Special Report
Highest-Grossing Movies That Never Hit No. 1 at Box Office
Published:
Last Updated:
When filmmakers set out to craft a movie, many probably have two main goals — win awards and turn a profit. Reaching the top of the charts to become the highest grossing film of any given week is a welcome bonus, and a huge accomplishment.
It’s impossible for every movie to reach the top. But just because a film doesn’t hit No. 1 at the weekend box office doesn’t mean it can’t turn into a massive financial and critical success. Many movies that have been praised by fans and critics alike don’t stand a chance at being No. 1 at the box office because they are overshadowed by blockbuster films and franchises.
To determine the highest grossing films that were never No. 1 at the weekend box office, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on domestic annual and weekend box office grosses from film industry site The Numbers.
While they didn’t reach the coveted No. 1 spot, most of the movies on the list did, however, reach the still formidable second position at the weekend box office. Six of them never made it past the third position. Ranking as high as No. 4 at the weekend box office was as good as it got for three of the movies on the list. Still, even though they missed out on the top spot, most of the movies on the list were nominated for several prestigious awards, including Oscars.
Movies make money in several ways, including selling branded products and TV broadcast and streaming rights. But the largest source of revenue is still from theaters. Franchise films — especially in the superhero genre — have been among the highest-grossing movies of the 21st century. These are the biggest box office hits since 2000.
Methodology
To determine the highest grossing films that were never No. 1 at the weekend box office, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on domestic annual and weekend box office from film industry site The Numbers. We listed the films with the highest total domestic box office grosses that never reached the No. 1 position at the weekend box office. Additional data on domestic box office used to determine the year’s top top grossing movie also came from The Numbers. Data on IMDb audience score and Rotten Tomatoes audience score were collected March 2021.
Click here to see the highest-grossing movies that never hit No. 1 at box office
50. The King’s Speech (2010)
> Highest position at the box office in 2010: 4
> Domestic box office: $138,797,449
> Cast: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter
> Director: Tom Hooper
> IMDb rating: 8.0 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92%
> Top grossing movie in 2010: Avatar (Domestic box office: $760,507,625)
[in-text-ad]
49. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
> Highest position at the box office in 1991: 2
> Domestic box office: $138,800,774
> Cast: Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Jesse Corti
> Director: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
> IMDb rating: 8.0 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92%
> Top grossing movie in 1991: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Domestic box office: $203,464,105)
48. Sister Act (1992)
> Highest position at the box office in 1992: 2
> Domestic box office: $139,605,150
> Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy
> Director: Emile Ardolino
> IMDb rating: 6.4 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 65%
> Top grossing movie in 1992: Batman Returns (Domestic box office: $162,833,635)
47. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
> Highest position at the box office in 1999: 3
> Domestic box office: $140,539,099
> Cast: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard
> Director: Daniel Myrick
> IMDb rating: 6.5 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 56%
> Top grossing movie in 1999: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (Domestic box office: $474,544,677)
[in-text-ad-2]
46. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
> Highest position at the box office in 2008: 2
> Domestic box office: $141,330,703
> Cast: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Saurabh Shukla
> Director: Danny Boyle
> IMDb rating: 8.0 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90%
> Top grossing movie in 2008: The Dark Knight (Domestic box office: $533,720,947)
45. Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood (2019)
> Highest position at the box office in 2019: 2
> Domestic box office: $142,502,728
> Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie
> Director: Quentin Tarantino
> IMDb rating: 7.6 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 70%
> Top grossing movie in 2019: Avengers: Endgame (Domestic box office: $858,373,000)
[in-text-ad]
44. The Smurfs (2011)
> Highest position at the box office in 2011: 2
> Domestic box office: $142,614,158
> Cast: Hank Azaria, Katy Perry, Jonathan Winters
> Director: Raja Gosnell
> IMDb rating: 5.4 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 44%
> Top grossing movie in 2011: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Domestic box office: $381,193,157)
43. Juno (2007)
> Highest position at the box office in 2007: 2
> Domestic box office: $143,495,265
> Cast: Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner
> Director: Jason Reitman
> IMDb rating: 7.4 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88%
