Movies are one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world, and some of them have achieved incredible success at the box office, earning billions of dollars worldwide. But which films are the highest grossing of all time? How do they compare to each other? And what factors contribute to their success?
Top 10 Highest Grossing Films of All Time
In this article, we will explore the top 10 highest grossing films of all time, based on their nominal earnings, as reported by Box Office Mojo by IMDbPro². We will also look at some interesting facts and trivia about each film, and answer some of the most common questions that people have about them.
10. The Avengers (2012)
The Avengers is a superhero film based on the Marvel Comics team of the same name, featuring Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. It is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and the first to bring together the main characters from previous films. The film was directed by Joss Whedon, and starred Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård, and Samuel L. Jackson.
The film follows the Avengers as they team up to stop Loki, the adoptive brother of Thor, from leading an alien invasion on Earth with the help of a powerful artifact called the Tesseract. The film was praised for its action sequences, humor, visual effects, and ensemble cast. It was also a huge commercial success, becoming the first Marvel film to cross the $1 billion mark worldwide. It also set several records at the time, such as the highest-grossing opening weekend in North America ($207.4 million), the fastest film to reach $1 billion globally (19 days), and the third-highest-grossing film of all time (behind Avatar and Titanic).
The Avengers earned $1.52 billion worldwide, with $623.4 million from North America and $896.6 million from other territories. It was the highest-grossing film of 2012 globally and in North America, and the second-highest-grossing film of 2012 in other territories (behind Skyfall). It was also the highest-grossing superhero film until it was surpassed by Avengers: Infinity War in 2018.
9. The Lion King (2019)
The Lion King is a computer-animated musical drama film based on the 1994 animated film of the same name, which itself was inspired by William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It is the 32nd film in the Disney Animated Canon, and part of Disney’s series of live-action remakes of their animated classics. The film was directed by Jon Favreau, who also directed The Jungle Book (2016), another live-action remake of a Disney animated film. The film featured the voices of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, James Earl Jones (reprising his role from the original film), Florence Kasumba,
Keegan-Michael Key,
Eric André,
JD McCrary,
Shahadi Wright Joseph,
Penny Johnson Jerald,
Amy Sedaris,
Chance The Rapper,
Josh McCrary,
Phil LaMarr,
and J. Lee.
The film follows Simba, a young lion prince who is destined to become king of Pride Rock after his father Mufasa’s death at the hands of his uncle Scar. However, Simba is manipulated by Scar into believing that he is responsible for his father’s death and runs away from his home. He meets Timon and Pumbaa, a meerkat and a warthog who teach him to live a carefree life in the jungle. Years later, he encounters his childhood friend Nala, who urges him to return to Pride Rock and reclaim his throne from Scar.
The film received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. Some praised its visual effects, music, voice acting
and fidelity to the original film
while others criticized its lack of originality
emotion
and creativity
as well as its photorealistic style that made it less expressive than animation.
However
the film was a massive box office hit, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time, the highest-grossing musical film of all time, and the highest-grossing film of 2019. It also became the second-highest-grossing film of the Disney Animated Canon (behind Frozen II), and the ninth-highest-grossing film of all time.
The Lion King earned $1.66 billion worldwide, with $543.6 million from North America and $1.12 billion from other territories. It was the second-highest-grossing film of 2019 globally and in North America, and the highest-grossing film of 2019 in other territories.
8. Jurassic World (2015)
Jurassic World is a science fiction adventure film and the fourth installment in the Jurassic Park franchise, which is based on the novels by Michael Crichton. It is also a soft reboot of the series, set 22 years after the events of the first film. The film was directed by Colin Trevorrow, and starred Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D’Onofrio, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Omar Sy, BD Wong (reprising his role from the first film), Irrfan Khan, and Jake Johnson.
The film takes place on Isla Nublar, where a fully functional dinosaur theme park called Jurassic World has been operating for 10 years. However, to boost attendance and profits, the park’s geneticists create a new hybrid dinosaur called Indominus rex, which escapes from its enclosure and goes on a rampage across the island. Owen Grady, a former Navy SEAL and velociraptor trainer, and Claire Dearing, the park’s operations manager and Owen’s love interest, team up to stop the Indominus rex and evacuate the park’s visitors.
The film received generally positive reviews from critics and audiences, who praised its action scenes, visual effects, nostalgia factor, and Pratt’s performance. It was also a huge commercial success, breaking several records at the time, such as the highest-grossing opening weekend worldwide ($524.9 million), the fastest film to reach $1 billion globally (13 days), and the third-highest-grossing film of all time (behind Avatar and Titanic).
Jurassic World earned $1.67 billion worldwide, with $652.3 million from North America and $1.02 billion from other territories. It was the highest-grossing film of 2015 globally and in North America, and the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2015 in other territories (behind Furious 7, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Minions).
7. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Spider-Man: No Way Home is a superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, co-produced by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. It is the third installment in the Spider-Man: Homecoming trilogy
and the 27th film in the MCU
It is also a sequel to Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) and a crossover with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). The film was directed by Jon Watts
and starred Tom Holland
Zendaya
Benedict Cumberbatch
Jon Favreau
Jacob Batalon
Marisa Tomei
Jamie Foxx
Alfred Molina
Willem Dafoe
Benedict Wong
Tony Revolori
Angourie Rice
J.B. Smoove
Martin Starr
Hannibal Buress
J.K. Simmons (reprising his role from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy)
and Tobey Maguire
and Andrew Garfield (reprising their roles as Spider-Man from previous films).
The film follows Peter Parker / Spider-Man as he deals with the consequences of his identity being exposed to the world by J. Jonah Jameson at the end of Far From Home. He seeks the help of Doctor Strange to cast a spell that would make everyone forget that he is Spider-Man, but something goes wrong and opens up portals to other universes where different versions of Spider-Man’s enemies exist. Peter must team up with Doctor Strange and his friends to stop them from destroying his reality.
The film received universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike,
who praised its story,
humor,
action,
visual effects,
fan service,
and performances,
especially from Holland,
Cumberbatch,
and the returning actors from previous Spider-Man films.
It was also a phenomenal box office success,
becoming the highest-grossing film of 2021,
the highest-grossing Spider-Man film,
the highest-grossing superhero film,
the highest-grossing Sony Pictures film,
and the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time.
It also set several records,
such as the highest-grossing opening weekend worldwide ($587.2 million),
the fastest film to reach $1 billion globally (12 days),
and the highest-gross
ing film in the MCU (surpassing Avengers: Endgame).
Spider-Man: No Way Home earned $1.92 billion worldwide, with $726.2 million from North America and $1.19 billion from other territories. It was the highest-grossing film of 2021 globally and in North America, and the second-highest-grossing film of 2021 in other territories (behind Hi, Mom).
6. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War is a superhero film based on the Marvel Comics team of the same name, featuring Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Ant-Man, Wasp, Captain Marvel, Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, Groot, Mantis, Nebula, and Nick Fury. It is the 19th film in the MCU and the third Avengers film. The film was directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and starred Robert Downey Jr. Chris Evans Chris Hemsworth Mark Ruffalo Scarlett Johansson Jeremy Renner Tom Holland Benedict Cumberbatch Chadwick Boseman Elizabeth Olsen Paul Bettany Evangeline Lilly Brie Larson Chris Pratt Zoe Saldana Dave Bautista Bradley Cooper Vin Diesel Pom Klementieff Karen Gillan Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Brolin as Thanos.
The film follows the Avengers and their allies as they try to stop Thanos, a powerful alien warlord who seeks to collect the six Infinity Stones, artifacts of immense power that can alter reality, and use them to wipe out half of all life in the universe. The film was praised for its action scenes, visual effects, humor, emotional stakes, and performances, especially from Brolin as Thanos. It was also a huge commercial success, becoming the first superhero film to cross the $2 billion mark worldwide. It also set several records at the time, such as the highest-grossing opening weekend worldwide ($640.5 million), the fastest film to reach $1 billion globally (11 days), and the fourth-highest-grossing film of all time (behind Avatar, Titanic, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens).
Avengers: Infinity War earned $2.05 billion worldwide, with $678.8 million from North America and $1.37 billion from other territories. It was the highest-grossing film of 2018 globally and in North America, and the second-highest-grossing film of 2018 in other territories (behind Operation Red Sea).
5. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens is a science fiction space opera film and the seventh installment in the Star Wars franchise, which is created by George Lucas. It is also the first film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, set 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi (1983). The film was directed by J.J. Abrams, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt. The film starred Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels (reprising his role as C-3PO from previous films), Peter Mayhew (reprising his role as Chewbacca from previous films), Max von Sydow, Harrison Ford (reprising his role as Han Solo from previous films), Carrie Fisher (reprising her role as Leia Organa from previous films), and Mark Hamill (reprising his role as Luke Skywalker from previous films).
The film follows Rey, a scavenger on the desert planet Jakku who finds a droid named BB-8 that contains a map to the location of Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi Master who has gone into hiding. She meets Finn, a former stormtrooper who defects from the First Order, a tyrannical regime that rose from the ashes of the Galactic Empire. They join forces with Han Solo and Chewbacca to deliver BB-8 to the Resistance, a military force led by Leia Organa that opposes the First Order. However, they are pursued by Kylo Ren, a dark side user who is obsessed with finding Luke Skywalker and finishing what his grandfather Darth Vader started.
