Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” was the first major movie to be released in theaters after the pandemic started. The sci-fi film made just under $60 million domestically – but earned about six times that abroad. (Here’s a look at the highest-grossing movie every year since 1975.)
Coronavirus restrictions were blamed at least in part for the movie’s poor showing at the box office, at least in the U.S. But it was not the first – or the last – example of a major Hollywood production proving to be more popular among moviegoers abroad than at home.
To assemble a list of Hollywood films that made all their money (or most of it) overseas, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on domestic and international box office from The Numbers, an online movie database owned by Nash Information Services. English-language film productions that grossed at least $250 million internationally were ranked based on international box office as a percentage of total global box office. Box office data was adjusted for inflation using historical ticket price data from the National Association of Theatre Owners. Audience scores from IMDb, an online movie and TV database owned by Amazon, and critics’ Tomatometer scores from Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, are current as of June 2022.
Click here to see 50 famous movies that made all their money overseas
It’s not easy to tell why some movies appear to find bigger audiences in other countries. Installments of multi-film franchises – like James Bond, Fast & Furious, and Transformers – appear frequently on this list, perhaps because early films in the series created a fan base that later ones benefitted from. (Domestically, these are the James Bond movies that did best at the box office.)
A few of the movies on the list may also benefit from their setting – for instance, “The Great Wall” and “The Last Samurai,” both of which feature Hollywood stars but are set in China and Japan, respectively, which may have contributed to their popularity in Asian countries.
Source: Courtesy of Fox-Walden
50. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $364.3 million (75.0% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $121.2 million (25.0% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.3/10 (147,219 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 50% (167 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Apted
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
49. Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $577.1 million (75.1% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $190.9 million (24.9% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.2/10 (265,857 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (182 reviews)
> Directed by: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
48. Pacific Rim (2013)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $348.4 million (75.2% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $114.7 million (24.8% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.9/10 (480,009 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (294 reviews)
> Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
47. Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $315.1 million (75.5% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $102.4 million (24.5% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.7/10 (291,982 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 51% (308 reviews)
> Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
46. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $494.4 million (75.5% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $160.4 million (24.5% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.5/10 (238,698 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 36% (332 reviews)
> Directed by: David Yates
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
45. The Last Samurai (2003)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $525.1 million (75.7% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $168.8 million (24.3% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.7/10 (415,450 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 66% (223 reviews)
> Directed by: Edward Zwick
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Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
44. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $680.8 million (75.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $217.5 million (24.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.9/10 (486,836 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 60% (411 reviews)
> Directed by: Bryan Singer
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
43. Love Actually (2003)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $284.6 million (75.9% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $90.3 million (24.1% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.6/10 (447,898 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 64% (224 reviews)
> Directed by: Richard Curtis
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
42. The Fifth Element (1997)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $399.8 million (75.9% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $126.9 million (24.1% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.7/10 (449,151 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (68 reviews)
> Directed by: Luc Besson
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
41. Mamma Mia! (2008)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $586.2 million (76.1% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $183.9 million (23.9% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.4/10 (227,487 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 55% (185 reviews)
> Directed by: Phyllida Lloyd
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
40. Ready Player One (2018)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $443.8 million (76.2% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $138.4 million (23.8% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.4/10 (397,015 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (444 reviews)
> Directed by: Steven Spielberg
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
39. Rampage (2018)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $328.7 million (76.4% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $101.6 million (23.6% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.1/10 (154,612 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 51% (284 reviews)
> Directed by: Brad Peyton
Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
38. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $375.4 million (76.7% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $113.9 million (23.3% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.6/10 (94,246 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 39% (255 reviews)
> Directed by: Joachim Rønning
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
37. Furious 7 (2015)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $1.3 billion (76.7% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $383.6 million (23.3% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.1/10 (374,870 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (277 reviews)
> Directed by: James Wan
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Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
36. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $929.4 million (76.9% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $278.5 million (23.1% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.6/10 (497,634 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 33% (278 reviews)
> Directed by: Rob Marshall
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
35. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $586.4 million (77.1% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $174.0 million (22.9% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.4/10 (193,692 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (342 reviews)
> Directed by: David Leitch
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Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
34. Spectre (2015)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $738.3 million (77.3% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $217.4 million (22.7% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.8/10 (397,895 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 63% (363 reviews)
> Directed by: Sam Mendes
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Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
33. Penguins of Madagascar (2014)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $318.0 million (77.3% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $93.5 million (22.7% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.7/10 (84,820 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (116 reviews)
> Directed by: Eric Darnell & Simon J. Smith
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
32. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $962.7 million (77.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $275.2 million (22.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.6/10 (304,774 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 17% (212 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Bay
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Source: Courtesy of United Artists
31. License to Kill (1989)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $278.9 million (77.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $79.6 million (22.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.6/10 (98,737 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (58 reviews)
> Directed by: John Glen
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
30. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $842.9 million (77.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $240.1 million (22.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.9/10 (232,723 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 46% (165 reviews)
> Directed by: Carlos Saldanha
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Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
29. A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $266.9 million (77.9% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $75.9 million (22.1% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.3/10 (202,345 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 15% (231 reviews)
> Directed by: John Moore
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Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
