Special Report

R-Rated Movies That Broke the Box Office

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

R rated films have been struggling at the box office. Despite making up the majority of films released each year, they bring in far less than films with the more family-friendly PG-13 rating: Between 1995 and 2023, R-rated movies grossed a total of just under $65 billion in the U.S. and Canada, compared to the nearly $120 billion that PG-13 films brought in.  

Because of the restricted audience that is able to watch movies rated R at the theater, the lower box office numbers make sense. However, despite the smaller potential viewership, some R-rated movies have still managed to become huge commercial successes. (Though they were not all huge successes, these are the best R-rated movies of all time.)

To determine the R-rated movies that broke the box office, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on box office performance from The Numbers, an online movie database owned by Nash Information Services. R-rated films were ranked based on lifetime Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation. Global box office data was adjusted for inflation using historical ticket prices from the National Association of Theatre Owners. Supplemental data on IMDb user rating and Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score are current as of April 2023. Cast and director credits are from IMDb.

Click here to read about R-rated movies that broke the box office

All the films on this list grossed more than $579 million, adjusted for inflation, at the global box office, with six grossing over $1 billion – including a single movie (“The Exorcist”) that brought in over $2 billion. Action films, including the superhero sub-genre, make up a large part of the R-rated movies that broke the box office, while drama, horror, and comedy are also represented.

The films span five decades, from the early 1970s, with hits including “The Godfather” and “Blazing Saddles,” to the 2010s, with more recent films including “Logan” and “Joker.” The ‘90s were a particularly successful era for R-rated blockbusters, and the list subsequently contains more films from that decade than from any other. (R-rated and otherwise, these are the most successful movies of the ‘90s.)

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

50. The Revenant (2015)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $579.1 million
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (809,924 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (401 reviews)
> Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Will Poulter
> Directed by: Alejandro G. Iñárritu

In a role that secured him his first Oscar, DiCaprio portrays a fictionalized version of frontiersman Hugh Glass, who is attacked by a grizzly bear and abandoned by his fellow trappers in the harsh Dakota winter.

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

49. Blazing Saddles (1974)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $579.2 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (131,541 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (59 reviews)
> Starring: Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens
> Directed by: Mel Brooks

A spoof of the Western genre, this Mel Brooks comedy doubles as a biting satire about racial prejudice. Its bevy of iconic jokes are decidedly non-PC but underpinned by an intelligent wit. Follow a clever railroad worker (Little) as he becomes the first Black sheriff of a small town.

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

48. Flashdance (1983)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $585.8 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (50,442 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 36% (44 reviews)
> Starring: Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri, Lilia Skala
> Directed by: Adrian Lyne

A welder by day, Alex Owens (Beals) moonlights as an exotic dancer with dreams of joining a legitimate troupe. Bolstered by a hit soundtrack, the film overcame negative reviews on its way to box office success.

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

47. Indecent Proposal (1993)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $589.9 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.0/10 (67,460 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 35% (46 reviews)
> Starring: Robert Redford, Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson
> Directed by: Adrian Lyne

Would you let your wife sleep with another man for a million dollars? That’s the question at the heart of this erotic drama from director Adrian Lyne. It won three Razzie Awards.

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Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

46. The Firm (1993)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $598.1 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (126,997 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (57 reviews)
> Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Gene Hackman
> Directed by: Sydney Pollack

Tom Cruise plays rookie lawyer Mitch McDeere in this adaptation of John Grisham’s blockbuster novel. Upon joining a prestigious new firm, McDeere uncovers a shocking conspiracy with deadly consequences.

Courtesy of Orion Pictures

45. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $599.9 million
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,332,128 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (104 reviews)
> Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Lawrence A. Bonney
> Directed by: Jonathan Demme

One of the greatest thrillers ever made puts F.B.I. cadet Clarice Starling (Foster) on the trail of a dangerous serial killer. Seeking help, she turns to a devious psychopath by the name of Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins). The film won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

44. American Sniper (2014)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $613.6 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (492,587 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (299 reviews)
> Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner
> Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Inspired by actual events, this biographical drama chronicles the life and times of Navy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle (Cooper). A huge success both in America and overseas, it remains the highest-grossing war movie of all time (unadjusted for inflation).

