When it comes to determining the success of a film in the entertainment industry, one of the primary metrics used is the film's theatrical box-office earnings. This refers to the revenue generated from ticket sales at movie theaters during the film's initial release. There are several reasons why this metric is used so widely.
Firstly, the data for theatrical box-office earnings are more readily available compared to other revenue streams such as home video and television broadcast rights. This is because box office figures are typically reported on a regular basis and can be easily tracked. In contrast, sales figures for home video and broadcast rights are not always publicly available.
Secondly, using theatrical box-office earnings as a metric for success is a long-standing practice in the film industry. It is a tradition that has been used for many years and is therefore the norm.
Trade publications such as Variety, Hollywood Reporter, and Box Office Mojo often compile charts and lists that rank films based on their box-office earnings. These charts typically include the top-performing films, both in terms of the nominal and actual value of revenue, as well as the highest-grossing films by calendar year. It also includes the timeline of the highest-grossing film record and charts of the highest-grossing film franchises and series. These charts generally only take into account international box-office performance, which means it excludes income from other sources such as home video, broadcasting rights, and merchandise.
In short, theatrical box-office earnings are the primary metric for assessing the success of a film in trade publications because of the availability of data, historical practice, and easy-to-track progress.
Which are the highest-grossing films of all time?
The List of All Time Worldwide Box Office Collection is as follows:
| Ranking | Year Of Release | Movie Title | Domestic Box Office | International Box Office | Worldwide Box Office |
| 2009 | Avatar | $785,221,649 | $2,114,162,453 | $2,899,384,102 | |
| 2019 | Avengers: Endgame | $858,373,000 | $1,936,358,755 | $2,794,731,755 | |
| 2022 | Avatar: The Way of Water | $657,075,991 | $1,586,200,000 | $2,243,275,99 | |
| 1997 | Titanic | $671,776,000 | $1,548,622,601 | $2,220,380,102 | |
| 2015 | Star Wars Ep. VII: The Force Awakens | $936,662,225 | $1,127,953,592 | $2,064,615,817 | |
| 2018 | Avengers: Infinity War | $678,815,482 | $1,369,544,272 | $2,048,359,754 | |
| 2021 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | $814,115,070 | $1,095,933,175 | $1,910,048,245 | |
| 2015 | Jurassic World | $652,306,625 | $1,017,657,016 | $1,669,963,641 | |
| 2019 | The Lion King | $543,638,043 | $1,104,095,595 | $1,647,733,638 | |
| 2012 | The Avengers | $623,357,910 | $891,742,301 | $1,515,100,211 | |
| 2015 | Furious 7 | $353,007,020 | $1,161,546,466 | $1,514,553,486 | |
| 2022 | Top Gun: Maverick | $718,732,821 | $768,843,144 | $1,487,575,965 | |
| 2019 | Frozen II | $477,373,578 | $967,361,913 | $1,444,735,491 | |
| 2015 | Avengers: Age of Ultron | $459,005,868 | $936,311,111 | $1,395,316,979 | |
| 2018 | Black Panther | $700,059,566 | $636,434,754 | $1,336,494,320 | |
| 2017 | Star Wars Ep. VIII: The Last Jedi | $620,181,382 | $711,453,759 | $1,331,635,141 | |
| 2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2 | $381,193,157 | $935,085,104 | $1,316,278,261 | |
| 2018 | Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom | $417,719,760 | $890,603,542 | $1,308,323,302 | |
| 2017 | Beauty and the Beast | $504,014,165 | $764,683,318 | $1,268,697,483 | |
| 2013 | Frozen | $400,953,009 | $860,676,232 | $1,261,629,241 | |
| 2018 | Incredibles 2 | $608,581,744 | $634,223,615 | $1,242,805,359 | |
| 2017 | The Fate of the Furious | $225,764,765 | $1,010,939,031 | $1,236,703,796 | |
| 2013 | Iron Man 3 | $408,992,272 | $806,400,000 | $1,215,392,272 | |
| 2015 | Minions | $336,045,770 | $821,225,989 | $1,157,271,759 | |
