25 Highest Grossing Films of All Time

“The Godfather” is considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever made. According to a 1972 article in the Los Angeles Times, the film’s profits were so high upon its release that earnings for Paramount Pictures’ parent company, Gulf & Western Industries, Inc., soared from 77 cents to $3.30 a share for the year.

“Jurassic World” is the fourth film in the Jurassic Park franchise and the second highest grossing of the four. The movie was the first film to ever gross more than $500 million in its opening weekend.

Walt Disney Productions’ “Fantasia” was first released in 1940. The film has been re-released to theaters multiple times both in the U.S. and internationally since then, most recently in late 2015, leading to its exceptional box office gross.

This highly influential film was a massive hit upon its release. It has come to represent the rebellious mindset of 1960s American youth.

“Raiders of the Lost Ark” is the first entry in the Indiana Jones franchise and one of Steven Spielberg’s best-known works, based on online popularity. The film was a huge financial success upon release, having reportedly cost only $18 million to make.

The 1973 heist film “The Sting,” starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, was both a commercial and critical success. The movie was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won seven, including Best Picture.

Disney’s “The Lion King” was the company’s first animated feature film to be based on an original story as opposed to an established children’s story. The bet paid off at the box office.

“The Phantom Menace” received middling reviews upon its release. Currently, only 54% of critics have given the movie a positive review on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences were undeterred, however, and the movie set the record for one-day take, grossing $28.5 million when released.

The original “Jurassic Park” is another Spielberg creation that did wonders at the box office. The movie’s revenues were bolstered by later releases in 3D and IMAX.

“Return of the Jedi” is one of five Star Wars movies to rank among the highest grossing films of all time. It’s the third installment of the franchise’s initial trilogy — a group of films that helped shift Hollywood toward its modern-day blockbuster model.

James Cameron’s “Avatar” was a technological marvel upon its release. Its box office gross was boosted by the higher ticket prices at 3D and IMAX screenings. Cameron has stated a desire to release a total of five Avatar films but has yet to release a sequel.

“Ben-Hur,” released in 1959, was the most expensive film ever made up to that point. The risk paid off for MGM Studios. The movie was a huge success and went on to win a record-tying 11 Oscars, including Best Picture.

“The Empire Strikes Back” is considered one of the more sophisticated films in the Star Wars saga. And while its uncertain ending didn’t please all viewers, it also didn’t dissuade audiences from attending screenings in droves.

The financial success of Disney’s 1961 version of “101 Dalmatians” is due in large part to its multiple theatrical releases. The film grossed $14 million upon its initial release and was re-released in 1969, 1979, 1985, and 1991, with each release grossing more than the previous one.

Star Wars fans were clearly hungry for more following the conclusion of the saga’s prequel trilogy. J.J. Abrams’ “The Force Awakens” was a huge hit and sold the most tickets of any film released since “Titanic” in 1997.

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” originally released in 1937, is the highest grossing animated film of all time. Reissued three more times, these subsequent releases accounted for nearly two-thirds of its total box office gross.

“The Exorcist” is not only the highest grossing horror film of all time, but also one of the highest grossing films, period. It’s also the first horror movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

Despite a runtime of over 3 hours, the epic drama “Doctor Zhivago” was a huge hit amongst moviegoers. The film was nominated for 10 Oscars in 1966, five of which it won.

Steven Spielberg made history when one of this earliest directorial efforts, “Jaws,” managed to scare many away from the ocean. The summer blockbuster set a precedent for studios, which from then on attempted to hit the jackpot with big event, massively advertised films.

Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments” is a 3 hour and 40 minute epic. While it was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, it won only for its special effects.

Over a decade before the release of “Avatar,” director James Cameron proved himself a master of the visually stunning blockbuster. The fusion of romance and tragedy in “Titanic” proved a massive financial success upon its release in 1997. Its 3D release five years later only added to its total gross.

Among Spielberg’s many blockbuster successes, “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” is the highest grossing when adjusted for inflation. The movie has been nearly universally embraced by critics and currently has a 98% positive rating on movie review site Rotten Tomatoes.

“The Sound of Music” portrayed a world that audiences loved to be a part of. The nearly 3-hour musical grossed nearly all of its domestic take upon its initial release in 1965. The film also won five Academy Awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture.

The original “Star Wars” — reportedly made for only $11 million — has grossed $1.6 billion when adjusted for inflation. Not only did the movie kick off one of the most successful film franchises of all time, but also it greatly progressed the blockbuster trend started by the release of “Jaws” two years prior. In certain areas, “Star Wars” ran for more than a year following its initial release.

The Civil War-era epic “Gone With the Wind” was the longest and most expensive Hollywood sound film ever made at the time of its release (it runs almost 4 hours). The investment paid off, and the movie has become one of the most popular – and the highest grossing – ever. It also received a record 13 Oscar nominations, of which it won eight awards, including Best Picture.