is the box office GOAT by shooting all the way up to the No. 3 spot. And with the latter’s ascension, Disney laid claim to a whopping seven of the top 10 highest-grossing films of all time (eight, if you count its joint ownership of Titanic with Paramount).
In 2023, The Super Mario Bros. Movie surprised everyone by jolting into the top half of this list in just its first six weeks of release, ultimately landing at No. 16, and most were ready to call it a year. Nobody was going to beat Mario. Then Barbenheimer fever hit, and before we knew it, we had a new champion that was not only the highest-grossing film ever solo-directed by a woman, but also the highest-grossing film in Warner Bros. studio history. With the addition ofThe Super Mario Bros. Movie andBarbie, the top 50 has lost Peter Jackson’s firstHobbit movie and Christopher Nolan’sThe Dark Knight.
For the list below, we’ve included global box office performance, as well as domestic, and release date. We included dollars earned in re-releases, and in each of our descriptions, we look at where the film stood record-wise at the time of its run, and dive into things like critical and audience reception.We’ll be here to track the progress of new blockbusters and regularly update this list of top box office performers. So keep your eyes here, and check in with our weekly weekend box office wrap-ups.
1. $2.924 Billion
Avatar (2009)
81%
Domestic: $785.2 million (including re-releases)
Release date: December 18, 2009
The world had to wait some 12 years for James Cameron to follow up the biggest film of all time with what would become the new biggest film of all time. Nobody believed he was going to surpass Titanic’s numbers with this tale of an alien planet and the paraplegic Marine who teams up with its inhabitants in the battle for Unobtanium. But he did. At the peak of a 3-D reemergence, aided by the filmmaker’s usual technological gamesmanship (and higher ticket prices), Avatar‘sseven straight weekends at No. 1 led to over $595 million at the North American box office. Then, two days later on Feb. 2, 2010, its 47th day of release, the movie became the highest domestic earner ever. Avatar held that record for five years and 11 months and went on to become the only film ever to earn $2 billion outside of the U.S. and Canada, making it the world’s highest grosser at the time. It held onto its impressive global record for nearly 10 years, until Avengers: Endgame came along and snatched the crown. But withAvatar 2 on the horizon in 2021, the now Disney-owned-and-rebranded 20th Century Studios decided to remind everybody the franchise existed, re-releasing the film in China and, whether intentional or not, pushing it back into pole position.
2. $2.799 Billion
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
94%
Domestic: $858.4 million (including re-releases)
Release date: April 26, 2019
The journey that began in 2008 with Iron Manwas coming to an end – at least for some of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Audiences that had been holding their breath for an entire year after perhaps the biggest cliffhanger since The Empire Strikes Backcould not wait to buy their tickets– and did they ever buy those ticketswhen they finally could. Opening weekend for Avengers: Endgame in April 2019surpassed Infinity War’s year-long record by nearly $100 million. In just eight days, the film had grossed a half billion domestically. On day 10 it was over $621 million; the tenth film to ever cross $600 million. One by one the records fell, leading many to ignore the words “if” and “can” and focus instead on “when” Avatar’s previous record ($2.787 billion) as the highest-grossing movie would fall. But Endgamebegan to show signs early in its run that its impressive sprinting start might not be enough for it to ultimately come out ahead of James Cameron’s epic; it only had the second-biggest second weekend ever and the fourth-best third weekend. In the era of the modern blockbuster, even a record-breaker can be front-loaded and only spend three weeks atop the charts. It really all came down to a final dash near the finish line. After just six weeks of release,Endgamewasabout$73 million away from dethroningAvatar – substantial ground to make up. But then Marvel and Disney re-released the film on June 28, 2019 with new goodies over its end credits. And then, over the weekend of July 19, 2019 – its 13th week of release – when another Disney release would begin its run for the top 10 all-time earners (hello, Lion King),Endgamesqueaked ahead. It may not have been able tocatch The Force Awakens for the all-time domestic leader, but by the time summer was over, it would pull in front of Avatar and become the king of the world… at least for a while. With a 2021 re-release in China,Avatar did ultimately take back the crown, but it doesn’t diminish the incredible achievement ofEndgame.
