When we talk about the highest-grossing movies of all time there are several factors that could be taken into account (sources of income, inflation, animated movies, etc.). For example, if we take inflation into account, Gone with the Wind would still be at the top. Also, If the sources like home video (DVD sales and rentals) and broadcast rights are included, both Avatar and Titanic earned over $3 billion. On top of that, animated movies have earned billions in merchandise retail sales.
This list will not include animated movies and inflation is not taken into account. Movies can generate income in many ways (home video, broadcasting rights, merchandising, etc.), but the primary metric used in assessing the success of the movie today is theatrical box office, and we will stick with that.
Avatar (2009) was a long-time king until it was finally dethroned by Avengers: Endgame (2019) as the highest-grossing movie of all time. Interestingly, all four Avengers movies are within the top 10 list of highest-grossing movies.
When it comes to genre, most of the top earners these days are sci-fi action movies. In the last 10 years, superhero movies have been especially popular.
There are only five movies in total that grossed over $2 billion worldwide.
Here are the 25 highest-grossing movies of all time:
1. Avengers: Endgame (2019) – $2.798 billion
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo
Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame is the fourth and last movie in the Avengers series and grand conclusion to twenty-two films in Infinity Saga. It cost over $350 to produce and is the first movie that reached over a billion dollars in the opening weekend in theaters. It is also the first highest-grossing movie that did not win an Academy Award.
2. Avatar (2009) – $2.790 billion
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver
Avatar was the highest-grossing movie for the whole decade (2009-2019) until surpassed by Avengers: Endgame. It was the first movie to gross $700 million domestically and also the first movie to gross more than $2 billion worldwide. When adjusted for inflation, Avatar is the second highest-grossing movie of all time, after Gone with the wind. It won 3 Oscars (Cinematography, Visual Effects, and Art Direction).
3. Titanic (1997) – $2.194 billion
Genre: Drama, Romance
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane
In the top ten highest-grossing movies of all time, Titanic is the only one that is not a sci-fi or action movie. This is the first movie ever to reach $1 billion worldwide. It remained the highest-grossing movie for 12 years (1997-2009), until surpassed by Avatar. The movie won 11 Oscars.
4. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015) – $2.068 billion
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Director: J.J. Abrams
Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac
This is the seventh movie in the Star Wars series and the first movie in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. It’s the highest-grossing movie in the Star Wars franchise and one of the only five movies that earned more than $2 billion worldwide.
5. Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – $2.048 billion
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo
Infinity War is probably the best movie in the Avengers series and possibly the best in the whole Infinity Saga. It’s one of the highest-rated movies on the list and the last one to have passed the $2 billion mark.
6. Jurassic World (2015) – $1.670 billion
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins
Jurassic World is the fourth movie in the Jurassic Park film series and the highest-grossing in the franchise. It is also the highest-grossing movie released by Universal Pictures.
7. The Avengers (2012) – $1.519 billion
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson
It’s the first movie in the Avengers series and the sixth movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At the time, it was the highest-grossing comic book film (surpassed The Dark Knight from 2008). The Avengers is also the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film to earn $1 billion.
8. Furious 7 (2015) – $1.515 billion
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Director: James Wan
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson
As the number said, this is the seventh installment in the Fast & Furious franchise and the highest-grossing movie in the series. It is also the first movie in the series that reached $1 billion at the box office in only 17 days.
9. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – $1.403 billion
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo
Age of Ultron is the 11th movie in MCU and the sequel to The Avengers (2012). At the year of release, it was the fifth-highest-grossing film of all time.
10. Black Panther (2018) – $1.347 billion
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Director: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o
Besides Avengers, Black Panther is the only other movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the top ten highest-grossing movies of all time. It is the fifth movie in MCU to go over $1 billion at the box office worldwide.
Highest Grossing Movies of All Time Rated According to IMDb
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – 8.4 with 787,000 votes
- Avengers: Endgame (2019) – 8.4 with 739,000 votes
- The Avengers (2012) – 8.0 with 1,236,000 votes
- Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015) – 7.9 with 842,000 votes
- Avatar (2009) – 7.8 with 1,097,000 votes
- Titanic (1997) – 7.8 with 1,018,000 votes
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – 7.3 with 718,000 votes
- Black Panther (2018) – 7.3 with 588,000 votes
- Furious 7 (2015) – 7.1 with 352,000 votes
- Jurassic World (2015) – 7.0 with 567,000 votes
Other Highest Grossing Movies (11-25)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) – $1.342 billion
- Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017) – $1.342 billion
- Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) – $1.309 billion
- Beauty and the Beast (2017) – $1.264 billion
- The Fate of the Furious (2017) – $1.236 billion
- Iron Man 3 (2013) – $1.215 billion
- Captain America: Civil War (2016) – $1.153 billion
- Aquaman (2018) – $1.148 billion
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) – $1.142 billion
- Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019) – $1.132 billion
- Captain Marvel (2019) – $1.128 billion
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) – $1.124 billion
- Skyfall (2012) – $1.109 billion
- Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) – $1.104 billion
- The Dark Knight Rises (2012) – $1.084 billion