#1 of 490 #1 English-language movie of 2009
2009 · Action, Adventure
$2.9B worldwide · 13% of the chart's total
$785.2M US & Canada · 27% $2.1B elsewhere · 73%
English box office · 2009
English Box Office 2009: Highest-Grossing English Movies
Avatar (2009) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in 2009, with $2.9B worldwide, ahead of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) at $941.1M and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) at $886.7M. 490 English-language films released in 2009 report a worldwide gross, $23B in all, 44% of it from the US & Canada. 1 film crossed $1 billion and 55 crossed $100 million. That is up 15% on 2008, whose releases took $20B. By genre, Action leads with $11.8B across 71 English releases.
- 2009 releases with a gross
- 490
- combined worldwide
- $23B
- films crossed $100M
- 55
- vs 2008
- +15%
#1 of 490 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of 2009?
Avatar (2009) leads with $2.9B, 13% of the total. The top 5 together took $6.4B, 28% of what all 490 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 $941.1M Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)$302.3M US & Canada · 32% $638.7M elsewhere · 68% -
Number 3 -
Number 4 $836.3M Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)$402.1M US & Canada · 48% $434.2M elsewhere · 52% -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every English Release of 2009, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 490. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 2009.
- 1 Dec 18, 2009 US and Canada: $785.2M Rest of the world: $2.1B Worldwide: $2.9B
- 2 Jul 15, 2009 US and Canada: $302.3M Rest of the world: $638.7M Worldwide: $941.1M
- 3 Jul 1, 2009 US and Canada: $196.6M Rest of the world: $690.1M Worldwide: $886.7M
- 4 Jun 24, 2009 US and Canada: $402.1M Rest of the world: $434.2M Worldwide: $836.3M
- 5 Nov 13, 2009 US and Canada: $166.1M Rest of the world: $625.1M Worldwide: $791.2M
- 6
May 29, 2009 US and Canada: $293M Rest of the world: $442.1M Worldwide: $735.1M - 7
Nov 20, 2009 US and Canada: $297.8M Rest of the world: $413.2M Worldwide: $711M - 8
Dec 25, 2009 US and Canada: $209M Rest of the world: $315M Worldwide: $524M - 9
May 15, 2009 US and Canada: $133.4M Rest of the world: $352.6M Worldwide: $485.9M - 10
Jun 5, 2009 US and Canada: $277.3M Rest of the world: $192M Worldwide: $469.3M - 11
Dec 23, 2009 US and Canada: $219.6M Rest of the world: $223.5M Worldwide: $443.1M - 12
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) May 22, 2009 · Action, Adventure $413.1M worldwideMay 22, 2009 US and Canada: $177.2M Rest of the world: $235.9M Worldwide: $413.1M - 13
May 7, 2009 US and Canada: $257.7M Rest of the world: $128M Worldwide: $385.7M - 14
Mar 27, 2009 US and Canada: $198.4M Rest of the world: $183.2M Worldwide: $381.5M - 15
May 1, 2009 US and Canada: $179.9M Rest of the world: $193.2M Worldwide: $373.1M - 16
May 21, 2009 US and Canada: $125.3M Rest of the world: $246M Worldwide: $371.4M - 17
Apr 3, 2009 US and Canada: $155.1M Rest of the world: $205.3M Worldwide: $360.4M - 18
Nov 6, 2009 US and Canada: $137.9M Rest of the world: $187.4M Worldwide: $325.3M - 19
Aug 21, 2009 US and Canada: $120.5M Rest of the world: $200.9M Worldwide: $321.5M - 20
Jun 19, 2009 US and Canada: $164M Rest of the world: $153.4M Worldwide: $317.4M - 21
Nov 20, 2009 US and Canada: $256M Rest of the world: $53.2M Worldwide: $309.2M - 22
Aug 7, 2009 US and Canada: $150.2M Rest of the world: $152.3M Worldwide: $302.5M - 23
Jul 24, 2009 US and Canada: $119.4M Rest of the world: $173.4M Worldwide: $292.8M - 24