| 2016 | Captain America: Civil War | $408,084,349 | $743,815,237 | $1,151,899,586 | |
| 2018 | Aquaman | $335,061,807 | $808,696,893 | $1,143,758,700 | |
| 2019 | Spider-Man: Far From Home | $390,532,085 | $741,575,437 | $1,132,107,522 | |
| 2019 | Captain Marvel | $426,829,839 | $702,746,255 | $1,129,576,094 | |
| 2011 | Transformers: Dark of the Moon | $352,390,543 | $771,403,536 | $1,123,794,079 | |
| 2003 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | $377,845,905 | $742,364,991 | $1,120,210,896 | |
| 2012 | Skyfall | $304,360,277 | $806,166,704 | $1,110,526,981 | |
| 2014 | Transformers: Age of Extinction | $245,439,076 | $858,614,996 | $1,104,054,072 | |
| 2012 | The Dark Knight Rises | $448,139,099 | $634,089,008 | $1,082,228,107 | |
| 2019 | Toy Story 4 | $434,038,008 | $639,026,532 | $1,073,064,540 | |
| 2019 | Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | $515,202,542 | $557,565,455 | $1,072,767,997 | |
| 2019 | Joker | $335,451,311 | $733,670,272 | $1,069,121,583 | |
| 2010 | Toy Story 3 | $415,004,880 | $653,874,642 | $1,068,879,522 | |
| 2006 | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest | $423,315,812 | $642,863,913 | $1,066,179,725 | |
| 2016 | Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | $533,539,991 | $521,543,605 | $1,055,083,596 | |
| 2019 | Aladdin | $355,559,216 | $691,028,297 | $1,046,587,513 | |
| 2011 | Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides | $241,071,802 | $804,642,000 | $1,045,713,802 | |
| 1993 | Jurassic Park | $402,523,348 | $643,049,687 | $1,045,573,035 | |
| 2017 | Despicable Me 3 | $264,624,300 | $768,185,357 | $1,032,809,657 | |
| 1999 | Star Wars Ep. I: The Phantom Menace | $474,544,677 | $552,500,000 | $1,027,044,677 | |
| 2010 | Alice in Wonderland | $334,191,110 | $691,300,000 | $1,025,491,110 | |
| 2016 | Finding Dory | $486,295,561 | $538,710,564 | $1,025,006,125 | |
| 2012 | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | $303,003,568 | $711,934,977 | $1,014,938,545 | |
| 2008 | The Dark Knight | $534,987,076 | $471,247,091 | $1,006,234,167 | |
| 2016 | Zootopia | $341,268,248 | $663,361,687 | $1,004,629,935 | |
| 2022 | Jurassic World: Dominion | $376,851,080 | $626,860,105 | $1,003,711,185 | |
| 1994 | The Lion King | $421,785,283 | $564,408,500 | $986,193,783 | |
| 2013 | Despicable Me 2 | $368,065,385 | $607,151,450 | $975,216,835 | |
| 2001 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone | $317,871,467 | $647,172,027 | $965,043,494 | |
| 2017 | Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle | $404,508,916 | $557,123,891 | $961,632,807 | |
| 2007 | Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End | $309,420,425 | $651,576,067 | $960,996,492 | |
| 2013 | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | $258,241,522 | $701,116,914 | $959,358,436 | |
| 2016 | The Jungle Book | $364,001,123 | $589,534,698 | $953,535,821 | |
| 2022 | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | $411,331,607 | $540,893,379 | $952,224,986 | |
| 2010 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I | $296,131,568 | $655,636,137 | $951,767,705 | |
| 2014 | The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | $255,119,788 | $685,203,251 | $940,323,039 | |
| 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | $292,137,260 | $647,482,589 | $939,619,849 | |
| 2022 | Minions: The Rise of Gru | $369,695,210 | $567,703,121 | $937,398,331 | |
| 2003 | Finding Nemo | $380,529,370 | $555,565,482 | $936,094,852 | |
| 2004 | Shrek 2 | $441,226,247 | $494,027,731 | $935,253,978 | |
| 2009 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | $302,089,278 | $627,321,791 | $929,411,069 | |
| 2002 | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | $342,548,984 | $576,599,780 | $919,148,764 | |
| 2021 | Chang jin hu | $333,214 | $909,263,022 | $909,596,236 | |
| 2007 | Spider-Man 3 | $336,530,303 | $558,329,927 | $894,860,230 | |