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

43. Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $620.2 million
> IMDb user rating: 4.1/10 (306,670 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 25% (281 reviews)
> Starring: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle
> Directed by: Sam Taylor-Johnson

No number of negative ratings or reviews could get in the way of this hotly anticipated erotic drama, based on the best-selling novel of the same name. The first in a trilogy, it centers on the sado-masochistic affair between a high-powered businessman (Dornan) and his latest hire (Johnson).

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

42. Logan (2017)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $627.2 million
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (688,052 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (423 reviews)
> Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen
> Directed by: James Mangold

The grimmest and reportedly final chapter in the Wolverine saga takes place in a futuristic wasteland, where mutants are on the brink of extinction. Overcoming his own world-weariness to help a young girl, Logan (Jackman) proves there’s still some fight in him yet.

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Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

41. Air Force One (1997)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $629.2 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (187,679 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (59 reviews)
> Starring: Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close
> Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen

“Die Hard” on a plane is the best way to describe this mid-90s actioner, starring Ford as President James Marshall. It was the year’s fifth highest-grossing film at the box office. Bill Clinton was reportedly a fan.

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

40. 300 (2006)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $635.1 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (824,987 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 61% (236 reviews)
> Starring: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham
> Directed by: Zack Snyder

Making unique – and virtually ubiquitous – use of CGI technology, this swords-and-sandals epic rolled into theaters with a chest-thumping bang. Based on a comic book series, it follows 300 Spartan soldiers into battle.

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Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

39. Speed (1994)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $635.8 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (344,662 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (69 reviews)
> Starring: Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock
> Directed by: Jan de Bont

More than a mere action film, 1994’s “Speed” is an enduring pop culture phenomenon. The story takes place aboard a moving bus, which will explode if it dips below 50 MPH at any time. A famously terrible sequel would follow.

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

38. Ransom (1996)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $639.7 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (122,663 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (72 reviews)
> Starring: Mel Gibson, Gary Sinise, Rene Russo
> Directed by: Ron Howard

Gibson was at the height of his fame when he starred in this dramatic thriller, playing the desperate father of a kidnapped son. Rather than pay the criminals directly, his character offers the ransom money as a bounty to the public. Reviews were generally positive but not ecstatic.

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

37. Ted (2012)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $639.8 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (586,245 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 69% (221 reviews)
> Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane
> Directed by: Seth MacFarlane

The debut feature film from “Family Guy” co-creator MacFarlane was the raunchy smash hit that few saw coming. It follows a talking teddy bear (voiced by MacFarlane) and his best friend (Wahlberg) as they stubbornly refuse to come of age. A less successful sequel came later.

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Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

36. Coming to America (1988)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $643.7 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (198,841 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (54 reviews)
> Starring: Eddie Murphy, Paul Bates, Garcelle Beauvais
> Directed by: John Landis

A-list comedy star Murphy wears multiple hats in this modern-day fairy tale with a predominantly Black cast. Determined to find a bride on his own terms, a pampered African prince (Murphy) takes off for America. Some of the original cast members returned for a recent sequel, which also featured contemporary comedians in supporting roles.

Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution

35. American Beauty (1999)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $644.9 million
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (1,104,561 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (190 reviews)
> Starring: Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch
> Directed by: Sam Mendes

This Oscar-winning dramedy from Sam Mendes captured suburban America in the midst of a spiritual crisis. Overlapping plot lines center around the story of a frustrated father (Spacey), who develops sexual feelings for his daughter’s close friend (Suvari).

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Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

34. Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $648.1 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (114,253 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 47% (32 reviews)
> Starring: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, Jürgen Prochnow
> Directed by: Tony Scott

Detroit cop Axel Foley (Murphy) returns to Beverly Hills for this blockbuster sequel, in which he investigates a string of bank robberies. It opened at No. 1 and became the second highest-grossing film of the year at the box office.

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

33. The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $649.1 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (467,833 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 35% (217 reviews)
> Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss
> Directed by: Lana & Lilly Wachowski

A critical disappointment, the third “Matrix” film was nevertheless a massive box office success. It caps off the initial trilogy and depicts the final showdown between mankind and machine. Stars Reeves and Moss will both return for a fourth installment, which is scheduled for release this year.

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

32. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $657.8 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (386,551 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 69% (207 reviews)
> Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Kristanna Loken
> Directed by: Jonathan Mostow

Released over a decade after its groundbreaking predecessor, the third “Terminator” installment builds toward a potential nuclear holocaust. Without franchise creator James Cameron at the helm, the execution feels somewhat second-rate. Audiences flocked to it in droves anyway.

