What’s the biggest box-office hit in film history? Nine times out of ten, someone shouts “Endgame”, and they’re wrong. Sitting at the top of the highest grossing movies of all time is still James Cameron’s Avatar, that big blue Pandora epic from 2009, and it’s somehow still winning despite a parade of pretenders trying to knock it off from the top spot.
So grab a cup of coffee, and let’s check out the top 10 highest-grossing movies ever list (and beyond) with the cast, the cash, and the facts.
- Avatar tops this list with $2.92 billion and is on the top for 15 years.
- Seven films have now crossed the $2 billion milestone.
- James Cameron directed three of the top four. The man doesn’t know how to give a flop.
- Ne Zha 2 became the first non-English film ever to join the club of $2 billion.
- Disney, one way or another, has a connection in basically the entire list.
List Of Top 10 Highest Grossing Movies
1. Avatar (2009) – $2.92 Billion
Cameron sat on this idea for years, basically waiting for tech to catch up with whatever was going on in his head. Sam Worthington plays Jake Sully, a paralysed Marine who is given a fresh shot at life in an avatar body on Pandora, where he naturally falls hard for Zoë Saldaña’s Neytiri.
The film has three Oscars in art direction, cinematography, and visual effects and holds an 81% on Rotten Tomatoes. Cameron got Disney to release it into Chinese cinemas in 2021, right before the sequel landed, which is exactly what let Avatar regain its crown back from Endgame.
2. Avengers: Endgame (2019) – $2.79 Billion
Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo closed out eleven years of storytelling in one 3-hour-and-1-minute film. Critics were just as obsessed as the fans, handing it a 94% Tomatometer score.
People queued outside the theatres like it was a World Cup final, and ticketing sites crashed during advanced booking. The massive promotional campaign before release also played a significant role in driving audience excitement. For 20 months, this film was the biggest film in history until Avatar swooped back in and stole the title.
3. Avatar: The Way Of Water (2022) – $2.33 Billion
Thirteen years is a very long time, but somehow Cameron made it work again. Jake and Neytiri are now parents, hiding with the ocean-dwelling Metkayina clan when and where humans turn up causing trouble.
The underwater motion-capture work is stunning, with a 76% score from critics. Cameron now owns three of the top four biggest earners ever. Can someone else have a turn, please?
4. Titanic (1997) – $2.25 Billion
Leo. Kate. A doomed ship. That Celine Dion song that we all remember word by word. As per Variety, Titanic was number 1 for fifteen weeks and won 11 Oscars, tying the record of Ben-Hur decades earlier. A 3D re-release in 2012 added to the overall total.
5. Ne Zha 2 (2025) – Around $2.21 Billion
This Chinese animated sequel ‘Ne Zha 2‘, directed by Jiao Zi and inspired by classical mythology, became the first non-English-language film to ever cross $2 billion worldwide, as Plex pointed out.
You will be shocked to know that the budget of this film was $80 million, and its box office response is just out of this world, which proved that the Western blockbusters don’t have a monopoly on box office.
6. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) – $2.06 Billion
J.J. Abrams dragged the starcast back into the cinemas twelve years after the prequels came to an end, blending nostalgia (hello again, Harrison Ford) with some fresh faces like Daisy Ridley and John Boyega.
According to IFORHER, it still owns the record for the biggest domestic release ever in North America. Fans camped in Hollywood for the premier of this film.
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7. Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – $2.04 Billion
Josh Brolin’s Thanos became one of the all-time most colossal cinematic blockbusters, wiping out half the universe in a single snap and leaving fans devastated for a full year before Endgame finally answered the cliffhanger. It was brutal, brilliant, and a marketing masterstroke that nobody saw coming.
8. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) – $1.92 Billion
Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield were on the single frame in the ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home‘ movie, and the internet couldn’t digest it for months. It was released in mid-pandemic, even though fans were terrific.
It became Sony’s biggest film ever, proving that if your story is brilliant, the line outside the cinema houses will never end.
9. Zootopia 2 (2025) – $1.86 Billion
Zootopia 2 brings Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde back together for another exciting adventure filled with mystery, fun, and plenty of laughs. As they face new challenges and meet interesting characters, their friendship is tested in unexpected ways. With its mix of humour, heart, and action, the movie is an enjoyable watch for both kids and adults.
10. Inside Out 2 (2024) – $1.69 Billion
Inside Out 2 follows Riley as she enters her teenage years, bringing a whole new set of emotions into her mind. As Joy and the other emotions adjust to these unexpected changes, Riley learns to navigate growing up and understand herself better. The movie is funny, heartfelt, and relatable, delivering an emotional story that resonates with both kids and adults.
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What This List Actually Tells Us
Disney is somehow connected with every film mentioned on this list. It can be through Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, or the producer itself. 7 films have passed the $2 billion mark worldwide. It is something that nobody would’ve even thought of before 2010.
IMAX and 3D screenings have played an important role in box office numbers, as audiences happily pay extra for visuals their TVs at home can’t match.
Sources & References
- Wikipedia. (2026). List of highest‑grossing films.
- Statista. (2026). Box office revenue of the most successful movies of all time. Statista Research Department.
- IMDb. (2026). Highest‑grossing movies list.
- Plex Blog. (2026). 20 highest‑grossing movies of all time: Finding the audience’s favorites.
- Rotten Tomatoes. (2026). Highest‑grossing movies of all time. Rotten Tomatoes Editorial.
- IFORHER. (2026). Top grossing movies of all time. IFORHER Entertainment.
- Variety. (2025). Highest‑grossing movies of all time: Avatar (2009).
Disclaimer: This article is provided solely for informational and educational purposes. It is not intended to promote, endorse, or advertise any movie, studio, brand, or organisation mentioned. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, readers should verify details from official sources before relying on them, as the rankings of the listed movies can change with time.
