100 Top Grossing Movies of All Time

Special Report

Published: July 19, 2017 6:00 am

Last Updated: April 3, 2020 11:32 am

Two films released in 2015 broke the record for largest box office weekend of all time. Thanks to their strong openings, the two films — “Jurassic World” followed by “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” — respectively occupy the fourth and first positions on the list of the highest grossing films of all time.

Neither film breaches the top 10, however, after adjusting for inflation. Classic, older films such as “Doctor Zhivago” and “The Sound of Music” dominate the top films when inflation is taken into account.

Franchise films were not the highest earners until fairly recently. Before the 21st century, war movies, musicals, and sword-and-sandals epics were typically the highest earners. Adjusted for inflation, the 1965 musical drama “The Sound of Music” is the third highest grossing film of all time, and the 1956 biblical epic “The Ten Commandments” is the sixth.

Today, franchises and reboots tend to have the most commercial success. Of the top 20 highest grossing films released after 2000, only three — “Avatar”, “Finding Nemo”, and “The Passion of the Christ” — are neither sequels nor adapted from a pre-existing property.

Click here to see the 100 top grossing films of all time.
Click here to see our detailed findings and methodology.

100. Duel in the Sun
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $451.0 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $75.3 million
> Studio: Selznick International Pictures
> Release year: 1946

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99. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $451.9 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $136.6 million
> Studio: Lionsgate Films
> Release year: 2013

98. Ghost
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $455.0 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $41.2 million
> Studio: Paramount Pictures
> Release year: 1990

97. Toy Story 3
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $461.5 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $224.5 million
> Studio: Buena Vista
> Release year: 2010

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96. Aladdin
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $463.6 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $48.8 million
> Studio: Buena Vista
> Release year: 1992

95. Mrs. Doubtfire
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $465.7 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $42.3 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1993

94. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $472.7 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $156.4 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 2002

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93. Avengers: Age of Ultron
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $473.2 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $258.1 million
> Studio: Buena Vista
> Release year: 2015

92. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $473.2 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $66.0 million
> Studio: Paramount Pictures
> Release year: 1984

91. M.A.S.H.
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $474.6 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $22.1 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1970

90. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $474.6 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $20.0 million
> Studio: United Artists
> Release year: 1975

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89. Swiss Family Robinson
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $475.7 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $41.3 million
> Studio: Walt Disney Studios
> Release year: 1960

88. It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $476.3 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $75.2 million
> Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
> Release year: 1963

87. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $476.5 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $239.6 million
> Studio: Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks Pictures
> Release year: 2009

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86. The Bridge on the River Kwai
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $480.9 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $26.1 million
> Studio: Columbia Pictures
> Release year: 1957

85. Men in Black
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $482.8 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $137.2 million
> Studio: Sony Pictures
> Release year: 1997

84. Twister
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $483.4 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $137.3 million
> Studio: Warner Bros.
> Release year: 1996

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83. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $484.4 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $150.6 million
> Studio: New Line Cinema
> Release year: 2001

82. The Poseidon Adventure
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $485.3 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $29.3 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1972

81. The Best Years of Our Lives
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $486.2 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $26.4 million
> Studio: RKO Pictures
> Release year: 1946

80. Rocky
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $486.6 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $4.3 million
> Studio: United Artists
> Release year: 1976

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79. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $486.8 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $5.5 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1975

78. Lawrence of Arabia
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $489.6 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $121.6 million
> Studio: Columbia Pictures
> Release year: 1962

77. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $491.3 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $80.8 million
> Studio: Columbia Pictures
> Release year: 1977

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76. Lady and the Tramp
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $492.7 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $36.5 million
> Studio: Walt Disney Studios
> Release year: 1955

75. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $494.3 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $172.7 million
> Studio: Warner Bros.
> Release year: 2001

74. West Side Story
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $494.8 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $49.1 million
> Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
> Release year: 1961

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73. Finding Dory
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $496.4 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $203.9 million
> Studio: Buena Vista
> Release year: 2016

72. Smokey and the Bandit
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $502.4 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $17.4 million
> Studio: Universal Pictures
> Release year: 1977

71. Tootsie
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $503.0 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $38.0 million
> Studio: Columbia Pictures
> Release year: 1982

70. Beauty and the Beast
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $504.0 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $160.6 million
> Studio: Buena Vista
> Release year: 2017

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69. Superman
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $507.0 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $206.4 million
> Studio: Warner Bros.
> Release year: 1978

