The Highest Grossing Films of the 2010s
A jam-packed decade of movies has come to a close, and although only a few films get to be the belle of the ball when it comes to award season, plenty of others made some serious bank at the box office. Marvel and Disney churned out some big money makers — clearly audiences were more than a little hungry for superheroes — but they weren’t the only players in the game.
The box office numbers for many films in the last decade will blow your mind. Take a look at the highest grossing movies of the 2010s.
30. Joker – $1,066,591,255
Released in October 2019, Joker is a psychological thriller that tells the origin story of the notorious comic book villain from a never-before-seen perspective. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as troubled protagonist Arthur Fleck, a failed comedian who has descended into insanity, the film shocked audiences with its disturbing scenes of mental illness and violence.
The film broke box office records, becoming the highest grossing R-rated film of all time and the most profitable film based on a comic book due to its lower production budget. In terms of overall profit, it generated the impressively large sum of $1,066,591,255.
29. Toy Story 3 – $1,068,879,522
The first of many sequels on our list, Toy Story 3 arrived in theaters at the start of the decade and welcomed audiences back into a much-loved fictitious toy world. Telling the tale of what happens to toys once a child grows up, this installment saw Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang accidentally donated to a daycare.
In terms of box office success, the film earned $1,068,879,522 worldwide. To put that in perspective, that is more than the previous two films combined. It also set a new record for the highest grossing animated film, surpassing the previous record held by 2004’s Shrek 2.
28. Toy Story 4 – $1,073,394,813
Nearly 10 years after the success of Toy Story 3, the fourth film in the franchise was released in 2019 and managed to surpass its predecessors yet again in terms of box office success. This time, the story followed the toys on a road trip with their new owner, Bonnie.
Although it didn’t outperform the previous film by much, Toy Story 4 raked in an impressive $1,073,394,813, making it the third highest grossing animation release of all time. Now the question on everybody’s minds is will there be a Toy Story 5?
27. The Dark Knight Rises – $1,084,439,099
Directed and written by acclaimed artist Christopher Nolan, whose work has earned him 34 Oscar nominations and 10 wins, The Dark Knight Rises is the final installment in The Dark Knight Trilogy. Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne, played by Christian Bale, is forced to become Batman again in order to prevent a nuclear disaster.
Initially projected to produce an even higher box office turnout, the film brought in $1,084,439,099. The lower than expected numbers most likely resulted from the tragic mass shooting that occurred at a midnight premiere of the movie in Colorado.
26. Transformers: Age of Extinction – $1,104,054,072
This fourth installment in the Transformers series evidently didn’t fail to pique audience interest, as it produced a cool $1,104,054,072 worldwide, making it both the only film of 2014 to earn more than $1 billion and the most profitable film of the year after subtracting production costs.
The sci-fi action flick introduced a totally new cast of human characters as well as new Transformers, including the Dinobots. This time around, movie veterans Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci starred, and Michael Bay was behind the camera once again as the director. (He directed the first three films as well.)
25. Skyfall – $1,110,526,981
The world can’t get enough of James Bond, that’s for sure. As number 23 in the long line of Bond films, Skyfall impressed audiences with its stunning visuals and sultry new Adele song to top it off. With Daniel Craig returning for the third time as the title character, what’s not to love?
At the box office, the movie made $1,110,526,981 worldwide, making it the second highest grossing film of 2012. Earning $80.6 million in its first weekend alone, the film set records internationally in the U.K. and Switzerland.
24. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $1,123,794,079
Also directed by Michael Bay, this third installment in the Transformers series starred America’s beloved wildcard, Shia LaBeouf, along with Josh Duhamel and John Turturro. The film was notable for its use of then highly innovative 3D camera techniques along with more advanced special effects that kept the audience highly engaged.
Perhaps excited by the new technologies employed, audiences turned out in higher numbers than they had for any other Transformers film, and it made $1,123,794,079 at the box office. It was the second highest grossing film overall in 2011.
