Top 10 highest-grossing movies worldwide

Global cinema is a vast and evolving landscape - a convergence of peak creativity and a pursuit of box-office earnings. There’s certainly a link between the most well-crafted movies and the biggest, most successful hits. Good filmmaking is rewarded commercially, like in any free market. And good films don’t just entertain their audience while they rake in the moolah; they change the way we think and see the world.

Top 10 highest-grossing Hollywood films worldwide

This article digs into the top 10 highest-grossing films that intrigued audiences worldwide, per Box Office Mojo.

Movie name	Year of release	Worldwide lifetime gross
#1 Avatar	2009	$2.92 billion
#2 Avengers: Endgame	2019	$2.79 billion
#3 Avatar: The Way of Water	2022	$2.32 billion
#4 Titanic	1997	$2.26 billion
#5 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens	2015	$2.07 billion
#6 Avengers: Infinity War	2018	$2.05 billion
#7 Spider-Man: No Way Home	2021	$1.92 billion
#8 Jurassic World	2015	$1.67 billion
#9 Inside Out 2	2024	$1.66 billion
#10 The Lion King	2019	$1.66 billion

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Here’s a closer look at the top ten films that have successfully made billions of dollars at the box office worldwide. Four of these ten movies belong to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU): Avengers and Spider-Man.

Avatar (2009)

• Director: James Cameron

James Cameron’s groundbreaking sci-fi epic fascinated movie fans with its stunning visuals and immersive cinematographic world. The story follows a paraplegic marine who faces a conflict between his mission and his newfound connection to Pandora, the alien world of the Na'vi, which he now feels is his home. It is a megahit with a massive box office success, grossing over $2.92 billion and topping the all-time highest-grossing films list.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

• Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

The highly awaited superhero movie of all time is the conclusion of the Infinity Saga in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, following the storyline of the previous 21 movies. The Avengers: Endgame brought together the mighty superheroes to undo the devastating events of Infinity War. It is the second highest-grossing film, with over $2.79 billion collected globally. The film delivered some of the best action, satire, and an emotional finale, leaving the fans cheering.

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Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

• Director: James Cameron

James Cameron returned to the secrets of Pandora and delivered a long-awaited sequel to Avatar, 13 years after the original film. The movie revolves around Jake Sully (a paraplegic marine) and his new family, who face threats to save their species and fight to protect their home. As the name suggests, the storyline focuses on stunning underwater visuals that match the immersive cinematography of the first film. With a global box-office collection of $2.32 billion, the film crushes India's box office record with $45.31 million, beating Avenger's Endgame.

Titanic (1997)

• Director: James Cameron

This tragic, romantic movie tells the story of a 17-year-old noblewoman who falls in love with a charming but poor artist aboard the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. Directed by James Cameron, it has breathtaking visuals and a gripping storyline and is loved by people globally. Despite worldwide success, Titanic surprisingly only earned $6.6 million in India.

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Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)

• Director: J J Abrams

The revival of the Star Wars franchise introduced new heroes, such as scavenger Rey and ex-stormtrooper Finn. They must join Han Solo and Chewbacca to fight against the rising threat in the galaxy and search for hope to restore peace. Despite $2.07 billion globally, the movie grossed $4.57 million in India.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

• Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

The Avengers and their allies face the greatest threat and mighty villain, Thanos. They must stop him from collecting all the powerful Infinity Stones and using them to destroy half the universe. The heroes race against time to prevent Thanos from achieving his goal. The blockbuster raked in over $2.05 billion globally, with a total collection of over $43.5 million in India. The action-packed movie’s shocking cliffhanger left all the fans reeling and waiting for the final chapter of the Infinity Saga.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

• Director: Jon Watts

After the previous two MCU’s Spider-Man films, Peter Parker now faces the consequences of his identity being revealed to the public and seeks help from Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). The result unleashes a multiverse of villains and takes us back on a nostalgic adventure, bringing together the different eras of Spider-Man. The movie made a gross collection of over $36.8 million in India and $1.92 billion globally.

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Jurassic World (2015)

• Director: Colin Trevorrow

This Hollywood movie reboots the Jurassic Park franchise and introduces a new theme park, Jurassic World. In Colin Trevorrow’s film, a genetically modified dinosaur escapes containment and goes on a rampage. The leading cast includes Chriss Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. The movie broke records with a gross collection of $1.67 billion.

Inside Out 2 (2024)

• Director: Kelsey Mann

Continuing the House of Mouse dominance at the box office, Inside Out 2 is the highest-grossing animated film ever. It is also the highest-grossing film of 2024 so far. The sequel to Pixar's story about emotions people deal with, Inside Out 2, follows protagonist Riley's coming-of-age. It is a sincere look at how teenagers's emotions change during puberty and how modern life situations shape them. According to Box Office Mojo, the film has collected $1.6 billion at the box office as of August 2024.

The Lion King (2019)

• Director: Jon Favreau

The remake of the Disney classic animated movie into photorealistic animation tells the story of a young lion prince who leaves his kingdom and packs up. Years later, he returns for vengeance, only realising the true meaning of responsibility and bravery. The worldwide collection, this Disney film became India's top grosser with $26.3 million.