#1 of 5,652 Highest-grossing action movie ever
2009 · Action, Adventure
$2.9B worldwide
$785.2M US & Canada · 27% $2.1B elsewhere · 73%
Action box office · All time
Highest-Grossing Action Movies of All Time
Avatar (2009) is the highest-grossing action movie in our database, with $2.9B worldwide, ahead of Avengers: Endgame (2019) at $2.8B and Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) at $2.5B. 5,652 action films in our database report a worldwide gross, $333.6B in all, 38% of it from the US & Canada. 40 films crossed $1 billion and 779 crossed $100 million. By language, English leads with $289.5B across 2,844 action releases.
- films with a reported gross
- 5,652
- combined worldwide
- $333.6B
- films crossed $100M
- 779
- earned in the US & Canada
- 38%
#1 of 5,652 Top 5
What Are the Highest-Grossing Action Movies Ever?
Avatar (2009) leads with $2.9B, $124.3M ahead of Avengers: Endgame (2019). The top 5 were released between 2009 and 2026 and took $12.7B together; every one of them earned more than half of their gross outside the US & Canada.
- Number 1
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Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5 $2.1B Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)$936.7M US & Canada · 45% $1.1B elsewhere · 55%
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
The Top 5,000 Action Movies, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 5,000. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. The pages stop at the top 5,000 of 5,652 films.
- 1 Dec 18, 2009 US and Canada: $785.2M Rest of the world: $2.1B Worldwide: $2.9B
- 2 Apr 26, 2019 US and Canada: $858.4M Rest of the world: $1.9B Worldwide: $2.8B
- 3 Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)Jul 31, 2026 US and Canada: $958.8M Rest of the world: $1.6B Worldwide: $2.5B
Jul 31, 2026 · English · Action, Adventure, Fantasy $2.5B worldwide - 4 Dec 16, 2022 US and Canada: $688.5M Rest of the world: $1.7B Worldwide: $2.3B
- 5 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)Dec 18, 2015 US and Canada: $936.7M Rest of the world: $1.1B Worldwide: $2.1B Dec 18, 2015 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $2.1B worldwide
- 6
Apr 27, 2018 US and Canada: $678.8M Rest of the world: $1.4B Worldwide: $2.1B - 7
Dec 17, 2021 US and Canada: $814.9M Rest of the world: $1.1B Worldwide: $1.9B - 8
Nov 26, 2025 US and Canada: $428.1M Rest of the world: $1.4B Worldwide: $1.9B - 9
Jun 12, 2015 US and Canada: $653.4M Rest of the world: $1B Worldwide: $1.7B - 10
May 4, 2012 US and Canada: $623.4M Rest of the world: $897.2M Worldwide: $1.5B - 11
Apr 3, 2015 US and Canada: $353M Rest of the world: $1.2B Worldwide: $1.5B - 12
Dec 19, 2025 US and Canada: $404.3M Rest of the world: $1.1B Worldwide: $1.5B - 13
May 1, 2015 US and Canada: $459M Rest of the world: $946M Worldwide: $1.4B - 14
Feb 16, 2018 US and Canada: $700.4M Rest of the world: $649.5M Worldwide: $1.3B - 15
Jul 26, 2024 US and Canada: $636.7M Rest of the world: $701.3M Worldwide: $1.3B - 16
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)Dec 15, 2017 US and Canada: $620.2M Rest of the world: $714.2M Worldwide: $1.3B Dec 15, 2017 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $1.3B worldwide - 17
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)Jun 22, 2018 US and Canada: $417.7M Rest of the world: $892.7M Worldwide: $1.3B Jun 22, 2018 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $1.3B worldwide - 18
Jun 15, 2018 US and Canada: $608.6M Rest of the world: $634.6M Worldwide: $1.2B - 19
Apr 14, 2017 US and Canada: $226M Rest of the world: $1B Worldwide: $1.2B - 20
May 3, 2013 US and Canada: $409M Rest of the world: $806.6M Worldwide: $1.2B - 21
May 6, 2016 US and Canada: $408.1M Rest of the world: $747M Worldwide: $1.2B - 22
Dec 21, 2018 US and Canada: $335.1M Rest of the world: $816.9M Worldwide: $1.2B - 23
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)Dec 17, 2003 US and Canada: $381.9M Rest of the world: $756.7M Worldwide: $1.1B Dec 17, 2003 · English · Action, Adventure, Fantasy $1.1B worldwide - 24
Jul 2, 2019 US and Canada: $391.3M Rest of the world: $741.4M Worldwide: $1.1B - 25
