The release of Avatar: The Way of Water has made headlines, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time amid ongoing fluctuations. With over $1.7 billion in revenue to date, the second installment of Avatar still has a considerable distance to go compared to the first, especially as part one is still leading the box office charts. However, the question remains: is Avatar (2009) still the highest-grossing film ever?
Avatar continues to hold the title of the highest-grossing film of all time, earning over $2.9 billion after a single theatrical release and several re-releases. Following closely are Avengers: Endgame and Titanic. These three films have consistently swapped positions in the rankings over the past few years, creating a “benchmark” that seems difficult to surpass. However, this discussion is based on revenue calculated at current prices…
One notable factor affecting the ranking of films is inflation. This objective phenomenon significantly influences ticket prices, as the revenue of films today will be comparatively lower than that of classic films. The Guinness World Records also acknowledges the box office achievements of films based on this statistic, and surprisingly, James Cameron’s Avatar is now ranked second.
Meanwhile, Titanic still holds the third position, while Avengers: Endgame has dropped to fifth place. Additionally, the list features the emergence of works that were previously unranked, with the top film being Gone with the Wind, boasting an adjusted revenue of over $3.9 billion. Other notable films with high earnings, exceeding the $1.5 billion mark, indicate that even the second part of Avatar currently does not make it onto this list.
List of the 10 highest-grossing films of all time (adjusted for inflation)
1. Gone with the Wind – $3.922 billion
2. Avatar – $3.505 billion
3. Titanic – $3.26 billion
4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens – $3.221 billion
5. Avengers: Endgame – $2.96 billion
6. The Sound of Music – $2.697 billion
7. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – $2.634 billion
8. The Ten Commandments – $2.493 billion
9. Doctor Zhivago – $2.363 billion
10. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace – $2.33 billion
Source: Box Office Mojo
