#1 of 169 #1 action movie of 2011
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
2011 · Action, Adventure
$1.1B worldwide · 11% of the chart's total
$352.4M US & Canada · 31% $771.4M elsewhere · 69%
Action box office · 2011
Action Box Office 2011: Highest-Grossing Action Movies
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) is the highest-grossing action movie released in 2011, with $1.1B worldwide, ahead of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) at $1B and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) at $694.7M. 169 action films released in 2011 report a worldwide gross, $10.7B in all, 32% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $1 billion and 23 crossed $100 million. That is up 14% on 2010, whose releases took $9.3B. By language, English leads with $9.7B across 67 action releases.
- 2011 releases with a gross
- 169
- combined worldwide
- $10.7B
- films crossed $100M
- 23
- vs 2010
- +14%
#1 of 169 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of 2011?
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) leads with $1.1B, 11% of the total. The top 5 together took $4.2B, 39% of what all 169 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 $1B Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)$241.1M US & Canada · 23% $805.6M elsewhere · 77% -
Number 3 $694.7M Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)$209.4M US & Canada · 30% $485.3M elsewhere · 70% -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Action Release of 2011, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 169. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 2011.
- 1 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 - 2 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
- 3 Dec 16, 2011 US and Canada: $209.4M Rest of the world: $485.3M Worldwide: $694.7M
- 4 May 26, 2011 US and Canada: $165.2M Rest of the world: $500.4M Worldwide: $665.7M
- 5 Apr 29, 2011 US and Canada: $209.8M Rest of the world: $416.3M Worldwide: $626.1M
- 6
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)Dec 16, 2011 US and Canada: $186.8M Rest of the world: $357M Worldwide: $543.8M Dec 16, 2011 · English · Action, Mystery $543.8M worldwide - 7
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)Aug 5, 2011 US and Canada: $176.8M Rest of the world: $305M Worldwide: $481.8M Aug 5, 2011 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $481.8M worldwide - 8
May 6, 2011 US and Canada: $181M Rest of the world: $268.3M Worldwide: $449.3M - 9
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)Jul 22, 2011 US and Canada: $176.7M Rest of the world: $193.9M Worldwide: $370.6M Jul 22, 2011 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $370.6M worldwide - 10
Jun 3, 2011 US and Canada: $146.4M Rest of the world: $206.2M Worldwide: $352.6M - 11
Oct 7, 2011 US and Canada: $85.5M Rest of the world: $213.8M Worldwide: $299.3M - 12
Mar 4, 2011 US and Canada: $123.5M Rest of the world: $122.2M Worldwide: $245.7M - 13
Jun 17, 2011 US and Canada: $116.6M Rest of the world: $120.6M Worldwide: $237.2M - 14
Jan 14, 2011 US and Canada: $98.8M Rest of the world: $129M Worldwide: $227.8M - 15
Nov 11, 2011 US and Canada: $83.5M Rest of the world: $143.4M Worldwide: $226.9M - 16
Mar 11, 2011 US and Canada: $83.6M Rest of the world: $128.3M Worldwide: $211.8M - 17
Jul 29, 2011 US and Canada: $100.2M Rest of the world: $74.6M Worldwide: $174.8M - 18
Nov 4, 2011 US and Canada: $78M Rest of the world: $74.9M Worldwide: $152.9M - 19
Feb 18, 2011 US and Canada: $55.1M Rest of the world: $94.8M Worldwide: $149.9M - 20
Apr 1, 2011 US and Canada: $54.7M Rest of the world: $92.6M Worldwide: $147.3M - 21
Sep 9, 2011 US and Canada: $75.7M Rest of the world: $60.9M Worldwide: $136.5M - 22
Oct 21, 2011 US and Canada: $20.4M Rest of the world: $111.9M Worldwide: $132.3M - 23
Feb 4, 2011 US and Canada: $23.2M Rest of the world: $85.4M Worldwide: $108.6M - 24
Mar 25, 2011 US and Canada: $36.4M Rest of the world: $53.4M Worldwide: $89.8M - 25
Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011)Aug 19, 2011 US and Canada: $38.5M Rest of the world: $47M Worldwide: $85.6M Aug 19, 2011 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $85.6M worldwide - 26
Sep 23, 2011 US and Canada: $28.1M Rest of the world: $54M Worldwide: $82.1M - 27