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

31. The Hangover Part II (2011)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $677.8 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (477,678 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 34% (249 reviews)
> Starring: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms
> Directed by: Todd Phillips

In true sequel fashion, this blockbuster comedy overlays the same formula as its predecessor in a new location. Upon their arrival in Thailand, the wolf-pack once again wakes up with no memory of the night before. Rote plot points notwithstanding, the film became the highest-grossing R-rated comedy of its time (unadjusted for inflation).

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

30. Alien (1979)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $685.0 million
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (823,459 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (126 reviews)
> Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt
> Directed by: Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror classic overcame wary studio executives and numerous rewrites on its way to the big screen, where it found immediate commercial success. The story follows crew members of the spaceship Nostromo as they’re picked off by an alien creature. Its nail-biting trailer looks as compelling now as it did over 40 years ago.

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Courtesy of New Line Cinema

29. Se7en (1995)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $690.9 million
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,517,067 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (82 reviews)
> Starring: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey
> Directed by: David Fincher

The film that made director David Fincher a household name, this brutally dark thriller takes place in an unnamed city. Against a backdrop of perennial rain, an arrogant detective (Pitt) and his veteran partner (Freeman) search for a sadistic serial killer with a master plan. It all builds toward one of the most unshakable endings in modern movie history.

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

28. The Last Samurai (2003)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $693.9 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (415,450 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 66% (223 reviews)
> Starring: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly
> Directed by: Edward Zwick

Cruise brought his box office bona fides to this epic period drama, which he also produced. The story takes place in 19th-century Japan and chronicles the transformational encounter between an American military officer (Cruise) and a samurai clan.

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

27. The Rock (1996)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $696.5 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (323,201 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 68% (68 reviews)
> Starring: Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris
> Directed by: Michael Bay

Hoping to ward off a terrorist attack, a chemist (Cage) and an ex-con (Connery) break into Alcatraz. Director Michael Bay’s propulsive pacing is elevated by excellent performances and a surprisingly solid script. It’s been reported that both Aaron Sorkin and Quentin Tarantino provided uncredited rewrites.

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

26. Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $705.7 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (162,134 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 60% (48 reviews)
> Starring: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci
> Directed by: Richard Donner

Partners Martin Riggs (Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Glover) take on a weapons dealer in this third franchise installment. Despite the return of all the major players – including director Richard Donner and supporting actor Pesci – the film didn’t muster the same zeitgeist-grabbing energy as its two predecessors. It still made a killing at the box office.

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

25. Troy (2004)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $712.7 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (539,561 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 54% (229 reviews)
> Starring: Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom
> Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen

Big on brawn but light on brains, this historical epic retells “The Iliad” along with aspects of another Greek poem called “Posthomerica.” Playing Achilles, a chest-baring and sword-wielding Pitt functioned as the main draw.

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Courtesy of Universal Pictures

24. Schindler’s List (1993)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $712.9 million
> IMDb user rating: 9.0/10 (1,359,268 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (128 reviews)
> Starring: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley
> Directed by: Steven Spielberg

This black-and-white drama tells the story of Oskar Schindler (Neeson), a German industrialist who saved the lives of over 1,000 Jews during WWII. A passion project for Steven Spielberg, it won seven Academy Awards. The director redirected both his personal salary and some of the film’s profits to create the USC Shoah Foundation, which is dedicated to Holocaust survivors.

Courtesy of New Line Cinema

23. It (2017)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $715.9 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (488,616 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (386 reviews)
> Starring: Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard
> Directed by: Andy Muschietti

The first chapter in a two-part series, this adaptation of Stephen King’s horror classic arrived at the height of “Stranger Things” fever, and with that series’ co-star Wolfhard in a key role here. It takes place in 1989 and centers on a group of close friends who are terrorized by a shapeshifting demon clown (SkarsgÃ¥rd). “Chapter Two” arrived in theaters two years later, earning less than its predecessor but still making a bundle.

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

22. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $722.4 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (300,719 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (84 reviews)
> Starring: Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller
> Directed by: Bobby & Peter Farrelly

Two men (Dillon and Stiller) vye for the same woman (Diaz) in this famously raunchy comedy. It comes from the same directing team behind “Dumb and Dumber” and imparts a similar sensibility. On AFI’s list of “100 Years, 100 Laughs,” it lands at #27.

