Top Grossing Movies of All Time: Want to know which movies performed exceptionally well at the box office and earned millions in profit? Read on for a list of the top-grossing movies of all time!
Movies are a riveting and immersive form of entertainment that have captivated audiences for more than a century. While some movies may not perform well at the box office, there are others that become the top-grossing movies of all time. The ongoing appeal and enormous box office success of these films serve as a testament to their ability to enthrall and engage viewers on an emotional and intellectual level.
Films have a unique way of captivating viewers and drawing them into a carefully designed environment. They establish a suspension of disbelief through striking images, gripping stories, and dynamic acting. The popularity of films at the box office is evidence of their enduring appeal. When people gather in dimly lit theaters, they share a collective experience where laughter, gasps, and applause are exchanged, creating a special bond forged through that shared experience. Movies are not only riveting but also highly profitable forms of entertainment that continue to amaze and inspire generations of moviegoers worldwide. They have the power to transport, engage, and connect with audiences, creating lasting memories. (Also Read: 20 Best Motivational Hollywood Movies To Inspire You To Never Give Up)
Top Grossing Movies Of All Time
Top Grossing Movies Of All Time
When referring to the “highest-grossing movie of all time,” it typically means the film that has generated the highest amount of box office revenue in history. Box office revenue is the total amount of money earned by a movie through ticket sales in theaters worldwide. Historically, the highest-grossing movie has been determined by the cumulative worldwide box office earnings. However, it’s important to note that the rankings can change over time as new movies are released and box office records are broken.
Highest Grossing Films Of All Time
Here is a list of the highest-grossing movies of all time.Â
1. Avatar [BO Collection: $2,923,706,026]
Released in 2009 and created by James Cameron, “Avatar” is an outstanding science fiction movie. It is set in the middle of the 22nd century when mankind is colonizing Pandora to mine the precious mineral unobtanium. Pandora is a lush habitable moon of a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri star system. The local Na’vi tribe, a humanoid species native to Pandora, faces extinction due to the mining colony’s growth. The story centers on paraplegic Jake, who takes on the role of his twin for a business journey to Pandora as an Avatar. An Avatar is a Na’vi-appearing body connected to a distant human body. He must choose his allegiances after being accepted as one of the indigenous.
After James Cameron released “Titanic” in 1997, nobody could have imagined he would surpass that success. But “Avatar” had seven straight weeks of remaining at the number one spot in the North American Box Office upon its release. It soon became a huge success globally and has grossed almost $3 billion since. “Avatar” is one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. (Also Read: 10 Best Hollywood Movies On Magic To Take You Into The Fascinating Magical World)
2. Avengers: Endgame [BO Collection: $2,799,439,100]Â
Avengers: Infinity War left perhaps one of the biggest cliffhangers in the history of cinema, which led to the skyrocketing success of its sequel – “Avengers: Endgame.” It is a story of catastrophe, loss, and confusion. What is left of the Avengers is in disarray due to the massive destruction left behind by the insane Titan, Thanos. All hope seemed to be gone for a while, but then an opportunity to undo the harm was presented.
The crew then reassembles and takes whatever actions are necessary to repair the universe and bring back everything and everyone they lost. The movie’s domestic box office earnings reached half a billion in just eight days. After the first summer of its release, “Endgame” did take the throne as the highest-grossing movie in the world. But a re-release of “Avatar” in China caused it to lose its spot. You can watch the movie here.Â
3. Avatar: The Way of the Water [BO Collection: $2,320,250,281]
For 13 years, debates raged about whether James Cameron’s “Avatar” still had a significant enough cultural impact to entice audiences. The sequel to the largest movie of all time dispelled any doubts with seven weeks at the top of the box office and 15 weeks in the top 10. This part of the series opens with the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their children).
The film centers around the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they experience. This story is set more than ten years after the events of the first movie. Jake Sully and Neytiri have started a family and are putting forth much effort to maintain it. However, they must depart from their house and travel throughout Pandora. And Jake is forced to wage a terrible war against humanity when an old danger reappears. This is one of the highest-grossing movies of all time.
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4. Titanic [BO Collection: $2,264,743,305]
For 12 years, from its release in 1997 to 2009, James Cameron’s Titanic remained the number one most successful and popular movie of all time. White Star Line’s pride and joy and, at the time, the largest moving thing ever constructed, the “ship of dreams” was the most opulent liner of its time. In the early hours of April 15, 1912, it was responsible for the deaths of nearly 1,500 passengers in the icy seas of the North Atlantic. The movie is set against that backdrop and tells the story of Rose, a 17-year-old from an aristocratic family who is about to marry into a wealthier one. She meets Jack Dawson, a poor but charming street artist, and falls in love with him. This causes drama and disappointment in her family. And it ends in her lover’s tragic death, though she lives to tell the tale.
Titanic went on to become a worldwide sensation that the box office had never seen before. With 15 consecutive weeks at number one, 14 Oscar nominations, and 11 statuettes, Titanic and its characters became indelible in the hearts and tear ducts of people around the globe. The movie held the all-time box office record for 12 years until director James Cameron surpassed himself once more with Avatar. Titanic is one of the highest-grossing movies of all time.
5. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens [BO Collection: $2,071,310,218]
J.J. Abrams was given the difficult and challenging assignment of directing Episode VII, twelve years after the conclusion of the prequel trilogy in 2015. The strategy was to combine the old and the new, which worked brilliantly. J.J. Abrams provided the opportunity for interaction between a new cast of characters and the original three of Luke, Han, and Leia.
Generations of fans were so eager for the adventure that they gave the movie the highest opening weekend ever, earning $247.9 million. The Force Awakens surpassed Avatar to become the all-time domestic champion in just under three weeks. It reached $2 billion in just 54 days! It continues to be the highest-grossing domestic release of all time. The movie tells the story of The New Republic, which could be destroyed by a new order. The only remaining Jedi, Luke, must be located. And Finn, Rey, and Poe, with the support of the Resistance and the Republic, must figure out how to stop them. The Force Awakens is one of the top-grossing movies of all time.
6. Avengers: Infinity War [BO Collection: $2,052,415,039]
Nearly all of the characters from the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe came together for a galactic clash with the series’ Big Bad, Thanos. This film was just shy of ten years after its first debut. The movie had one of the most daring cliffhangers in the history of any franchise, making viewers wait in suspense for the conclusion of Phase 3 of the epic series for an entire year. It shows how the six Infinity Stones are jewels that must be collected by the Avengers as a team. And they have to do so before Thanos who is to use them to impose his evil will on reality and wipe out half of the cosmos.
Since everything the Avengers have fought for up to that point has been leading up to this moment, the future of Earth and existence itself is in utter turmoil. Released in 2018, the movie broke The Force Awakens’ three-day opening weekend record with $257.6 million. In 48 days, it reached the $2 billion milestone. And currently stands as the 6th highest-grossing movie internationally of all time. Avengers: Infinity War is one of the top-grossing movies of all time.
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7. Spider-Man: No Way Home [BO Collection: $1,921,847,111]
A surprise box office success from 2021, Spider-Man: No Way Home, enters the top 10 with resounding triumph. It is an ambitious, multiverse-expanding entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that brings together some of the most beloved characters in the web-slinger’s big-screen history. Not to forget, providing a funny, heartbreaking, and thrilling spectacle. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic keeping most viewers at home, it achieved this incredible feat. If there was one movie for which everyone would put their health at risk, it would be this one! Along the way to dominating 2021 and making it into the top 10, the movie became not only the highest-grossing Spider-Man movie ever produced. But also the most successful movie ever released by Sony Pictures.
Our neighborhood web-slinger can no longer distinguish between his everyday existence as Peter Parker and the serious obligations of being a superhero now that Spider-Man’s identity has been made public. The stakes increase when Peter seeks Doctor Strange’s assistance, prompting him to reflect on what it really means to be Spider-Man. When he tries to go back in time to restore his anonymity, Strange’s magic badly fails. And this allows unwelcome visitors into their reality. Spider-Man: No Way Home is one of the top-grossing movies of all time.
8. Jurassic World [BO Collection: $1,671,537,444]
In 2015, it was time for the children of a new generation to experience their own version of dinosaur mayhem. And after 22 years after Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park thrilled the older generation with its action-packed and gory scenes. Jurassic World outperformed a crowded summer that featured the Avengers, Minions, and personal struggles to become only the third movie since Titanic in 1998 to gross more than $600 million domestically.
The Jurassic World luxury resort, located off the coast of Costa Rica, serves as a habitat for a variety of genetically modified dinosaurs. And this includes the violent and cunning Indominus rex, which sets the stage for the movie. The escape of this massive creature triggers a series of events that send the other dinosaurs into chaos. Chris Pratt’s character, a former soldier and animal expert, must now utilize his special abilities to save two young brothers and the other tourists from an all-out attack by prehistoric creatures. Jurassic World is one of the highest-grossing movies ever.
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9. The Lion King [BO Collection: $1,663,075,401]
Disney tripled down in 2019 with three “new” remakes, the most successful of which was The Lion King. This film followed the success of Disney’s live-action adaptations of The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast. That made sense considering the 1994 original was one of the studio’s highest-grossing movies at the time. And director Jon Favreau’s CGI-driven remake retold the story for a new audience. With a $191 million debut, it was the eighth-highest opening ever. It was the 14th movie to surpass $500 million domestically and the ninth to earn $1 billion internationally.
The storyline is the same as in the original version and centers on the exploits of Simba, a young lion who is Mufasa’s heir. With the aid of his pals Timon and Pumbaa, as well as his love interest Nala, Simba flees from his evil uncle Scar’s attempt to capture Mufasa’s reign. But returns as an adult to reclaim his homeland from Scar. This movie ranks among the highest-grossing films. Watch the film on Amazon Prime.Â
10. The Avengers [BO Collection: $1,520,538,536]
The $1.4 billion that the respective origin stories of each of the original Avengers had brought in combined was surpassed by their first joint excursion together in 2012. The crew was finally put together for a single battle against Loki and his inherited army, five films into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (including Edward Norton’s The Incredible Hulk). The film directed by Joss Whedon was the first to earn more than $200 million in a single weekend. Also, it was Marvel’s first entry into the Billion Dollar Club, which at the time had only 12 members. This movie ranks among the highest-grossing films.