The highest-grossing movies of all time may not necessarily be the best films, they are undeniably ones that have had a major impact on pop culture. From Avatar to Avengers, they made bank at the box office and left a mark on a generation of moviegoers
We've brought together the 30 highest-grossing movies of all time, adjusted for inflation – Avatar is the highest grossing movie not adjusted to inflation but instead comes second here when you take into account the changing value of the American dollar. Spider-Man: No Way Home is the most recent entries to break into our list, proving that there's still plenty of life left in cinema. Expect Avatar: The Way of Water to crack the top 30 in the coming weeks too as it inches towards the $2 billion mark.
1. Gone with the Wind
Director(s): Victor Fleming, George Cukor (uncredited), Sam Wood(uncredited)
Stars: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Thomas Mitchell, Barbara O'Neil
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $3.9 billion
Widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made, Gone With The Wind is the quintessential love story. Set during the American Civil War, it follows a plantation owner’s daughter’s quest for love, with iconic performances from Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable. Its depictions of race are problematic, though Gone with the Wind remains a part of cinematic history.
2. Avatar
Director(s): James Cameron
Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $3.5 billion
Cameron’s technological masterpiece spearheaded the rise of 3D films, creating a cinematic experience like no other upon its release in 2009. Set in the mid 22nd Century, humans are colonising the moon of Pandora to mine unobtainium, but the impact on the local Na’vi tribe leads to conflict and courtship. A 2022 re-release helped boster its box office takings further, cementing it as the highest grossing movie of all time when not adjusting for inflation
3. Titanic (1997)
Director(s): James Cameron
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $3.2 billion
Cameron recreated the final voyage of the fateful Titanic in this breathtaking blockbuster. It was the love story between Jack and Rose that captured the public’s imagination and resulted in 11 Oscars, an unforgettable lead song, and the first film to ever make over $1 billion at the box office.
4. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
Director(s): George Lucas
Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $3 billion
The movie that launched a franchise like no other, A New Hope sees Luke Skywalker take on the Galactic Empire in an attempt to rescue Princess Leia. The film won seven Oscars, created a cult following, spawned multiple sequels and prequels, and made Lucas, Hamill, Ford, and Fischer all household names.
5. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Director(s): Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $2.9 billion
The 22nd movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe climaxed in the eponymous superheroes’ battle with Thanos. Endgame became the highest grossing box office movie of all time (not adjusted to inflation) upon its release, and took only five days to pass the $1 billion mark.
6. The Sound of Music (1965)
Director(s): Robert Wise
Stars: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $2.6 billion
The story of Maria and the von Trapp family struck a chord with audiences worldwide, becoming the highest grossing movie of all time upon its release, and bagging it five Academy Awards in the process. The soundtrack – written by Rodgers and Hammerstein – would go on to become one of the best-selling movie soundtracks in history.
7. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Director(s): Steven Spielberg
Stars: Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote, Dee Wallace
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $2.6 billion
Based loosely on the imaginary friend Speilberg created when his parents divorced, E.T. is a tale of friendship and courage. The story follows Elliot and his attempts to help E.T. return home, and as well as winning four Oscars it is widely considered one of the best sci-fi movies ever made.
8. The Ten Commandments (1956)
Director(s): Cecil B. DeMille
Stars: Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $2.4 billion
Starring Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner, The Ten Commandments follows Moses and his exodus to Mount Sinai. It was the most expensive movie ever made at the time, and was director Cecil B. DeMille’s final movie. It was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress in 1999.
9. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
Director(s): David Lean
Stars: Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $2.3 billion
Based on Boris Pasternak’s 1957 novel, Doctor Zhivago is an epic love story set around the years of World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. It follows the story of Yuri, a man torn between his love for two women, and picked up five Oscars, despite losing out to The Sound of Music for Best Picture.
10. Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
Director(s): J.J. Abrams
Stars: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Harrison Ford
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $2.3 billion
Ten years after the prequel trilogy concluded, the first instalment of the sequel trilogy hit the big screen to great fanfare. Thirty years since the Galactic Civil War, the New Republic – with the Resistance loyally by its side – finds itself threatened by the First Order.
11. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Director(s): William Cottrell, David Hand, Wilfred Jackson, Larry Morey, Perce Pearce, Ben Sharpsteen
Stars: Adriana Caselotti, Harry Stockwell, Lucille La Verne, Roy Atwell
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $2.15 billion
Regarded as one of the best animated films of all time, Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarves is a family-friendly take on the Brothers Grimm tale. Forced to flee from her home by her wicked stepmother, Snow White stumbles across the home of seven dwarves. Their attempts to protect her from danger, however, aren’t enough to save her from her stepmother’s evil fury.
12. Jurassic Park (1993)
Director(s): Steven Spielberg
Stars: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $2.1 billion
This pioneering dinosaur romp changed filmmaking forever when it stomped into cinemas across the globe in the early '90s. In their wisdom a team of scientists backed by a wealthy entrepreneur have bred dinosaurs and placed them in a theme park on a remote island. When a tropical storm hits a T-rex escapes its enclosure, unleashing a wave of chaos that threatens to consume an unfortunate group of visitors.
13. Jaws (1975)
Director(s): Steven Spielberg
Stars: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $2.1 billion
Set in the quaint seaside town of Amity Island, this classic horror pits a local police chief against a great white with a taste for unwitting swimmers. Hailed as one of the greatest films ever made, Jaws won three Oscars, including Best Original Dramatic Score for an iconic theme that still terrifies viewers today.
14. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Director(s): Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $2.05 billion
With the world once again threatened by an intergalactic maniac, Avengers: Infinity War forces the Avengers to confront their most dangerous foe to date: Thanos, a superstrong, superfast mutant who will stop at nothing to collect the Infinity Stones that will enable him to rule the galaxy.
15. The Exorcist (1973)
Director(s): William Friedkin
Stars: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $2 billion
Widely regarded as one of the best horror movies of all time, The Exorcist won two Oscars and was added to the National Film Registry for its terrifying depiction of the exorcism of a 12-year-old girl possessed by the devil. At the time of its release, it provoked outrage and the film wasn’t available on video in the UK until 1991.
16. 101 Dalmatians (1961)
Director(s): Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, Wolfgang Reitherman
Stars: Rod Taylor, Betty Lou Gerson, J. Pat O'Malley, Martha Wentworth
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.95 billion
When Pongo and Perdita’s 15 puppies are stolen by the wealthy Cruella De Vil, the two Dalmatians set out to rescue their babies, but end up with more than they bargained for – 84 extra puppies, to be precise. Upon its first release it was celebrated as the best Disney film since Snow White, and was re-released several times over the decades.
17. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Director(s): Jon Watts
Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.91 billion
The MCU's multiversal mash-up saw Tom Holland's Spider-Man team up with previous iterations of the character to face off against some of his biggest cinematic villains. That concept instantly struck a chord with fans, clocking up nearly $2 billion at the box office during one of the toughest eras for cinema and without a release in China.
18. The Lion King (1994)
Director(s): Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
Stars: Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Whoopi Goldberg
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.9 billion
Without a doubt one of Disney’s most enduringly popular films, The Lion King follows cub Simba as he exiles himself from his pride, convinced that he caused his father’s death, where he meets new friends who help him see the truth. As well as being a box office success, the film won two Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Original Song. Inevitable, really, with Hans Zimmer and Elton John involved.
19. Jurassic World (2015)
Director(s): Colin Trevorrow
Stars: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Judy Greer
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.85 billion
Despite the catastrophic events of Jurassic Park some two decades prior, a dinosaur theme park has somehow been open and running for the past ten years on Isla Nublar. However, experimental tests have created a genetically modified dinosaur that somehow manages to escape its enclosure and wreak havoc on the park.
