#1 of 216 #1 thriller movie of 2012
2012 · Action, Adventure
$1.5B worldwide · 13% of the chart's total
$623.4M US & Canada · 41% $897.2M elsewhere · 59%
Thriller box office · 2012
Thriller Box Office 2012: Highest-Grossing Thriller Movies
The Avengers (2012) is the highest-grossing thriller movie released in 2012, with $1.5B worldwide, ahead of The Dark Knight Rises (2012) at $1.1B and Skyfall (2012) at $1.1B. 216 thriller films released in 2012 report a worldwide gross, $12B in all, 38% of it from the US & Canada. 3 films crossed $1 billion and 25 crossed $100 million. That is up 138% on 2011, whose releases took $5B. By language, English leads with $11.6B across 127 thriller releases.
- 2012 releases with a gross
- 216
- combined worldwide
- $12B
- films crossed $100M
- 25
- vs 2011
- +138%
#1 of 216 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Thriller Hits of 2012?
The Avengers (2012) leads with $1.5B, 13% of the total. The top 5 together took $5.4B, 45% of what all 216 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 $848.6M The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)$292.3M US & Canada · 34% $556.3M elsewhere · 66% -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Thriller Release of 2012, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 216. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 2012.
- 1 May 4, 2012 US and Canada: $623.4M Rest of the world: $897.2M Worldwide: $1.5B
- 2 Jul 20, 2012 US and Canada: $448.1M Rest of the world: $666.8M Worldwide: $1.1B
- 3 Nov 9, 2012 US and Canada: $304.4M Rest of the world: $804.2M Worldwide: $1.1B
- 4 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 - 5 Jul 3, 2012 US and Canada: $262.8M Rest of the world: $495.9M Worldwide: $758.7M
- 6
Mar 23, 2012 US and Canada: $408M Rest of the world: $287.2M Worldwide: $695.2M - 7
Dec 25, 2012 US and Canada: $149.3M Rest of the world: $293.5M Worldwide: $442.8M - 8
Jun 8, 2012 US and Canada: $126.5M Rest of the world: $276.9M Worldwide: $403.4M - 9
Oct 5, 2012 US and Canada: $139.9M Rest of the world: $236.3M Worldwide: $376.2M - 10
Aug 17, 2012 US and Canada: $85M Rest of the world: $229.9M Worldwide: $315M - 11
May 18, 2012 US and Canada: $65.4M Rest of the world: $237.6M Worldwide: $303M - 12
Aug 10, 2012 US and Canada: $113.2M Rest of the world: $162.9M Worldwide: $276.1M - 13
May 11, 2012 US and Canada: $79.7M Rest of the world: $165.8M Worldwide: $245.5M - 14
Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)Sep 14, 2012 US and Canada: $42.3M Rest of the world: $197.8M Worldwide: $240.2M Sep 14, 2012 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $240.2M worldwide - 15
Dec 21, 2012 US and Canada: $80.1M Rest of the world: $138.3M Worldwide: $218.3M - 16
Feb 10, 2012 US and Canada: $126.4M Rest of the world: $81.7M Worldwide: $208.1M - 17
Aug 3, 2012 US and Canada: $58.9M Rest of the world: $139.6M Worldwide: $198.5M - 18
Dec 21, 2012 US and Canada: $19M Rest of the world: $179.1M Worldwide: $198.1M - 19
Sep 28, 2012 US and Canada: $66.5M Rest of the world: $110M Worldwide: $176.5M - 20
Dec 19, 2012 US and Canada: $95.7M Rest of the world: $37.1M Worldwide: $132.8M - 21
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)Feb 17, 2012 US and Canada: $51.8M Rest of the world: $80.8M Worldwide: $132.6M Feb 17, 2012 · English · Action, Thriller, Fantasy $132.6M worldwide - 22
Feb 3, 2012 US and Canada: $54.3M Rest of the world: $74.6M Worldwide: $129M - 23
Feb 3, 2012 US and Canada: $64.6M Rest of the world: $62.1M Worldwide: $126.6M - 24
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)Jun 22, 2012 US and Canada: $37.5M Rest of the world: $79M Worldwide: $116.5M Jun 22, 2012 · English · Action, Thriller, Fantasy $116.5M worldwide - 25
