At this time last year, it looked like the movie theater experience was going the way of the VCR. Thanks to online streaming services and higher ticket prices, fewer people were heading out to the multiplex.
Then the superhero movies started to land, led by the historic and wildly successful “Black Panther”; Rami Malek flawlessly summoned the ghost of Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody”; and yet another entry into the “Star Wars” universe grossed hundreds of millions at the box office. Suddenly 2018 was the highest-grossing year at the box office in history.
And yet despite all of that, 2018’s top-grossing film is only the ninth highest of all time (when counting domestic and international figures). That had us thinking about which films have made the most money at the box office each year during the 21st century. Although we included both the domestic and international totals, it was the domestic figure that landed each movie in the top spot. We sourced data from Box Office Mojo.
2000: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”
This iteration of the classic Dr. Seuss story starred Jim Carrey back when he was a major box-office draw. Universal / IMDB
Studio: Universal
Total gross: $345,141,403 (domestic: $260,044,825; international: $85,096,578)
Opening weekend: $55,082,330
Budget: $123 million
Oscar nominations: Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup (win)
“Grinch” has become a favorite during the holidays. This iteration of the classic Dr. Seuss story starred Jim Carrey back when he could power a film to box office success.
The story, of course, centers around the curmudgeonly Grinch of Whoville as he tries to ruin Christmas for all the residents until a small child named Cindy Lou Who shows the green creature the true meaning of the holiday (hint: it has nothing to do with what you buy at big-box stores).
The film was also notable for being the first since “The Wizard of Oz” to use so many actors, including extras, who required stage makeup. And indeed this feat garnered “Grinch” the Academy Award for best makeup design.
2001: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone”
J.K. Rowling became a billionaire thanks to the "Harry Potter" novels and film series that would follow. Warner Bros. / IMDB
Studio: Warner Bros.
Total gross: $974,755,371 (domestic: $317,575,550; international: $657,179,821)
Opening weekend: $90,294,621
Budget: $125 million
Oscar nominations: Art Direction, Costume Design, Original Score
It took 13 attempts for J.K. Rowling to get her first “Harry Potter” book published, but she eventually became a billionaire thanks to the novel and film series that would follow. “Sorcerer’s Stone” introduced the world to lovable Harry Potter, who as an 11-year-old orphan discovers that he’s actually the son of two powerful wizards. He enrolls at Hogwarts, a school designed for those with this particular gift, and the rest is film and literary history.
There are tons of quirky facts associated with the “Harry Potter” franchise, but a few are worth noting. The film and book are only called “Sorcerer’s Stone” in the U.S. due to the powers that be believing Americans wouldn’t understand “Philosopher’s Stone.” And J.K. Rowling is actually a nom de plume, as Joanne Rowling’s publisher believed — in a nod to gender stereotypes dating to 1997 — that boys would not be interested in a book written by a woman.
2002: “Spider-Man”
Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire starred in "Spider-Man," which helped launch a Midas era for comic book movies. Sony/Columbia / IMDB
Studio: Sony/Columbia
Total gross: $821,708,551 (domestic: $403,706,375; international: $418,002,176)
Opening weekend: $114,844,116
Budget: $139 million
Oscar nominations: Sound, Visual Effects
The film’s quote, “With great power comes great responsibility,” is perhaps the maxim for all the comic book character franchises that would follow — and that are still dominating ticket sales around the world with no end in sight.
The “responsibility,” in this case, is not for our “Spider-Man” hero Peter Parker to use his supernatural abilities to do good in the world, but rather for the producers and directors of these films to not only make heaps of money but to also make good movies. Luckily that’s been the case for the past 16 years.
As you will see in the rest of this list, it’s hard to imagine a time when studios thought superhero films wouldn’t make any money. But that was the case in 1985 when this version of “Spider-Man” first started, er, spinning its web. It took 17 years and many studio and personnel changes to finally make it to the big screen, but when it did it helped launch a Midas era for comic books in which anything made into a movie became box-office gold.
2003: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”
Sean Astin (right) and Elijah Wood starred in the third installment of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. New Line / IMDB
Studio: New Line
Total gross: $1,119,929,521 (domestic: $377,845,905; international: $742,083,616)
Opening weekend: $72,629,713
Budget: $94 million
Oscar nominations: Adapted Screenplay (win), Art Direction (win), Best Picture (win), Costume Design (win), Director (win), Editing (win), Makeup (win), Original Score (win), Original Song (win), Sound (win), Visual Effects (win)
“Rings” is without a doubt one of the greatest franchises filmdom will ever know, and 2003 marked the culmination of a three-year run in which Peter Jackson bestowed Tolkien’s masterpiece on the world with the touch of a true genius. It’s the only film to sweep the 11 Academy Award nominations it received, and one of three movies (the others: “Ben Hur,” “Titanic”) to win that many Oscars.