3. $2.320 Billion
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
76%
Domestic: $684.1 million
Release date: December 16, 2022
For 13 years the arguments increased on whether or not James Cameron’s Avatar maintained a cultural footprint strong enough to draw in the crowds again. The counter-argument of “Don’t bet against the King” turned out to be the right one. Despite having just the 38th highest opening weekend at the time, word-of-mouth that another theatrical event was upon us spread throughout the world. Spending seven weeks atop the box office (the same as its predecessor) and 15 in the top 10 (one more than the original), the sequel to the biggest film of all time erased all doubts. Once again, Cameron made the most expensive film ever and came out profitable on the other side, securing his place to have three of the four biggest spectacles ever made.
4. $2.265 Billion
Titanic (1997)
88%
Domestic: $674.3 million (including re-releases)
Release date: December 19, 1997
James Cameron makes expensive movies. The Abyss, Terminator 2, and True Lies were all the most expensive movies of their time upon release. In 1997, Cameron blew out the budget again, and this time there was worry he may have gone too far. Though delayed from July until December,Titanic nevertheless became a global phenomenon the likes of which the box office had never seen at the time. After 15 straight weeks at number 1, 14 Oscar nominations and 11 statuettes, Titanic, its stars, and its signature song were ingrained in the hearts and tear ducts of the world, and the movie would hold the all-time box office record for 12 years – until Cameron would eclipse himself once again with Avatar.
5. $2.071 Billion
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
93%
Domestic: $936.7 million
Release date: December 18, 2015
Twelve years after the completion of the Star Warsprequel trilogy, J.J. Abrams was tasked with makingEpisode VII – a monumental undertaking, and a risky one. Were people still interested after the prequels? Were they burnt out? The approach was to mix the old and the new, and it worked. Abrams gave a brand new cast of characters the chance to interact with the original trio of Luke, Han, and Leia, and generations of fans were so ready for the adventure that they gave the film the highest opening weekend in history ($247.9 million). In just under three weeks, The Force Awakens became the all time domestic champion, passing Avatar and joining the $2 billion clubwithin54 days. It still remains the highest-grossing domestic release of all time.
6. $2.052 Billion
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
85%
Domestic: $678.8 million
Release date: April 27, 2018
Just shy of 10 years since it began, the Marvel Cinematic Universe gathered nearly every one of its characters for a galaxy-wide showdown withthe series’ Big Bad,Thanos.The movie featuredone of the gutsiest cliffhangers in any franchise’s history, leaving audiences to wait in shock for an entire year to discover how Phase 3 of the epic series would end. The film bested The Force Awakens’ three-day opening weekend record with $257.6 million, and hit the $2 billion mark in 48 days. Domestically, it would ultimately come up just short ofBlack Panther, which wasreleased twomonths prior.
- Check out the latest Weekend Box Office Results
7. $1.921 Billion
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
93%
Domestic: $814.1 million
Release date: December 15, 2021
Speaking of gathering Marvel characters for an epic showdown, 2021 provided an unexpected box office champion that would swing triumphantly into the top 10. That is to say, the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home wasn’t unexpected because of the film itself, which was an ambitious, multiverse-expanding entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that brought together some of the most beloved characters in the web-slinger’s big-screen history in a funny, heartbreaking, thrilling spectacle. No, it was unexpected because it managed this herculean feat even as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to keep audiences largely at home. If there was one movie in all of 2021 — or, hell, even going back as far as 2020 — that moviegoers were willing to risk going to the theater for, it was absolutely No Way Home, and boy did they ever show up. The film became not only the highest-grossing Spider-Man movie ever made, but also the most successful movie ever released by Sony Pictures en route to dominating 2021 and settling into the top 10 here. The future of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is still up in the air, but he has earned himself a rather secure spot on the all-time box office list.
8. $1.672 Billion
Jurassic World (2015)
71%
Domestic: $653.4 million
Release date: June 12, 2015
Twenty-two years after Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Parkbecame the Jaws for a new generation, it was time for that generation’s kids to have their own version of dinosaur mayhem. The second-best–reviewed film in the Jurassicseries(72% on the Tomatometer vs. the original’s 91%), Jurassic Worldtrampled a competitive summer full of Avengers, Minions, and inner feelings, and became just the third film since Titanic in 1998 to pass $600 million in domestic box office.
9. $1.663 Billion
The Lion King (2019)
52%
Domestic: $543.6 million
Release date: July 19, 2019
Having found success withitslive-action re-imaginings ofThe Jungle BookandBeauty and the Beast, Disney tripled down in 2019 with three “new” remakes.Dumbo was a bit of a bust, and Aladdinwas a success, butThe Lion King truly roared. That made sense given that the 1994 original, at the time, was one of the studio’s most successful films in the middle of its rebirth, and director Jon Favreau’s new, CGI-fueled version traced it for a new generation. The result is the highest-grossing domestic release to receive a Rotten score on the Tomatometer, at 52%. But its $191 million opening was the eighth highest of all time, and it became the 14th film to pass a half billion domestically and just the ninth film to rack up $1 billion overseas.