The film received critical acclaim from critics and audiences alike, who praised its story, characters, action scenes, visual effects, music by John Williams (who also composed the scores for previous films), and nostalgia factor. It was also a huge commercial success, breaking several records at the time, such as the highest-grossing opening weekend worldwide ($529 million), the fastest film to reach $1 billion globally (12 days), and the third-highest-grossing film of all time (behind Avatar and Titanic).
Star Wars: The Force Awakens earned $2.07 billion worldwide, with $936.7 million from North America and $1.13 billion from other territories. It was the highest-grossing film of 2015 globally and in North America, and the third-highest-grossing film of 2015 in other territories (behind Furious 7 and Jurassic World).
4. Titanic (1997)
Titanic is a historical romance disaster film based on the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. It is also a fictionalized account of the love story between Jack Dawson, a poor artist who wins a ticket to board the ship, and Rose DeWitt Bukater, a wealthy socialite who is engaged to a ruthless tycoon named Cal Hockley. The film was written and directed by James Cameron, who also co-produced it with Jon Landau. The film starred Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Gloria Stuart, Bill Paxton, Bernard Hill, David Warner, Victor Garber, Jonathan Hyde, Suzy Amis, and Danny Nucci.
The film follows Jack and Rose as they fall in love on board the Titanic, despite their different social classes and Rose’s engagement to Cal. They also face various obstacles and dangers as the ship collides with an iceberg and begins to sink. The film was praised for its production values, visual effects, music by James Horner (who also composed the score for Avatar), and performances, especially from DiCaprio and Winslet. It was also a huge commercial success, becoming the first film to cross the $1 billion mark worldwide. It also set several records at the time, such as the highest-grossing film of all time (until it was surpassed by Avatar in 2009), the longest-running film in theaters (41 weeks), and the most Oscar nominations (14) and wins (11) for a single film.
Titanic earned $2.26 billion worldwide, with $659.4 million from North America and $1.6 billion from other territories. It was the highest-grossing film of 1997 globally and in North America, and the second-highest-grossing film of 1997 in other territories (behind The Lost World: Jurassic Park).
3. Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Avatar: The Way of Water is a science fiction epic film and the sequel to Avatar (2009), which is also written and directed by James Cameron, who also co-produced it with Jon Landau. It is the second film in the Avatar franchise, which is set in the 22nd century on Pandora, a moon inhabited by a humanoid race called the Na’vi. The film features the return of Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, CCH Pounder, and Matt Gerald from the first film, as well as new cast members Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Oona Chaplin, Vin Diesel, CJ Jones, and David Thewlis.
The film follows Jake Sully and Neytiri as they explore new regions of Pandora, including its oceans and underwater ecosystems. They also face new threats from both humans and nature, as well as a mysterious new clan of Na’vi called the Metkayina.
The film received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, who praised its story, visual effects, action scenes, music by James Horner (who also composed the scores for Titanic and Avatar), and performances, especially from Winslet and Curtis. It was also a huge commercial success, becoming the third-highest-grossing film of all time behind Avatar and Avengers: Endgame. It also set several records, such as the highest-grossing opening weekend worldwide ($612.3 million), the fastest film to reach $2 billion globally (17 days), and the highest-grossing film of 2022.
Avatar: The Way of Water earned $2.32 billion worldwide, with $749.2 million from North America and $1.57 billion from other territories. It was the highest-grossing film of 2022 globally and in North America, and the second-highest-grossing film of 2022 in other territories (behind Top Gun: Maverick).
2. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Avengers: Endgame is a superhero film based on the Marvel Comics team of the same name, featuring Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Ant-Man, Wasp, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Scarlet Witch
, Vision, Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, Groot, Mantis, Nebula, Nick Fury, and Thanos. It is the 22nd film in the MCU and the fourth Avengers film. It is also a direct sequel to Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and a culmination of the first three phases of the MCU. The film was directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and starred Robert Downey Jr. Chris Evans Chris Hemsworth Mark Ruffalo Scarlett Johansson Jeremy Renner Paul Rudd Evangeline Lilly Brie Larson Tom Holland Benedict Cumberbatch Chadwick Boseman Elizabeth Olsen Paul Bettany Chris Pratt Zoe Saldana Dave Bautista Bradley Cooper Vin Diesel Pom Klementieff Karen Gillan Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Brolin as Thanos.
The film follows the surviving Avengers and their allies as they try to reverse the effects of Thanos’ snap that wiped out half of all life in the universe in Infinity War. They devise a plan to travel back in time and collect the Infinity Stones before Thanos can use them, and use them to bring back their fallen comrades. However, they face various challenges and risks along the way, as well as an unexpected enemy from the past.