The fantasy is set in Middle-earth and centers around a hobbit named Frodo who, with the help of fellow hobbit Samwise and the rest of the Fellowship, embarks on a mission to destroy the One Ring and strip all power from its creator, the evil Dark Lord Sauron.
2004: “Shrek 2”
Until 2010, "Shrek 2" was the highest-grossing animated film of all time. DreamWorks / IMDB
Studio: DreamWorks
Total gross: $919,838,758 (domestic: $441,226,247; international: $478,612,511)
Opening weekend: $108,037,878
Budget: $150 million
Oscar nominations: Animated Feature, Original Song
This sequel was even more popular than the first “Shrek,” amassing the second-largest opening weekend (three days) in film history at the time. It was also the highest-grossing animated film of all time until 2010, which we’ll get to in a bit. And it’s DreamWorks’ most successful movie ever.
“Shrek 2” picks up right where the first one left off, with Shrek and Fiona heading off to meet her parents after their honeymoon. The catch is they believe she’s married a Prince Charming and not a gigantic green ogre who pals around with a donkey.
2005: “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith”
"Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" is widely considered the best film of the prequel series, at least from a critical perspective. Lucasfilm / IMDB
Studio: Lucasfilm
Total gross: $848,754,768 (domestic: $380,270,577; international: $468,484,191)
Opening weekend: $108,435,841
Budget: $113 million
Oscar nominations: Makeup
As this list will soon attest, it’s a safe bet that anything “Stars Wars”-related is going to smash the box office. “Episode III” capped off the prequel trilogy to the original three movies in the George Lucas franchise that introduced the world to “the Force” and the universal battle between good and evil. “Revenge of the Sith” tells the story of how young jedi Anakin Skywalker comes to embrace the Dark Side and transforms into Darth Vader.
“Sith” is widely considered the best film of the prequel series, at least from a critical perspective, as its themes were more mature and, of course, viewers got to see the birth of Darth Vader and all the events that led up to the first “Star Wars” movie that premiered all the way back in 1977.
2006: “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest”
Johnny Depp (left) and Orlando Bloom starred in the second of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies. Buena Vista / IMDB
Studio: Buena Vista
Total gross: $1,066,179,725 (domestic: $423,315,812; international: $642,863,913)
Opening weekend: $135,634,554
Budget: $225 million
Oscar nominations: Art Direction, Sound, Sound Editing, Visual Effects (win)
Captain Jack Sparrow tries to survive his blood debt with Davy Jones and keep his soul intact while also searching for the Dead Man’s Chest to free himself from Jones’s servitude. Debauchery ensues — and so does a billion-dollar movie empire. “Dead Man’s Chest” was the second of what is now five films in total, with each one bringing home enough doubloons to sink the Flying Dutchman.
The “Pirates” movies have the curious distinction of being based not on books or an original idea, but on rides at Disney theme parks. And as you can see here, it’s easily the best of the bunch.
2007: “Spider-Man 3”
The third installment in Sam Raimi’s "Spider-Man" trilogy picks up where the second movie leaves off. Sony/Columbia / IMDB
Studio: Sony/Columbia
Total gross: $890,871,626 (domestic: $336,530,303, international: $554,341,323)
Opening weekend: $151,116,516
Budget: $258 million
Oscar nominations: None
The third installment in Sam Raimi’s trilogy was also the highest grossing “Spider-Man” film ever made. It picks up where “2” leaves off, with Peter Parker now entrenched as a cultural phenomenon and Mary Jane a Broadway star. But when Peter befriends an alien that crashed to Earth, things take a turn for the worse.
This was reportedly not intended to be the final of Raimi’s spider-verse, but it was a clunky film that received a poor reception from critics and ultimately led Sony to take the franchise in a different direction despite the tremendous box-office success.
2008: “The Dark Knight”
Christian Bale starred as Batman in the second of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. Warner Bros. / IMDB
Studio: Warner Bros.