> Top grossing movie in 2007: Spider-Man 3 (Domestic box office: $336,530,303)
42. Pokemon Detective Pikachu (2019)
> Highest position at the box office in 2019: 2
> Domestic box office: $144,105,346
> Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton
> Director: Rob Letterman
> IMDb rating: 6.6 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79%
> Top grossing movie in 2019: Avengers: Endgame (Domestic box office: $858,373,000)
[in-text-ad-2]
41. Mamma Mia! (2008)
> Highest position at the box office in 2008: 2
> Domestic box office: $144,130,063
> Cast: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried
> Director: Phyllida Lloyd
> IMDb rating: 6.4 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 66%
> Top grossing movie in 2008: The Dark Knight (Domestic box office: $533,720,947)
40. The Great Gatsby (2013)
> Highest position at the box office in 2013: 2
> Domestic box office: $144,840,419
> Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton
> Director: Baz Luhrmann
> IMDb rating: 7.2 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 67%
> Top grossing movie in 2013: Iron Man 3 (Domestic box office: $408,992,272)
[in-text-ad]
39. Lilo & Stitch (2002)
> Highest position at the box office in 2002: 2
> Domestic box office: $145,771,527
> Cast: Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, Tia Carrere
> Director: Dean DeBlois
> IMDb rating: 7.2 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77%
> Top grossing movie in 2002: Spider-Man (Domestic box office: $403,706,375)
38. Gremlins (1984)
> Highest position at the box office in 1984: 3
> Domestic box office: $148,168,459
> Cast: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton
> Director: Joe Dante
> IMDb rating: 7.3 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78%
> Top grossing movie in 1984: Ghostbusters (Domestic box office: $242,212,467)
37. As Good as It Gets (1997)
> Highest position at the box office in 1997: 2
> Domestic box office: $148,478,011
> Cast: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear
> Director: James L. Brooks
> IMDb rating: 7.7 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86%
> Top grossing movie in 1997: Men in Black (Domestic box office: $250,690,539)
[in-text-ad-2]
36. Knocked Up (2007)
> Highest position at the box office in 2007: 3
> Domestic box office: $148,761,765
> Cast: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd
> Director: Judd Apatow
> IMDb rating: 6.9 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83%
> Top grossing movie in 2007: Spider-Man 3 (Domestic box office: $336,530,303)
35. Les Miserables (2012)
> Highest position at the box office in 2012: 4
> Domestic box office: $148,809,770
> Cast: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway
> Director: Tom Hooper
> IMDb rating: 7.6 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79%
> Top grossing movie in 2012: The Avengers (Domestic box office: $623,357,910)
[in-text-ad]
34. American Hustle (2013)
> Highest position at the box office in 2013: 2
> Domestic box office: $150,098,456
> Cast: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper
> Director: David O. Russell
> IMDb rating: 7.2 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74%
> Top grossing movie in 2013: Iron Man 3 (Domestic box office: $408,992,272)
33. Daddy’s Home (2015)
> Highest position at the box office in 2015: 2
> Domestic box office: $150,357,137
> Cast: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini
> Director: Sean Anders
> IMDb rating: 6.2 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 49%
> Top grossing movie in 2015: Jurassic World (Domestic box office: $652,306,625)
32. We’re the Millers (2013)
> Highest position at the box office in 2013: 2
> Domestic box office: $150,394,119
> Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts
> Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
> IMDb rating: 7.0 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 72%
> Top grossing movie in 2013: Iron Man 3 (Domestic box office: $408,992,272)
[in-text-ad-2]
31. La La Land (2016)
> Highest position at the box office in 2016: 2
> Domestic box office: $151,101,803
> Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Rosemarie DeWitt
> Director: Damien Chazelle
> IMDb rating: 8.0 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81%
> Top grossing movie in 2016: Finding Dory (Domestic box office: $486,295,561)
30. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
> Highest position at the box office in 2015: 2
> Domestic box office: $153,636,354
> Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult
> Director: George Miller
> IMDb rating: 8.1 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86%
> Top grossing movie in 2015: Jurassic World (Domestic box office: $652,306,625)
[in-text-ad]
29. Trolls (2016)
> Highest position at the box office in 2016: 2
> Domestic box office: $153,707,064
> Cast: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel
> Director: Mike Mitchell
> IMDb rating: 6.5 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 67%
> Top grossing movie in 2016: Finding Dory (Domestic box office: $486,295,561)
28. Over the Hedge (2006)
> Highest position at the box office in 2006: 2
> Domestic box office: $155,019,340
> Cast: Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell
> Director: Tim Johnson
> IMDb rating: 6.7 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 71%
