A movie can cost millions of dollars to put together. The most expensive movie ever made is the fourth installment in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” which cost $410.6 million to make, according to Forbes.
But what is the money-making aspect of the film industry? Movies can earn thousands to billions at the box office both domestically and worldwide. The highest-grossing film of all time is priced out of this planet, as is the setting of the movie.
Here are the highest-grossing films of all time, along with other box office record-breakers.
Which is the highest-grossing movie so far?
Avatar, directed by James Cameron, is the highest-grossing film of all time with a lifetime gross of over $2.8 billion, according to Box Office Mojo by IMDbPro.
The 2009 science fiction film, starring Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña, follows Jake Sully, who is sent to Pandora, a moon in the Alpha Centauri star system, as part of the Avatar program. Along the way, Jake is conflicted between following orders and protecting the Navi people and their homes.
Avatar’s sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” is set to be released on December 16, 2022, 13 years after the original film, and is once again directed by Cameron. The film also stars Worthington, Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang, as well as newcomers to the franchise such as Kate Winslet, Michelle Yeoh, and Vin Diesel.
According to IMDb, three more installments in the Avatar franchise are planned, with releases set for 2024, 2026, and 2028.
Top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time
Here are the top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time, according to Box Office Mojo by IMDbPro:
- Avatar (2009), $2.8 billion
- Avengers: Endgame (2019), $2.7 billion
- Titanic (1997), $2.2 billion
- Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015), $2.06 billion
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018), $2.04 billion
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), $1.9 billion
- Jurassic World (2015), $1.67 billion
- The Lion King (2019), $1.66 billion
- The Avengers (2012), $1.518 billion
- Furious 7 (2012), $1.515 billion
Adjusted for inflation, which is the highest-grossing movie?
The highest-grossing film at the global box office, adjusted for inflation, is “Gone with the Wind,” which has grossed $3.44 billion, according to Guinness World Records. The historical romance adaptation of the 1936 novel of the same name stars Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh and Leslie Howard.
Released in 1939, “Gone With the Wind” grossed $393.4 million domestically and 88 million pounds internationally, according to Guinness World Records.