Nov 25, 2009 US and Canada: $104.4M Rest of the world: $162.7M Worldwide: $267.1M - 25
Sep 18, 2009 US and Canada: $124.9M Rest of the world: $118.1M Worldwide: $243M - 26
Jan 30, 2009 US and Canada: $145M Rest of the world: $81.8M Worldwide: $226.8M - 27
Dec 25, 2009 US and Canada: $112.7M Rest of the world: $106.4M Worldwide: $219.1M - 28
Jul 1, 2009 US and Canada: $97.1M Rest of the world: $117M Worldwide: $214.1M - 29
Aug 14, 2009 US and Canada: $115.6M Rest of the world: $95.2M Worldwide: $210.9M - 30
Aug 28, 2009 US and Canada: $66.5M Rest of the world: $119.7M Worldwide: $186.2M - 31
Feb 6, 2009 US and Canada: $116.9M Rest of the world: $69M Worldwide: $185.9M - 32
Mar 6, 2009 US and Canada: $107.5M Rest of the world: $77.9M Worldwide: $185.4M - 33
Mar 20, 2009 US and Canada: $80M Rest of the world: $103.7M Worldwide: $183.7M - 34
Jan 16, 2009 US and Canada: $146.3M Rest of the world: $37M Worldwide: $183.3M - 35
Feb 6, 2009 US and Canada: $94M Rest of the world: $84.9M Worldwide: $178.9M - 36
Sep 25, 2009 US and Canada: $84.8M Rest of the world: $92.8M Worldwide: $177.5M - 37
Oct 9, 2009 US and Canada: $109.2M Rest of the world: $62.6M Worldwide: $171.8M - 38
Dec 4, 2009 US and Canada: $83.8M Rest of the world: $83M Worldwide: $166.8M - 39
Apr 10, 2009 US and Canada: $79.6M Rest of the world: $76M Worldwide: $155.5M - 40
Jun 12, 2009 US and Canada: $65.5M Rest of the world: $84.7M Worldwide: $150.2M - 41
Jul 10, 2009 US and Canada: $60.1M Rest of the world: $78.8M Worldwide: $138.8M - 42
Apr 17, 2009 US and Canada: $64.2M Rest of the world: $72.1M Worldwide: $136.3M - 43
Aug 7, 2009 US and Canada: $94.1M Rest of the world: $35.4M Worldwide: $129.5M - 44
Oct 16, 2009 US and Canada: $73.4M Rest of the world: $54.6M Worldwide: $127.9M - 45
Sep 25, 2009 US and Canada: $38.6M Rest of the world: $83.9M Worldwide: $122.4M - 46
Dec 11, 2009 US and Canada: $37.5M Rest of the world: $84.9M Worldwide: $122.4M - 47
Jan 16, 2009 US and Canada: $73M Rest of the world: $44.2M Worldwide: $117.3M - 48
Feb 6, 2009 US and Canada: $44.3M Rest of the world: $64.1M Worldwide: $108.4M - 49
Mar 13, 2009 US and Canada: $67.2M Rest of the world: $39.2M Worldwide: $106.4M - 50
Nov 20, 2009 US and Canada: $42.2M Rest of the world: $63.5M Worldwide: $105.6M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 2009?
Of the top 10, The Hangover (2009) earned the biggest share at home (59% in the US & Canada), while 2012 (2009) made 79% of its gross abroad. Across all 490 films, $10B (44%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Avatar (2009) $2.9B $785.2M US & Canada · 27% $2.1B elsewhere · 73%
- 2 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) $941.1M $302.3M US & Canada · 32% $638.7M elsewhere · 68%
- 3 Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) $886.7M $196.6M US & Canada · 22% $690.1M elsewhere · 78%
- 4 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) $836.3M $402.1M US & Canada · 48% $434.2M elsewhere · 52%
- 5 2012 (2009) $791.2M $166.1M US & Canada · 21% $625.1M elsewhere · 79%
- 6 Up (2009) $735.1M $293M US & Canada · 40% $442.1M elsewhere · 60%
- 7 The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) $711M $297.8M US & Canada · 42% $413.2M elsewhere · 58%
- 8 Sherlock Holmes (2009) $524M $209M US & Canada · 40% $315M elsewhere · 60%
- 9 Angels & Demons (2009) $485.9M $133.4M US & Canada · 27% $352.6M elsewhere · 73%
- 10 The Hangover (2009) $469.3M $277.3M US & Canada · 59% $192M elsewhere · 41%
Gross bands
How Many 2009 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
55 of 490 films crossed $100M and took $18.9B between them, 82% of the total. 340 films, 69% of the list, earned under $10M.
