Special Report

The Most Valuable Movie Franchises of All Time

jpgfactory / Getty Images

Books, TV series, and earlier movies have all provided the starting point for smash-hit film franchises. Some characters or properties, such as James Bond or Harry Potter or various figures in DC and Marvel comics, become franchises almost automatically, because they begin with multiple books (or comic books) and an array of vivid characters. (These are the best DC Comics movies of all time.)

Sometimes, though, individual films turn into franchises due to a compelling lead character or a plot line that resonates with the audience – as was the case with such diverse properties as Home Alone, Finding Nemo, and The Exorcist. 

To compile a list of the most valuable movie franchises of all time in the U.S., 24/7 Tempo reviewed statistics on The Numbers, an online movie database owned by Nash Information Services. Franchises are ranked according to total domestic ticket sales, adjusted to inflation.

Disney animation franchises occupy nine places on our list, and the original movies they’re based on are some of the earliest. These include “Bambi” (1942), “Peter Pan” (1953), “Lady and the Tramp” (1955), and “101 Dalmatians” (1961). In case you’re wondering, though, the franchise on our list whose origin dates back the farthest is King Kong, which grew from the classic movie released in 1933.

Click here to see the most valuable movie franchises of all time

Two actors have proved to be bankable stars in more than one of the biggest franchises. Harrison Ford was the swashbuckling hero of the early Star Wars films and played the title role in the Indiana Jones movies. Tom Cruise has been the swaggering pilot in the Top Gun films and the action star of the Mission: Impossible franchise. 

Director Steven Spielberg has played a major role in three of filmdom’s biggest franchises: not just Indiana Jones but also Jaws and Jurassic Park. (These are the best Steven Spielberg movies.)

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

48. Bourne
> Domestic ticket sales: $800,424,270 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,057,275,460)
> Years running: 14 (2002-2016)
> Total movies: 5

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

47. Lethal Weapon
> Domestic ticket sales: $487,622,466 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,066,172,140)
> Years running: 11 (1987-1998)
> Total movies: 4

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

46. Home Alone
> Domestic ticket sales: $490,039,196 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,066,251,782)
> Years running: 31 (1990-2021)
> Total movies: 6

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

45. Beverly Hills Cop
> Domestic ticket sales: $431,012,375 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,077,683,847)
> Years running: 45 (1984-2029)
> Total movies: 4

[in-text-ad-2]

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

44. Finding Nemo
> Domestic ticket sales: $866,824,931 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,079,162,051)
> Years running: 13 (2003-2016)
> Total movies: 2

Courtesy of TriStar Pictures

43. Terminator
> Domestic ticket sales: $669,177,934 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,095,338,938)
> Years running: 35 (1984-2019)
> Total movies: 6

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

42. Men in Black
> Domestic ticket sales: $704,184,140 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,105,271,477)
> Years running: 22 (1997-2019)
> Total movies: 5

Lisa Maree Williams / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

41. Thor
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,045,707,883 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,107,361,816)
> Years running: 11 (2011-2022)
> Total movies: 4

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

40. Godfather
> Domestic ticket sales: $260,446,056 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,151,226,128)
> Years running: 18 (1972-1990)
> Total movies: 3

[in-text-ad-2]

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

39. Ghostbusters
> Domestic ticket sales: $612,810,072 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,153,655,257)
> Years running: 37 (1984-2021)
> Total movies: 5

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

38. Top Gun
> Domestic ticket sales: $899,203,310 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,156,498,415)
> Years running: 36 (1986-2022)
> Total movies: 2

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

37. Black Panther
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,153,888,626 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,158,499,333)
> Years running: 4 (2018-2022)
> Total movies: 2

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

36. Mary Poppins
> Domestic ticket sales: $274,230,583 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,181,334,227)
> Years running: 54 (1964-2018)
> Total movies: 2

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

35. King Kong
> Domestic ticket sales: $554,374,596 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,219,596,455)
> Years running: 88 (1933-2021)
> Total movies: 6

[in-text-ad-2]

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

34. Iron Man
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,040,029,729 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,231,316,670)
> Years running: 5 (2008-2013)
> Total movies: 3

Archive Photos / Getty Images

33. Billy Jack
> Domestic ticket sales: $223,000,000 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,256,175,568)
> Years running: 7 (1967-1974)
> Total movies: 3

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

32. Exorcist
> Domestic ticket sales: $322,436,443 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,282,608,679)
> Years running: 50 (1973-2023)
> Total movies: 6

Courtesy of Buena Vista Film Distribution Company

31. Lady and the Tramp
> Domestic ticket sales: $93,600,000 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,284,069,525)
> Years running: 46 (1955-2001)
> Total movies: 2

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

30. Planet of the Apes
> Domestic ticket sales: $793,882,111 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,383,770,909)
> Years running: 49 (1968-2017)
> Total movies: 9

[in-text-ad-2]

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

29. The Lion King
> Domestic ticket sales: $965,423,326 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,453,199,211)
> Years running: 30 (1994-2024)
> Total movies: 5

Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures

28. Peter Pan
> Domestic ticket sales: $355,579,537 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,477,575,195)
> Years running: 70 (1953-2023)
> Total movies: 7

