Movies have been a part of our lives for decades, and they keep getting bigger, better, and more expensive. With big budgets come big box office numbers, and these 20 films have broken records with their billion-dollar grosses. From superhero flicks to sci-fi epics, here are the top movies that have earned a billion dollars or more at the worldwide box office.
Avatar
Assuming you are talking about the 2009 film, “Avatar” directed by James Cameron, the movie grossed over 2.7 billion dollars worldwide. The movie is set in the mid-22nd century and follows a marine named Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington) who is sent to Pandora, a moon of the planet Polyphemus, as an avatar with the mission to infiltrate the Na’vi people and help humans secure valuable resources. While there, Jake begins to appreciate Pandora and falls in love with Neytiri (played by Zoe Saldana), one of the natives. Jake becomes torn between his two worlds and must decide where his loyalties lie.
The film was released in December 2009 and was shot in 3D using Cameron’s new technique of filming Avatar was praised for its ground-breaking visuals and set records for box office sales.
Titanic
1. Titanic- $2.187 billion
When it comes to box office receipts, no movie has ever come close to the success of James Cameron’s “Titanic.” The film was released in 1997 and went on to gross a staggering $2.187 billion at the global box office, making it the highest-grossing film of all time (not adjusted for inflation). “Titanic” also holds the record for the most Academy Awards ever won by a single film, with 11 Oscars to its credit.
The Avengers
The Avengers is a 2012 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. The film was directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and Tom Hiddleston. The film’s script was written by Whedon and draws primarily from the Avengers comics published by Marvel in the 1960s.
In The Avengers, Nick Fury, director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D., recruits Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Captain America to form a team that must stop Thor’s brother Loki from subjugating Earth. The film was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
The Avengers premiered at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre on April 11, 2012, and was released in North America on May 4, 2012—in 2D and 3D formats—as part of Phase One of the MCU. The film received positive reviews from critics; its consensus reads: “Avengers Assemble! This quintessential summer blockbuster unites a stellar cast and awesome special effects to create pure popcorn fun.” Although critical praise focused mainly on its ensemble cast and action sequences rather than its story or dialogue, many reviewers noted that this improved upon weaknesses inherent in other MCU films.
Jurassic World
1. Jurassic World
In 2015, the fourth Jurassic Park movie was released, titled Jurassic World. The film was a box office success, grossing over $1.6 billion worldwide. The movie tells the story of a new theme park, Jurassic World, which is built on Isla Nublar, the site of the original Jurassic Park.
The film received generally positive reviews from critics and was a huge financial success. It became the first film to gross over $1 billion in ticket sales in North America and China.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a 2015 American epic space opera film produced, co-written and directed by J. J. Abrams. The seventh installment in the main Star Wars film series, it stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson and Max von Sydow. Set thirty years after Return of the Jedi (1983), The Force Awakens follows Rey (Ridley), a scavenger from the desert planet Jakku who discovers her dormant Force powers when she encounters Finn (Boyega), a defecting stormtrooper of the First Order—a military junta formed by Snoke (Serkis) as a successor to the Galactic Empire; Poe Dameron (Isaac), an X-wing fighter pilot for the Resistance led by General Leia Organa (Fisher); and Kylo Ren (Driver), Snoke’s apprentice who is bent on destroying Luke Skywalker’s (Hamill) Jedi order and killing all remaining Jedi.
The film reunites much of the cast of the original trilogy with Abrams returning to direct – making it the first Star Wars film since Return of the Jedi that he has directed – while Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt have written its screenplay based on a story by Abrams, Kasdan and producer Kathleen Kennedy. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy serves as executive producer alongside J.J
Avengers: Infinity War
1. Avengers: Infinity War
The Avengers are back in another action-packed, thrill-ride of a movie! This time, they’re up against their biggest challenge yet: the powerful Thanos. Can they stop him from acquiring all the Infinity Stones?
With an all-star cast including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, and Mark Ruffalo, you know you’re in for a good time. And with a story that’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat, Avengers: Infinity War is a must-see film.
Black Panther
1. Black Panther
With a budget of $200 million, Black Panther is one of the most expensive movies ever made. The movie was released in 2018 and grossed over $1.3 billion at the box office, making it one of the highest-grossing movies of all time.
The movie tells the story of T’Challa, who becomes the king of Wakanda after his father’s death. Wakanda is a fictional African nation that is hidden from the rest of the world. When T’Challa’s enemies try to take over Wakanda, he must fight to protect his people and their way of life.
Black Panther was praised for its representation of African culture and its positive portrayal of black characters. The movie also broke several box office records, including the record for highest-grossing opening weekend by a black director.
Avatar 2
It is no secret that Avatar was a box office success, and grossed over $2.7 billion dollars worldwide. With its sequels set to release in the coming years, it is safe to say that the Avatar franchise will continue to rake in big bucks at the box office.
Avatar 2 is set to be released in December of 2018, and will once again follow the story of Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington) and his travels on the planet Pandora. While not much is known about the plot as of yet, we can expect that the movie will be full of stunning visual effects and action-packed sequences. Given the success of the first movie, there is no doubt that Avatar 2 will be another huge blockbuster hit.