Translation: The 2009 hit movie Avatar and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame keep trading places on the top two spots of Box Office Mojo’s list of the 100 top-grossing feature films of all time. Last we reported on these rankings, Endgame was enjoying a stint at #1—but then in March 2021, Avatar received a limited re-release overseas and, well, as a villainous antihero might say, now the tables have turned, haven’t they? Check out our latest list of the 100 highest-grossing movies of all time below.
100 highest-grossing movies of all time
100. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)Lifetime gross: $775,768,912
“A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…” Thus kicked off George Lucas’ epic space saga that launched a slew of sequels, prequels, spin-offs, merch—even a Christmas special. A hit commercially and critically (nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture), Star Wars made household names out of Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill.
99. Deadpool (2016)Lifetime gross: $782,612,155
Ryan Reynolds’ snarky superhero is unlike any we’ve seen before—profane, self-referential, but still kickass.
98. Deadpool 2 (2018)Lifetime gross: $785,794,179
The merc with a mouth bests himself.
97.Fast & Furious 6 (2013)Lifetime gross: $788,680,968
Pimped-out rides play to packed houses.
96. Spider-Man 2 (2004)Lifetime gross: $788,976,453
The web-slinging franchise has been rebooted so many times, it’s hard to keep track. This one still starred Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.
95. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)Lifetime gross: $790,653,942
You can always bank on nostalgia. Harrison Ford dusted off his fedora for a fourth Indy movie, reuniting with his director (Steven Spielberg) and his leading lady (Karen Allen), while Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf—and aliens!—joined in the fun.
94. Mission: Impossible—Fallout (2018)Lifetime gross: $791,120,426
Tom Cruise does the impossible: continue to up the ante with jaw-dropping action sequences with each new Mission.
93. 2012 (2009)Lifetime gross: $791,217,826
A greatest hits of disaster movies squeezed into a 2 ½ hour running time. John Cusack faces down the planet’s impending doom. (But wait till they get a load of 2020.)
92. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)Lifetime gross: $793,482,178
Movie magic at its finest: Elliott (Henry Thomas) and his li’l sis Gertie (an adorable Drew Barrymore) befriend a gentle, homesick alien.
91. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)Lifetime gross: $794,881,442
The fifth installment of the swashbuckler franchise starring Johnny Depp.
90. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)Lifetime gross: $796,180,128
Despite the lauded direction of future Oscar winner Alfonso Cuaron, the third film in the franchise is actually the lowest-grossing.
89. Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)Lifetime gross: $796,575,993
The hard-working ensemble—including Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart and Jack Black—is game for just about anything. They’re genuinely having a blast onscreen, providing next-level entertainment for moviegoers.
88. Coco (2017)Lifetime gross: $807,083,888
A visually (and culturally) rich offering from Pixar that’ll leave you in a puddle of tears by the end.
87. Shrek the Third (2007)Lifetime gross: $813,367,380
The irreverent fairy tale featuring a lovable ogre (voiced by Mike Myers) returns with even more pop-culture potshots.
86. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)Lifetime gross: $814,043,616
JK Rowling’s spin-off starring Eddie Redmayne transports the magic and mythology of her Potterverse to New York.
85. Independence Day (1996)Lifetime gross: $817,400,891
The summer spectacle blew up the White House—and Will Smith’s career—christening the former Fresh Prince as the king of the blockbuster.
84. Wonder Woman (2017)Lifetime gross: $821,847,012
83. Spider-Man (2002)Lifetime gross: $825,025,036
The one with the upside-down kiss between Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire)and Mary Jane(Kirsten Dunst).
82. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 2 (2012)Lifetime gross: $829,747,488
The girl-meets-vamp love story comes to a close—and surprisingly doesn’t suck.
81. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)Lifetime gross: $836,303,693
The effects-heavy sequel starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox features even more “robots in disguise.”
80. Inception (2010)Lifetime gross: $836,836,967
Christopher Nolan’s mind-blowing masterpiece is a one-of-a-kind heist thriller with an A-list cast (Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hardy, Elliot Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt).
79. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)Lifetime gross: $853,980,491
Taika Waititi’s colorful contribution to the MCU really taps into Chris Hemsworth’s comedic timing and pits the Nordic god against Cate Blanchett’s Hela-cool villain.
78. Venom (2018)Lifetime gross: $856,085,151
The comic-book antihero gets his own origin story—slobbery tongue and all—with another intense Tom Hardy performance.
