#1 of 21,188 Highest-grossing drama movie ever
2025 · Animation, Drama
$2.3B worldwide
$23.3M US & Canada · 1% $2.2B elsewhere · 99%
Drama box office · All time
Highest-Grossing Drama Movies of All Time
Ne Zha 2 (2025) is the highest-grossing drama movie in our database, with $2.3B worldwide, ahead of Titanic (1997) at $2.3B and The Odyssey (2026) at $1.8B. 21,188 drama films in our database report a worldwide gross, $298.3B in all, 42% of it from the US & Canada. 12 films crossed $1 billion and 674 crossed $100 million. By language, English leads with $225.7B across 9,185 drama releases.
- films with a reported gross
- 21,188
- combined worldwide
- $298.3B
- films crossed $100M
- 674
- earned in the US & Canada
- 42%
#1 of 21,188 Top 5
What Are the Highest-Grossing Drama Movies Ever?
Ne Zha 2 (2025) leads with $2.3B, $5.9M ahead of Titanic (1997). The top 5 were released between 1997 and 2026 and took $9.7B together; every one of them earned more than half of their gross outside the US & Canada.
- Number 1
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Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
The Top 5,000 Drama 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 21,188 films.
- 1 Feb 14, 2025 US and Canada: $23.3M Rest of the world: $2.2B Worldwide: $2.3B
- 2 Dec 19, 1997 US and Canada: $674.4M Rest of the world: $1.6B Worldwide: $2.3B
- 3 Jul 17, 2026 US and Canada: $625M Rest of the world: $1.2B Worldwide: $1.8B
- 4 Jun 14, 2024 US and Canada: $653M Rest of the world: $1B Worldwide: $1.7B
- 5 Jul 19, 2019 US and Canada: $543.6M Rest of the world: $1.1B Worldwide: $1.7B
- 6
Jul 21, 2023 US and Canada: $636.2M Rest of the world: $810.9M Worldwide: $1.4B - 7
Feb 16, 2018 US and Canada: $700.4M Rest of the world: $649.5M Worldwide: $1.3B - 8
Jun 19, 2026 US and Canada: $480.3M Rest of the world: $668.6M Worldwide: $1.1B - 9
Jul 20, 2012 US and Canada: $448.1M Rest of the world: $666.8M Worldwide: $1.1B - 10
Oct 3, 2019 US and Canada: $335.5M Rest of the world: $743.5M Worldwide: $1.1B - 11
Apr 24, 2026 US and Canada: $372.3M Rest of the world: $656.4M Worldwide: $1B - 12
Jul 18, 2008 US and Canada: $535M Rest of the world: $477.6M Worldwide: $1B - 13
Jun 15, 1994 US and Canada: $425M Rest of the world: $554.2M Worldwide: $979.2M - 14
Jul 21, 2023 US and Canada: $330.1M Rest of the world: $645.7M Worldwide: $975.8M - 15
Apr 15, 2016 US and Canada: $364M Rest of the world: $603.7M Worldwide: $967.7M - 16
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)Dec 13, 2013 US and Canada: $258.4M Rest of the world: $700.7M Worldwide: $959.1M
Dec 13, 2013 · English · Adventure, Drama, Fantasy $959.1M worldwide - 17
Nov 2, 2018 US and Canada: $216.7M Rest of the world: $694.1M Worldwide: $910.8M - 18
Sep 30, 2021 US and Canada: $342.4K Rest of the world: $902.2M Worldwide: $902.5M - 19
Jul 28, 2017 US and Canada: $2.7M Rest of the world: $867.6M Worldwide: $870.3M - 20
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)Nov 22, 2013 US and Canada: $424.7M Rest of the world: $440.3M Worldwide: $865M Nov 22, 2013 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $865M worldwide - 21
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)Nov 11, 2022 US and Canada: $453.8M Rest of the world: $405.4M Worldwide: $859.2M Nov 11, 2022 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $859.2M worldwide - 22
Jun 19, 2015 US and Canada: $356.5M Rest of the world: $502.6M Worldwide: $859.1M - 23
Jun 19, 2015 US and Canada: $356.5M Rest of the world: $502.6M Worldwide: $859.1M - 24
Nov 3, 2017 US and Canada: $315.1M Rest of the world: $540.2M Worldwide: $855.3M - 25
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)Nov 16, 2012 US and Canada: $292.3M Rest of the world: $556.3M Worldwide: $848.6M Nov 16, 2012 · English · Adventure, Drama, Thriller $848.6M worldwide - 26
Jul 16, 2010 US and Canada: $292.6M Rest of the world: $546.8M Worldwide: $839.4M - 27
Feb 12, 2021 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $822M - 28
Nov 13, 2009 US and Canada: $166.1M Rest of the world: $625.1M Worldwide: $791.2M - 29
Mar 4, 2022 US and Canada: $369.3M Rest of the world: $403M Worldwide: $772.3M - 30