The film received universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike, who praised its story, humor, action scenes, visual effects, music by Alan Silvestri (who also composed the scores for The Avengers and Avengers: Infinity War), and performances, especially from Downey Jr. and Evans. It was also a phenomenal box office success, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time, surpassing Avatar in 2019. It also set several records, such as the highest-grossing opening weekend worldwide ($1.22 billion), the fastest film to reach $1 billion globally (5 days), $2 billion (11 days), and $2.5 billion (19 days), and the highest-grossing superhero film, Marvel film, and Disney film.
Avengers: Endgame earned $2.8 billion worldwide, with $858.4 million from North America and $1.94 billion from other territories. It was the highest-grossing film of 2019 globally and in North America, and the second-highest-grossing film of 2019 in other territories (behind The Lion King).
1. Avatar (2009)
Avatar is a science fiction epic film written and directed by James Cameron, who also co-produced it with Jon Landau. It is the first film in the Avatar franchise, which is set in the 22nd century on Pandora, a moon inhabited by a humanoid race called the Na’vi. The film featured Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi, Laz Alonso, Sigourney Weaver, and Matt Gerald.
The film follows Jake Sully, a paraplegic former Marine who is recruited to participate in the Avatar Program, a project that allows humans to remotely control genetically engineered bodies of Na’vi hybrids called avatars. He is assigned to infiltrate the Na’vi and persuade them to relocate from their home tree, which stands above a rich deposit of a valuable mineral called unobtanium that humans want to mine. However, he falls in love with Neytiri, a Na’vi princess and daughter of the clan’s leader, and becomes conflicted about his mission. He also learns to respect the Na’vi’s culture and connection with nature, and joins them in their fight against the human invaders.
The film received critical acclaim from critics and audiences alike, who praised its story, visual effects, action scenes, music by James Horner (who also composed the score for Titanic), and performances, especially from Worthington and Saldana. It was also a huge commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time until it was surpassed by Avengers: Endgame in 2019. It also set several records at the time, such as the highest-grossing opening weekend worldwide ($241.6 million), the fastest film to reach $1 billion globally (17 days), $2 billion (44 days), and $2.5 billion (72 days), and the highest-grossing original film.
Avatar earned $2.92 billion worldwide, with $760.5 million from North America and $2.16 billion from other territories. It was the highest-grossing film of 2009 globally and in North America, and the second-highest-grossing film of 2009 in other territories (behind 2012).
Conclusion
These are the top 10 highest grossing films of all time, based on their nominal earnings, as of January 2022. They are a diverse mix of genres, styles, and themes, but they all have one thing in common: they captivated millions of people around the world with their stories, characters, and spectacle. They also represent the achievements of the filmmakers, actors, and crew who worked hard to bring them to life. They are not only films, but cultural phenomena that have left a lasting impact on the history of cinema and popular culture.
Most Asked Questions and Answers
Here are some of the most asked questions and answers about the top 10 highest grossing films of all time:
- Q: How are the highest grossing films calculated?
- A: The highest grossing films are calculated by adding up the total amount of money that they earned from theatrical exhibition in different countries and regions around the world. This includes ticket sales, taxes, fees, and currency exchange rates. However, this does not include other sources of revenue, such as home video, television broadcast rights, streaming services, merchandising, and theme park attractions.
- Q: What is the difference between nominal and real earnings?
- A: Nominal earnings are the actual amount of money that a film earned at the time of its release, without adjusting for inflation or changes in the value of money over time. Real earnings are the amount of money that a film would have earned if it was released in a given year, adjusting for inflation and changes in the value of money over time. For example, Gone with the Wind (1939) earned $402 million worldwide at the time of its release, which is its nominal earnings. However, if it was released in 2021, it would have earned $7.8 billion worldwide, which is its real earnings.
- Q: What are the factors that affect the box office performance of a film?
- A: There are many factors that affect the box office performance of a film, such as the quality of the film itself, the genre, the target audience, the release date, the marketing strategy, the competition from other films, the word-of-mouth buzz, the critical reception, the awards recognition, the cultural relevance, and the availability of screens and theaters.
- Q: Which film has won the most Oscars?
- A: Titanic (1997) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) have won the most Oscars for a single film, with 11 each. They are followed by Ben-Hur (1959), which also won 11 Oscars but in fewer categories. Avatar (2009) and Avengers: Endgame (2019) have won the most Oscars for a film in the top 10 highest grossing films list, with 3 each.
- Q: Which film has sold the most tickets?
- A: Gone with the Wind (1939) has sold the most tickets for a single film, with an estimated 202 million tickets sold worldwide. It is followed by Avatar (2009), which sold an estimated 97 million tickets worldwide.