23. Captain Marvel – $1,129,729,839
Captain Marvel premiered this past year as the 21st film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the first with a female protagonist. Starring Brie Larson, the movie was first conceived in 2013 and written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.
Although it wasn’t as financially successful as some other Marvel films on the list, the box office turn out was more than respectable, with a total of $1,129,729,839 in ticket sales. Thanks to those numbers, it became the first female-led superhero movie to ever make more than $1 billion.
22. Spider-Man: Far from Home – $1,131,927,996
A sequel to 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far from Home is the 23rd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tom Holland returned to star as our hero, who got recruited to do what he does best on a school field trip to Europe. Of course, high school romance was in play as well.
Audiences responded well to the film’s use of humor and special effects, and the box office hit $1,131,927,996. With that amount in sales, the movie surpassed Skyfall and became Sony Pictures highest grossing film to date.
21. Aquaman – $1,146,894,640
Finally giving Marvel a run for their money, DC Comics released Aquaman in 2018 to huge fanfare and success. Directed by James Wan and starring Jason Momoa from Game of Thrones fame in the title role, the film followed Aquaman as he headed to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis to become its leader.
Overall, the movie was a slam dunk for DC, making $1,146,894,640. That figure made it the highest grossing film in the DCEU and the most profitable film ever made about a DC character. Not too shabby, but it still wasn’t quite as successful as most Marvel flicks.
20. Captain America: Civil War – $1,153,284,349
The 13th film in the MCU and a sequel to its 2011 and 2014 Captain America predecessors, Captain America: Civil War stars Chris Evans in the title role. The plot focused on a disagreement among the Avengers that created a huge division.
The highest grossing film of 2016 and the fourth highest grossing superhero film of all time, the movie made $1,153,284,349 at the box office. Deadline Hollywood even included it on their list of “Most Valuable Blockbusters,” based on calculations that included profits, production costs and talent participation.
19. Minions – $1,160,336,173
A spin-off prequel to the Despicable Me franchise first introduced in 2010, Minions is beloved by viewers of all ages, despite the fact that it’s a children’s film. With big-name voices like Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm and Michael Keaton, the film gives everyone something to enjoy.
That fact becomes even clearer when we look at the box office numbers. In worldwide cinemas, Minions earned $1,160,336,173 and topped box offices for three consecutive weekends. It also became the fifth highest grossing filming for Universal Pictures.
18. Iron Man 3 – $1,215,392,272
The seventh film in the MCU, Iron Man 3 brought back a fan favorite superhero who worked to right the wrongs occurring during a national terrorism campaign in the U.S. Starring Robert Downey Jr. in the title role alongside Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle, the film premiered in Paris in April 2013.
At the box office, audiences evidently weren’t disappointed, as the film brought in $1,215,392,272 in total, making more than the first two Iron Man films combined. On its opening day alone, the film made $68.9 million.
17. The Fate of the Furious – $1,238,764,765
A sequel to 2015’s Furious 7, this film stars Vin Diesel once again as lead, Dominic Toretto, whose settled-down life was interrupted by a cyberterrorist who coerced him into working for her. Directed by famed music video director F. Gary Gray, this sequel in the franchise was a smashing hit.
The success of the sequel was clear at the box office too, making a total of $1,238,764,765 worldwide. The film was also notable for being only the third film of all time to make more than $500 million in its opening weekend.
16. Incredibles 2 – $1,242,805,359
An action-packed yet heartwarming film that really has something for the whole family, Incredibles 2 was a much-anticipated sequel that fans had almost given up on ever seeing. Dreams came true in 2018, however, and no one who made the trip to the theater was disappointed in the least.
Previously, a retired Mr. Incredible went back into action without Mrs. Incredible’s knowledge, but this film takes the opposite approach with Elastigirl drawn back into the life of a superhero. Riding on the reputation of the original film, the film made $1,242,805,359 in total, nearly doubling the $633 million made in the entire theatrical run of The Incredibles.