| 2001 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | $315,544,750 | $575,672,074 | $891,216,824 | |
| 2005 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | $290,201,752 | $596,541,035 | $886,742,787 | |
| 2009 | Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs | $196,573,705 | $690,113,112 | $886,686,817 | |
| 2016 | The Secret Life of Pets | $368,384,330 | $516,918,170 | $885,302,500 | |
| 2018 | Bohemian Rhapsody | $216,303,339 | $665,901,921 | $882,205,260 | |
| 2012 | Ice Age: Continental Drift | $161,321,843 | $718,443,294 | $879,765,137 | |
| 2015 | Spectre | $200,074,175 | $679,003,169 | $879,077,344 | |
| 2017 | Spider-Man: Homecoming | $334,201,140 | $544,070,151 | $878,271,291 | |
| 2002 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | $262,233,381 | $612,721,149 | $874,954,530 | |
| 2016 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | $330,360,194 | $542,034,897 | $872,395,091 | |
| 2017 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 | $389,813,101 | $479,274,862 | $869,087,963 | |
| 2013 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire | $424,668,047 | $440,200,000 | $864,868,047 | |
| 2018 | Venom | $213,511,408 | $642,569,645 | $856,081,053 | |
| 2015 | Inside Out | $356,461,711 | $496,575,508 | $853,037,219 | |
| 2017 | Thor: Ragnarok | $315,058,289 | $535,424,489 | $850,482,778 | |
| 2005 | Star Wars Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith | $380,270,577 | $468,728,300 | $848,998,877 | |
| 2021 | Ni Hao, Li Huan Ying | $841,674,419 | $841,674,419 | ||
| 2009 | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | $402,111,870 | $434,407,829 | $836,519,699 | |
| 2017 | Zhan Lang 2 | $2,721,100 | $832,753,071 | $835,474,171 | |
| 2022 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | $449,712,372 | $380,433,063 | $830,145,435 | |
| 2012 | The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 | $292,324,737 | $537,400,000 | $829,724,737 | |
| 2002 | Spider-Man | $403,706,375 | $418,000,000 | $821,706,375 | |
| 2017 | Wonder Woman | $412,563,408 | $405,128,358 | $817,691,766 | |
| 1996 | Independence Day | $306,169,255 | $511,231,623 | $817,400,878 | |
| 2016 | Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | $234,037,575 | $577,686,810 | $811,724,385 | |
| 2007 | Shrek the Third | $322,719,944 | $484,610,992 | $807,330,936 | |
| 2019 | Jumanji: The Next Level | $316,831,246 | $481,378,969 | $798,210,215 | |
| 2017 | Coco | $210,460,015 | $587,200,256 | $797,660,271 | |
| 1982 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | $439,251,124 | $357,852,418 | $797,103,542 | |
| 2017 | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell Tales | $172,558,876 | $622,302,918 | $794,861,794 | |
| 2004 | Spider-Man 2 | $373,524,485 | $421,173,072 | $794,697,557 | |
| 2004 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | $249,757,726 | $539,834,982 | $789,592,708 |
FAQs
A. The worldwide box office refers to the total revenue earned by a film from ticket sales in theaters globally. It is calculated by adding up the gross ticket sales from all countries where the film is released.
A. Box office results can vary greatly by region, depending on factors such as the popularity of the film's stars, cultural differences, and the strength of the local economy. Generally, films perform better in developed countries with a strong film-going tradition, such as the United States and Western Europe, compared to less developed countries.
A. Streaming services, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, have had a significant impact on box office results in recent years. As more and more people choose to stay at home and watch movies online, box office revenue has decreased. However, some studios are now releasing their films on streaming platforms and in theaters simultaneously, which may help to boost box office results.
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