Mar 8, 2019 US and Canada: $426.8M Rest of the world: $704.6M Worldwide: $1.1B - 26
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)Jun 29, 2011 US and Canada: $352.4M Rest of the world: $771.4M Worldwide: $1.1B Jun 29, 2011 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $1.1B worldwide - 27
Jul 20, 2012 US and Canada: $448.1M Rest of the world: $666.8M Worldwide: $1.1B - 28
Nov 9, 2012 US and Canada: $304.4M Rest of the world: $804.2M Worldwide: $1.1B - 29
Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014)Jun 27, 2014 US and Canada: $245.4M Rest of the world: $859.8M Worldwide: $1.1B Jun 27, 2014 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $1.1B worldwide - 30
Oct 3, 2019 US and Canada: $335.5M Rest of the world: $743.5M Worldwide: $1.1B - 31
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)Dec 20, 2019 US and Canada: $515.2M Rest of the world: $561.8M Worldwide: $1.1B Dec 20, 2019 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $1.1B worldwide - 32
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)Jul 7, 2006 US and Canada: $423.3M Rest of the world: $642.9M Worldwide: $1.1B Jul 7, 2006 · English · Action, Adventure, Fantasy $1.1B worldwide - 33
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)Dec 16, 2016 US and Canada: $533.5M Rest of the world: $525.1M Worldwide: $1.1B Dec 16, 2016 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $1.1B worldwide - 34
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)May 20, 2011 US and Canada: $241.1M Rest of the world: $805.6M Worldwide: $1B May 20, 2011 · English · Action, Adventure, Fantasy $1B worldwide - 35
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)May 19, 1999 US and Canada: $487.6M Rest of the world: $558.9M Worldwide: $1B May 19, 1999 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $1B worldwide - 36
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (2010)Nov 19, 2010 US and Canada: $296.4M Rest of the world: $747.4M Worldwide: $1B Nov 19, 2010 · English · Action, Adventure, Mystery $1B worldwide - 37
Jun 30, 2017 US and Canada: $264.6M Rest of the world: $770.2M Worldwide: $1B - 38
Mar 4, 2016 US and Canada: $341.3M Rest of the world: $684.3M Worldwide: $1B - 39
Jul 18, 2008 US and Canada: $535M Rest of the world: $477.6M Worldwide: $1B - 40
Jun 10, 2022 US and Canada: $376.9M Rest of the world: $625.1M Worldwide: $1B - 41
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)Dec 20, 2017 US and Canada: $404.5M Rest of the world: $558M Worldwide: $962.5M Dec 20, 2017 · English · Action, Adventure, Fantasy $962.5M worldwide - 42
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)May 25, 2007 US and Canada: $309.4M Rest of the world: $652.3M Worldwide: $961.7M May 25, 2007 · English · Action, Adventure, Fantasy $961.7M worldwide - 43
Apr 4, 2025 US and Canada: $424.1M Rest of the world: $536.3M Worldwide: $960.4M - 44
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)May 6, 2022 US and Canada: $411.3M Rest of the world: $544.4M Worldwide: $955.8M May 6, 2022 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $955.8M worldwide - 45
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)Jul 15, 2009 US and Canada: $302.3M Rest of the world: $638.7M Worldwide: $941.1M Jul 15, 2009 · English · Action, Adventure, Mystery $941.1M worldwide - 46
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)May 19, 2005 US and Canada: $414.4M Rest of the world: $491.2M Worldwide: $905.6M May 19, 2005 · English · Action, Sci-Fi, Fantasy $905.6M worldwide - 47
May 4, 2007 US and Canada: $337.3M Rest of the world: $554.4M Worldwide: $891.7M - 48
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)Dec 19, 2001 US and Canada: $319.4M Rest of the world: $569.1M Worldwide: $888.5M Dec 19, 2001 · English · Action, Adventure, Fantasy $888.5M worldwide - 49
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)Jul 1, 2009 US and Canada: $196.6M Rest of the world: $690.1M Worldwide: $886.7M Jul 1, 2009 · English · Action, Adventure, Comedy $886.7M worldwide - 50
Jul 7, 2017 US and Canada: $335M Rest of the world: $546M Worldwide: $881M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Biggest Action Movies Make Their Money?