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)Nov 21, 2014 US and Canada: $337.1M Rest of the world: $422M Worldwide: $759.2M Nov 21, 2014 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $759.2M worldwide - 31
May 29, 2009 US and Canada: $293M Rest of the world: $442.1M Worldwide: $735.1M - 32
Oct 4, 2013 US and Canada: $274.1M Rest of the world: $449.7M Worldwide: $723.8M - 33
Dec 20, 2024 US and Canada: $254.6M Rest of the world: $468.1M Worldwide: $722.6M - 34
Mar 15, 2024 US and Canada: $282.1M Rest of the world: $432.7M Worldwide: $714.8M - 35
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)Nov 18, 2011 US and Canada: $281.3M Rest of the world: $430.9M Worldwide: $712.2M Nov 18, 2011 · English · Drama, Thriller, Fantasy $712.2M worldwide - 36
Nov 20, 2009 US and Canada: $297.8M Rest of the world: $413.2M Worldwide: $711M - 37
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)Jul 11, 2014 US and Canada: $208.5M Rest of the world: $502.1M Worldwide: $710.6M Jul 11, 2014 · English · Action, Sci-Fi, Drama $710.6M worldwide - 38
Sep 8, 2017 US and Canada: $328.9M Rest of the world: $375.4M Worldwide: $704.2M - 39
Feb 8, 2019 US and Canada: $6M Rest of the world: $694M Worldwide: $700M - 40
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)Jun 30, 2010 US and Canada: $300.5M Rest of the world: $398M Worldwide: $698.5M Jun 30, 2010 · English · Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller $698.5M worldwide - 41
Mar 23, 2012 US and Canada: $408M Rest of the world: $287.2M Worldwide: $695.2M - 42
May 1, 2026 US and Canada: $220.6M Rest of the world: $472.9M Worldwide: $693.5M - 43
Mar 20, 2026 US and Canada: $344.1M Rest of the world: $340.4M Worldwide: $684.5M - 44
Jul 6, 1994 US and Canada: $330.5M Rest of the world: $347.8M Worldwide: $678.2M - 45
Aug 6, 1999 US and Canada: $293.5M Rest of the world: $379.3M Worldwide: $672.8M - 46
Mar 17, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $670.5M - 47
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015)Nov 20, 2015 US and Canada: $281.7M Rest of the world: $379.7M Worldwide: $661.5M Nov 20, 2015 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $661.5M worldwide - 48
Dec 21, 2016 US and Canada: $270.6M Rest of the world: $363.8M Worldwide: $634.3M - 49
Jun 27, 2025 US and Canada: $189.6M Rest of the world: $444.5M Worldwide: $634.1M - 50
Oct 2, 2015 US and Canada: $228.4M Rest of the world: $402.2M Worldwide: $630.6M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Biggest Drama Movies Make Their Money?
Of the top 10, Black Panther (2018) earned the biggest share at home (52% in the US & Canada), while Ne Zha 2 (2025) made 99% of its gross abroad. Across all 21,188 films, $126.2B (42%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Ne Zha 2 (2025) $2.3B $23.3M US & Canada · 1% $2.2B elsewhere · 99%
- 2 Titanic (1997) $2.3B $674.4M US & Canada · 30% $1.6B elsewhere · 70%
- 3 The Odyssey (2026) $1.8B $625M US & Canada · 35% $1.2B elsewhere · 65%
- 4 Inside Out 2 (2024) $1.7B $653M US & Canada · 38% $1B elsewhere · 62%
- 5 The Lion King (2019) $1.7B $543.6M US & Canada · 33% $1.1B elsewhere · 67%
- 6 Barbie (2023) $1.4B $636.2M US & Canada · 44% $810.9M elsewhere · 56%
- 7 Black Panther (2018) $1.3B $700.4M US & Canada · 52% $649.5M elsewhere · 48%
- 8 Toy Story 5 (2026) $1.1B $480.3M US & Canada · 42% $668.6M elsewhere · 58%
- 9 The Dark Knight Rises (2012) $1.1B $448.1M US & Canada · 40% $666.8M elsewhere · 60%
- 10 Joker (2019) $1.1B $335.5M US & Canada · 31% $743.5M elsewhere · 69%
Gross bands
How Many Drama Movies Crossed $100 Million?
674 of 21,188 films crossed $100M and took $180.2B between them, 60% of the total. 17,581 films, 83% of the list, earned under $10M.
13% 41% 33%
- $1B or more 12 films, <1% of the list $17.9B · 6% of the gross
- $500M to $1B 57 films, <1% of the list $40.2B · 13% of the gross
- $100M to $500M 605 films, 3% of the list $122.2B · 41% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 2,933 films, 14% of the list $97.3B · 33% of the gross
- Under $10M 17,581 films, 83% of the list $20.8B · 7% of the gross
By decade
Which Decade's Drama Movies Earned the Most?