> Top grossing movie in 2006: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (Domestic box office: $423,315,812)
27. The Longest Yard (2005)
> Highest position at the box office in 2005: 2
> Domestic box office: $158,119,460
> Cast: Adam Sandler, Burt Reynolds, Chris Rock
> Director: Peter Segal
> IMDb rating: 6.4 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 62%
> Top grossing movie in 2005: Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (Domestic box office: $380,270,577)
[in-text-ad-2]
26. The Heat (2013)
> Highest position at the box office in 2013: 2
> Domestic box office: $159,581,587
> Cast: Sandra Bullock, Michael McDonald, Melissa McCarthy
> Director: Paul Feig
> IMDb rating: 6.6 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 71%
> Top grossing movie in 2013: Iron Man 3 (Domestic box office: $408,992,272)
25. Grown Ups (2010)
> Highest position at the box office in 2010: 2
> Domestic box office: $162,001,186
> Cast: Adam Sandler, Salma Hayek, Kevin James
> Director: Dennis Dugan
> IMDb rating: 5.9 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 62%
> Top grossing movie in 2010: Avatar (Domestic box office: $760,507,625)
[in-text-ad]
24. Django Unchained (2012)
> Highest position at the box office in 2012: 2
> Domestic box office: $162,805,434
> Cast: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio
> Director: Quentin Tarantino
> IMDb rating: 8.4 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91%
> Top grossing movie in 2012: The Avengers (Domestic box office: $623,357,910)
23. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
> Highest position at the box office in 2002: 2
> Domestic box office: $164,606,800
> Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken
> Director: Steven Spielberg
> IMDb rating: 8.1 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89%
> Top grossing movie in 2002: Spider-Man (Domestic box office: $403,706,375)
22. Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
> Highest position at the box office in 2011: 2
> Domestic box office: $165,249,063
> Cast: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan
> Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
> IMDb rating: 7.2 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74%
> Top grossing movie in 2011: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Domestic box office: $381,193,157)
[in-text-ad-2]
21. Knives Out (2019)
> Highest position at the box office in 2019: 2
> Domestic box office: $165,364,060
> Cast: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas
> Director: Rian Johnson
> IMDb rating: 7.9 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92%
> Top grossing movie in 2019: Avengers: Endgame (Domestic box office: $858,373,000)
20. Casino Royale (2006)
> Highest position at the box office in 2006: 2
> Domestic box office: $167,365,000
> Cast: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench
> Director: Martin Campbell
> IMDb rating: 8.0 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89%
> Top grossing movie in 2006: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (Domestic box office: $423,315,812)
[in-text-ad]
19. Bridesmaids (2011)
> Highest position at the box office in 2011: 3
> Domestic box office: $169,211,718
> Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne
> Director: Paul Feig
> IMDb rating: 6.8 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76%
> Top grossing movie in 2011: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Domestic box office: $381,193,157)
18. Chicago (2002)
> Highest position at the box office in 2002: 2
> Domestic box office: $170,687,518
> Cast: Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere
> Director: Rob Marshall
> IMDb rating: 7.2 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83%
> Top grossing movie in 2002: Spider-Man (Domestic box office: $403,706,375)
17. A Beautiful Mind (2001)
> Highest position at the box office in 2001: 2
> Domestic box office: $170,708,996
> Cast: Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly
> Director: Ron Howard
> IMDb rating: 8.2 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93%
> Top grossing movie in 2001: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Domestic box office: $317,871,467)
[in-text-ad-2]
16. Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
> Highest position at the box office in 2018: 4
> Domestic box office: $171,958,438
> Cast: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw
> Director: Rob Marshall
> IMDb rating: 6.7 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 65%
> Top grossing movie in 2018: Black Panther (Domestic box office: $700,059,566)
15. The Greatest Showman (2017)
> Highest position at the box office in 2017: 2
> Domestic box office: $174,340,174
> Cast: Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron
> Director: Michael Gracey
> IMDb rating: 7.6 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86%
> Top grossing movie in 2017: Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (Domestic box office: $620,181,382)
[in-text-ad]
14. How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
> Highest position at the box office in 2014: 3
> Domestic box office: $177,002,924
> Cast: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler
> Director: Dean DeBlois
> IMDb rating: 7.8 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90%
> Top grossing movie in 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy (Domestic box office: $333,714,112)
