This Is the Top Grossing Movie of All Time

By Douglas A. McIntyre Published Nov 15, 9:00AM EST

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This Is the Top Grossing Movie of All Time — © bjones27 / Getty Images

The movie industry has changed radically in the past few decades, yet the top-grossing movie of all time is “Gone With the Wind,” released in 1939, more than 80 years ago.

When the industry began, people had to go to movie theaters to watch films. However, with the advent of TV, people could watch movies in their homes. The next evolution was the home video player, then DVD players, and rental stores like Blockbuster, the 9,000-location chain, where people could rent movies to watch at home.

That gave way to mailed DVDs, which was the original foundation of Netflix — which pioneered streaming. Today, with more broadband connections at home, streaming is commonplace. Here are the best comedy movies available to stream right now.)

Movie success is still based on theater ticket sales, though that may no longer be a good yardstick. The COVID-19 pandemic nearly shut down the industry, and streaming became the primary way people watched films. Still, ticket sales continue to be the way that the highest-grossing films are determined.

To identify the top-grossing movies of all time, 24/7 Tempo reviewed gross box office revenue and estimated ticket sales for major motion pictures released in the United States as reported by The Numbers, an online movie database owned by Nash Information Services. Revenue figures are inflation adjusted based on the value of the dollar in 2020.

Action and adventure films (including superhero movies) dominate the list of finalists. Romances, musicals, dramas, and comedies are also represented in the mix. Films date back to the 1930s, with “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937) among the early high-grossing movies, having brought in over $1 billion when adjusted for inflation.

Although “Avatar” (2009) is often referred to as the highest-grossing film ever, it is not at the top of the list when ticket sales are adjusted for inflation. (Find out if the top-grossing movies are also among the 100 greatest movies ever made.)

The highest-grossing movie of all time is the controversial Civil War movie “Gone With the Wind,” released in 1939. It is based on a novel, and today some of its content is considered racist. It starred among the greatest movie actors of all time, led by Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh. The film’s inflation-adjusted box office gross is $1.9 billion, on estimated ticket sales of 202.3 million.

Click here for the 100 highest grossing movies of all time

100. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $501 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 53.5 million

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99. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $501.6 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 53.5 million

98. MASH (1970)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $503 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 53.7 million

97. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $503 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 53.7 million

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96. Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $504.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 53.8 million

95. It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $504.8 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 53.9 million

94. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $505.1 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 53.9 million

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93. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $509.7 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 54.4 million

92. Men in Black (1997)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $511.8 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 54.6 million

91. Twister (1996)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $512.4 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 54.7 million

90. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $513.5 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 54.8 million

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89. The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $514.4 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 54.9 million

88. Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $515.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 55 million

87. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $515.4 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 55 million

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86. Rocky (1976)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $515.7 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 55 million

85. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $516 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 55.1 million

84. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $519.4 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 55.4 million

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83. Lady and the Tramp (1955)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $522.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 55.7 million

82. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $524 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 55.9 million

81. West Side Story (1961)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $524.8 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 56 million

80. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $526.1 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 56.1 million

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79. Finding Dory (2016)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $526.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 56.2 million

78. Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $532.5 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 56.8 million

77. Beauty and the Beast (2017)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $532.7 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 56.8 million

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76. Tootsie (1982)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $533.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 56.9 million

75. Superman (1978)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $537.7 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 57.4 million

74. The Sixth Sense (1999)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $539.5 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 57.6 million

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73. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $539.5 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 57.6 million

72. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $540.9 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 57.7 million

71. Back to the Future (1985)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $555.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 59.3 million

70. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $555.9 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 59.3 million

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69. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $559.4 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 59.7 million

68. National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $561.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 59.9 million

67. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $562.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 60 million

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66. My Fair Lady (1964)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $562.8 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 60.1 million

65. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $563.7 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 60.2 million

64. Cinderella (1950)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $565 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 60.3 million

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63. The Lion King (2019)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $565.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 60.3 million

62. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $566.3 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 60.4 million

61. The Towering Inferno (1974)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $575.1 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 61.4 million

60. Finding Nemo (2003)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $577.1 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 61.6 million

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59. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $577.6 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 61.6 million

58. The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $587.9 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 62.7 million

57. Batman (1989)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $590.1 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 63 million

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56. Blazing Saddles (1974)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $592.6 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 63.2 million

55. Bambi (1942)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $597 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 63.7 million

54. Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $605.4 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 64.6 million

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53. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $605.6 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 64.6 million

52. The Robe (1953)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $613.3 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 65.5 million

51. American Graffiti (1973)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $615.7 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 65.7 million