Total gross: $1,004,558,444 (domestic: $534,858,444; international: $469,700,000)
Opening weekend: $158,411,483
Budget: $185 million
Oscar nominations: Art Direction, Cinematography, Editing, Makeup, Sound, Sound Editing (win), Supporting Actor (win), Visual Effects
The second of Christopher Nolan’s incredible Dark Knight trilogy, this is largely considered one of the best Batman movies ever made. It also, sadly, marked the end of Heath Ledger’s career, as the actor died before the film was released — which also led in part to its huge success with viewers. Ledger won an Oscar posthumously for his portrayal of Joker, who is causing chaos all around Gotham despite the efforts of Batman and the police to restore order to the city following a bloody bank robbery.
Nolan has said that he initially did not want to make the sequel, but the lure of crafting the Joker character was just too enticing. He largely based the character on the original comic book “The Killing Joke” published in 1988.
2009: “Avatar”
The highest-grossing film of 2009 is also the highest-grossing film of all time. Fox / IMDB
Studio: Fox
Total gross: $2,787,965,087 (domestic: $760,507,625, international: $2,027,457,462)
Opening weekend: $77,025,481
Budget: $237 million
Oscar nominations: Art Direction (win), Best Picture, Cinematography (win), Director, Editing, Original Score, Sound, Sound Editing, Visual Effects (win)
This James Cameron mega-blockbuster has the special distinction of being the highest-grossing film of all time, far ahead of Cameron’s other wildly successful film, “Titanic.” That’s quite the resume. “Avatar” took 15 years to make, with Cameron delaying it through the late 1990s because the technology available at the time was not good enough to meet his vision.
The sci-fi fantasy tells the story of Pandora, a habitable moon orbiting a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri star system that contains a mineral Earthlings want to get their hands on. However, their mining activities threaten the existence of the native Na’vi people.
2010: “Toy Story 3”
Critics loved the film as much as moviegoers. "Toy Story 3" was the third animated feature to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. Buena Vista / IMDB
Studio: Buena Vista
Total gross: $1,066,969,703 (domestic: $415,004,880; international: $651,964,823)
Opening weekend: $110,307,189
Budget: $200 million
Oscar nominations: Adapted Screenplay, Animated Feature (win), Best Picture, Original Song (win), Sound Editing,
The “Toy Story” franchise introduced us to the zany world of Woody and Buzz Lightyear and all their friends, and it is by far the most successful of the three movies. In fact, at the time, it was the highest grossing animated film ever made. It was only the third animated feature to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.
In this installment, Andy has grown up and no longer plays with this toys. He does, however, intend to take Woody with him to college. The rest of his remaining toys will be stored in the attic, until his mother accidentally throws away the bag containing the toys.
2011: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2”
In the final installment of the "Harry Potter" film series, Harry and other familiar faces try to rid the world of evil in one last battle against Lord Voldemort. Warner Bros. / IMDB
Studio: Warner Bros.
Total gross: $1,341,511,219 (domestic: $381,011,219; international: $960,500,000)
Opening weekend: $169,189,427
Budget: $250 million
Oscar nominations: Art Direction, Makeup, Visual Effects
The eighth and final installment in the wildly popular wizard franchise was by far the most successful of the movies. Harry and all the familiar faces are back to try to rid the world of evil in one last battle against Lord Voldemort.
One of the more amusing tales from the production involved the scene featuring seven Harrys, which star Daniel Radcliffe said took 90 takes to get just one shot right.
2012: “The Avengers”
Chris Evans (left), Robert Downey Jr. (center) and Samuel L. Jackson (right) are among the stars of "The Avengers." Marvel Studios / IMDB
Studio: Marvel Studios
Total gross: $1,518,812,988 (domestic: $623,357,910; international: $895,455,078)
Opening weekend: $207,438,708
Budget: $220 million
Oscar nominations: Visual Effects
At one time this was the third-highest grossing film of all time, but in the ensuing years it’s settled into sixth place and will likely fall lower as other superhero movies entice audiences. “Avengers” tells the story of several of Marvel’s most famous characters — Tony Stark, Captain America, the Hulk and Thor — who are assembled by Nick Fury into a team designed to stop Thor's brother Loki from conquering the world.
Director Joss Whedon has said his main inspiration for the movie came from the early 1960s “Avengers” comics that he grew up reading. The film was the first Marvel production to hit $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales.
2013: “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”
"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" starring Jennifer Lawrence was the first top-grossing film since “The Exorcist” in 1973 to have a female lead character. Lionsgate / IMDB
Studio: Lionsgate
Total gross: $865,011,746 (domestic: $424,668,047; international: $440,343,699)
Opening weekend: $158,074,286
Budget: $130 million
Oscar nominations: None
The second installment in this dystopian sci-fi series finds heros Katniss and Peeta making the rounds to all the districts after their unconventional victory in the 74th Hunger Games. A rule change for the next competition turns Katniss’s world upside down. “Catching Fire” received better reviews than the original film, propelling it to major box-office success.