77. Inside Out (2015)Lifetime gross: $858,071,350
Pixar’s innovative and emotional classic, set in the mind of an 11-year-old girl, has us all in our feelings.
76. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)Lifetime gross: $863,756,051
More intergalactic antics from this merry band of misfits in a fun—and funny—sequel.
75. The Hunger Games—Catching Fire (2013)Lifetime gross: $865,011,746
No sophomore slump here—Jennifer Lawrence and Co. dig even deeper in this thought-provoking sequel.
74. Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith (2005)Lifetime gross: $868,390,560
George Lucas’ uneven prequels end on a high note, as Anakin (Hayden Christensen) finally embraces the Dark Side and sets up the original trilogy we know and love.
73. Wolf Warrior II (2017)Lifetime gross: $870,325,439
A record-breaking Chinese-produced adventure that gives off 80s action flick vibes—in the best sense.
72. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)Lifetime gross: $873,637,528
A clash of superhero titans (Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill) with epic repercussions.
71. The Secret Life of Pets (2016)Lifetime gross: $875,457,937
Fast-paced and funny family fare with a superb cast voicing over the lovable furballs.
70. Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)Lifetime gross: $877,244,782
The franchise is starting to show its Age with this frivolous fourth entry but provides enough slapstick to keep the kids happy.
69. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)Lifetime gross: $879,570,918
The follow-up to The Sorcerer’s Stone is much darker than its predecessor.
68. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)Lifetime gross: $880,166,924
Dare we say the delightfully dorky Tom Holland makes a better Spidey than Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield?
67. Spectre (2015)Lifetime gross: $880,674,609
Daniel Craig’s fourth turn as 007 packs plenty of Easter eggs for longtime Bond fans.
66. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)Lifetime gross: $886,686,817
The dino-myte third installment is the highest-grossing Ice Age movie.
65. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)Lifetime gross: $887,934,994
Peter Jackson masterfully brings J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece to life with eye-popping visuals, deliberate pacing and pitch-perfect casting.
64. Spider-Man 3 (2007)Lifetime gross: $894,983,373
Sam Raimi throws not one, not two, but three supervillains at Peter Parker.
63. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)Lifetime gross: $896,402,129
Harry’s fourth year at Hogwarts is the perfect mix of story and spectacle.
62. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)Lifetime gross: $903,963,178
Rami Malek gives a rousing, Oscar-winning performance as charismatic Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.
61. Shrek 2 (2004)Lifetime gross: $928,760,770
The ogre opus might be even better than the first, thanks to the addition of Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas).
60. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)Lifetime gross: $934,419,775
Harry Potter: The Teenage Years.
59. Finding Nemo (2003)Lifetime gross: $940,350,194
Disney/Pixar heads under the sea for this instant classic. Marlin (Albert Brooks) searches for his son with the help of a forgetful fish named Dory (Ellen Degeneres).
58. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)Lifetime gross: $942,142,943
The fifth in the series is as exciting and entertaining as a Quidditch match.
57. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)Lifetime gross: $943,282,270
Frodo’s (Elijah Wood) epic quest continues.
56. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)Lifetime gross: $956,019,788
One would think Peter Jackson would be gassed after winning a slew of Oscars for his LOTR adaptation, but no: he returns to Middle Earth for another trilogy. This one’s the second in the series.
55. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)Lifetime gross: $958,366,855
The middle chapter of the Middle Earth trilogy.
54. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)Lifetime gross: $960,996,492
The third film in the franchise brought in some serious pirate’s booty.
53. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)Lifetime gross: $962,102,237
A reboot for the video game generation.
52. The Jungle Book (2016)Lifetime gross: $966,552,003
The rare remake that more than retreads the bare necessities—it improves upon the original.
51. The Lion King (1994)Lifetime gross: $968,511,805
Audiences felt the love of Disney’s Shakespearean animated classic.
50. Despicable Me 2 (2013)Lifetime gross: $970,766,005
Gru (Steve Carell) forsakes a life of crime for his newfound family of minions.
49. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)Lifetime gross: $976,965,590
Splitting the Potter finale in two was a genius moneymaking idea.
48. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)Lifetime gross: $1,002,889,769
The start of a spellbinding franchise.
47. The Dark Knight (2008)Lifetime gross: $1,005,455,497
Heath Ledger won a posthumous Oscar for his thrilling take on Gotham’s No. 1 troublemaker, and its exclusion from Oscar’s top prize eventually led to the Academy expanding its slate of contenders.
46. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)Lifetime gross: $1,017,003,568
Peter Jackson shifts his lens to Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman).
45. Zootopia (2016)Lifetime gross: $1,023,791,495
State-of-the-art animation with a timely message of inclusivity.
44. Alice in Wonderland (2010)Lifetime gross: $1,025,467,803
Tim Burton reimagines Wonderland as only Tim Burton can, with a mesmerizing performance from Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter.
43. Forrest Gump (1994)Lifetime gross: $1,025,920,021
Tom Hanks’ earnest performance was as sweet as a box of chocolates, and the sentimental film ran… and ran… and ran its way to box-office and Oscar glory.
42. Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace (1999)Lifetime gross: $1,027,082,707
An admittedly clunky start to the space opera, Star Wars fans were nevertheless ready to shell out big bucks to see Darth Vader’s origin story.
41. Finding Dory (2016)Lifetime gross: $1,028,570,889
An endearingly worthy follow-up and indelible experience—even for movie-goers with the shortest of memories.
40. Jurassic Park (1993)Lifetime gross: $1,033,917,066
Steven Spielberg’s technological marvel of a movie still shocks and awes decades later. And while inevitable sequels made more dough, none comes close to the the wonder of the original.
39. Despicable Me 3 (2017)Lifetime gross: $1,034,800,131
The threequel is twice as funny, thanks to Steve Carell pulling double duty as brothers Gru and Dru.
38. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)Lifetime gross: $1,045,713,802
Penelope Cruz energizes the franchise, four films in.
37. Aladdin (2019)Lifetime gross: $1,050,693,953
Look, Will Smith is no Robin Williams, but the wise-cracking genie still fulfilled Disney’s boffo box-office wishes.
36. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)Lifetime gross: $1,056,057,720
Freed from the weight of Star Wars’ wildly obsessed-over mythology, this female-led (Felicity Jones) story breaks new ground.
35. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)Lifetime gross: $1,066,179,747
Proving you can launch a blockbuster franchise off a theme park ride, Pirates even earned guy-linered Johnny Depp an Oscar nomination.
34. Toy Story 3 (2010)Lifetime gross: $1,066,969,703
With beloved owner Andy college-bound, it’s the tear-jerking end to Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear’s (Tim Allen) toy story…or is it?
33. Toy Story 4 (2019)Lifetime gross: $1.073 billion
It’s a testament to the power of Pixar’s storytelling that it can unspool a fourth (and presumably final) installment of its signature series. Woody, Buzz and the gang are joined by a plastic spork in the midst of an existential crisis.
32. Star Wars: Episode IX—The Rise of Skywalker (2019)Lifetime gross: $1,074,144,248
A saga that’s spanned more than four decades finally comes to end—thankfully, Episode IX sticks the landing.
31. Joker (2019)Lifetime gross: $1.074 billion
Is this modern-day masterpiece really from the guy who did The Hangover (Todd Phillips)? An uber-dark (and ultra-violent) origin story for Gotham City’s most infamous villain, it’s worth a looksy for Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar-winning tour-de-force performance as the mentally unstable Arthur Fleck.
30. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)Lifetime gross: $1.081 billion
The conclusion of Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed Batman trilogy introduced us to Christian Bale as Bane and Anne Hathaway as Catwoman.
29. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2004)Lifetime gross: $1.104 billion
Mark Wahlberg replaces Shia LaBoeuf for the franchise’s fourth go-around, and not even a bloated three-hour running time could keep Transformers fans away.
28. Skyfall (2012)Lifetime gross: $1.109 billion
The first James Bond mission in 50-plus years to cross a billion dollars. Adele’s Oscar-winning hit of the same name couldn’t have hurt.
27. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)Lifetime gross: $1.124 billion
It was a critical clunker (35% Rotten Tomato rating), but there’s more than meets the eye: the third Transformers installment had the lowest budget but the highest gross worldwide of the series.
26. Captain Marvel (2019)Lifetime gross: $1.128 billion
Oscar winner Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers is the MCU’s first headlining female superhero.
25. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)Lifetime gross: $1.132 billion
The Spidey sequel is Sony’s highest grossing film of all time.
24. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)Lifetime gross: $1.142 billion
Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy went undefeated at the Oscars (winning all 11 trophies it was up for, including Best Picture and Best Director).
23. Aquaman (2018)Lifetime gross: $1.148 billion
Director Jason Wan gave DC Extended Universe its first blockbuster to break the billion-dollar mark. Jason Momoa stars as the titular, trident-wielding superhero.