10. $1.521 Billion
Marvel's the Avengers (2012)
91%
Domestic: $623.4 million
Release date: May 4, 2012
Want proof that Avengers work best together? Consider that the first combined outing for Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America bested the $1.4 billion that their origin stories had made combined. Five films into the MCU(including Edward Norton’s The Incredible Hulk), the team was finally assembled for a singular battle against Loki and his inherited army. Joss Whedon’smovie became the first ever to make over $200 million in a single weekend and was Marvel’s first entry into theBillion Dollar Club, whichhad just 12 members at the time.
11. $1.515 Billion
Furious 7 (2015)
81%
Domestic: $353 million
Release date: April 3, 2015
What started out as a Point Break derivative – with cars! – became one of the unlikeliest mega franchises ever. Vin Diesel’s return in the series’ fourth film is what really got theFast and Furiousfranchise engines revving, and Dwayne Johnson’s addition in the fifth film added some humor and helped get the critics on board. But it was the full embrace of the series’ now-signature bombast, as well as the untimely death of Paul Walker, that brought the combo of curiosity and tribute that helped make James Wan’sFurious 7the franchise’s most successful entry. It hit with audiences – the opening weekend haul of $147 million was almost $50 million more than any previous entry – as well as with critics (it’s the highest-rated movie in the series at 81% on the Tomatometer).
12. $1.496 Billion
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
96%
Domestic: $718.7 million
Release date: May 27, 2022
Tony Scott’s fighter pilot movie Top Gun topped the box office in 1986 with a domestic gross of $176.8 million (it tallied $357.3 million worldwide), so it was no slouch by any means, and it went on to become a celebrated cult classic. But no one could have reasonably predicted that, more than three and a half decades later, its sequel would earn more than that in the U.S. alone, moving it all the way up to No. 7 on the domestic charts, and enter the top 20 earners worldwide at No. 12 with over $1.4 billion in receipts. Part of that was likely thanks to Tom Cruise reprising his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, but director Joseph Kosinski also utilized some strategically deployed fan service and specially developed, state-of-the-art IMAX cameras for stunning action sequences to deliver the biggest crowd-pleaser of Summer 2022.
13. $1.454 Billion
Frozen II (2019)
77%
Domestic: $477.4 million
Release date: November 22, 2019
When a film becomes not just a global phenomenon but the highest-grossing film in your canon of animated entertainment, a sequel is inevitable. While not quite as well-received as the first film critically (77% vs. 90% on the Tomatometer),Frozen IIvirtually demanded that parents bring their children for a second adventure. It began with the third-highest opening weekend for an animated film (after Pixar sequelsIncredibles 2andFinding Dory) – $130.26 million – and then became the highest-grossing film over the five-day Thanksgiving holiday, which was all the more impressive given it had opened the prior weekend. In its fourth weekend of release, it became Disney’s sixth billion-dollar film of 2019, pushingJumanji: Welcome to the Jungleout of the Top 50 on the same weekend that its sequelThe Next Levelopened.Now, the movie has overtaken the originalFrozento become the highest-grossing animated film of all time… if you don’t necessrily regard The Lion Kingas an animated film in the traditional sense.
14. $1.441 Billion
Barbie (2023)
88%
Domestic: $635.8 million
Release date: July 21, 2023
Barbie may not be the first toy to get its own movie, but it is certainly the one that united audiences and critics alike around the globe. Movie fans even embraced the grassroots campaign known as “Barbenheimer” as it shared a release date with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Greta Gerwig’s film was the clear victor of 2023 with its leading opening weekend of $162 million, four straight weekends at No. 1, and the highest total ever for a female director, not to mention the highest-grossing film in Warner Bros. vast catalog. The 14th film to gross over $600 million at the domestic box office, resulting in the 11th-highest gross ever at the time, Barbie is expected to have a powerful presence in the 2023 awards race.
