If money is the root of all evil, the following movies are the baddest of the bad. These money-making behemoths are the only ones in U.S. history to have crossed the $500 million mark at the domestic box office. Among them are all three of the most recent “Star Wars” episodes (“The Force Awakens,” “The Last Jedi” and “The Rise of Skywalker”) plus a whole collection of Marvel Cinematic Universe flicks (“Avengers: Endgame,” “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Black Panther,” etc.). There is exactly one original film in the line-up (“Avatar”) and only a single true story (“Titanic”), and both just happen to be directed by James Cameron. The rest of the films, as you’d expect, are reboots, remakes and sequels. The most recent addition is Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” which is still making moolah as of this writing. Scroll through our gallery below for a closer look at the box office all time domestic top-grossing movies, not adjusted for inflation. Gallery updated March 2023.
-
18. ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (2017)
Image Credit: Disney Domestic gross amount: $504 million
Director: Bill Condon
Cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
-
17. ‘Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker’ (2019)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Disney Domestic gross amount: $515 million
Director: J.J. Abrams
Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
-
16. ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ (2016)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Domestic gross amount: $533 million
Director: Gareth Edwards
Cast: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
-
15. ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Domestic gross amount: $534 million
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine
Distributor: Warner Bros.
-
14. ‘The Lion King’ (2019)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Domestic gross amount: $543 million
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Donald Glover, Beyoncé, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
-
13. ‘Incredibles 2’ (2018)
Image Credit: Disney/Pixar Domestic gross amount: $608 million
Director: Brad Bird
Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
-
12. ‘Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi’ (2017)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Domestic gross amount: $620 million
Director: Rian Johnson
Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
-
11. ‘The Avengers’ (2012)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Domestic gross amount: $623 million
Director: Joss Whedon
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
-
10. ‘Jurassic World’ (2015)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Domestic gross amount: $653 million
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Judy Greer
Distributor: Universal Pictures
-
9. ‘Titanic’ (1997)
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures Domestic gross amount: $674 million
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
-
8. ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Domestic gross amount: $678 million
Directors: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
-
7. ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’
Image Credit: 20th Century Studios Domestic gross amount: $679 million
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver
Distributor: 20th Century Studios
Cameron’s highly anticipated sequel swam into theaters a whopping 13 years after the original “Avatar.” It remained at the top of the box office for two months straight and quickly became one of the Top 10 most successful domestic movies of all time. Just how high can it climb? Stay tuned.
-
6. ‘Black Panther’ (2018)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Domestic gross amount: $700 million
Director: Ryan Coogler
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Lupita Nyong’o
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
-
5. ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (2022)
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures Domestic gross amount: $718 million
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Cast: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
-
4. ‘Avatar’ (2009)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Domestic gross amount: $785 million
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
-
3. ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sony Domestic gross amount: $814 million
Director: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
-
2. ‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Domestic gross amount: $858 million
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
-
1. ‘Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens’ (2015)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Domestic gross amount: $936 million
Director: J.J. Abrams
Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
