Which was the first film to make $1 billion at the box office? Details explored

The release of James Francis Cameron's seventh film and the epic romance Titanic set new standards and grossed over $1 billion in worldwide earnings in a non-digital era. The film first graced the silver screen in 1997 and permanently changed the cinema world.

Based on the real-life sinking of the RMS Titanic in the North Atlantic Ocean, the movie drew thousands of movie-goers to the cinemas. The synopsis of the film on Rotten Tomatoes describes the premise aptly:

"James Cameron's "Titanic" is an epic, action-packed romance set against the ill-fated maiden voyage of the R.M.S. Titanic; the pride and joy of the White Star Line and, at the time, the largest moving object ever built. She was the most luxurious liner of her era -- the "ship of dreams" -- which ultimately carried over 1,500 people to their death in the ice-cold waters of the North Atlantic in the early hours of April 15, 1912."

While the world witnessed a cultural phenomenon on their screens, the movie sold 128 million tickets in the US alone upon its release.

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Titanic's Grand Voyage and billion dollar box office triumph

At a time when cinema-goers have finally started looking at the box office records once again, it becomes essential to take a look at the first film ever to scale a $1 billion return at the box office. Upon its release, James Cameron's Titanic earned $674.3 million in North America alone.

Released on December 19, 1997, Titanic was a cinematic masterpiece in production, cast, and execution. The movie took audiences on a journey back in time and showcased a first-hand simulated experience of voyagers on the ill-fated maiden voyage of RMS Titanic in 1912.

The film's narrative was built around a love story between two characters from two social classes - Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet).

The production scale of the movie was entirely dependent on the $200 million budget as Cameron not only reconstructed a near-exact replica of the vessel but also paid attention to every detail regarding the intricacies of the costumes and the sets. The crew shot in the Atlantic Ocean 12 times in 1995 and used submersibles to access the deep-sea wreck.

Titanic was reissued in 2012, 2017, and 2023 with a 3D conversion of the film in IMAX, 4DX, and 4K HDR. Overall, the film collected $2.257 billion in total worldwide. According to Box Office Mojo, the Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio starrer also became the fifth-highest-grossing film of all time domestically after inflation adjustment.

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More on Titanic's reception and box office collection

As cinema has finally witnessed its rejuvenation after the COVID pandemic and cinemas are looking at crowds over the weekends with Barbie's recent entry to the billion-dollar club, Titanic remained the highest-grossing movie for almost thirteen years. The record was broken by Cameron's Avatar in 2010.

Being the first film to surpass the billion-dollar mark, the film not only focused on the cinematic appeal but also shed light on class differences, sacrifice, and acts of heroism at the time.

Cameron's Titanic continues generating revenue from its online streams, associated stage adaptations, and video games. Titanic won 11 out of 14 Academy Awards nominations to set a record for the most Academy Awards won by a film so far.