15. $1.405 Billion
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
76%
Domestic: $459 million
Release date: May 1, 2015
If any film in the top 10 could be considered both a success and a disappointment it would be Joss Whedon’s Avengers sequel. Coming up shy of the first film’s record-breaking opening weekend – note that it was stillthe second-best opening of all time when it was released – the movie never matched its predecessor indollars or affection. With a 75% Tomatometer rating, it doesn’t even rank among the top 10 Tomatometer scores of the MCU – though we think there’s a case to be made for reassessing its virtues – and it lost the summer of 2015 to the dinosaurs of Jurassic World. Still, it was just the 16th film ever to cross the $400 million line domestically in its initial run.
16. $1.362 Billion
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
59%
Domestic: $574.9 million
Release date: April 5, 2023
At the height of Nintendo’s hold on the gaming community, a live-action Super Mario Bros. film was produced in 1993 and became a massive disappointment creatively and financially. Flash-forward 30 years and a new attempt by the company that brought audiences Despicable Me and The Secret Life of Pets dominated the box office. With over $574 million, it became the second-highest grossing animated film ever released domestically and internationally. It was poised to become the top-grossing film of 2023 untilBarbie passed it on August 23.
17. $1.350 Billion
Black Panther (2018)
96%
Domestic: $700.4 million
Release date: February 16, 2018
After an introduction in Captain America: Civil War, T’Challa got his own film in February of 2019. Audiences were hungry forrepresentation on screenand looking for a thrilling re-introduction to the character, and in Ryan Coogler’s action-packed, beautiful-looking epic, they got both. The movie became the fifth film in history to have a $200 million opening weekend, and just the third film ever to gross over $700 million in North America, outlasting even Avengers: Infinity War that summer. Why isn’t it even higherin the list? Because it remains the only post-Avengers film in the MCU to make less money internationally than domestically.
18. $1.342 Billion
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
96%
Domestic: $381.4 million
Release date: July 15, 2011
Fans of J.K. Rowling’s fantasy series got to see its characters (and the actors who played them) grow up in front of their eyes. The culmination of the journey that began in 2001 also ushered in a new trend of splitting final chapters in half. The back half of the Potterfinaleset the new record for an opening weekend at the time with $169.1 million, and its $960 million international haul ranked only behind Avatar and Titanic. By the end of its run, the eight Harry Potterhad films grossed a combined $7.72 billion.
19. $1.334 Billion
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
91%
Domestic: $620.2 million
Release date: December 15, 2017
One of the more controversial entries in the Star Wars series – don’t getanyone started on the casino planet sequence! – Rian Johnson’sThe Last Jeditook the standard dip that had afflicted other middle films in the franchise. The Empire Strikes Back made 31.9% less than A New Hope,Attack of the Clones made 34.6% less than The Phantom Menace, and The Last Jedi fell 33.8% off The Force Awakens. Still, Johnson’s film joined Episodes IV, V, and VII in the 90%+ realm on the Tomatometer and may end up being the ultimate bridge to the next generation of Star Wars fans.
20. $1.334 Billion
Frozen (2013)
89%
Domestic: $401 million
Release date: November 22, 2013
The Oscar-winning song that has tortured parents for nearly a decadewas just part of what madeFrozen the highest-grossing animated film in history. The story of two sisters searching for happily-ever-after with each other rather than the standard gentleman suitors also won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature and bested 2012’s Ice Age: Continental Drift for the highest international haul for an animated film ever, a record it eventually lost to its sequel.
21. $1.310 Billion
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
46%
Domestic: $417.7 million
Release date: June 22, 2018
J.A. Bayona’s follow-up to Colin Trevorrow’s continuation of Steven Spielberg’s series received the weakest Tomatometer score of the franchise to date (46%) and, following the path of many “second” entries in franchises (even if it’s technically the fifth), dropped 36% from Jurassic Worldin overall domestic box office. But it was still good enough for 23rd all-time in North America and 13th in overseas dollars. It was also the second highest-grossing domestic film of the 2018 summer season, behind the No. 23 film on this list.
22. $1.266 Billion
Beauty and the Beast (2017)
71%
Domestic: $504.5 million
Release date: March 17, 2017
Speaking of Disney soundtracks, it was the 2017 live-action redo and not the Best Picture-nominated animatedBeauty and the Beastfrom 1991 that really broke the bank and remains in the record books. Bill Condon’s version of the tale as old as 1991, starring Emma Watson, was not the first of Disney’s splashy re-imaginings, but it certainly was the most successful at the time, becoming the seventh film to cross a half billion in North America and the 16th to pass three quarters of a billion overseas.