15. Beauty and the Beast – $1,263,521,126
In this live-action revamp of the Disney classic, Emma Watson starred as Belle, a village girl on a quest to save her father from a (not-so) terrifying beast. Audiences were blown away by the film’s ability to breathe new life into Disney’s 1991 animated classic.
Directed by Bill Condon, the 2017 remake of this story of love, trust and forgiveness, enchanted audiences all over again, making $1,263,521,126 at the box office. Even Dan Stevens, the actor who played Beast, was touched by the movie, saying his favorite song was “Days in the Sun.”
14. Frozen – $1,272,446,886
Inspired by Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale “The Snow Queen,” Frozen starred Kristen Bell as a brave princess trying to find and save her sister. The 2013 movie enchanted children and parents alike. It has been praised for its forward-thinking plot and character choices, and it scored 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.
This success can be seen in its gross of $1,272,446,886 at the box office and the overwhelming success of its main song, Let It Go. When interviewed, Kristen Bell said, “I did not know that people would not let it go. No pun intended.”
13. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – $1,308,470,988
In this 2018 sequel, viewers travel back once again to the fictional island of Isla Nublar. Chris Pratt as Owen and Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire set out to save the remaining dinosaur population on the island from an erupting volcano. With filming taking place in Hawaii and the U.K., the visuals entranced fans while CGI action brought viewers face-to-face with prehistoric monsters.
Under the direction of Juan Antonio García Bayona and executive producer Steven Spielberg, this Jurassic classic made a volcanic $1,308,470,988 at the box office. Not too shabby for a sequel!
12. Star Wars: The Last Jedi – $1,332,539,889
This 2017 installment in the Star Wars series starred Daisy Ridley as young wannabe-Jedi Rey, who finally located an elderly, isolated Luke Skywalker to get his help. The star-studded cast even included Britain’s Princes Harry and William in cameo appearances as storm troopers!
Rian Johnson’s highly hyped film was well received by critics, scoring 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and making $1,332,539,889 at the box office, yet many longtime fans were left disappointed. The graphics were laudable, and the movie was described as stunning and bold, ending with a gripping plot twist. As Mark Hamill said of his role as Luke Skywalker, “This is not going to go the way you think.”
11. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II – $1,341,693,157
The much-awaited Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, was the eighth and final segment in the Harry Potter series. The movie focused on Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) finally battling his archenemy, Lord Voldemort.
The movie went down extremely well with fans, who widely agreed that it brought the Potter saga to a visually rich and satisfying end, remaining true to the plot of the book on which it was based. At the box office, the movie made a whopping $1,341,693,157, a whole $400,000,000 more than what the franchise made for Part 1.
10. Black Panther – $1,346,913,161
In 2018, Black Panther, a.k.a. Prince T’Challa, expanded on his supporting role from Captain America: Civil War in the 18th film in the MCU. The titular hero and prince, played by Chadwick Boseman, fought to save Wakanda, his technologically-advanced African nation, from an ancient, insidious enemy.
This hotly anticipated movie featured strong, fierce women, martial artists, and Broadway dancers. Interestingly, no scenes in the film were shot in Africa. Director Ryan Coogler opted instead to shoot in Georgia. Fans were not disappointed. The opening weekend brought in $500 million worldwide, and the film grossed $1,346,913,161 overall.
9. Frozen II – $1,370,871,690
We follow Snow Queen Elsa on a journey of adventure and self-discovery in the enchanted forest and seas beyond her kingdom in this eagerly anticipated sequel to Frozen. Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel reprised their roles as sisters in this 3D computer-animated musical fantasy film and sang alongside musical greats Kacey Musgraves, Evan Rachel Wood and Panic! at the Disco.
This touching film, directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, warmed the hearts of many viewers and brought in $1,370,871,690 in box office revenues. It also made a record-breaking $8.5 million on its Thursday previews.
8. Avengers: Age of Ultron – $1,403,013,963
In this 2015 star-studded superhero bonanza, the Avengers reconvened to face a new terrible threat: Ultron. The deadly artificial intelligence system created by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner turned on them and sought to wipe out mankind.