13% 24% 46% 16%
- $1B or more 1 film, <1% of the list $2.9B · 13% of the gross
- $500M to $1B 7 films, 1% of the list $5.4B · 24% of the gross
- $100M to $500M 47 films, 10% of the list $10.6B · 46% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 95 films, 19% of the list $3.8B · 16% of the gross
- Under $10M 340 films, 69% of the list $320M · 1% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 2009 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $5B from 36 films, led by Avatar (2009). April was the quietest month ($812.8M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Taken (2009) $984.9M Taken (2009)
- February Feb Coraline (2009) $964.3M Coraline (2009)
- March Mar Monsters vs Aliens (2009) $1.1B Monsters vs Aliens (2009)
- April Apr Fast & Furious (2009) $812.8M Fast & Furious (2009)
- May May Up (2009) $3B Up (2009)
- June Jun Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) $2.2B Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
- July Jul Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) $2.7B Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
- August Aug Inglourious Basterds (2009) $1.4B Inglourious Basterds (2009)
- September Sep Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) $1B Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
- October Oct Couples Retreat (2009) $893.7M Couples Retreat (2009)
- November Nov 2012 (2009) $3B 2012 (2009)
- December Dec Avatar (2009) $5B Avatar (2009)
Last 10 years
How Does 2009 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 2009 earned the most: $23B from 490 films, led by Avatar (2009).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 271 films | 271 | $12.2B | – | Mission: Impossible II (2000) $546.4M |
| 2001 301 films · +10% | 301 | $13.4B | +10% | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) $1B |
| 2002 369 films · +4% | 369 | $13.9B | +4% | Spider-Man (2002) $825.8M |
| 2003 344 films · +23% | 344 | $17.1B | +23% | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) $1.1B |
| 2004 391 films · −7% | 391 | $15.9B | −7% | Shrek 2 (2004) $932.5M |
| 2005 415 films · +4% | 415 | $16.6B | +4% | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) $905.6M |
| 2006 515 films · +7% | 515 | $17.7B | +7% | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) $1.1B |
| 2007 553 films · +16% | 553 | $20.5B | +16% | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) $1B |
| 2008 540 films · −2% | 540 | $20B | −2% | The Dark Knight (2008) $1B |
| 2009 490 films · +15% | 490 | $23B | +15% | Avatar (2009) $2.9B |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in 2009?
Action took $11.8B across 71 films, 51% of the total, ahead of Adventure ($11.2B) and Fantasy ($8.1B). A film counts once for each of its genres.
2009 English Box Office by Genre
-
Action $11.8B71 films · #1 Avatar (2009) -
Adventure $11.2B56 films · #1 Avatar (2009) -
Fantasy $8.1B39 films · #1 Avatar (2009) -
Drama $7.9B222 films · #1 2012 (2009) -
Thriller $7.7B113 films · #1 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) -
Sci-Fi $7.6B37 films · #1 Avatar (2009) -
Comedy $7.6B158 films · #1 Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) -
Family $6.5B41 films · #1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) -
Romance $5.9B80 films · #1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) -
Animation $3.7B21 films · #1 Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
Archive
English Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1919 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $28.7B, led by Avengers: Endgame (2019).