23. $1.243 Billion
Incredibles 2 (2018)
93%
Domestic: $608.6 million
Release date: June 15, 2018
Brad Bird’s The Incredibles debuted a full four years before the MCU began, a time when the Pixar brand was as close to a guarantee of success (and quality) as the industry had. Fourteen years later and deep into the superhero cinematic explosion, Bird’s sequel more than doubled the original’s box office and became the highest-grossing animated film ever at the domestic box office. It was the ninth film to cross the $600 million mark in North America and was knocked out of the top 10 domestic grossers of all time in the summer of 2022 by Top Gun: Maverick.
- Check out the latestWeekend Box Office Results
24. $1.236 Billion
The Fate of the Furious (2017)
67%
Domestic: $226 million
Release date: April 14, 2017
A half billion dollars was put into the production of the seventh and eighth chapters of this franchise, and they made a combined $2.75 billion globally. F. Gary Gray’s film was a bit of a comedown from the highs of James Wan’s Furious 7. It even fell behind the sixthFuriousfilm domestically, but did incredibly well abroad: it was the sixthfilm ever to make a cool billion outside theU.S. and Canada alone. Thoughstill Fresh (67% on the Tomatometer), it was the lowest-scored Fast and Furiousmovieamong critics since the fourth film.
25. $1.216 Billion
Iron Man 3 (2013)
79%
Domestic: $409 million
Release date: May 3, 2017
The first Marvel film released following the massive success of Joss Whedon’s The Avengers was also the most successful of the individual Iron Man films. Robert Downey Jr.’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang director, Shane Black, took over for Jon Favreau and put a twist on some comic-book lore in ways that still draws out disappointment from some fans. The general moviegoing public ate it up, though. Iron Man 3was just the 13th film to reach $400 million domestic in its initial run and is the highest-grossing non-Avengers film in the MCU overseas with over $805 million. (And, if you are are keeping track, it is the 13th Disney property in the top 25.)
26. $1.159 Billion
Domestic: $336 million
Release date: July 10, 2015
After two successful Despicable Mefilms it was time to give Gru’s kooky supportingyellow folk their own story. Smart move.Minionshad thelargest opening for Illumination Entertainment ever, earning $115.7 million on its first weekend. Though it came up shy domestically of Despicable Me 2 ($336 million vs. $368 million) it can still boast the third-best overseas return for any animated film ($823.4 million) behind only Disney’s two Frozen films, and it stands as the company’s biggest international earner to date, even higher than The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
27. $1.156 Billion
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
94%
Domestic: $379.4 million
Release date: December 17, 2003
Peter Jackson’s (first) epic trilogy unfolded over three straight holiday seasons, and its finale was rewarded in every fashion: Return of the Kinghistorically won all 11 Oscars that it was nominated for, including Best Picture and Best Director;it was one of the best-reviewed films of the year (Certified Fresh at 93%);anditbecame the fourth-highest domestic grosser of all time behind justTitanic,The Phantom Menace,and Sam Raimi’s firstSpider-Manfilm. It was no slacker overseas, either: WhenReturnfinished its run, onlyTitanichad a greater number outside of the U.S. and Canada.
28. $1.155 Billion
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
90%
Domestic: $408.1 million
Release date: May 6, 2016
It was not officially an Avengers film, butCivil War may as well have been. Thor and Hulk were AWOL, sure, but Spider-Man received his welcomed introduction into the MCU, as did Black Panther. The movie’s run kicked off with the fifth-highest opening in history, earning $179.1 million on opening weekend (that’s now the 11th-highest opening). Another $745 million internationally made this the fourth MCU film to reach $1 billion. Another fun fact: Anthony and Joe Russo are one of only two filmmakers/filmmaking pairs on this list to have three films in the top 50.
29. $1.149 Billion
Aquaman (2018)
65%
Domestic: $335.1 million
Release date: December 21, 2018
How could the DCEU get to $1 billion?Adding Batman into their Superman storyline couldn’t do it. Wonder Woman’s solid domestic numbers were nearly matched internationally, but even those figures came up short of Suicide Squad – and the goal. No, it would take Aquaman to crack the $1 billion mark for the DC Extended Universe. James Wan’s second billion-dollar film on the list may have had the second-smallest opening weekend of the Universe, but its prolonged success through the holiday season and beyond – the movie made nearly five times its opening – was greater than any DC property since Tim Burton’s Batman in 1989.