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

27. Dark Knight Trilogy
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,188,469,949 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,491,059,855)
> Years running: 7 (2005-2012)
> Total movies: 3

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

26. Mission: Impossible
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,154,492,507 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,604,470,875)
> Years running: 28 (1996-2024)
> Total movies: 8

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

25. Avatar
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,469,240,424 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,613,898,499)
> Years running: 19 (2009-2028)
> Total movies: 5

[in-text-ad-2]

Courtesy of Summit Distribution

24. Twilight
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,365,922,346 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,621,472,037)
> Years running: 4 (2008-2012)
> Total movies: 6

Courtesy of Lionsgate

23. Hunger Games
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,451,538,526 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,633,110,334)
> Years running: 11 (2012-2023)
> Total movies: 5

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of Universal Studios

22. Despicable Me
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,589,944,650 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,713,227,774)
> Years running: 12 (2010-2022)
> Total movies: 8

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

21. Jaws
> Domestic ticket sales: $433,152,926 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,738,481,558)
> Years running: 12 (1975-1987)
> Total movies: 4

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

20. Transformers
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,582,401,601 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,875,385,925)
> Years running: 38 (1986-2024)
> Total movies: 10

[in-text-ad-2]

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

19. 101 Dalmatians
> Domestic ticket sales: $356,130,853 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,877,135,901)
> Years running: 39 (1961-2000)
> Total movies: 3

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

18. Toy Story
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,436,427,934 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,916,136,105)
> Years running: 27 (1995-2022)
> Total movies: 7

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

17. Pirates of the Caribbean
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,451,777,734 (Inflation-adjusted: $1,924,674,180)
> Years running: 14 (2003-2017)
> Total movies: 5

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

16. Superman
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,152,698,852 (Inflation-adjusted: $2,064,265,047)
> Years running: 42 (1978-2020)
> Total movies: 11

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

15. Indiana Jones
> Domestic ticket sales: $919,839,275 (Inflation-adjusted: $2,077,072,977)
> Years running: 42 (1981-2023)
> Total movies: 5

[in-text-ad-2]

Courtesy of MGM/UA Distribution Company

14. Rocky
> Domestic ticket sales: $948,249,848 (Inflation-adjusted: $2,124,145,605)
> Years running: 47 (1976-2023)
> Total movies: 10

Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution

13. Shrek
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,605,133,838 (Inflation-adjusted: $2,150,900,134)
> Years running: 21 (2001-2022)
> Total movies: 9

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

12. Fast and the Furious
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,863,757,983 (Inflation-adjusted: $2,203,039,149)
> Years running: 22 (2001-2023)
> Total movies: 11

Courtesy of New Line Cinema

11. Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,853,480,602 (Inflation-adjusted: $2,536,933,292)
> Years running: 22 (2001-2023)
> Total movies: 8

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

10. Star Trek
> Domestic ticket sales: $1,400,952,879 (Inflation-adjusted: $2,611,836,631)
> Years running: 44 (1979-2023)
> Total movies: 14

[in-text-ad-2]

Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures

9. Bambi
> Domestic ticket sales: $102,797,000 (Inflation-adjusted: $2,704,336,016)
> Years running: 64 (1942-2006)
> Total movies: 2

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

8. Avengers
> Domestic ticket sales: $2,619,552,260 (Inflation-adjusted: $2,760,009,130)
> Years running: 14 (2012-2026)
> Total movies: 6

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

7. X-Men
> Domestic ticket sales: $2,458,465,265 (Inflation-adjusted: $2,921,416,378)
> Years running: 24 (2000-2024)
> Total movies: 14

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

6. Jurassic Park
> Domestic ticket sales: $2,259,653,607 (Inflation-adjusted: $3,100,453,642)
> Years running: 29 (1993-2022)
> Total movies: 6

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

5. Harry Potter
> Domestic ticket sales: $2,882,789,135 (Inflation-adjusted: $3,758,504,836)
> Years running: 21 (2001-2022)
> Total movies: 13

[in-text-ad-2]

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

4. Spider-Man
> Domestic ticket sales: $3,311,719,386 (Inflation-adjusted: $3,913,822,660)
> Years running: 22 (2002-2024)
> Total movies: 12

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

3. Batman
> Domestic ticket sales: $3,154,368,870 (Inflation-adjusted: $4,387,535,426)
> Years running: 59 (1966-2025)
> Total movies: 28

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of United Artists

2. James Bond
> Domestic ticket sales: $2,297,557,630 (Inflation-adjusted: $6,131,863,429)
> Years running: 58 (1961-2021)
> Total movies: 27

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

1. Star Wars
> Domestic ticket sales: $5,089,209,170 (Inflation-adjusted: $8,092,351,466)
> Years running: 50 (1977-2027)
> Total movies: 15

Methodology

To compile a list of the 50 highest-grossing movie franchises ever released in the U.S., 24/7 Tempo looked at data  film industry data site The Numbers. Franchises are ranked according to total Domestic ticket sales amount, adjusted to inflation.

Get Ready To Retire (Sponsored)

Start by taking a quick retirement quiz from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes, or less.

Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.

Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future

Get started right here.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.