Jan 6, 2012 US and Canada: $53.3M Rest of the world: $48.5M Worldwide: $101.8M - 26
Jan 13, 2012 US and Canada: $66.5M Rest of the world: $29.7M Worldwide: $96.3M - 27
Aug 31, 2012 US and Canada: $49.1M Rest of the world: $36.3M Worldwide: $85.4M - 28
Jul 6, 2012 US and Canada: $47.4M Rest of the world: $35.6M Worldwide: $83M - 29
Oct 12, 2012 US and Canada: $48.1M Rest of the world: $34.4M Worldwide: $82.5M - 30
Feb 24, 2012 US and Canada: $70M Rest of the world: $12.5M Worldwide: $82.5M - 31
Jan 27, 2012 US and Canada: $51.6M Rest of the world: $28.2M Worldwide: $79.8M - 32
Apr 13, 2012 US and Canada: $42.1M Rest of the world: $28M Worldwide: $70M - 33
Silent Hill: Revelation 3D (2012)Oct 26, 2012 US and Canada: $17.5M Rest of the world: $37.8M Worldwide: $55.4M Oct 26, 2012 · English · Mystery, Thriller, Horror $55.4M worldwide - 34
Sep 21, 2012 US and Canada: $41M Rest of the world: $14.1M Worldwide: $55.1M - 35
Jan 27, 2012 US and Canada: $18.6M Rest of the world: $29M Worldwide: $47.6M - 36
Sep 21, 2012 US and Canada: $31.6M Rest of the world: $12.7M Worldwide: $44.3M - 37
Apr 27, 2012 US and Canada: $17.1M Rest of the world: $24.4M Worldwide: $41.6M - 38
Sep 21, 2012 US and Canada: $13.4M Rest of the world: $27.6M Worldwide: $41M - 39
May 25, 2012 US and Canada: $18.1M Rest of the world: $20.3M Worldwide: $38.4M - 40
Jan 27, 2012 US and Canada: $26.4M Rest of the world: $11.7M Worldwide: $38.1M - 41
Nov 30, 2012 US and Canada: $15M Rest of the world: $22.9M Worldwide: $37.9M - 42
Sep 14, 2012 US and Canada: $7.9M Rest of the world: $27.6M Worldwide: $35.5M - 43
Oct 19, 2012 US and Canada: $25.9M Rest of the world: $8.7M Worldwide: $34.6M - 44
Jan 20, 2012 US and Canada: $18.9M Rest of the world: $15.6M Worldwide: $34.5M - 45
Apr 13, 2012 US and Canada: $14.3M Rest of the world: $18.6M Worldwide: $32.9M - 46
Aug 24, 2012 US and Canada: $20.3M Rest of the world: $10.8M Worldwide: $31.1M - 47
Apr 27, 2012 US and Canada: $16M Rest of the world: $13.7M Worldwide: $29.7M - 48
Nov 10, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $26.2M - 49
Nov 8, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $21.7M - 50
Feb 24, 2012 US and Canada: $11.7M Rest of the world: $8.1M Worldwide: $19.8M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 2012?
Of the top 10, The Hunger Games (2012) earned the biggest share at home (59% in the US & Canada), while The Expendables 2 (2012) made 73% of its gross abroad. Across all 216 films, $4.6B (38%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Avengers (2012) $1.5B $623.4M US & Canada · 41% $897.2M elsewhere · 59%
- 2 The Dark Knight Rises (2012) $1.1B $448.1M US & Canada · 40% $666.8M elsewhere · 60%
- 3 Skyfall (2012) $1.1B $304.4M US & Canada · 27% $804.2M elsewhere · 73%
- 4 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) $848.6M $292.3M US & Canada · 34% $556.3M elsewhere · 66%
- 5 The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) $758.7M $262.8M US & Canada · 35% $495.9M elsewhere · 65%
- 6 The Hunger Games (2012) $695.2M $408M US & Canada · 59% $287.2M elsewhere · 41%
- 7 Les Miserables (2012) $442.8M $149.3M US & Canada · 34% $293.5M elsewhere · 66%
- 8 Prometheus (2012) $403.4M $126.5M US & Canada · 31% $276.9M elsewhere · 69%
- 9 Taken 2 (2012) $376.2M $139.9M US & Canada · 37% $236.3M elsewhere · 63%
- 10 The Expendables 2 (2012) $315M $85M US & Canada · 27% $229.9M elsewhere · 73%
Gross bands
How Many 2012 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
25 of 216 films crossed $100M and took $10.4B between them, 86% of the total. 155 films, 72% of the list, earned under $10M.