30. $1.142 Billion
Skyfall (2012)
92%
Domestic: $304.4 million
Release date: November 9, 2012
The James Bondfranchise got a boost with Pierce Brosnan and an even larger one with Daniel Craig. But there was no bigger boost tothe long-running franchise than Craig’s Skyfall, the first film to cross $300 million domestically and $1 billion globally. A series that has existed for 50-plus years is going to get a little help from inflation – Goldfinger, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice would have been $300 million grossers today – but we’re not doing inflation here. Skyfallwas also a gold standardfor Bond beyond the box office: It stands amongst the series’top five scores on the Tomatometer, Certified Fresh at 92%.
31. $1.132 Billion
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
91%
Domestic: $390.5 million
Release date: July 2, 2019
No wonder Disney and Sony made up: 2019’sSpider-Man: Far From Home, which might have been the end of their association had theynot moved past their impasse, is Sony’s second highest-grossing film of all time. Six of the studio’s eight highest-grossing films ever have involved Spider-Man (or Venom), but this was the first Sony flick to cross the $1 billion line, and the ninth film in the MCU to do it. (Spider-Man appeared in four of the MCU’s other members of the $1 Billion Club). It was also the fifth stand-alone Spider-Man film (live-action or animated) to register at 90% or higher on the Tomatometer – critics love their web-slinger.
32. $1.131 Billion
Captain Marvel (2019)
79%
Domestic: $426.82 million
Release date: March 8, 2019
After getting tag-teased at the end ofInfinity War, Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers made herdebut in the MCU as the universe’s first headlining female superhero in 2019’sCaptain Marvel. Outgrossing DC’sWonder Woman around the world and at home, the breakthrough film was embraced by critics (though its Certified Fresh score of 79% ranks 21st out of the MCU’s 33 films). The space epic was only one of two films in 2018-19 to spend 10 straight weeks in the top 10 (the other being Black Panther), and was the seventh MCU film to reach $1 billion at the box office globally.
33. $1.124 Billion
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
35%
Domestic: $352.3 million
Release date: June 29, 2011
The only Transformers sequel under the direction of Michael Bay to rank higher than 20% on the Tomatometer (a whopping 35%!) is not the series’ biggest domestic or international earner. But combined it remains the champion overall in worldwide gross (and bonus for the studio: it had one of the series’ lowest budgets). Only the final Harry Potter chapter could beat it in the summer of 2011, when they were the only films topass $300 million domestic.
34. $1.113 Billion
Jurassic Park (1993)
92%
Domestic: $407.1 million (including re-releases)
Release date: June 11, 1993
Before James Cameron owned the top two spots in all-time domestic box office (for a period), it was Steven Spielberg who had pulled off that feat. His adaptation of Michael Crichton’s novel Jurassic Park was a return to the revered popcorn blockbusters he made his name on, and it replaced the previous year’sBatman Returnsas the top opener ever with $47 million and went on to gross over $357 million that summer.That was just a couple million dollars shyof his 1982 classic,E.T., but re-releases in 2-D and 3-D over the years have put the film over $400 million domestic and $1 billion worldwide.
35. $1.104 Billion
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
18%
Domestic: $245.4 million
Release date: June 27, 2014
The Transformers series was beginning to show its age in North America in 2014, but around the world it was more popular than ever. Shia LaBeouf was replaced with Mark Wahlberg as the franchise’s central human hero, and the fourth film from Michael Bay approached a near three-hour running time at 165 minutes. But even as it dipped below $300 million for the first time at home, its $858 million international haul was still the sixth-highest total for any movie outside the U.S. and Canada at the time. (It is now 16th.) Bay’s fifth film of the franchise, The Last Knight,fell 47% in overall domestic and nearly 45% internationally. At 18% on the Tomatometer,Age of Extinction has the lowest Tomatometer score of thetop 50 biggest films at the worldwide box office.
36. $1.085 Billion
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
87%
Domestic: $448.1 million
Release date: July 20, 2012
The conclusion of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy gave us Bane, Catwoman, and even a surprise along the way. By the end of that summer only four films had grossed more domestically in their initial runs thanThe Dark Knight Rises:Avatar, Titanic, The Dark Knight,and Marvel’s The Avengers, which was the only film to eclipse Rises in all of 2012. When all was said and done, Nolan’s trilogy grossed over $2.46 billion worldwide.