Films released in the 2010s lead with $113.6B from 8,149 titles, led by The Lion King (2019). Each column links to the decade's biggest year.
- 1920s 1920s Peak year 1921 The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) $10.4M The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)
- 1930s 1930s Peak year 1939 Wuthering Heights (1939) $2.8M Wuthering Heights (1939)
- 1940s 1940s Peak year 1940 Gone with the Wind (1940) $775.9M Gone with the Wind (1940)
- 1950s 1950s Peak year 1956 Lady and the Tramp (1955) $438.7M Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- 1960s 1960s Peak year 1965 The Sound of Music (1965) $865.1M The Sound of Music (1965)
- 1970s 1970s Peak year 1979 The Exorcist (1973) $5B The Exorcist (1973)
- 1980s 1980s Peak year 1988 Top Gun (1986) $14.2B Top Gun (1986)
- 1990s 1990s Peak year 1997 Titanic (1997) $42.3B Titanic (1997)
- 2000s 2000s Peak year 2008 The Dark Knight (2008) $70.7B The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2010s 2010s Peak year 2019 The Lion King (2019) $113.6B The Lion King (2019)
- 2020s 2020s Peak year 2023 Ne Zha 2 (2025) $50.1B Ne Zha 2 (2025)
Biggest years
Which Years Had the Highest-Grossing Drama Movies?
2019 releases earned the most: $13.9B from 1,161 films, led by The Lion King (2019). The 10 biggest years, each linking to its chart.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 1,161 films | 1,161 | $13.9B | The Lion King (2019) $1.7B |
| 2018 1,016 films | 1,016 | $12.7B | Black Panther (2018) $1.3B |
| 2017 963 films | 963 | $12.5B | Wolf Warrior 2 (2017) $870.3M |
| 2013 668 films | 668 | $12.1B | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) $959.1M |
| 2012 646 films | 646 | $12B | The Dark Knight Rises (2012) $1.1B |
| 2015 822 films | 822 | $11.6B | Inside Out (2015) $859.1M |
| 2016 862 films | 862 | $11.1B | The Jungle Book (2016) $967.7M |
| 2023 886 films | 886 | $11B | Barbie (2023) $1.4B |
| 2008 694 films | 694 | $10.6B | The Dark Knight (2008) $1B |
| 2014 717 films | 717 | $10.3B | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014) $759.2M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak?
English-language drama films took $225.7B across 9,185 films, 76% of the total, ahead of Chinese-language drama films ($22B) and Japanese-language drama films ($9.2B).
All-Time Drama Box Office by Language
- English $225.7B9,185 films · #1 Titanic (1997)
-
Chinese $22B619 films · #1 Ne Zha 2 (2025) -
Japanese $9.2B906 films · #1 Your Name. (2017) -
Korean $6B711 films · #1 Parasite (2019) -
French $5.4B1,645 films · #1 The Intouchables (2012) -
Hindi $4.4B660 films · #1 Dangal (2016) -
Spanish $3B1,179 films -
German $1.4B548 films · #1 Downfall (2005) -
Italian $1.2B555 films · #1 Tolo Tolo (2020) -
Russian $966.7M372 films · #1 Three Seconds (2017)
Archive
Drama Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1919 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $13.9B, led by The Lion King (2019).