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Courtesy of United Artists

21. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $736.8 million
> IMDb user rating: 8.7/10 (954,220 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (83 reviews)
> Starring: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Michael Berryman
> Directed by: Milos Forman

Based on Ken Kesey’s timeless novel, this blockbuster dramedy follows a rebellious soul (Nicholson) into a mental institution. It won five Academy Awards and recently yielded a TV series spin-off called “Nurse Ratched.”

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

20. Fatal Attraction (1987)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $749.9 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (81,035 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 76% (54 reviews)
> Starring: Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Anne Archer
> Directed by: Adrian Lyne

Adrian Lyne’s erotic thriller was so influential that it essentially kicked off a stalker sub-genre. Douglas plays a married publishing executive whose short-lived affair becomes the stuff of nightmares. Part potboiler and part cautionary tale, it was the highest-grossing film of 1987.

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Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

19. Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $770.9 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (373,543 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 60% (75 reviews)
> Starring: Bruce Willis, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson
> Directed by: John McTiernan

What was originally a stand-alone script called “Simon Says” became the third installment of the beloved “Die Hard” franchise. Now operating on his home turf of New York City, Lt. John McClane (Willis) squares off against a brilliant terrorist (Irons). The Special Edition DVD features an alternate ending, which was deemed a bit too dark for theatrical audiences.

Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution

18. Gladiator (2000)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $777.8 million
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (1,399,053 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 77% (201 reviews)
> Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen
> Directed by: Ridley Scott

“Are you not entertained?!” Maximus (Crowe) asks aloud in this historical epic. Based on the soaring box office numbers and slew of awards, audiences were most definitely entertained. Set during Roman times, the story sends a former general turned gladiator into the blood-soaked arena.

Courtesy of TriStar Pictures

17. Basic Instinct (1992)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $778.5 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (188,955 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 55% (69 reviews)
> Starring: Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza
> Directed by: Paul Verhoeven

This erotic thriller centers on the fraught relationship between a troubled homicide detective (Douglas) and his primary suspect (Stone). Tawdry by design, it benefits from convincing performances and director Paul Verhoeven’s stylish sensibilities. Its scandalous reputation and box office success sent Sharon Stone straight to the top of Hollywood’s A-list.

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16. Deadpool 2 (2018)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $790.8 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (517,779 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (420 reviews)
> Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin
> Directed by: David Leitch

A mercenary mutant with a crude and comic disposition, Deadpool (Reynolds) takes on a time-traveling cyborg (Brolin) in this violent sequel. With estimated net proceeds of $235.4 million (after expenses and revenues), it was the seventh most profitable release of 2018. “Deadpool 3” is currently in development as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

15. True Lies (1994)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $820.1 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (247,499 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (52 reviews)
> Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold
> Directed by: James Cameron

Schwarzenegger reunited with “Terminator” director James Cameron for this explosive spy thriller, about the double life of a secret agent (Schwarzenegger). Interweaving elaborate action sequences with frequent comic relief, it opened at No. 1 and became the third highest-grossing film of 1994.

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14. Deadpool (2016)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $830.4 million
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (948,399 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (349 reviews)
> Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller
> Directed by: Tim Miller

This violent actioner kicked open the doors on R-rated comic book fare whilst deliciously subverting the sub-genres’ conventions. Breaking the fourth wall as he dodges bullets, Deadpool seeks revenge on the man who nearly killed him.

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

13. The Matrix (1999)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $842.5 million
> IMDb user rating: 8.7/10 (1,759,161 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (155 reviews)
> Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss
> Directed by: Lana & Lilly Wachowski

Enigmatic trailers whetted audience appetites for this groundbreaking sci-fi masterpiece, which duly lived up to the hype. It tells the story of a hacker named Neo (Reeves), who discovers that reality is definitely not what it seems. The heady narrative and special effects have rendered a lasting impact on the action genre at large.

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

12. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $862.3 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (174,081 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (53 reviews)
> Starring: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton
> Directed by: Martin Brest

Murphy’s third lead role in a major comedy cemented his status as a young Hollywood legend. He plays fast-talking Detroit cop Axel Foley, who brings his quick wit and unique charms to swanky Beverly Hills. The film spent a whopping 13 weeks at the top of the box office.