37. $1.079 Billion
Joker (2019)
68%
Domestic: $335.4 million
Release date: October 4, 2019
The director ofThe Hangover films wanted to make an origin story out of Batman’s most infamous nemesis. The project was met with skepticism, and then it began a run on the festival circuit. Venice awarded the film its top prize in the Golden Lion; some critics were hailing it as a masterpiece. Though its Tomatometer score is among the lower scores in the Top 50 (69%), Todd Phillips’ Joker had the highest opening ever in the month of October (passing the previous year’s Venom) and ultimately became thehighest-grossing film ever released in that month in North America, surpassing Alfonso Cuaron’sGravity domestically. The film has overtaken Warner Bros.’ The Dark Knighton this list, and has also earned a place in the studio’s history as one of its most profitable films of all time.
38. $1.077 Billion
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
51%
Domestic: $515.2 million
Release date:December 20, 2019
The final chapter of the Skywalker saga may have broken the trend set by the other third entries in the franchise’s trilogies (each outgrossed the middle episodes), but it will become record that we may never see broken again. During the week of January 12, 2020, it became the seventhfilm released by Disney in 2019 to breakthe $1 billion barrier – it reached that marker in 28 days, whereasThe Last Jedidid it in less than three weeks. That record will be remembered far longer than having the 12th-highest opening of all-time – The Force AwakensandThe Last Jedi were Nos. 1 and 2 until Avengers: Infinity War opened – or that it had the second-lowest Tomatometer score among the nine films, ahead of just The Phantom Menace. Nevertheless, it puts a capper on a nine-episode series from 1977-2019 that grossed (with re-releases) a collective $8.796 billion.
39. $1.073 Billion
Toy Story 4 (2019)
97%
Domestic: $434 million
Release date: June 21, 2019
When the fourth entry of Pixar’s signature series opened to “only” $120 million, many labeled it a disappointment. Some had expected Toy Story 4to have the studio’s biggest opening ever, and the film was then written off – by some – as part of a string of failed sequels in the summer of 2019. Well, Woody and the gang proved them all wrong. The movie went on to outgross the third film by over $12 million domestically. Even if it came up a bit short internationally, it still became the fourth billion-dollar grosser in Pixar’s history and their third highest–grossing film overall.
40. $1.067 Billion
Toy Story 3 (2010)
98%
Domestic: $415 million
Release date: June 18, 2010
We all assumed it was the end for Woody, Buzz, and all their toy friends – that bittersweetfinish was just so perfect. The series would have gone out with a box-office bang, too. The first summer release for the Toy Storyfranchise turned into the first $100 million opening weekend for Pixar as well as the studio’s first $400 domestic tally and first worldwide haul of $1 billion. For almost two years it was the second highest–grossing domestic release in Disney’s history; by 2019 it was 16th.
41. $1.066 Billion
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
53%
Domestic: $423.3 million
Release date: July 7, 2006
Everyone mocked the concept of Disney turning one of their classic rides into a feature-length film. Well, some $300 million and an Oscar nomination for Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow later, we were looking at a franchise with a modicum of respect. At least, for a little while. Critics went from disdain for the concept before the first film was released to disdain for its epic length and earnestness in the span of just two films, with the original movie’s score of 79% dropping to 53% on the Tomatometer for the sequel. But audiences went the other direction, giving Dead Man’s Chesta 38.6% boost in domesticearnings and an 84.2% boost internationally. It was Disney’s first $100-plus million opening ($135 million to be precise), and the studio has had 20 more since then. From 2006 until Toy Story 3 was released in 2010, Dead Man’s Chestwas the highest-grossing domestic release in Disney’s history.
42. $1.059 Billion
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
84%
Domestic: $533.5 million
Release date: December 16, 2016
A year after J.J. Abrams launched the record-breaking continuation of George Lucas’ Skywalker saga, audiences were given a go-between tale to help fill in the gaps that led to the destruction of the first Death Star. The Magnificent Seven-like story was an instant favorite for some and an average side-trip for others. It became just the seventh film to clear a half billion dollars in domestic box office. A nearly equal international haul filled in the other half needed for Rogue One to join the $1 Billion Club,a goal thatSolo: A Star Wars Story came up short of by more than $600 million.
43. $1.054 Billion
Aladdin (2019)
57%
Domestic: $355.55 million
Release date: May 24, 2019
Aladdinwasn’t always a sure bet:A blue Will Smith was mocked in early reveals of his Genie character and Tim Burton’s live-actionDumboproved to be a bust just two months before Aladdin‘s release. But Guy Ritchie’s new version of the beloved 1992 animated film took advantage of other 2019 summerunder-performers likeGodzilla: King of the Monsters,Dark Phoenix,andMen In Black International,gobbling them all up and staying in the top five at the box office for seven straight weeks. Its international haul was only $70 million less than 2017’sBeauty and the Beast, and it was even higher than several films above it on this list including Black Pantherand Incredibles 2.
