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 to more contemporary releases, such as "The Fast and the Furious" and the DCEU.
While the most recent "Star Wars" offering, "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu," didn't exactly break box-office records, it still reigns as the No. 2 highest-grossing franchise ever.
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 compares, including their number of films and their top-performing release.
10. "The Lord of the Rings"
Box office total: $5.89 billion
Number of movies: 7
Highest-grossing movie: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003) — $1.13 billion
9. "X-Men"
Box office total: $6.08 billion
Number of movies: 13
Highest-grossing movie: "Deadpool 2" (2018) — $786 million
8. "Jurassic Park"
Box office total: $6.89 billion
Number of movies: 7
Highest-grossing movie: "Jurassic World" (2015) — $1.67 billion
7. DC Extended Universe
Box office total: $7.2 billion
Number of movies: 16
Highest-grossing movie: "Aquaman" (2018) — $1.15 billion
6. "The Fast and the Furious"
Box office total: $7.32 billion
Number of movies: 11
Highest-grossing movie: "Furious 7" (2015) — $1.52 billion
5. "James Bond"
Box office total: $7.88 billion
Number of movies: 27
Highest-grossing movie: "Skyfall" (2012) — $1.11 billion
4. "Spider-Man"
Box office total: $9 billion
Number of movies: 10
Highest-grossing movie: "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (2021) —$1.92 billion
3. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Box office total: $9.56 billion
Number of movies: 12
Highest-grossing movie: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" (2011) — $1.3 billion
2. "Star Wars"
Box office total: $10.51 billion
Number of movies: 13
Highest-grossing movie: "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015) — $2.05 billion
1. The Marvel Cinematic Universe
Box office total: $32.48 billion
Number of movies: 37
Highest-grossing movie: "Avengers: Endgame" (2019) — $2.7 billion
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Kristine Villarroel is a reporter on Business Insider's Editorial Partnerships team.Her reporting often turns data into accessible stories about how money, education, policy, and place shape Americans’ lives. She covers stories on college costs and degree outcomes, state-by-state comparisons, public officials’ salaries, the rising cost of living, travel, food, and real estate.She has previously worked writing about culture, entertainment, music, and tech. Her work has been featured on Teen Vogue and Wired. She graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in journalism. There, she worked as editor of The Independent Florida Alligator. Email Villarroel at [email protected] and follow her on X @ktnedelvalle
Gabbi Shaw is a reporter on Business Insider's editorial partnerships team. She covers entertainment, travel, food, and lifestyle for Business Insider, and Insider Inc.'s partners, including MSN, Apple News, and Yahoo.She graduated from Tulane University in 2017 with a degree in public health and now lives in New York City. She can be reached on X or LinkedIn.Please send all inquiries, comments, or tips to [email protected].Selected stories:
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