Top 10 Highest Grossing Films of the Century (So Far)
#10: “Furious 7” (2015)
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$1.516 billion “The Fast and the Furious” franchise had been improving its box office numbers ever since the fourth entry. But it was with “Furious 7” that the heist racing series hit its peak. Fueled by solid reviews, and sentiment surrounding Paul Walker’s passing, the movie opened to a massive response at the box office. Dominic Toretto and his crew’s worldwide popularity was clear as “Furious 7” became the highest-grossing film ever in China. While the movie did great numbers in the domestic market, it hauled in over one billion dollars from international releases. This brought “Furious 7” to a worldwide total of $1.516 billion.
#9: “The Avengers” (2012)
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$1.519 billion Superhero crossovers might be the norm today, but audiences were hyped big-time back in 2012. The chance to see heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and Hulk team up was too good for movie fans to resist. “The Avengers” recorded the greatest opening weekend in U.S. box office history at the time with $207 million. An impressive 91% Rotten Tomatoes score further encouraged viewers to watch a superhero film of the highest quality. “The Avengers” continued its strong run throughout its theatrical release, finishing as the third highest-grossing film ever released at the time. Its $1.519 billion figure established the MCU as a powerhouse franchise, also ensuring “The Avengers” brand name would have guaranteed success with its sequels.
#8: “The Lion King” (2019)
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$1.663 billion Never underestimate the power of nostalgia. “The Lion King” didn’t receive the best reviews, but that didn’t wane interest in the slightest. The photorealistic animation remake made an even bigger mark at the box office than the 1994 original. Fans knew what to expect from the story and filled theaters to watch Simba grow from a cub into the King of Pride Rock. Strong support from viewers enabled the movie to become both the highest-grossing musical and animated movie of all time. “The Lion King” performed strongly in the domestic and international markets to reach a gross of $1.663 billion.
#7: “Jurassic World” (2015)
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$1.672 billion After well over a decade since “Jurassic Park III’s” release, fans were prepared for more dino-thriller fun in 2015. “Jurassic World” is larger in scale than the original, as an entire island filled with people is threatened by the Indominus Rex. The prerelease anticipation paid off for the film, marking the largest opening weekend ever at the time of its release with a $524 million gross. “Jurassic World” even hit $1 billion in just 14 days – the fastest any film had ever done so. With over $650 million from the domestic market and $1 billion overseas, the dino-sequel chomped its way to a mammoth gross of $1.672 billion by the end of its theatrical run. Impressively, both of its sequels also managed to reach the $1 billion mark.
#6: “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021)
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$1.916 billion What happens when you bring together Spider-Men who represent three generations of the wallcrawler’s onscreen legacy? You get a bona fide blockbuster on your hands. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is the ultimate fan service movie, building out the arcs of its three leads and their respective villains. Although marketing played coy over Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s involvements, audience expectations set presale ticket records – “No Way Home” debuted to a $260 million opening weekend. It went on to become the first billion-dollar film since COVID-19 impacted the box office, reaching all the way to a tally of $1.916 billion. It may not have breached the $2 billion mark, but “No Way Home” became Sony’s greatest success, as well as the highest-grossing non-”Avengers” film in the MCU.
#5: “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022)
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$2.028 billion Any sequel to “Avatar” was always going to be a hit, but “The Way of Water” managed to reach similar heights to its record-breaking predecessor. The second film is even more visually striking, as director James Cameron takes viewers to the water tribe of the Na’vi. “The Way of Water” made over $441 million in its first weekend, and held onto the top spots for weeks to become the top-grossing film of 2022 - solidifying “Avatar” as a must-see franchise. Its gross of $2.028 billion made James Cameron the only director to have three films among the top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time, including 1997’s “Titanic”.
#4: “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)
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$2.048 billion The arrival of Thanos to battle Earth’s Mightiest Heroes carried fever pitch excitement around the world. “Avengers: Infinity War” promised a who’s who of superheroes, and viewers obliged by lifting the film to an over $2 billion haul. The story of Thanos’ quest for the Infinity Stones was a blockbuster on arrival, opening to $640 million at the box office. “Avengers: Infinity War” was also the fastest film to reach the billion-dollar figure, which it did in 11 days - only broken by its sequel. The movie went on to become the fourth film to pass the $2 billion mark, making it the first MCU release to get there.
#3: “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens” (2015)
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$2.069 billion Although the Prequel Trilogy kept “Star Wars” fans busy for a while, “The Force Awakens” was the continuation of the story last seen in 1983’s “Return of the Jedi.” With newcomer Rey at the helm and the return of previous protagonists Luke Skywalker, Leia, and Han Solo, fans had a lot to look forward to. The 32-year wait resulted in the highest-grossing opening at the time, with a weekend gross of $529 million. The “Star Wars” effect was in full swing in the U.S. market, where it amassed a huge final gross of $936.7 million. This, combined with over $1.1 billion in business from overseas markets, led to a $2.069 million global haul for the space opera.
#2: “Avengers: Endgame” (2019)
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$2.798 billion The culmination of the MCU’s 22-film story arc arrived in the form of “Avengers: Endgame.” The protagonists take on Thanos in the climactic Battle of Earth, bringing every major hero back in a fight for the ages. There’s never been as much fanfare for a film’s release as there was for this one. We don’t need to look further than the opening weekend to appreciate this, since “Avengers: Endgame” opened to a mind boggling $1.2 billion gross. It made over $1.9 billion in international markets, as the movie ran wild at the box office. “Endgame” went on to become the fastest movie to gross $2 billion and briefly held the top spot for the highest-earning film ever.
#1: “Avatar” (2009)
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$2.923 billion Not many pegged “Avatar” to be a success due to its $237 million budget. But James Cameron’s groundbreaking technical achievements made it a must-watch. The world of Pandora comes alive in this sci-fi epic, which follows the love story between human Jake Sully’s and Na'vi princess Neytiri. “Avatar” is a feast for the eyes that audiences loved, remaining atop the box office for 11 consecutive weeks worldwide. Its success influenced the industry for years to come, with 3D visuals becoming commonplace. While “Endgame” replaced it as the highest-grossing film of all time in 2019, “Avatar” returned to the top spot thanks to a Chinese re-release in 2021. With more than $2 billion from international markets, the movie fell just shy of the $3 billion mark.