44. $1.047 Billion
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
33%
Domestic: $241 million
Release date: May 20, 2011
After Gore Verbinski’s Pirates trilogy grossed a combined $2.68 billion worldwide, Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer were not about to let the series sail into the sunset.The third film’s bloated length of 168 mins was roundly criticized (its Tomatometer score is just 45%),and this fourth filmfared even worse with reviewers (33%), but it did the job at the box office. Domestic audiences showed up for the revamped outing with Jack Sparrow, just not in the expected droves, and a mammoth international total ($804.6 million)kept Stranger Tidesin the record books.
45. $1.035 Billion
Despicable Me 3 (2017)
58%
Domestic: $264.6 million
Release date: June 30, 2017
Though the third film in the Despicable Mefranchise made just $13 million more than the original at the domestic box office, internationally the Despicable Me films had a 164% increase from the first film ($543.1 million) to the third ($1.035 billion). Released in 4,529 theaters, Gru’s third chapter did manage to have the largest launch in film history in North America until Avengers: Endgame came along. Four other films during the summer of 2019 also exceeded its one-time record theater count.
46. $1.029 Billion
Finding Dory (2016)
94%
Domestic: $486.2 million
Release date: June 17, 2016
Thirteen years after Finding Nemo became Pixar’s first $300 million domestic grosser and its biggest hit, the sequel focusing on Ellen Degeneres’ beloved memory-challenged sidekick reclaimed the throne, becoming again the animation house’s highest domestic grosser ever.The movie bestedToy Story 3 by over $71 million at home – even if it came up a bit short of that film internationally – and showed Pixar’s sequel business was really starting to thrive.
47. $1.027 Billion
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
52%
Domestic: $474.5 million (including re-releases)
Release date: May 19, 1999
George Lucas returned to the director’s chair aftermore than two decadesto give fans what they thought they wanted 16 years after the release of Return of the Jedi. Fans certainly turned over their money, but many left with a sense of disappointment that would help taint the prequel trilogy for decades to come. Phantom Menace was the highest-grossing film domestically to earn a Rotten score 52% (until 2019’s The Lion King came along and matched that score, but with far more reviews). The $431 million earned in its initial run was enough to make it second only to Titanic all time in North America; it took re-releases to push it over $1 billion globally. In 1999, it was the first film to clear $100 million in five days, beating the previous record holder, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, which earned$98.6 million in the same amount of time.
48. $1.026 Billion
Zootopia (2016)
98%
Domestic: $341.2 million
Release date: March 4, 2016
To this day,Zootopia remains the second highest–grossing animated Disney film not connected with Pixar. Since Frozen spent 16 straight weeks in the top 10, only three films have come as close, with 13 straight weeks in that top 10:Black Panther, La La Land, and yes,Zootopia. Its $682 million overseas is the sixth best ever for an animated film and the second best for any Disney animated film, Pixar or otherwise. Also, it is just one of four films on this list to receive a Tomatometer score of 98%.
49. $1.025 Billion
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
51%
Domestic: $334.2 million
Release date: March 5, 2010
Among the first five attempts Disney made to bring its classic cartoons to life by 2010, Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland was by far the most successful. Its $116.1 million start was the sixth-largest movie opening ever at the time and the second-highest for Disney behind the second Pirates film. It was Burton’s seventh collaboration with Johnny Depp, and the director has not had a film gross as much domestically in total as Alice made in its first three days since – not even with his attempt to replicate the success with Dumbo in 2019, which grossed a total of $114.7 million. But back in 2010, only Avatar, Titanic, and The Return of the Kinghad made more money outside of North America than Alice did.
50. $1.024 Billion
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
81%
Domestic: $318.1 million
Release date: November 16, 2001
Four years after the publication of J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter book, Chris Columbus brought it to the big screen, and its legions of fans turned up in record numbers. A $90.2 million opening weekend crushed the previous title holder from four years earlier, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, by over $18 million. The Sorcerer’s Stone‘s final domestic total ranked sixth all time behind the initial runs of Titanic, The Phantom Menace, E.T., Jurassic Park, and Forrest Gump. That total remained the highest of the series until Deathly Hallows: Part 2in 2011. International releases during the pandemic of 2020-21 ultimately pushed the film into the billion club.
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Thumbnail image courtesy ©Universal Pictures, ©Warner Bros. Pictures, ©Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
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