22. Captain America: Civil War (2015)Lifetime gross: $1.153 billion
Avengers Lite: sure, Thor and Hulk were MIA, but MCU did introduce us to Spider-Man and Black Panther.
21. Minions (2015)Lifetime gross: $1.159 billion
Gru’s kooky yellow sidekicks get their own prequel.
20. Iron Man 3 (2013)Lifetime gross: $1.215 billion
Impressive action sequences combined with Robert Downey Jr.’s trademark charisma and wit make Tony Stark’s third solo outing an entertaining thrill-ride.
19. The Fate of the Furious (2017)Lifetime gross: $1.236 billion
F8 gets a tune-up thanks to its Oscar-winning villain (Charlize Theron as Cipher).
18. Incredibles 2 (2018)Lifetime gross: $1.243 billion
Brad Bird’s superhero sequel is the pinnacle of Pixar’s run of blockbusters, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all-time at the domestic box office.
17. Beauty and the Beast (2017)Lifetime gross: $1.264 billion
Disney’s live-action adaptation of its tale as old as 1991 starred Emma Watson as the Belle of this ball.
16. Frozen (2013)Lifetime gross: $1.281 billion
Complex heroines, catchy tunes and an endearing snowman lead to a happily-ever-after—for Disney’s bottom line.
15. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)Lifetime gross: $1.308 billion
Dino-mayhem follows Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard off the island.
14. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)Lifetime gross: $1.333 billion
Ironically, Rian Johnson’s polarizing entry in the Skywalker saga is also one of the best-reviewed (90% fresh on RottenTomatoes).
13. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)Lifetime gross: $1.342 billion
The back-half of J.K. Rowling’s fantasy saga. For a decade, Potterheads watched Harry, Hermione and Ron (and their real-life counterparts) grow up before their eyes.
12. Black Panther (2018)Lifetime gross: $1.347 billion
Marvel’s first big-budget black superhero movie—with a black director and a predominantly black cast, to boot—was a cultural phenomenon. Wakanda Forever!
11. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)Lifetime gross: $1.402 billion
Joss Whedon’s Avengers sequel fell short of the Top 10 but still scored the second best opening of all time at its release.
10. Frozen II (2019)Lifetime gross: $1.450 billion
Did you honestly think after Elsa and Anna made $400 million domestically that Disney would let it go?The snowy sequel is the highest-grossing animated film of all time.
9. Furious 7 (2015)Lifetime gross: $1.515 billion
Paul Walker’s last ride with the franchise, after his untimely death IRL.
8. Marvel’s The Avengers (2012)Lifetime gross: $1.519 billion
Teamwork makes the dream work—and the first combined outing of superfriends also became the first flick to make $200 million in its opening weekend.
7. The Lion King (2019)Lifetime gross: $1.667 billion
The Beyhive must have come out in hordes to hear Beyonce as CGI’d Nala because this live-action remake of Disney’s beloved animated hit roared at the box office ($191 million opening weekend). Also starring Donald Glover as grown-up Simba and the iconic James Earl Jones reprising Mufasa.
6. Jurassic World (2015)Lifetime gross: $1.670 billion
A real-life dinosaur theme park? What could go wrong? (Lucky for us action junkies—everything!) A dazzling direct sequel to Steven Spielberg’s OG cinematic marvel.
5. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)Lifetime gross: $2.048 billion
A decade of interconnected MCU flicks built up toward this intergalactic showdown with Big Bad Thanos, hellbent on securing the Infinity Stones. And what a cliffhanger!
4. Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)Lifetime gross: $2.069 billion
JJ Abrams reawakened Star Wars fans by bringing back the OG trio of Luke, Leia and Han Solo and injecting the franchise with some new blood: Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Daisy Ridley.
3. Titanic (1997)Lifetime gross: $2.201 billion
James Cameron’s sweeping romance-disaster epic—starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio as star-crossed lovers—was buoyed at the box office by repeat viewings from Leo fanatics and a ubiquitous Celine Dion anthem.
2. Avengers: Endgame (2019)Lifetime gross: $2.798 billion
The MCU’s superhero saga culminated with this star-studded finale, featuring a who’s-who of Hollywood—including Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man, Scarlett Johannson as Black Widow, Chris Evans as Captain America and the late Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther.
1. Avatar (2009)Lifetime gross: $2.847 billion
Pandora’s blue-hued aliens brought in serious green at the box office, thanks to jaw-dropping special effects. Next, check out the best comedies of all time.