Of the top 10, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) earned the biggest share at home (45% in the US & Canada), while Zootopia 2 (2025) made 77% of its gross abroad. Across all 5,652 films, $127.8B (38%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Avatar (2009) $2.9B $785.2M US & Canada · 27% $2.1B elsewhere · 73%
- 2 Avengers: Endgame (2019) $2.8B $858.4M US & Canada · 31% $1.9B elsewhere · 69%
- 3 Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) $2.5B $958.8M US & Canada · 38% $1.6B elsewhere · 62%
- 4 Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) $2.3B $688.5M US & Canada · 29% $1.7B elsewhere · 71%
- 5 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) $2.1B $936.7M US & Canada · 45% $1.1B elsewhere · 55%
- 6 Avengers: Infinity War (2018) $2.1B $678.8M US & Canada · 33% $1.4B elsewhere · 67%
- 7 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) $1.9B $814.9M US & Canada · 42% $1.1B elsewhere · 58%
- 8 Zootopia 2 (2025) $1.9B $428.1M US & Canada · 23% $1.4B elsewhere · 77%
- 9 Jurassic World (2015) $1.7B $653.4M US & Canada · 39% $1B elsewhere · 61%
- 10 The Avengers (2012) $1.5B $623.4M US & Canada · 41% $897.2M elsewhere · 59%
Gross bands
How Many Action Movies Crossed $100 Million?
779 of 5,652 films crossed $100M and took $280B between them, 84% of the total. 3,566 films, 63% of the list, earned under $10M.
17% 23% 44% 14%
- $1B or more 40 films, <1% of the list $56.8B · 17% of the gross
- $500M to $1B 112 films, 2% of the list $78.1B · 23% of the gross
- $100M to $500M 627 films, 11% of the list $145.1B · 44% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 1,307 films, 23% of the list $47.9B · 14% of the gross
- Under $10M 3,566 films, 63% of the list $5.7B · 2% of the gross
By decade
Which Decade's Action Movies Earned the Most?
Films released in the 2010s lead with $152.6B from 2,164 titles, led by Avengers: Endgame (2019). Each column links to the decade's biggest year.
- 1950s 1950s Peak year 1958 Paris Holiday (1958) $3.2M Paris Holiday (1958)
- 1960s 1960s Peak year 1965 Thunderball (1965) $286.3M Thunderball (1965)
- 1970s 1970s Peak year 1977 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) $2.8B Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- 1980s 1980s Peak year 1989 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) $10.7B Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- 1990s 1990s Peak year 1997 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) $32.6B Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- 2000s 2000s Peak year 2009 Avatar (2009) $73.2B Avatar (2009)
- 2010s 2010s Peak year 2017 Avengers: Endgame (2019) $152.6B Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- 2020s 2020s Peak year 2025 Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) $61.4B Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
Biggest years
Which Years Had the Highest-Grossing Action Movies?
2017 releases earned the most: $20.6B from 286 films, led by Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017). The 10 biggest years, each linking to its chart.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 286 films | 286 | $20.6B | Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) $1.3B |
| 2018 274 films | 274 | $19.7B | Avengers: Infinity War (2018) $2.1B |
| 2015 213 films | 213 | $16.7B | Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) $2.1B |
| 2019 278 films | 278 | $16.5B | Avengers: Endgame (2019) $2.8B |
| 2016 255 films | 255 | $16.5B | Captain America: Civil War (2016) $1.2B |
| 2014 174 films | 174 | $16.1B | Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014) $1.1B |
| 2012 171 films | 171 | $13.8B | The Avengers (2012) $1.5B |
| 2013 185 films | 185 | $12.5B | Iron Man 3 (2013) $1.2B |
| 2009 157 films | 157 | $12.5B | Avatar (2009) $2.9B |
| 2025 171 films | 171 | $11.9B | Zootopia 2 (2025) $1.9B |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Action Movies Speak?
English-language action films took $289.5B across 2,844 films, 87% of the total, ahead of Chinese-language action films ($13.1B) and Japanese-language action films ($8.1B).
All-Time Action Box Office by Language
- English $289.5B2,844 films · #1 Avatar (2009)
-
Chinese $13.1B243 films · #1 Wolf Warrior 2 (2017) -
Japanese $8.1B471 films · #1 Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Infinity Castle (2025) -
Korean $4.2B241 films · #1 Extreme Job (2019) -
Hindi $2.8B293 films · #1 Dangal (2016) -
Cantonese $1.7B128 films · #1 Shock Wave 2 (2020) -
French $956.4M109 films · #1 The Count of Monte-Cristo (2024) - Telugu $891.1M168 films · #1 Bāhubali 2: The Conclusion (2017)
-
Russian $601.9M70 films · #1 Stalingrad (2014) -
Spanish $545.3M80 films
Archive
Action Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1924 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2017 leads with $20.6B, led by Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017).