Sep 16, 2011 US and Canada: $35.1M Rest of the world: $44.6M Worldwide: $79.7M - 28
May 13, 2011 US and Canada: $29.1M Rest of the world: $49.2M Worldwide: $78.3M - 29
Jan 28, 2011 US and Canada: $29.1M Rest of the world: $47M Worldwide: $76.1M - 30
Aug 26, 2011 US and Canada: $36.7M Rest of the world: $34.8M Worldwide: $71.5M - 31
Apr 8, 2011 US and Canada: $40.3M Rest of the world: $23.5M Worldwide: $63.8M - 32
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (2011)Nov 11, 2011 US and Canada: $100.1K Rest of the world: $63.5M Worldwide: $63.6M
Nov 11, 2011 · Portuguese · Action, Drama, Thriller $63.6M worldwide - 33
Aug 19, 2011 US and Canada: $21.3M Rest of the world: $42.2M Worldwide: $63.5M - 34
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance (2011)Jan 21, 2011 US and Canada: $174.9K Rest of the world: $60.5M Worldwide: $60.6M
Jan 21, 2011 · Japanese · Action, Sci-Fi, Drama $60.6M worldwide - 35
Sep 23, 2011 US and Canada: $25.1M Rest of the world: $32M Worldwide: $57.1M - 36
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2011)Sep 2, 2011 US and Canada: $459.8K Rest of the world: $51.4M Worldwide: $51.9M
Sep 2, 2011 · Chinese · Action, Mystery, Thriller $51.9M worldwide - 37
Aug 10, 2011 US and Canada: $251.2K Rest of the world: $50.3M Worldwide: $50.6M - 38
Apr 8, 2011 US and Canada: $43.9M Rest of the world: $3.3M Worldwide: $47.1M - 39
Sep 9, 2011 US and Canada: $66.1K Rest of the world: $42.9M Worldwide: $43M - 40
Detective Conan: Quarter of Silence (2011)Apr 16, 2011 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $42.8M Apr 16, 2011 · Japanese · Mystery, Action, Crime $42.8M worldwide - 41
Feb 25, 2011 US and Canada: $10.7M Rest of the world: $30.2M Worldwide: $40.9M - 42
Mar 12, 2011 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $40.3M - 43
Inazuma Eleven GO The Movie: The Ultimate Bonds Gryphon (2011)Dec 23, 2011 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $36.3M Dec 23, 2011 · Japanese · Animation, Action $36.3M worldwide - 44
Oct 26, 2011 US and Canada: $2.5M Rest of the world: $33.4M Worldwide: $35.9M - 45
Apr 23, 2011 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $33.7M - 46
Detective K: Secret of Virtuous Widow (2011)Jan 27, 2011 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $32.4M
Jan 27, 2011 · Korean · Action, History, Comedy $32.4M worldwide - 47
Aug 31, 2011 US and Canada: $1.8M Rest of the world: $29.7M Worldwide: $31.5M - 48
Jan 26, 2011 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $30.1M - 49
Mar 11, 2011 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $29.7M - 50
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen (2011)Apr 22, 2011 US and Canada: $50.4K Rest of the world: $27.3M Worldwide: $27.4M Apr 22, 2011 · Chinese · Action, Drama, History $27.4M worldwide
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 2011?
Of the top 10, Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) earned the biggest share at home (48% in the US & Canada), while Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) made 77% of its gross abroad. Across all 169 films, $3.5B (32%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) $1.1B $352.4M US & Canada · 31% $771.4M elsewhere · 69%
- 2 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) $1B $241.1M US & Canada · 23% $805.6M elsewhere · 77%
- 3 Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) $694.7M $209.4M US & Canada · 30% $485.3M elsewhere · 70%
- 4 Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) $665.7M $165.2M US & Canada · 25% $500.4M elsewhere · 75%
- 5 Fast Five (2011) $626.1M $209.8M US & Canada · 34% $416.3M elsewhere · 66%
- 6 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) $543.8M $186.8M US & Canada · 34% $357M elsewhere · 66%
- 7 Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) $481.8M $176.8M US & Canada · 37% $305M elsewhere · 63%
- 8 Thor (2011) $449.3M $181M US & Canada · 40% $268.3M elsewhere · 60%
- 9 Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) $370.6M $176.7M US & Canada · 48% $193.9M elsewhere · 52%
- 10 X-Men: First Class (2011) $352.6M $146.4M US & Canada · 42% $206.2M elsewhere · 58%
Gross bands
How Many 2011 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
23 of 169 films crossed $100M and took $8.8B between them, 83% of the total. 106 films, 63% of the list, earned under $10M.