28. 2012 (2009)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $722.5 million (78.1% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $202.9 million (21.9% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.8/10 (363,790 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 39% (247 reviews)
> Directed by: Roland Emmerich
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
27. Live and Let Die (1973)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $679.8 million (78.1% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $190.4 million (21.9% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.8/10 (101,372 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (51 reviews)
> Directed by: Guy Hamilton
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Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
26. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $635.5 million (78.3% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $176.2 million (21.7% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.5/10 (280,731 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 30% (290 reviews)
> Directed by: Joachim Rønning & Espen Sandberg
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
25. Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $482.7 million (78.4% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $132.9 million (21.6% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.2/10 (142,436 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 15% (254 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Bay
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Source: Courtesy of United Artists
24. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $371.2 million (78.5% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $101.8 million (21.5% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.7/10 (99,825 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 40% (50 reviews)
> Directed by: Guy Hamilton
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
23. Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $316.1 million (78.6% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $85.8 million (21.4% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.3/10 (246,568 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 61% (328 reviews)
> Directed by: Robert Rodriguez
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
22. Battleship (2012)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $285.7 million (79.2% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $75.1 million (20.8% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.8/10 (241,504 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 34% (225 reviews)
> Directed by: Peter Berg
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
21. Terminator Genisys (2015)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $372.0 million (79.2% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $97.5 million (20.8% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.3/10 (267,619 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 27% (274 reviews)
> Directed by: Alan Taylor
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
20. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $342.4 million (79.3% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $89.6 million (20.7% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.3/10 (223,091 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (233 reviews)
> Directed by: Steven Spielberg
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
19. Daylight (1996)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $261.1 million (79.3% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $68.2 million (20.7% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.9/10 (70,748 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 27% (41 reviews)
> Directed by: Rob Cohen
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
18. The Smurfs 2 (2013)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $312.7 million (79.6% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $80.0 million (20.4% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.3/10 (40,046 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 14% (95 reviews)
> Directed by: Raja Gosnell
Source: Courtesy of Screen Gems
17. Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $273.7 million (79.7% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $69.8 million (20.3% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.8/10 (166,381 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 21% (107 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
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Source: Courtesy of Fox 2000 Pictures
16. Life of Pi (2012)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $568.8 million (79.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $143.8 million (20.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.9/10 (600,070 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (253 reviews)
> Directed by: Ang Lee
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate
15. Now You See Me 2 (2016)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $278.8 million (80.2% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $68.9 million (19.8% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.5/10 (265,362 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 33% (196 reviews)
> Directed by: Jon M. Chu
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
14. The Mummy (2017)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $336.8 million (80.5% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $81.8 million (19.5% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.4/10 (179,283 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 16% (314 reviews)
> Directed by: Alex Kurtzman
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
13. The Golden Compass (2007)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $395.6 million (80.9% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $93.3 million (19.1% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.1/10 (183,174 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 42% (198 reviews)
> Directed by: Chris Weitz
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
12. Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $826.8 million (81.7% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $185.6 million (18.3% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.5/10 (198,985 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 37% (135 reviews)
> Directed by: Steve Martino & Mike Thurmeier
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
11. The Fate of the Furious (2017)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $1.0 billion (81.7% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $230.5 million (18.3% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.6/10 (219,146 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (312 reviews)
> Directed by: F. Gary Gray
Source: Courtesy of Gramercy Pictures
10. Bean (1997)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $421.6 million (82.3% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $90.5 million (17.7% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.5/10 (101,095 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 44% (34 reviews)
> Directed by: Mel Smith
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Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
9. The Full Monty (1997)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $429.7 million (82.4% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $91.7 million (17.6% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.2/10 (102,609 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (50 reviews)
> Directed by: Peter Cattaneo
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
8. Tenet (2020)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $304.0 million (84.0% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $57.9 million (16.0% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.4/10 (421,801 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 70% (359 reviews)
> Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
7. Ice Age: Collision Course (2016)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $358.0 million (84.1% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $67.8 million (15.9% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.7/10 (60,965 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 18% (121 reviews)
> Directed by: Mike Thurmeier
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Studios
6. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $330.0 million (84.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $59.3 million (15.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.0/10 (110,332 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 27% (157 reviews)
> Directed by: Beeban Kidron
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
5. Mr. Bean’s Holiday (2007)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $268.5 million (85.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $44.3 million (14.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.4/10 (120,426 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 51% (115 reviews)
> Directed by: Steve Bendelack
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
4. The Great Wall (2016)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $306.4 million (86.5% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $47.8 million (13.5% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.9/10 (129,447 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 35% (238 reviews)
> Directed by: Yimou Zhang
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
3. xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $306.5 million (87.0% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $45.8 million (13.0% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.2/10 (88,902 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 45% (150 reviews)
> Directed by: D.J. Caruso
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
2. Warcraft (2016)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $414.6 million (89.2% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $50.2 million (10.8% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.8/10 (252,948 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 28% (232 reviews)
> Directed by: Duncan Jones
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Source: Courtesy of Screen Gems
1. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $304.2 million (91.5% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $28.4 million (8.5% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.5/10 (88,506 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 37% (102 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
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