50. Airport (1970)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $619.5 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 66.1 million

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49. Incredibles 2 (2018)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $621.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 66.3 million

48. Goldfinger (1964)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $621.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 66.3 million

47. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $629.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 67.2 million

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46. Cleopatra (1963)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $629.5 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 67.2 million

45. Pinocchio (1940)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $631.6 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 67.4 million

44. Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $633.4 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 67.6 million

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43. Home Alone (1990)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $634.7 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 67.7 million

42. Independence Day (1996)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $649 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 69.3 million

41. Love Story (1970)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $656 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 70 million

40. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $661.1 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 70.6 million

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39. Spider-Man (2002)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $661.8 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 70.6 million

38. Shrek 2 (2004)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $665.7 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 71.1 million

37. Ghostbusters (1984)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $667.9 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 71.3 million

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36. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $678.6 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 72.4 million

35. Sleeping Beauty (1959)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $681 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 72.7 million

34. The Jungle Book (1967)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $690.4 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 73.7 million

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33. The Dark Knight (2008)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $697.7 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 74.5 million

32. Thunderball (1965)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $700.9 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 74.8 million

31. Black Panther (2018)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $715 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 76.3 million

30. Jurassic World (2015)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $719.5 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 76.8 million

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29. The Avengers (2012)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $720.4 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 76.9 million

28. Grease (1978)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $722.4 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 77.1 million

27. Mary Poppins (1964)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $732.6 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 78.2 million

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26. Forrest Gump (1994)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $736.8 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 78.6 million

25. The Godfather (1972)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $739.5 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 78.9 million

24. Fantasia (1941)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $778.1 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 83 million

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23. The Graduate (1967)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $801.9 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 85.6 million

22. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $829.7 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 88.5 million

21. The Sting (1973)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $835.3 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 89.1 million

20. The Lion King (1994)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $835.3 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 89.1 million

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19. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $846.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 90.3 million

18. Jurassic Park (1993)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $860.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 91.8 million

17. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $881.3 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 94.1 million

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16. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $892.7 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 95.3 million

15. Avatar (2009)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $911.8 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 97.3 million

14. Ben-Hur (1959)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $918.7 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 98 million

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13. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $920.8 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 98.3 million

12. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $936.2 million
> Estimated ticket sales: 99.9 million

11. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $1 billion
> Estimated ticket sales: 108.1 million

10. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $1 billion
> Estimated ticket sales: 109 million

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9. The Exorcist (1973)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $1 billion
> Estimated ticket sales: 110.6 million

8. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $1.2 billion
> Estimated ticket sales: 124.1 million

7. Jaws (1975)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $1.2 billion
> Estimated ticket sales: 128.2 million

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6. The Ten Commandments (1956)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $1.2 billion
> Estimated ticket sales: 131 million

5. Titanic (1997)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $1.3 billion
> Estimated ticket sales: 135.5 million

4. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $1.3 billion
> Estimated ticket sales: 141.9 million

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3. The Sound of Music (1965)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $1.3 billion
> Estimated ticket sales: 142.5 million

2. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $1.7 billion
> Estimated ticket sales: 178.1 million

1. Gone with the Wind (1939)
> Inflation-adjusted box office gross: $1.9 billion
> Estimated ticket sales: 202.3 million

About the Author Douglas A. McIntyre →

Douglas A. McIntyre is the co-founder, chief executive officer and editor in chief of 24/7 Wall St. and 24/7 Tempo. He has held these jobs since 2006.

McIntyre has written thousands of articles for 24/7 Wall St. He is an expert on corporate finance, the automotive industry, media companies and international finance. He has edited articles on national demographics, sports, personal income and travel.

His work has been quoted or mentioned in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, Time, The New Yorker, HuffPost USA Today, Business Insider, Yahoo, AOL, MarketWatch, The Atlantic, Bloomberg, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, The Guardian and many other major publications. McIntyre has been a guest on CNBC, the BBC and television and radio stations across the country.

A magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College, McIntyre also was president of The Harvard Advocate. Founded in 1866, the Advocate is the oldest college publication in the United States.

TheStreet.com, Comps.com and Edgar Online are some of the public companies for which McIntyre served on the board of directors. He was a Vicinity Corporation board member when the company was sold to Microsoft in 2002. He served on the audit committees of some of these companies.

McIntyre has been the CEO of FutureSource, a provider of trading terminals and news to commodities and futures traders. He was president of Switchboard, the online phone directory company. He served as chairman and CEO of On2 Technologies, the video compression company that provided video compression software for Adobe’s Flash. Google bought On2 in 2009.