#1 of 7,664 Highest-grossing thriller movie ever
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
2022 · Action, Adventure
$2.3B worldwide
$688.5M US & Canada · 29% $1.7B elsewhere · 71%
Thriller box office · All time
Highest-Grossing Thriller Movies of All Time
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) is the highest-grossing thriller movie in our database, with $2.3B worldwide, ahead of Jurassic World (2015) at $1.7B and The Avengers (2012) at $1.5B. 7,664 thriller films in our database report a worldwide gross, $249B in all, 43% of it from the US & Canada. 14 films crossed $1 billion and 647 crossed $100 million. By language, English leads with $219.1B across 4,680 thriller releases.
- films with a reported gross
- 7,664
- combined worldwide
- $249B
- films crossed $100M
- 647
- earned in the US & Canada
- 43%
#1 of 7,664 Top 5
What Are the Highest-Grossing Thriller Movies Ever?
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) leads with $2.3B, $671.9M ahead of Jurassic World (2015). The top 5 were released between 2012 and 2025 and took $8.5B together; every one of them earned more than half of their gross outside the US & Canada.
- Number 1
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Number 2 -
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Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
The Top 5,000 Thriller 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 7,664 films.
- 1 Dec 16, 2022 US and Canada: $688.5M Rest of the world: $1.7B Worldwide: $2.3B
- 2 Jun 12, 2015 US and Canada: $653.4M Rest of the world: $1B Worldwide: $1.7B
- 3 May 4, 2012 US and Canada: $623.4M Rest of the world: $897.2M Worldwide: $1.5B
- 4 Apr 3, 2015 US and Canada: $353M Rest of the world: $1.2B Worldwide: $1.5B
- 5 Dec 19, 2025 US and Canada: $404.3M Rest of the world: $1.1B Worldwide: $1.5B
- 6
May 1, 2015 US and Canada: $459M Rest of the world: $946M Worldwide: $1.4B - 7
Apr 14, 2017 US and Canada: $226M Rest of the world: $1B Worldwide: $1.2B - 8
May 3, 2013 US and Canada: $409M Rest of the world: $806.6M Worldwide: $1.2B - 9
May 6, 2016 US and Canada: $408.1M Rest of the world: $747M Worldwide: $1.2B - 10
Jul 20, 2012 US and Canada: $448.1M Rest of the world: $666.8M Worldwide: $1.1B - 11
Nov 9, 2012 US and Canada: $304.4M Rest of the world: $804.2M Worldwide: $1.1B - 12
Oct 3, 2019 US and Canada: $335.5M Rest of the world: $743.5M Worldwide: $1.1B - 13
Jul 18, 2008 US and Canada: $535M Rest of the world: $477.6M Worldwide: $1B - 14
Jun 10, 2022 US and Canada: $376.9M Rest of the world: $625.1M Worldwide: $1B - 15
May 4, 2007 US and Canada: $337.3M Rest of the world: $554.4M Worldwide: $891.7M - 16
Jul 2, 2025 US and Canada: $339.6M Rest of the world: $529.5M Worldwide: $869.1M - 17
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 - 18
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 - 19
Oct 5, 2018 US and Canada: $213.5M Rest of the world: $642.6M Worldwide: $856.1M - 20
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 - 21
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)May 5, 2023 US and Canada: $359M Rest of the world: $486.6M Worldwide: $845.6M May 5, 2023 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $845.6M worldwide - 22
Jul 16, 2010 US and Canada: $292.6M Rest of the world: $546.8M Worldwide: $839.4M - 23
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)Jun 24, 2009 US and Canada: $402.1M Rest of the world: $434.2M Worldwide: $836.3M Jun 24, 2009 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $836.3M worldwide - 24
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)Jul 27, 2018 US and Canada: $220.2M Rest of the world: $604M Worldwide: $824.2M Jul 27, 2018 · English · Action, Adventure, Thriller $824.2M worldwide - 25
Jul 3, 1996 US and Canada: $306.2M Rest of the world: $511.2M Worldwide: $817.4M - 26
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Infinity Castle (2025)Sep 12, 2025 US and Canada: $137M Rest of the world: $656.6M Worldwide: $793.6M
Sep 12, 2025 · Japanese · Animation, Action, Adventure $793.6M worldwide - 27
Nov 13, 2009 US and Canada: $166.1M Rest of the world: $625.1M Worldwide: $791.2M - 28
May 24, 2013 US and Canada: $238.7M Rest of the world: $550M Worldwide: $788.7M - 29