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11. The Bodyguard (1992)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $907.1 million
> IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (126,914 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 34% (47 reviews)
> Starring: Kevin Costner, Whitney Houston, Gary Kemp
> Directed by: Mick Jackson

Catching its lead talents at the perfect moment, this romantic thriller depicts the relationship between a pop star (Houston) and her protector (Costner). A box office smash, it also yielded the best-selling soundtrack of all time.

Courtesy of Newmarket Films

10. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $917.9 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (233,592 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 49% (280 reviews)
> Starring: Jim Caviezel, Monica Bellucci, Maia Morgenstern
> Directed by: Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson put up a sizable chunk of his own cash to finance this deeply personal project, about the final days of Jesus Christ (played by Caviezel). To date, it remains the highest-grossing R-rated film at the domestic box office (unadjusted for inflation). A sequel is reportedly in the works.

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Courtesy of United Artists

9. Rain Man (1988)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $920.0 million
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (490,155 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (80 reviews)
> Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Valeria Golino
> Directed by: Barry Levinson

Hoping to secure a major inheritance, a selfish yuppie (Cruise) takes his autistic brother (Hoffman) under his wing. The film won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and a Best Actor award for Hoffman. It also features one of Cruise’s finest dramatic performances.

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

8. Pretty Woman (1990)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $938.9 million
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (304,022 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 64% (69 reviews)
> Starring: Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Jason Alexander
> Directed by: Garry Marshall

Witness the unlikely but effortlessly charming love story between a streetwise prostitute (Roberts) and a savvy businessman (Gere). A modern fairy tale with an adult-themed twist, the film turned Roberts into an overnight sensation.

Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution

7. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $947.3 million
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,292,307 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (143 reviews)
> Starring: Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore
> Directed by: Steven Spielberg

One of the most gripping battle scenes in film history kicks off this WWII saga, which sends a group of U.S. soldiers across enemy lines. Winner of five Academy Awards, it sparked an ongoing professional relationship between Hanks and director Spielberg.

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6. Joker (2019)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $1.1 billion
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (1,067,897 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 68% (587 reviews)
> Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz
> Directed by: Todd Phillips

Crafted by Todd Phillips in the vein of a Martin Scorsese classic, this disturbing drama explores the origins of comic book villain The Joker (Phoenix). With its epic haul of over $1 billion, this is the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time at the box office (unadjusted for inflation).

Courtesy of TriStar Pictures

5. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $1.1 billion
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (1,033,964 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (84 reviews)
> Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong
> Directed by: James Cameron

A benchmark in modern filmmaking, James Cameron’s sci-fi sequel mashes genre tropes while making expert use of then-nascent CGI technology. The story picks up 11 years after the original and sees The Terminator returning from the future, this time as a protector. It remains the highest-grossing film of Schwarzenegger’s career.

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

4. The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $1.1 billion
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (540,965 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (245 reviews)
> Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss
> Directed by: Lana & Lilly Wachowski

In the vein of its epochal predecessor, this sci-fi sequel layers philosophical themes with eye-popping set pieces. It continues the story of humanity’s fight against its computer overlords, bringing Neo’s role further into focus.

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

3. Saturday Night Fever (1977)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $1.2 billion
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (75,813 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (50 reviews)
> Starring: John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorney, Barry Miller
> Directed by: John Badham

This dance-themed and surprisingly unfiltered drama helped spawn the disco era and turned JTravolta into a movie star. Its hit-loaded soundtrack was a pop culture cornerstone unto itself, and the second best-selling soundtrack of all time.

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

2. The Godfather (1972)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $1.5 billion
> IMDb user rating: 9.2/10 (1,704,373 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (133 reviews)
> Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan
> Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

One of the greatest and most influential films ever made launched several high-profile careers and took home three Oscars. It was also a critical and commercial smash, reportedly sitting on top of the domestic box office for 23 weeks in a row.

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

1. The Exorcist (1973)
> Worldwide ticket sales, adjusted for inflation: $2.3 billion
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (411,866 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (83 reviews)
> Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair
> Directed by: William Friedkin

Author William Peter Blatty adapted his own novel when penning the script for this graphic horror film, which presents the unrelenting demonic possession of a young girl (Blair). Extreme viewer reactions such as vomiting and fainting arguably fueled word-of-mouth momentum – hence the film’s enduring blockbuster status.

 

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