2020s 7 years · $61.4B
- 2026 so far $6B #1 Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
- 2025 $11.9B #1 Zootopia 2 (2025)
- 2024 $8.7B #1 Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
- 2023 $10B #1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
- 2022 $11.2B #1 Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- 2021 $10.3B #1 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
- 2020 $3.4B #1 The Eight Hundred (2020)
2010s 10 years · $152.6B
- 2019 $16.5B #1 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- 2018 $19.7B #1 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- 2017 $20.6B #1 Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
- 2016 $16.5B #1 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- 2015 $16.7B #1 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
- 2014 $16.1B #1 Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014)
- 2013 $12.5B #1 Iron Man 3 (2013)
- 2012 $13.8B #1 The Avengers (2012)
- 2011 $10.7B #1 Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
- 2010 $9.3B #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (2010)
2000s 10 years · $73.2B
- 2009 $12.5B #1 Avatar (2009)
- 2008 $9.7B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $7.5B #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
- 2006 $6.7B #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
- 2005 $5.5B #1 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- 2004 $6.8B #1 Spider-Man 2 (2004)
- 2003 $8.7B #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- 2002 $5.6B #1 Spider-Man (2002)
- 2001 $5.5B #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
- 2000 $4.7B #1 Mission: Impossible II (2000)
1990s 10 years · $32.6B
- 1999 $4.4B #1 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- 1998 $4.3B #1 Armageddon (1998)
- 1997 $5.1B #1 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
- 1996 $4.2B #1 Independence Day (1996)
- 1995 $3.6B #1 Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
- 1994 $2.9B #1 True Lies (1994)
- 1993 $1.6B #1 The Fugitive (1993)
- 1992 $2B #1 The Bodyguard (1992)
- 1991 $2.1B #1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- 1990 $2.5B #1 Total Recall (1990)
1980s 10 years · $10.7B
- 1989 $1.8B #1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- 1988 $1.2B #1 Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
- 1987 $1B #1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- 1986 $1.1B #1 Top Gun (1986)
- 1985 $931.7M #1 Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- 1984 $1.4B #1 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- 1983 $1.1B #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- 1982 $653.6M #1 First Blood (1982)
- 1981 $544.5M #1 Superman II (1981)
- 1980 $1B #1 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
1970s 10 years · $2.8B
- 1979 $524.3M #1 Moonraker (1979)
- 1978 $509.4M #1 Superman (1978)
- 1977 $1B #1 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- 1976 $104.8M #1 Silver Streak (1976)
- 1975 $28.9M #1 The Eiger Sanction (1975)
- 1974 $238.7M #1 The Towering Inferno (1974)
- 1973 $84.1M #1 Magnum Force (1973)
- 1972 $94.5M #1 The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
- 1971 $112.6M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $119.5M #1 Airport (1970)
1960s 10 years · $286.3M
- 1969 $30.7M #1 On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
- 1968 $3.6M #1 Coogan’s Bluff (1968)
- 1967 $49.1M #1 You Only Live Twice (1967)
- 1966 $31.4K #1 Django (1966)
- 1965 $115.3M #1 Thunderball (1965)
- 1964 $24.8M #1 From Russia with Love (1964)
- 1963 $62.5M #1 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
- 1962 $88.9K #1 Sanjuro (1962)
- 1961 $88.8K #1 Yojimbo (1961)
- 1960 $13.1K #1 Exodus (1960)
1950s 7 years · $3.2M
1940s 2 years · $2.3M
1930s 2 years · $5.8K
1920s 2 years · $1.8K
FAQ
Action Box Office All Time: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 5,652 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing action movie of all time?
Avatar (2009) leads with $2.9B worldwide, $785.2M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Avengers: Endgame (2019) at $2.8B and Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) at $2.5B.
How much have action movies earned at the box office?
5,652 action films in our database report a worldwide gross, $333.6B in all, or $59M per film on average.
How many action movies have made $1 billion?
40 films crossed $1 billion worldwide: Avatar (2009), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) among others. 779 crossed $100 million.
How is the all-time action box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact.
How often is the all-time action box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.