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)May 22, 2008 US and Canada: $317.1M Rest of the world: $469.5M Worldwide: $786.6M May 22, 2008 · English · Action, Adventure, Thriller $786.6M worldwide - 30
Jun 30, 2004 US and Canada: $374.3M Rest of the world: $410.2M Worldwide: $784.6M - 31
Oct 8, 2021 US and Canada: $160.9M Rest of the world: $613.3M Worldwide: $774.2M - 32
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)Aug 1, 2019 US and Canada: $174M Rest of the world: $586.8M Worldwide: $760.7M Aug 1, 2019 · English · Action, Adventure, Thriller $760.7M worldwide - 33
May 19, 2006 US and Canada: $217.5M Rest of the world: $542.5M Worldwide: $760M - 34
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 - 35
Jul 3, 2012 US and Canada: $262.8M Rest of the world: $495.9M Worldwide: $758.7M - 36
Aug 5, 2016 US and Canada: $325.1M Rest of the world: $424.1M Worldwide: $749.2M - 37
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)May 23, 2014 US and Canada: $233.9M Rest of the world: $512.1M Worldwide: $746M May 23, 2014 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $746M worldwide - 38
May 15, 2003 US and Canada: $281.6M Rest of the world: $460.3M Worldwide: $741.8M - 39
Jun 25, 2021 US and Canada: $173M Rest of the world: $553.2M Worldwide: $726.2M - 40
Aug 29, 2019 US and Canada: $3.7M Rest of the world: $722.5M Worldwide: $726.2M - 41
Oct 4, 2013 US and Canada: $274.1M Rest of the world: $449.7M Worldwide: $723.8M - 42
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)Apr 4, 2014 US and Canada: $259.8M Rest of the world: $454.7M Worldwide: $714.4M Apr 4, 2014 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $714.4M worldwide - 43
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 - 44
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)Jul 31, 2015 US and Canada: $195M Rest of the world: $515.9M Worldwide: $710.9M Jul 31, 2015 · English · Action, Adventure, Thriller $710.9M worldwide - 45
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 - 46
Jul 3, 2007 US and Canada: $319.2M Rest of the world: $390.5M Worldwide: $709.7M - 47
May 19, 2023 US and Canada: $146.1M Rest of the world: $558.7M Worldwide: $704.9M - 48
Sep 8, 2017 US and Canada: $328.9M Rest of the world: $375.4M Worldwide: $704.2M - 49
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 - 50
Mar 23, 2012 US and Canada: $408M Rest of the world: $287.2M Worldwide: $695.2M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Biggest Thriller Movies Make Their Money?
Of the top 10, The Avengers (2012) earned the biggest share at home (41% in the US & Canada), while The Fate of the Furious (2017) made 82% of its gross abroad. Across all 7,664 films, $106B (43%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) $2.3B $688.5M US & Canada · 29% $1.7B elsewhere · 71%
- 2 Jurassic World (2015) $1.7B $653.4M US & Canada · 39% $1B elsewhere · 61%
- 3 The Avengers (2012) $1.5B $623.4M US & Canada · 41% $897.2M elsewhere · 59%
- 4 Furious 7 (2015) $1.5B $353M US & Canada · 23% $1.2B elsewhere · 77%
- 5 Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) $1.5B $404.3M US & Canada · 27% $1.1B elsewhere · 73%
- 6 Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) $1.4B $459M US & Canada · 33% $946M elsewhere · 67%
- 7 The Fate of the Furious (2017) $1.2B $226M US & Canada · 18% $1B elsewhere · 82%
- 8 Iron Man 3 (2013) $1.2B $409M US & Canada · 34% $806.6M elsewhere · 66%
- 9 Captain America: Civil War (2016) $1.2B $408.1M US & Canada · 35% $747M elsewhere · 65%
- 10 The Dark Knight Rises (2012) $1.1B $448.1M US & Canada · 40% $666.8M elsewhere · 60%
Gross bands
How Many Thriller Movies Crossed $100 Million?
647 of 7,664 films crossed $100M and took $185.8B between them, 75% of the total. 5,528 films, 72% of the list, earned under $10M.
18% 49% 23%
- $1B or more 14 films, <1% of the list $18.9B · 8% of the gross
- $500M to $1B 67 films, <1% of the list $45.8B · 18% of the gross
- $100M to $500M 566 films, 7% of the list $121.1B · 49% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 1,489 films, 19% of the list $56.3B · 23% of the gross
- Under $10M 5,528 films, 72% of the list $7B · 3% of the gross
By decade
Which Decade's Thriller Movies Earned the Most?