31% 19% 36% 12%
- $1B or more 3 films, 1% of the list $3.7B · 31% of the gross
- $500M to $1B 3 films, 1% of the list $2.3B · 19% of the gross
- $100M to $500M 19 films, 9% of the list $4.3B · 36% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 36 films, 17% of the list $1.4B · 12% of the gross
- Under $10M 155 films, 72% of the list $223.3M · 2% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 2012 Earned the Most?
May releases took the most, $2.1B from 18 films, led by The Avengers (2012). April was the quietest month ($204.4M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan The Devil Inside (2012) $411.5M The Devil Inside (2012)
- February Feb Safe House (2012) $715M Safe House (2012)
- March Mar The Hunger Games (2012) $752.6M The Hunger Games (2012)
- April Apr The Cabin in the Woods (2012) $204.4M The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
- May May The Avengers (2012) $2.1B The Avengers (2012)
- June Jun Prometheus (2012) $536.7M Prometheus (2012)
- July Jul The Dark Knight Rises (2012) $2B The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
- August Aug The Expendables 2 (2012) $946M The Expendables 2 (2012)
- September Sep Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) $689.7M Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)
- October Oct Taken 2 (2012) $586.3M Taken 2 (2012)
- November Nov Skyfall (2012) $2.1B Skyfall (2012)
- December Dec Les Miserables (2012) $995.1M Les Miserables (2012)
Last 10 years
How Does 2012 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 2012 earned the most: $12B from 216 films, led by The Avengers (2012).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 132 films | 132 | $6.6B | – | The Matrix Reloaded (2003) $741.8M |
| 2004 156 films · +2% | 156 | $6.7B | +2% | Spider-Man 2 (2004) $784.6M |
| 2005 148 films · −14% | 148 | $5.8B | −14% | War of the Worlds (2005) $603.9M |
| 2006 200 films · +22% | 200 | $7B | +22% | The Da Vinci Code (2006) $760M |
| 2007 250 films · +26% | 250 | $8.8B | +26% | Spider-Man 3 (2007) $891.7M |
| 2008 200 films · −4% | 200 | $8.5B | −4% | The Dark Knight (2008) $1B |
| 2009 208 films · +1% | 208 | $8.6B | +1% | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) $836.3M |
| 2010 208 films · +1% | 208 | $8.6B | +1% | Inception (2010) $839.4M |
| 2011 174 films · −42% | 174 | $5B | −42% | The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011) $712.2M |
| 2012 216 films · +138% | 216 | $12B | +138% | The Avengers (2012) $1.5B |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Thriller Movies Speak in 2012?
English-language thriller films took $11.6B across 127 films, 97% of the total, ahead of French-language thriller films ($106.3M) and Korean-language thriller films ($58.6M).
2012 Thriller Box Office by Language
- English $11.6B127 films · #1 The Avengers (2012)
-
French $106.3M4 films · #1 The Devil Inside (2012) -
Korean $58.6M8 films · #1 Confession of Murder (2012) -
Hindi $47.3M11 films · #1 Raaz 3: The Third Dimension (2012) -
Japanese $31.6M2 films · #1 Lesson of the Evil (2012) -
Norwegian $19.4M1 film · #1 Headhunters (2012) -
Swedish $18.8M6 films · #1 Hamilton: In the Interest of the Nation (2012) -
Spanish $18.6M10 films · #1 [REC] 3: Genesis (2012) -
Indonesian $9.3M2 films · #1 The Raid: Redemption (2012) -
Russian $6M2 films · #1 The Spy (2012)
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 2012: 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 216 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing thriller movie in 2012?
The Avengers (2012) leads with $1.5B worldwide, $623.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Dark Knight Rises (2012) at $1.1B and Skyfall (2012) at $1.1B.
How much did thriller movies released in 2012 earn?
216 thriller films released in 2012 report a worldwide gross, $12B in all, or $55.6M per film on average. 2011 releases took $5B.
How many thriller movies released in 2012 made $1 billion?
3 films crossed $1 billion worldwide: The Avengers (2012), The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and Skyfall (2012). 25 crossed $100 million.
How is the 2012 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, and grouped by their release date in 2012. 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 2012 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.