This cinematic powerhouse, directed by Joss Whedon and starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson, took the box office by storm, grossing a massive $1,403,013,963. Fans were drawn to the film’s eye-popping visuals and thrilling storyline. As the 21st film in history to make more than $1 billion, this Marvel giant didn’t fail to impress.
7. Furious 7 – $1,518,722,794
The seventh movie in the Fast & Furious franchise, Furious 7, came skidding onto screens in 2015 with more burning rubber, engine oil and high-speed action than ever before. The movie starred Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson, among others, and followed the crew as they returned to the United States after receiving amnesty for past crimes.
Unfortunately, they soon found themselves targeted by a rogue special forces assassin. With James Wan injecting fresh vitality into the franchise, the high horsepower adventure drew in massive crowds, earning $1,518,722,794 at the box office.
6. The Avengers – $1,518,812,988
In this modern superhero classic, Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, pulled together a group of heroes called “The Avengers” to rescue the world from the fearsome Loki. The movie became the first in a series of superpowered greats that continue to wow audiences across the globe.
Directed by Joss Whedon, it starred Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. as well as other superhero heavyweights. The movie captured the imagination of millions of fans while proving to be a massive success at the box office, making a huge $1,518,812,988.
5. Jurassic World – $1,648,854,864
Jurassic dinosaurs returned to screens for the fourth time in 2015’s Jurassic World, with Jurassic World 2 following in its dino-prints soon after it. Clearly, there’s plenty of life left in those old dinosaur bones.
Under the direction of Colin Trevorrow, the movie featured the creation of a new dinosaur theme park built on the remains of the doomed Jurassic Park — you know, because everything went so well the first time. Starting with the escape of a new hybrid dinosaur, mayhem ensues once again. Making a monstrous $1,648,854,864 at the box office, Jurassic World proved that interest in dino-fantasy is far from extinct.
4. The Lion King – $1,656,313,097
In a stellar moment in cinematic history, 2019 saw the Disney Classic The Lion King return to the big screen in a photorealistic, computer-animated remake. Simba’s quest was relived, taking viewers on a journey of loss, life and coming of age as he sought to regain his throne. The new life-like format provided viewers with a CGI masterclass and was visually stunning.
The much-acclaimed Jon Favreau served as director for the return of the king of the jungle. In regal fashion, the film made a mighty $1,656,313,097 at the worldwide box office.
3. Avengers: Infinity War – $2,048,359,754
Another entry from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Infinity War brought in a stunning $2,048,359,754 at the box office. The intergalactic warlord Thanos was determined to get his hands on the infinity stones to wipe out half of humanity. The superhero team determined to stop him included Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Tom Holland as Spider-Man and Chris Hemsworth as Thor.
Directing brothers Anthony and Joe Russo created a movie with super-sized sets, sharp one-liners and sudden, tragic deaths. Audiences praised the film’s special effects, action and intensity.
2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens – $2,068,223,624
In a galaxy far, far away, good and evil battled once again as a new order threatened to destroy the new republic. Star Wars fans were far from disappointed with this intergalactic adventure, as shown by its huge gross of $2,068,223,624 at the box office.
With Daisy Ridley (Rey), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), the late Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) leading the way, the film had everything director JJ Abrams needed to create an instant classic that could stand next to the other films in the previous two Star Wars sagas.
1. Avengers: Endgame – $2,797,800,564
The highest grossing film of the past decade, Avengers: Endgame is the 22nd film in the MCU, and it offered a satisfying finale to Marvel’s Phase Three, launched in 2016 with Captain America: Civil War. The film took in a staggering $2,797,800,564 in box office revenue and earned some Oscar nods at the 2020 Academy Awards.
In this must-watch movie, the Avengers reunited to reverse the damage Thanos inflicted during Infinity War. The acting team included Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr., with brothers Joe and Anthony Russo directing. The result was an epic story of love, loss, duty, honor, friendship and family.
