Movie Box Office Record Breakers
Jurassic World Records
Since being released two weeks ago Jurassic World has been smashing records like an I-Rex in a china shop. It kicked off with the biggest opening weekend in the US ever and since then has has set records for biggest three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine and 10 day grosses as well as becoming the fastest film to reach $250M, $300M, $350M and $400M (all based on US box office). It is currently the 16th most lucrative movie ever made (in terms of worldwide box office) and racing up the chart.
But it hasnt broken every box office record. Over the next few pages we look at some records it could still set its sights on, as well as some it hasnt a hope of toppling.
Figures courtesy of Box Office Mojo, Box Office Guru and The Numbers.
The Biggest Box Office Money-Spinners Worldwide
1 Avatar (2009) $2.8 billion
2 Titanic (1997) $2.2 billion
3 Marvel's Avengers Assemble (2012) $1.52 billion
4 Furious 7 (2015) $1.51 billion*
5 Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) $1.4 billion*
6 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011) $1.3billion
7 Frozen (2013) $1.3 billion
8 Iron Man 3 (2013) $1.2 billion
9 Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) $1.12 billion
10 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) $1.11 billion
* Still on release, final totals will be higher
US Biggest Box Office Money-Spinners Adjusted For Inflation
1 Gone with the Wind (1939)
2 Star Wars (1977)
3 The Sound of Music (1965)
4 E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
5 Titanic (1997)
6 The Ten Commandments (1956)
7 Jaws (1975)
8 Doctor Zhivago (1965)
9 The Exorcist (1973)
10 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
This is based on US box office only, and were only giving relative positions.
Worldwide Box Office Number Ones Of All Time Since 1939
The films since 1939 that have been able to claim theyre the most lucrative film of all time (until they were beaten)
Gone With The Wind (1939)
The Godfather (1972)
Jaws (1975)
Star Wars (1977)
ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Titanic (1997)
Avatar (2009)
Biggest Grossing UK Film Worldwide
Skyfall (2010) $1.1 billion
These days its tricky defining exactly what makes a British film but the Bond blockbuster is generally regarded as a Britflick notwithstanding the geographical origins of the production and distribution companies behind it. If you stretch the definition even more you could say Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011) with $1.3 billion deserves the accolade. If you hone the definition down further, then you could argue that The Kings Speech (2010) is the winner at $414,211,549. Or taking the definition right down to no overseas investment at all then you get The Inbetweeners Movie (2012) with $87,989,781.
Biggest Grossing Independent Movie Worldwide
The Passion Of The Christ (2004) $622 million
Again, definitions of what makes an indie film vary wildly but in this case theres no disputing the winner, either in terms of its indie-ness or box office numbers*. Financed by director Mel Gibson himself before hed even secured a distributor, Passion went on to become a massive world wide hit and is still the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever in the States as well.
(*Unless youre George Lucas, who claimed that Star Wars Episodes I, II, III, V and VI were all essentially very, very big independent movies he certainly ploughed a lot of his own money into them.)
Biggest Grossing Film Never To Make Number One At The US Box Office
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) $368.7 million worldwide
The Joel Zwick-directed romantic comedy, which allegedly cost just $6 million to make, became one of the most profitable films of all time and the second-highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time despite never making number one at the US box office. Though this may all change imminently see the next page.
Biggest US Opening For A Movie Not At Number One
Inside Out (2015) $91.1 million first weekend
Normally $91.1 million would be more than enough to secure number one at the US box office but Pixars latest, the highly acclaimed Inside Out was released against the second weekend for box office juggernaut Jurassic World which remained at number one with a colossal $106.6 million in takings.
Biggest Opening Weekend Worldwide
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011) $483.2 million
Films being released on the same date around the world is now more common than it used to be so this looks like a record waiting to be toppled.
Most Weeks At Number One At The US Box Office
ET The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) 16 weeks
Gandhi may have beaten Spielbergs film at the Oscars for Best Picture, but even Gandhi director Richard Attenborough, admitted, "I was certain that not only would ET win, but that it should win." ET won the battle at the box office, though.
Biggest Grossing Animated Movie
Frozen (2013) $1.3 billion
For many years The Lion King (1994) held this title. Then in 2010 Toy Story 3 took the honours for just a few short years until Disneys earworm-filled twist on The Snow Queen shot to number one.
Biggest Grossing Non-English Language Film Worldwide
The Intouchables (2011) $427 million
The critically-hammered French comedy drama about the friendship between a handicap millionaire and his street smart ex-con caretaker became an unlikely international sensation beating more familiar title Life Is Beautiful ($229 million) into second place and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ($214 million) into third.
The Winners On Those Special Days
The Americans love comparing box office taking on key days during the years. So here are a few of the winners so far:
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
Third Monday of January
American Sniper (2014) $107,211,457
SUPER BOWL
A sunday in late January/early February
Hannah Montana (2009) $31,117,834
PRESIDENT'S DAY
Third Monday of February
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) $93,010,350
EASTER
Spring, varies according to arcane theological determination
Furious 7 (2015) $147,187,040
MEMORIAL DAY
Last Monday in May
Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (2007) $139,802,190
INDEPENDENCE DAY
4 July
Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (2011) $97,852,865
LABOR DAY
First Monday in September
Halloween (2007) $30,591,759
HALLOWEEN
31 October
Saw III (2006) $33,610,391
THANKSGIVING
Fourth Thursday of November (and stretching out over the subsequent weekend)
3-DAY OPENINGS
Frozen (2013) $67,391,326
THANKSGIVING 3-DAY - ALL MOVIES
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) $74,179,601
THANKSGIVING 5-DAY OPENINGS
Frozen (2013) $93,590,387
THANKSGIVING 5-DAY - ALL MOVIES
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire(2013) $109,939,340
Monthly Champs
And here are the current champions for each month at the US box office:
JANUARY
American Sniper (2014) $89,269,066
FEBRUARY
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) $85,171,450
MARCH
The Hunger Games (2012) $152,535,747
APRIL
Furious 7 (2015) $147,187,040
MAY
Avengers Assemble (2012) $207,438,708
JUNE
Jurassic World (2015) $208,806,270
JULY
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011) $169,189,427
AUGUST
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) $94,320,883
SEPTEMBER
Hotel Transylvania (2012) $42,522,194
OCTOBER
Gravity (2013) $55,785,112
NOVEMBER
The Hunger Ganes: Catching Fire (2013) $158,074,286
DECEMBER
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) $84,617,303