68. The Sixth Sense
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $509.0 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $58.8 million
> Studio: Buena Vista
> Release year: 1999

67. The Dark Knight Rises
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $509.0 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $293.1 million
> Studio: Warner Bros.
> Release year: 2012

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66. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $510.3 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $127.9 million
> Studio: New Line Cinema
> Release year: 2002

65. Back to the Future
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $522.0 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $43.2 million
> Studio: Universal Pictures
> Release year: 1985

64. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $524.4 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $144.1 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 2005

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63. The Passion of the Christ
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $527.8 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $32.4 million
> Studio: Newmarket Films
> Release year: 2004

62. National Lampoon’s Animal House
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $529.4 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $11.3 million
> Studio: Universal Pictures
> Release year: 1978

61. The Greatest Show on Earth
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $530.4 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $36.9 million
> Studio: Paramount Pictures
> Release year: 1952

60. My Fair Lady
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $530.4 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $134.2 million
> Studio: Warner Bros.
> Release year: 1964

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59. Spider-Man 2
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $531.8 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $259.1 million
> Studio: Sony Pictures
> Release year: 2004

58. Cinderella
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $533.1 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $29.4 million
> Studio: Walt Disney Studios
> Release year: 1950

57. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $534.3 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $203.9 million
> Studio: Buena Vista
> Release year: 2016

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56. The Towering Inferno
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $542.6 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $69.5 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1974

55. Finding Nemo
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $544.4 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $125.0 million
> Studio: Buena Vista
> Release year: 2003

54. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $544.9 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $125.0 million
> Studio: New Line Cinema
> Release year: 2003

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53. The Bells of St. Mary’s
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $554.7 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $17.7 million
> Studio: RKO Pictures
> Release year: 1945

52. Batman
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $556.5 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $69.1 million
> Studio: Warner Bros.
> Release year: 1989

51. Blazing Saddles
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $559.0 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $12.9 million
> Studio: Warner Bros.
> Release year: 1974

50. Bambi
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $563.2 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $12.9 million
> Studio: RKO Pictures
> Release year: 1942

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49. Around the World in 80 Days
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $571.2 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $54.0 million
> Studio: United Artists
> Release year: 1956

48. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $571.3 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $273.1 million
> Studio: Buena Vista
> Release year: 2006

47. The Robe
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $578.6 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $45.8 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1953

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46. American Graffiti
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $580.9 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $4.3 million
> Studio: Universal Pictures
> Release year: 1973

45. Airport
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $584.4 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $63.1 million
> Studio: Universal Pictures
> Release year: 1970

44. Goldfinger
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $586.1 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $23.7 million
> Studio: United Artists
> Release year: 1964

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43. Beverly Hills Cop
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $593.6 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $35.3 million
> Studio: Paramount Pictures
> Release year: 1984

42. Cleopatra
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $593.9 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $335.9 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1963

41. Pinocchio
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $595.8 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $43.7 million
> Studio: Walt Disney Studios
> Release year: 1940

40. Home Alone
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $598.8 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $28.1 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1990

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39. Independence Day
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $612.3 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $117.0 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1996

38. Spider-Man
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $614.2 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $189.1 million
> Studio: Sony Pictures
> Release year: 2002

37. Love Story
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $618.8 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $13.9 million
> Studio: Paramount Pictures
> Release year: 1970

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36. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $623.7 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $40.0 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1969

35. Shrek 2
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $628.1 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $90.7 million
> Studio: DreamWorks Pictures
> Release year: 2004

34. Ghostbusters
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $629.2 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $70.7 million
> Studio: Columbia Pictures
> Release year: 1984

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33. Sleeping Beauty
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $642.5 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $50.5 million
> Studio: Walt Disney Studios
> Release year: 1959

32. The Jungle Book
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $651.3 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $29.3 million
> Studio: Walt Disney Studios
> Release year: 1967

31. The Dark Knight
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $658.3 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $210.3 million
> Studio: Warner Bros.
> Release year: 2008

30. Thunderball
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $661.2 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $69.9 million
> Studio: United Artists
> Release year: 1965

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29. The Avengers
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $679.6 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $239.8 million
> Studio: Buena Vista
> Release year: 2012

28. Grease
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $680.4 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $22.5 million
> Studio: Paramount Pictures
> Release year: 1978

27. Mary Poppins
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $691.1 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $47.4 million
> Studio: Walt Disney Studios
> Release year: 1964

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26. Forrest Gump
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $695.0 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $90.8 million
> Studio: Paramount Pictures
> Release year: 1994