Films released in the 2010s lead with $93.9B from 2,758 titles, led by Jurassic World (2015). Each column links to the decade's biggest year.
- 1930s 1930s Peak year 1935 The 39 Steps (1935) $195.5K The 39 Steps (1935)
- 1940s 1940s Peak year 1946 Cloak and Dagger (1946) $12.3M Cloak and Dagger (1946)
- 1950s 1950s Peak year 1954 Rear Window (1954) $52.7M Rear Window (1954)
- 1960s 1960s Peak year 1965 Thunderball (1965) $273.6M Thunderball (1965)
- 1970s 1970s Peak year 1978 Jaws (1975) $3.5B Jaws (1975)
- 1980s 1980s Peak year 1989 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $9.2B Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- 1990s 1990s Peak year 1999 Independence Day (1996) $36B Independence Day (1996)
- 2000s 2000s Peak year 2007 The Dark Knight (2008) $67.5B The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2010s 2010s Peak year 2015 Jurassic World (2015) $93.9B Jurassic World (2015)
- 2020s 2020s Peak year 2023 Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) $38.5B Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Biggest years
Which Years Had the Highest-Grossing Thriller Movies?
2015 releases earned the most: $12.8B from 279 films, led by Jurassic World (2015). The 10 biggest years, each linking to its chart.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 279 films | 279 | $12.8B | Jurassic World (2015) $1.7B |
| 2012 216 films | 216 | $12B | The Avengers (2012) $1.5B |
| 2013 232 films | 232 | $10.5B | Iron Man 3 (2013) $1.2B |
| 2017 343 films | 343 | $10.2B | The Fate of the Furious (2017) $1.2B |
| 2018 368 films | 368 | $10B | Venom (2018) $856.1M |
| 2007 250 films | 250 | $8.8B | Spider-Man 3 (2007) $891.7M |
| 2010 208 films | 208 | $8.6B | Inception (2010) $839.4M |
| 2019 381 films | 381 | $8.6B | Joker (2019) $1.1B |
| 2009 208 films | 208 | $8.6B | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) $836.3M |
| 2014 251 films | 251 | $8.5B | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014) $759.2M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Thriller Movies Speak?
English-language thriller films took $219.1B across 4,680 films, 88% of the total, ahead of Chinese-language thriller films ($5.9B) and Korean-language thriller films ($3.6B).
All-Time Thriller Box Office by Language
- English $219.1B4,680 films · #1 Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
-
Chinese $5.9B137 films · #1 Ne Zha (2019) -
Korean $3.6B252 films · #1 Parasite (2019) - Japanese $2.4B159 films · #1 Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Infinity Castle (2025)
-
Hindi $1.9B262 films · #1 Pushpa: The Rule - Part 2 (2024) -
Spanish $1.3B312 films -
French $1.2B293 films · #1 The Devil Inside (2012) -
Cantonese $937.9M93 films · #1 Shock Wave 2 (2020) -
German $373.9M82 films · #1 The Lives of Others (2006) -
Russian $313.9M80 films · #1 The Execution (2024)
Archive
Thriller Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1920 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2015 leads with $12.8B, led by Jurassic World (2015).
