- Franchises have been the backbone of Hollywood for decades.
- The highest-grossing franchise in movie history is the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- It has made more than $31 billion at the box office since 2008.
It's hard to imagine what the movies would look like without sequels, spin-offs, and connected universes taking over the box office every weekend.
The top 10 movie franchises at the global box office have each grossed at least $5 billion. They range from '60s and '70s series like James Bond and the "Star Wars" movies to more contemporary releases like "The Fast and the Furious" and "Harry Potter."
Business Insider used data from Box Office Mojo and The Numbers to identify the highest-grossing film franchises of all time.
Here's how each of your favorite movie universes compare, including their number of films and their top-performing release.
10. "Batman"
Box office total: $5.72 billion
Number of movies: 11
Highest-grossing movie: "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012) — $1.11 billion
9. "Jurassic Park"
Box office total: $6.08 billion
Number of movies: 6
Highest-grossing movie: "Jurassic World" (2015) — $1.67 billion
8. "X-Men"
Box office total: $6.08 billion
Number of movies: 13
Highest-grossing movie: "Deadpool 2" (2018) — $786 million
7. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Box office total: $7.11 billion
Number of movies: 12
Highest-grossing movie: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" (2011) — $1.34 billion
6. DC Extended Universe
Box office total: $7.21 billion
Number of movies: 16
Highest-grossing movie: "Aquaman" (2018) — $1.15 billion
5. "The Fast and the Furious"
Box office total: $7.32 billion
Number of movies: 11
Highest-grossing movie: "Furious 7" (2015) — $1.52 billion
4. "James Bond"
Box office total: $7.88 billion
Number of movies: 27
Highest-grossing movie: "Skyfall" (2012) — $1.11 billion
3. "Spider-Man"
Box office total: $9.03 billion
Number of movies: 10
Highest-grossing movie: "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (2021) —$1.95 billion
2. "Star Wars"
Box office total: $10.36 billion
Number of movies: 12
Highest-grossing movie: "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2016) — $2.07 billion
1. The Marvel Cinematic Universe
Box office total: $31.48 billion
Number of movies: 35
Highest-grossing movie: "Avengers: Endgame" (2019) — $2.8 billion