2020s 7 years · $50.1B
2010s 10 years · $113.6B
- 2019 $13.9B #1 The Lion King (2019)
- 2018 $12.7B #1 Black Panther (2018)
- 2017 $12.5B #1 Wolf Warrior 2 (2017)
- 2016 $11.1B #1 The Jungle Book (2016)
- 2015 $11.6B #1 Inside Out (2015)
- 2014 $10.3B #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)
- 2013 $12.1B #1 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
- 2012 $12B #1 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
- 2011 $7.8B #1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
- 2010 $9.6B #1 Inception (2010)
2000s 10 years · $70.7B
- 2009 $9.9B #1 2012 (2009)
- 2008 $10.6B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $7.6B #1 I Am Legend (2007)
- 2006 $7.5B #1 The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
- 2005 $8.1B #1 War of the Worlds (2005)
- 2004 $6.4B #1 The Passion of the Christ (2004)
- 2003 $5B #1 Bruce Almighty (2003)
- 2002 $5.2B #1 Signs (2002)
- 2001 $4.6B #1 Pearl Harbor (2001)
- 2000 $5.8B #1 Gladiator (2000)
1990s 10 years · $42.3B
- 1999 $5.2B #1 The Sixth Sense (1999)
- 1998 $4.9B #1 Saving Private Ryan (1998)
- 1997 $5.9B #1 Titanic (1997)
- 1996 $4.5B #1 Twister (1996)
- 1995 $4.8B #1 Apollo 13 (1995)
- 1994 $4.3B #1 The Lion King (1994)
- 1993 $4.7B #1 Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- 1992 $2.9B #1 The Bodyguard (1992)
- 1991 $2.4B #1 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
- 1990 $2.7B #1 Ghost (1990)
1980s 10 years · $14.2B
- 1989 $2B #1 Dead Poets Society (1989)
- 1988 $2.1B #1 Rain Man (1988)
- 1987 $1.7B #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- 1986 $1.4B #1 Top Gun (1986)
- 1985 $1.5B #1 Rocky IV (1985)
- 1984 $1.4B #1 Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
- 1983 $1.1B #1 Terms of Endearment (1983)
- 1982 $1.3B #1 Tootsie (1982)
- 1981 $889.5M #1 On Golden Pond (1981)
- 1980 $674.6M #1 Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
1970s 10 years · $5B
- 1979 $919.3M #1 Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
- 1978 $585M #1 Jaws 2 (1978)
- 1977 $831.1M #1 Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
- 1976 $378.6M #1 Rocky (1976)
- 1975 $303.6M #1 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
- 1974 $439.5M #1 The Towering Inferno (1974)
- 1973 $869.6M #1 The Exorcist (1973)
- 1972 $337M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- 1971 $133.4M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $229.2M #1 Airport (1970)
1960s 10 years · $865.1M
- 1969 $164M #1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- 1968 $59.2M #1 Funny Girl (1968)
- 1967 $166.8M #1 The Graduate (1967)
- 1966 $29.7M #1 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
- 1965 $272.6M #1 The Sound of Music (1965)
- 1964 $74.9M #1 My Fair Lady (1964)
- 1963 $63.5M #1 Cleopatra (1963)
- 1962 $6M #1 The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
- 1961 $6.5M #1 Mother and a Guest (1961)
- 1960 $21.9M #1 The Apartment (1960)
1950s 10 years · $438.7M
- 1959 $75M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- 1958 $3.3M #1 Touch of Evil (1958)
- 1957 $32.5M #1 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- 1956 $119.9M #1 The Ten Commandments (1956)
- 1955 $95.8M #1 Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- 1954 $32.7M #1 The Caine Mutiny (1954)
- 1953 $36.8M #1 The Robe (1953)
- 1952 $36.5M #1 The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
- 1951 $4.5M #1 Ace in the Hole (1951)
- 1950 $1.5M #1 Shadow on the Wall (1950)
1940s 10 years · $775.9M
- 1949 $164.2K #1 Stray Dog (1949)
- 1948 $6.2M #1 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
- 1947 $11.1M #1 It's a Wonderful Life (1947)
- 1946 $54.6M #1 The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
- 1945 $22M #1 The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945)
- 1944 $102.5K #1 Henry V (1944)
- 1943 $4.9M #1 Casablanca (1943)
- 1942 $270.1M #1 Bambi (1942)
- 1941 $1.8M #1 Citizen Kane (1941)
- 1940 $404.9M #1 Gone with the Wind (1940)
1930s 10 years · $2.8M
- 1939 $1.1M #1 Wuthering Heights (1939)
- 1938 $47.4K #1 Port of Shadows (1938)
- 1937 $19.3K #1 Stage Door (1937)
- 1936 $536.4K #1 Modern Times (1936)
- 1935 $516K #1 Sylvia Scarlett (1935)
- 1934 $13.2K #1 L’Atalante (1934)
- 1933 $451.3K #1 Baby Face (1933)
- 1932 $47.1K #1 The Old Dark House (1932)
- 1931 $46.6K #1 M (1931)
- 1930 $5.1K #1 The Blue Angel (1930)
1920s 8 years · $10.4M
- 1929 $89.2K #1 Pandora’s Box (1929)
- 1928 $40.9K #1 The Air Circus (1928)
- 1927 $161.5K #1 Sunrise (1927)
- 1926 $720.7K #1 Flesh and the Devil (1926)
- 1925 $82.5K #1 The Gold Rush (1925)
- 1923 $12.9K #1 A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923)
- 1921 $9.2M #1 The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)
- 1920 $9.3K #1 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
1910s 1 year · $160
FAQ
Drama 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 21,188 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie of all time?
Ne Zha 2 (2025) leads with $2.3B worldwide, $23.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Titanic (1997) at $2.3B and The Odyssey (2026) at $1.8B.
How much have drama movies earned at the box office?
21,188 drama films in our database report a worldwide gross, $298.3B in all, or $14.1M per film on average.
How many drama movies have made $1 billion?
12 films crossed $1 billion worldwide: Ne Zha 2 (2025), Titanic (1997), The Odyssey (2026), Inside Out 2 (2024) and The Lion King (2019) among others. 674 crossed $100 million.
How is the all-time drama 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 drama 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.