20% 24% 38% 15%
- $1B or more 2 films, 1% of the list $2.2B · 20% of the gross
- $500M to $1B 4 films, 2% of the list $2.5B · 24% of the gross
- $100M to $500M 17 films, 10% of the list $4.1B · 38% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 40 films, 24% of the list $1.6B · 15% of the gross
- Under $10M 106 films, 63% of the list $214.4M · 2% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 2011 Earned the Most?
May releases took the most, $2.3B from 11 films, led by Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011). February was the quietest month ($316.8M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan The Green Hornet (2011) $455.8M The Green Hornet (2011)
- February Feb I Am Number Four (2011) $316.8M I Am Number Four (2011)
- March Mar Rango (2011) $635.9M Rango (2011)
- April Apr Fast Five (2011) $1B Fast Five (2011)
- May May Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) $2.3B Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
- June Jun Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) $1.7B Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
- July Jul Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) $644.2M Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- August Aug Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) $840.8M Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
- September Sep Contagion (2011) $480M Contagion (2011)
- October Oct Real Steel (2011) $493.2M Real Steel (2011)
- November Nov Immortals (2011) $458.2M Immortals (2011)
- December Dec Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) $1.3B Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
Last 10 years
How Does 2011 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 2009 earned the most: $12.5B from 157 films, led by Avatar (2009). 2011 took $10.7B.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 100 films | 100 | $5.6B | – | Spider-Man (2002) $825.8M |
| 2003 111 films · +55% | 111 | $8.7B | +55% | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) $1.1B |
| 2004 117 films · −22% | 117 | $6.8B | −22% | Spider-Man 2 (2004) $784.6M |
| 2005 123 films · −19% | 123 | $5.5B | −19% | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) $905.6M |
| 2006 136 films · +21% | 136 | $6.7B | +21% | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) $1.1B |
| 2007 167 films · +13% | 167 | $7.5B | +13% | Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) $961.7M |
| 2008 161 films · +29% | 161 | $9.7B | +29% | The Dark Knight (2008) $1B |
| 2009 157 films · +28% | 157 | $12.5B | +28% | Avatar (2009) $2.9B |
| 2010 159 films · −25% | 159 | $9.3B | −25% | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (2010) $1B |
| 2011 169 films · +14% | 169 | $10.7B | +14% | Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) $1.1B |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Action Movies Speak in 2011?
English-language action films took $9.7B across 67 films, 91% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language action films ($314.2M) and Chinese-language action films ($158.7M).
2011 Action Box Office by Language
- English $9.7B67 films · #1 Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
- Japanese $314.2M16 films · #1 Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance (2011)
- Chinese $158.7M15 films · #1 Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2011)
- Korean $144.1M10 films · #1 War of the Arrows (2011)
- Portuguese $63.6M1 film · #1 Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (2011)
-
Hindi $53.9M8 films · #1 RA. One (2011) -
Spanish $30.8M3 films · #1 Torrente 4: Lethal crisis (2011) -
Cantonese $19.3M5 films · #1 Mr. & Mrs. Incredible (2011) -
French $17.6M3 films · #1 Point Blank (2011) -
Thai $15.1M8 films · #1 King Naresuan: Part 3 (2011)
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 2011: 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 169 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing action movie in 2011?
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) leads with $1.1B worldwide, $352.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) at $1B and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) at $694.7M.
How much did action movies released in 2011 earn?
169 action films released in 2011 report a worldwide gross, $10.7B in all, or $63.1M per film on average. 2010 releases took $9.3B.
How many action movies released in 2011 made $1 billion?
2 films crossed $1 billion worldwide: Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011). 23 crossed $100 million.
How is the 2011 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, and grouped by their release date in 2011. 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 2011 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.