2020s 7 years · $104B
2010s 10 years · $261.1B
- 2019 $28.7B #1 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- 2018 $28.3B #1 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- 2017 $27.9B #1 Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
- 2016 $27.4B #1 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- 2015 $27.1B #1 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
- 2014 $24.6B #1 Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014)
- 2013 $26B #1 Frozen (2013)
- 2012 $26B #1 The Avengers (2012)
- 2011 $24.2B #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
- 2010 $21B #1 Toy Story 3 (2010)
2000s 10 years · $170.3B
- 2009 $23B #1 Avatar (2009)
- 2008 $20B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $20.5B #1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
- 2006 $17.7B #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
- 2005 $16.6B #1 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- 2004 $15.9B #1 Shrek 2 (2004)
- 2003 $17.1B #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- 2002 $13.9B #1 Spider-Man (2002)
- 2001 $13.4B #1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
- 2000 $12.2B #1 Mission: Impossible II (2000)
1990s 10 years · $84.5B
- 1999 $12.9B #1 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- 1998 $10B #1 Armageddon (1998)
- 1997 $11.8B #1 Titanic (1997)
- 1996 $9.2B #1 Independence Day (1996)
- 1995 $8.9B #1 Toy Story (1995)
- 1994 $7.3B #1 The Lion King (1994)
- 1993 $6.3B #1 Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- 1992 $5.5B #1 The Bodyguard (1992)
- 1991 $5.9B #1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- 1990 $6.5B #1 Ghost (1990)
1980s 10 years · $33.4B
- 1989 $6B #1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- 1988 $4.3B #1 Rain Man (1988)
- 1987 $3.7B #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- 1986 $3.3B #1 Top Gun (1986)
- 1985 $3.5B #1 Back to the Future (1985)
- 1984 $3.4B #1 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- 1983 $2.6B #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- 1982 $2.2B #1 Tootsie (1982)
- 1981 $2.1B #1 Superman II (1981)
- 1980 $2.3B #1 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
1970s 10 years · $9.6B
- 1979 $2B #1 Moonraker (1979)
- 1978 $1.5B #1 Grease (1978)
- 1977 $2.1B #1 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- 1976 $624.6M #1 A Star Is Born (1976)
- 1975 $955.1M #1 Jaws (1975)
- 1974 $694.9M #1 Blazing Saddles (1974)
- 1973 $906.4M #1 The Exorcist (1973)
- 1972 $369.2M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- 1971 $182.9M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $346.9M #1 The Aristocats (1970)
1960s 10 years · $1.4B
- 1969 $244.6M #1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- 1968 $143.9M #1 Funny Girl (1968)
- 1967 $336.7M #1 The Jungle Book (1967)
- 1966 $28.1M #1 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
- 1965 $227.4M #1 Doctor Zhivago (1965)
- 1964 $238.6M #1 Mary Poppins (1964)
- 1963 $75.1M #1 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
- 1962 $49.6M #1 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- 1961 $952.7K #1 Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
- 1960 $42.4M #1 Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
1950s 10 years · $757.2M
- 1959 $126.4M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- 1958 $5.1M #1 Touch of Evil (1958)
- 1957 $31.3M #1 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- 1956 $140.6M #1 The Ten Commandments (1956)
- 1955 $95.8M #1 Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- 1954 $70.6M #1 Rear Window (1954)
- 1953 $147.7M #1 Peter Pan (1953)
- 1952 $38.6M #1 The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
- 1951 $4.4M #1 Ace in the Hole (1951)
- 1950 $96.7M #1 Cinderella (1950)
1940s 10 years · $651.4M
- 1949 $1.7M #1 The Third Man (1949)
- 1948 $707.7K #1 The Fallen Idol (1948)
- 1947 $1.4M #1 The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)
- 1946 $91.9M #1 Song of the South (1946)
- 1945 $22M #1 The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945)
- 1944 $117.4K #1 Henry V (1944)
- 1943 $6M #1 Casablanca (1943)
- 1942 $102K #1 Went the Day Well? (1942)
- 1941 $1.9M #1 Citizen Kane (1941)
- 1940 $525.5M #1 Gone with the Wind (1940)
1930s 10 years · $213.2M
- 1939 $26.3M #1 The Wizard of Oz (1939)
- 1938 $185.2M #1 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938)
- 1937 $27.1K #1 Stage Door (1937)
- 1936 $1.4M #1 Born to Dance (1936)
- 1935 $105.9K #1 The 39 Steps (1935)
- 1934 $37.5K #1 It Happened One Night (1934)
- 1933 $137.1K #1 Duck Soup (1933)
- 1932 $40K #1 The Old Dark House (1932)
- 1931 $299 #1 Transgression (1931)
- 1930 $1.2K #1 Madam Satan (1930)
1920s 3 years · $60.4K
1910s 1 year · $160
FAQ
English Box Office 2009: 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 490 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in 2009?
Avatar (2009) leads with $2.9B worldwide, $785.2M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) at $941.1M and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) at $886.7M.
How much did English-language movies released in 2009 earn?
490 English-language films released in 2009 report a worldwide gross, $23B in all, or $47M per film on average. 2008 releases took $20B.
How many English-language movies released in 2009 made $1 billion?
1 film crossed $1 billion worldwide: Avatar (2009). 55 crossed $100 million.
How is the 2009 English 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 2009. 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, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.
How often is the 2009 English 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.