20. The Jungle Book (1967)
Director(s): Wolfgang Reitherman, James Algar, Jack Kinney
Stars: Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima, Bruce Reitherman
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.8 billion
The classic story of the boy raised by wolves was a huge hit at the box office upon its release. Following Mowgali’s reluctant journey to the man village, the catchy songs, and lovable characters have struck a chord with audiences for decades. It was also the last film produced by Walt Disney, who sadly passed away during the film’s production.
21. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
Director(s): George Lucas
Stars: Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.8 billion
While the Star Wars prequels have received a bad rap over the years, there can be no arguing with their box office popularity. Arriving in cinemas almost 16 years after the release of the Return of the Jedi, fans of the franchise were understandably excited to discover the origins of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker’s stories.
22. Ben-Hur (1959)
Director(s): William Wyler
Stars: Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Stephen Boyd, Haya Harareet
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.8 billion
Famous for its chariot race sequence, this epic historical drama won an incredible 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, while Charlton Heston picked up the Best Actor award for his portrayal of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince forced into slavery, who seeks freedom and vengeance against the childhood friend who betrayed him.
23. Avengers Assemble (2012)
Director(s): Joss Whedon
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.75 billion
Avengers Assemble pits a stellar cast of superheroes led by Samuel L Jackson against Thor’s brother, Loki, who wields a cube that is less rubix, more planet-threatening. Divided by their enemy, can the team unite and save the world from destruction?
24. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Director(s): Peter Jackson
Stars: Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellan, Orlando Bloom
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.7-1.75 billion
The last instalment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy succeeded where the other two failed: it won that year’s Oscar for Best Picture. The story concludes Frodo’s perilous journey into Mordor while Sauron’s evil forces wage war against Gondor.
25. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Director(s): Irvin Kershner
Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.7-1.75 billion
Worth watching for the plot twist alone, The Empire Strikes Back achieved the rare feat of being arguably better than its predecessor. Centred around Darth Vader’s efforts to put an end to the Rebel Alliance’s ringleaders and Luke’s struggles to master the Force, the second instalment in the original trilogy received two Oscars, including a Special Achievement Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
26. Independence Day (1996)
Director(s): Roland Emmerich
Stars: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.7-1.75 billion
When a colossal UFO mothership enters Earth’s orbit and despatches a horde of spacecraft primed to destroy the world’s major cities, it seems humanity has met its match. Thankfully, fighter pilot Steven Hiller has a plan to infiltrate the mother ship on 4 July and destroy it from the inside.
27. The Lion King (2019)
Director(s): Jon Favreau
Stars: Donald Glover, Beyoncé, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.725 billion
This live action remake of Disney’s 1994 animated classic combines a stellar cast with the much-loved songs of the original. It tells the story of young lion prince Simba as he flees his home following the murder of his father, Mufasa, before returning years later to reclaim his kingdom.
28. Fast & Furious 7 (2015)
Director(s): James Wan
Stars: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.65 billion
A rogue assassin seeks vengeance on the team for taking down his younger brother, Owen Shaw. Tragically Paul Walker died in a car accident halfway through filming, with the remainder of his scenes filmed using his brothers as stand-ins and digitally re-creating his face. The film won several awards for its song "See You Again", an emotional tribute to the film’s late star.
29. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)
Director(s): Chris Columbus
Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Richard Harris
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.6 billion
When the Harry Potter books became a global phenomenon, it wasn’t long until Hollywood came knocking. The first instalment in the series follows young Harry Potter on his first foray into the wizarding world as a pupil at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. However, dangers from his mysterious past aren’t far behind, and the truth about his existence threatens to ruin his new magical life.
30. Cinderella (1950)
Director(s): Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Stars: Ilene Woods, James MacDonald, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton
How much it made (adjusted for inflation): $1.575 billion
Based on Charles Perrault’s famous fairytale of the same name, Cinderella was Disney’s 12th animated feature film. A quintessential love story, it follows the rags-to-riches tale of Cinderella as she is rescued from her unhappy existence by her Prince Charming and the two go on to live happily ever after.
So, how many of those have you seen? All of them?! Crickey. Then why not check out our lists of the best Netflix movies and best movies on Disney Plus.