2020s 7 years · $38.5B
- 2026 so far $2.6B #1 Project Hail Mary (2026)
- 2025 $7.7B #1 Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)
- 2024 $5.7B #1 Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
- 2023 $7.9B #1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
- 2022 $7.1B #1 Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- 2021 $5.5B #1 No Time to Die (2021)
- 2020 $2B #1 Bad Boys for Life (2020)
2010s 10 years · $93.9B
- 2019 $8.6B #1 Joker (2019)
- 2018 $10B #1 Venom (2018)
- 2017 $10.2B #1 The Fate of the Furious (2017)
- 2016 $7.6B #1 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- 2015 $12.8B #1 Jurassic World (2015)
- 2014 $8.5B #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)
- 2013 $10.5B #1 Iron Man 3 (2013)
- 2012 $12B #1 The Avengers (2012)
- 2011 $5B #1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
- 2010 $8.6B #1 Inception (2010)
2000s 10 years · $67.5B
- 2009 $8.6B #1 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
- 2008 $8.5B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $8.8B #1 Spider-Man 3 (2007)
- 2006 $7B #1 The Da Vinci Code (2006)
- 2005 $5.8B #1 War of the Worlds (2005)
- 2004 $6.7B #1 Spider-Man 2 (2004)
- 2003 $6.6B #1 The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
- 2002 $5.2B #1 Die Another Day (2002)
- 2001 $5.3B #1 Ocean's Eleven (2001)
- 2000 $5B #1 Mission: Impossible II (2000)
1990s 10 years · $36B
- 1999 $5.2B #1 The Sixth Sense (1999)
- 1998 $4.2B #1 Armageddon (1998)
- 1997 $5.1B #1 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
- 1996 $5B #1 Independence Day (1996)
- 1995 $3.9B #1 Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
- 1994 $2.9B #1 True Lies (1994)
- 1993 $2.3B #1 The Fugitive (1993)
- 1992 $2.3B #1 Basic Instinct (1992)
- 1991 $2.2B #1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- 1990 $3B #1 Ghost (1990)
1980s 10 years · $9.2B
- 1989 $1.8B #1 Batman (1989)
- 1988 $995.3M #1 Rambo III (1988)
- 1987 $1.7B #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- 1986 $571.7M #1 Aliens (1986)
- 1985 $908.2M #1 Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- 1984 $822.8M #1 Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
- 1983 $1.2B #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- 1982 $608M #1 First Blood (1982)
- 1981 $397.1M #1 For Your Eyes Only (1981)
- 1980 $291.5M #1 The Shining (1980)
1970s 10 years · $3.5B
- 1979 $452.1M #1 Moonraker (1979)
- 1978 $674.5M #1 Superman (1978)
- 1977 $161.1M #1 The Deep (1977)
- 1976 $200.3M #1 All the President's Men (1976)
- 1975 $589.1M #1 Jaws (1975)
- 1974 $352.9M #1 The Towering Inferno (1974)
- 1973 $509M #1 The Exorcist (1973)
- 1972 $334.9M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- 1971 $141.7M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $120.3M #1 Airport (1970)
1960s 10 years · $273.6M
- 1969 $24.3M #1 On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
- 1968 $3.7M #1 Coogan’s Bluff (1968)
- 1967 $43.9M #1 You Only Live Twice (1967)
- 1966 $47.4K #1 Blow-Up (1966)
- 1965 $114.9M #1 Thunderball (1965)
- 1964 $34.5M #1 From Russia with Love (1964)
- 1963 $16.6M #1 Dr. No (1963)
- 1962 $2.9M #1 The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
- 1961 $69.7K #1 Yojimbo (1961)
- 1960 $32.7M #1 Psycho (1960)
1950s 10 years · $52.7M
- 1959 $215.4K #1 North by Northwest (1959)
- 1958 $10.7M #1 Vertigo (1958)
- 1957 $27.4K #1 The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
- 1956 $18.2K #1 The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
- 1955 $2.3M #1 Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
- 1954 $38.5M #1 Rear Window (1954)
- 1953 $46.2K #1 The Wages of Fear (1953)
- 1952 $26K #1 Sudden Fear (1952)
- 1951 $52K #1 Strangers on a Train (1951)
- 1950 $816.7K #1 Shadow on the Wall (1950)
1940s 10 years · $12.3M
- 1949 $1.5M #1 The Third Man (1949)
- 1948 $464.6K #1 The Fallen Idol (1948)
- 1947 $79K #1 Odd Man Out (1947)
- 1946 $10M #1 Cloak and Dagger (1946)
- 1945 $94.2K #1 Dead of Night (1945)
- 1944 $23.6K #1 Double Indemnity (1944)
- 1943 $37K #1 Le Corbeau (1943)
- 1942 $47.5K #1 Went the Day Well? (1942)
- 1941 $19 #1 Suspicion (1941)
- 1940 $114.1K #1 Rebecca (1940)
1930s 7 years · $195.5K
FAQ
Thriller 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 7,664 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing thriller movie of all time?
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) leads with $2.3B worldwide, $688.5M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Jurassic World (2015) at $1.7B and The Avengers (2012) at $1.5B.
How much have thriller movies earned at the box office?
7,664 thriller films in our database report a worldwide gross, $249B in all, or $32.5M per film on average.
How many thriller movies have made $1 billion?
14 films crossed $1 billion worldwide: Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), Jurassic World (2015), The Avengers (2012), Furious 7 (2015) and Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) among others. 647 crossed $100 million.
How is the all-time thriller 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 thriller 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.