25. The Godfather
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $697.7 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $41.0 million
> Studio: Paramount Pictures
> Release year: 1972

24. Jurassic World
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $698.8 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $222.0 million
> Studio: Universal Pictures
> Release year: 2015

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23. Fantasia
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $734.1 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $38.0 million
> Studio: Walt Disney Studios
> Release year: 1940

22. The Graduate
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $756.5 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $22.0 million
> Studio: AVCO Embassy Pictures
> Release year: 1967

21. Raiders of the Lost Ark
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $782.6 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $53.8 million
> Studio: Paramount Pictures
> Release year: 1981

20. The Sting
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $788.0 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $30.3 million
> Studio: Universal Pictures
> Release year: 1973

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19. The Lion King
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $788.1 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $131.0 million
> Studio: Buena Vista
> Release year: 1994

18. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $798.4 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $168.9 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1999

17. Jurassic Park
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $812.6 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $106.7 million
> Studio: Universal Pictures
> Release year: 1993

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16. Return of the Jedi
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $831.5 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $79.9 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1983

15. Avatar
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $859.7 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $484.8 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 2009

14. Ben-Hur
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $866.3 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $126.2 million
> Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
> Release year: 1959

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13. The Empire Strikes Back
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $867.9 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $68.3 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1980

12. 101 Dalmatians
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $883.3 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $32.7 million
> Studio: Walt Disney Studios
> Release year: 1961

11. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $955.7 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $316.0 million
> Studio: Buena Vista
> Release year: 2015

10. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $963.6 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $25.3 million
> Studio: Walt Disney Studios
> Release year: 1937

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9. The Exorcist
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $977.7 million
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $66.1 million
> Studio: Warner Bros.
> Release year: 1973

8. Doctor Zhivago
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $1.1 billion
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $85.5 million
> Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
> Release year: 1965

7. Jaws
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $1.1 billion
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $54.6 million
> Studio: Universal Pictures
> Release year: 1975

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6. The Ten Commandments
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $1.2 billion
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $121.5 million
> Studio: Paramount Pictures
> Release year: 1956

5. Titanic
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $1.2 billion
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $305.0 million
> Studio: Paramount Pictures
> Release year: 1997

4. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $1.3 billion
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $26.6 million
> Studio: Universal Pictures
> Release year: 1982

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3. The Sound of Music
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $1.3 billion
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $63.7 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1965

2. Star Wars
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $1.6 billion
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $44.4 million
> Studio: 20th Century Fox
> Release year: 1977

1. Gone with the Wind
> Domestic box office gross (inflation-adjusted): $1.8 billion
> Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $68.7 million
> Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
> Release year: 1939

Detailed Findings

New technology has likely helped more recent films achieve greater commercial success. IMAX and 3D showings are more expensive than traditional formats and are rising as the preferred format for both filmmakers and moviegoers. The number of 3D screens worldwide has nearly doubled from 45,546 in 2012 to 87,176 in 2016, and the portion of 3D screens as a share of all digital screens rose from 51% to 56%.

While the number of total annual ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada fell by roughly 1.1 billion between 2009 and 2016, the total box office revenue in the region rose by $800 million due to added revenue from 3D tickets.

Increased revenue from 3D ticket sales helped “Avatar” smash box office records upon its release. In 2010, “Avatar” surpassed “Titanic” as the highest grossing movie at the time despite selling less than half the tickets. The reason? Roughly three in every four tickets sold for “Avatar” were for 3D presentations, which at the time were $2 to $4 more expensive than 2D tickets.

Despite the boost recent releases get from 3D and IMAX, when adjusted for inflation, the very highest grossing films are older movies. All of the 10 highest-grossing films were released before 2000.

Many of the highest grossing films of all time made before 1980 earned a bulk of their box office totals through multiple theatrical re-releases. This is particularly true for Disney animated features, many of which earned most of their box office totals over the past several decades. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, for example, earned 64% of its total box office since 1983, 46 years after its original theatrical release. With this in mind, it’s not hard to guess which American classic is the highest motion picture of all time.

Methodology

To determine the top 100 grossing movies of all time, 24/7 Wall St. analyzed the lifetime domestic gross of all films that received a theatrical release after 1920 with data from Box Office Mojo, adjusted for ticket price inflation. Data on production budgets came from film industry website The Numbers and were adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index annual averages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For films that were not represented on The Numbers, data on production budgets were gathered from outside sources.

These are the 100 highest grossing movies of all time.

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