13. Lincoln (2012)
> Highest position at the box office in 2012: 2
> Domestic box office: $182,207,973
> Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn
> Director: Steven Spielberg
> IMDb rating: 7.3 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81%
> Top grossing movie in 2012: The Avengers (Domestic box office: $623,357,910)
12. Dances with Wolves (1990)
> Highest position at the box office in 1990: 2
> Domestic box office: $184,208,842
> Cast: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene
> Director: Kevin Costner
> IMDb rating: 8.0 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87%
> Top grossing movie in 1990: Ghost (Domestic box office: $217,631,306)
[in-text-ad-2]
11. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
> Highest position at the box office in 2004: 2
> Domestic box office: $186,740,799
> Cast: Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emmy Rossum
> Director: Roland Emmerich
> IMDb rating: 6.4 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 50%
> Top grossing movie in 2004: Shrek 2 (Domestic box office: $441,226,247)
10. Interstellar (2014)
> Highest position at the box office in 2014: 2
> Domestic box office: $188,017,894
> Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain
> Director: Christopher Nolan
> IMDb rating: 8.6 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86%
> Top grossing movie in 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy (Domestic box office: $333,714,112)
[in-text-ad]
9. The Polar Express (2004)
> Highest position at the box office in 2004: 2
> Domestic box office: $188,578,855
> Cast: Tom Hanks, Chris Coppola, Michael Jeter
> Director: Robert Zemeckis
> IMDb rating: 6.6 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 63%
> Top grossing movie in 2004: Shrek 2 (Domestic box office: $441,226,247)
8. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
> Highest position at the box office in 2009: 2
> Domestic box office: $196,573,705
> Cast: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary
> Director: Carlos Saldanha
> IMDb rating: 6.9 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 62%
> Top grossing movie in 2009: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Domestic box office: $402,111,870)
7. World War Z (2013)
> Highest position at the box office in 2013: 2
> Domestic box office: $202,359,711
> Cast: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz
> Director: Marc Forster
> IMDb rating: 7.0 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 72%
> Top grossing movie in 2013: Iron Man 3 (Domestic box office: $408,992,272)
[in-text-ad-2]
6. Sherlock Holmes (2009)
> Highest position at the box office in 2009: 2
> Domestic box office: $209,028,679
> Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams
> Director: Guy Ritchie
> IMDb rating: 7.6 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77%
> Top grossing movie in 2009: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Domestic box office: $402,111,870)
5. A Star Is Born (2018)
> Highest position at the box office in 2018: 2
> Domestic box office: $215,288,866
> Cast: Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Sam Elliott
> Director: Bradley Cooper
> IMDb rating: 7.6 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79%
> Top grossing movie in 2018: Black Panther (Domestic box office: $700,059,566)
[in-text-ad]
4. Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
> Highest position at the box office in 2007: 2
> Domestic box office: $217,326,974
> Cast: Jason Lee, Ross Bagdasarian Jr., Janice Karman
> Director: Tim Hill
> IMDb rating: 5.2 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 64%
> Top grossing movie in 2007: Spider-Man 3 (Domestic box office: $336,530,303)
3. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)
> Highest position at the box office in 2009: 3
> Domestic box office: $219,614,612
> Cast: Jason Lee, Zachary Levi, David Cross
> Director: Betty Thomas
> IMDb rating: 4.5 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 49%
> Top grossing movie in 2009: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Domestic box office: $402,111,870)
2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
> Highest position at the box office in 2002: 2
> Domestic box office: $241,438,208
> Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Michael Constantine
> Director: Joel Zwick
> IMDb rating: 6.6 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73%
> Top grossing movie in 2002: Spider-Man (Domestic box office: $403,706,375)
[in-text-ad-2]
1. Sing (2016)
> Highest position at the box office in 2016: 2
> Domestic box office: $270,329,045
> Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane
> Director: Garth Jennings
> IMDb rating: 7.1 out of 10
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 72%
> Top grossing movie in 2016: Finding Dory (Domestic box office: $486,295,561)
Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Or are you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?
Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.
Have questions about retirement or personal finance? Email us at [email protected]!
By emailing your questions to 24/7 Wall St., you agree to have them published anonymously on a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.
By submitting your story, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms, including via third parties.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.