It was the first top-grossing film since “The Exorcist” in 1973 to have a female lead character. Perhaps the most notable change from the first film was that producers found a cat for the Everdeen home that more resembled the one described in the book, after fans were outraged at the original casting.
2014: “American Sniper”
"American Sniper" was loosely based on the memoir of the same name by Chris Kyle. Warner Bros. / IMDB
Studio: Warner Bros.
Total gross: $547,426,372 (domestic: $350,126,372; international: $197,300,000)
Opening weekend: $633,456 (limited), $89,269,066 (wide)
Budget: $58.8 million
Oscar nominations: Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, Editing, Sound, Sound Editing (win)
Loosely based on the memoir of the same name by Chris Kyle, “American Sniper” is the highest-grossing film in director Clint Eastwood’s career and was something of a sleeper as the year’s top box-office hit. Kyle has the distinction of being the most deadly sniper in U.S. military history with 160 confirmed kills.
Sadly, the real Chris Kyle was murdered by an inactive Marine at a shooting range in Texas the year before the film’s release.
2015: “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”
This installment was the first in the "Star Wars" franchise to have no involvement from creator George Lucas. Walt Disney Pictures / IMDB
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Total gross: $2,068,223,624 (domestic: $936,662,225; international: $1,131,561,399)
Opening weekend: $247,966,675
Budget: $245 million
Oscar nominations: Editing, Original Score, Sound, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
We’ve reached the point in this list where “Star Wars” movies take over. As stated earlier, if “Star Wars” is attached to the title, it’s a surefire box-office success. “The Force Awakens” was no exception. Marking the beginning of the J.J. Abrams era of “Star Wars,” this installment is actually most notable for being the first in the franchise to have no involvement from creator George Lucas.
The story takes place 30 years after the Galactic Empire’s fall as a new evil in the form of Kylo Ren threatens.
2016: “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”
"Rogue One" is a stand-alone film that simply exists within the “Star Wars” universe. It tells the story of the theft of the design plans for the Death Star. Walt Disney Pictures / IMDB
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Total gross: $1,056,057,273 (domestic: $532,177,324; international: $523,879,949)
Opening weekend: $155,081,681
Budget: $200 million
Oscar nominations: Sound, Visual Effects
“Rogue One” was the first of the nonlinear “Star Wars” movies, but that didn’t matter at all for fans as the film grossed over $1 billion worldwide. The movie features the daughter of the man who engineered the Death Star and her quest to steal the design plans for the destructive space station.
The idea for a stand-alone film that simply exists within the “Star Wars” universe — this was the first of two released so far — was the brainchild of none other than George Lucas himself, and the movie is actually based on the story that’s told in the opening scroll of the very first “Star Wars” movie.
2017: “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”
John Boyega stars as Finn in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi." Walt Disney Pictures / IMDB
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Total gross: $1,332,539,889 (domestic: $620,181,382; international: $712,358,507)
Opening weekend: $220,009,584
Budget: $317 million
Oscar nominations: Original Score, Sound, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
Luke Skywalker is back on the big screen playing mentor to apprentice Rey, a young woman who shows strong signs of the Force, while Kylo Ren and his henchmen try to assert control over the universe.
“The Last Jedi” was notable for featuring the late Carrie Fisher, who passed away in 2016 — although thanks to unreleased footage she will appear in the next “Star Wars” movie slated to be released in December. On a lighter note, there were fun cameos by Daniel Craig and princes William and Harry as Stormtroopers.
2018: “Black Panther”
Chadwick Boseman stars in "Black Panther" as T'Challa, the heir to the technologically advanced kingdom of Wakanda. Marvel Studios / IMDB
Studio: Marvel Studios
Total gross: $1,346,913,161 (domestic: $700,059,566; international: $646,853,595)
Opening weekend: $202,003,951
Budget: $200 million
Oscar nominations: TBD
There’s much talk about whether “Black Panther” will be nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards, but one thing cannot be debated: This movie destroyed the box office in 2018 and shattered some stereotypes along the way. The Marvel movie features the heir to the technologically advanced kingdom of Wakanda who must fend off a challenger from the nation’s past to save its future.
“Black Panther” is the ninth-highest grossing movie of all time and the highest ever grossing film by a black director. It has been described by Time magazine as a revolutionary film that proves African American movies can indeed generate profits from all audiences. Many are hoping to see it nominated for Best Picture, but it’s already made a huge impact on the film industry regardless.