10 Highest Grossing Movies Of The Last Decade
The current decade has turned out to be one of the worst for box office with the Covid-19 hitting home and theatres closing for an indeterministic period. Cineworld, the world’s second-largest theatre chain is about to shut the doors for good after reporting a $3bn loss during the last financial year. And with the pandemic on a rise and no end in sight, it’s highly unlikely the box office will ever recover and see the collections rise so it’s safe to assume that last decade’s box office records might remain untouched for some time.
The last decade was an all-time high for box office wallet with superhero cinema hitting the limelight of Hollywood (Thanks to Thanos) and even though Netflix and other online streaming services established a huge subscriber base, people paid for the cinematic experience, the so-called “spectacle cinema” (which might not be the case for the current decade).
From superheroes, fast cars, princesses, to dinosaurs, the 2010s delivered diverse blockbusters that critics actually approved of. And as expected Disney reigned supreme. 24 of the 50 biggest cinemas releases of the last decade hailed from the House of Mouse (who also own Marvel Studios and Star Wars); the top three places all go to Disney, as do seven of the top 10.
So, without further adieu let’s take a look at 10 movies ranked by the general public with their wallets. Which films took the most money at the box office over the decade, which movies put the most bums on seats?
10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 (2011) — $1.341 Billion
A powerful, visually dazzling, satisfying and suitably magical conclusion with the promise of a lifetime, the final instalment bid farewell to a saga 10 years in the making with an ending that left no dry eye in the house. Doing justice to an equally amazing literary work and the hype, story rested and for fans, Magic is home!
9. Black Panther (2018) — $1.346 Billion
MCU’s most absorbing story told through an enthralling yet indispensable structural whiteness, King T’Challa and the story of his super-advanced and hidden Wakandan kingdom hit the right note with fans. Thinking about the late Chadwick Boseman and his struggles for bringing the African-American stories to light, Marvel’s Black Panther was one of the finest storytelling in the MCU and remains their most thought-provoking movie to date.
8. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) — $1.405 Billion
Overstuffed and mildly satisfying sequel, the box-office figures do not necessarily reflect the quality but the level of hype for the MCU universe. Reuniting its predecessor’s onerous cast with a few new additions and a worthy foe, the story had potential but failed to deliver unlike its first instalment yet earned a large sum due to a story in making.
7. Furious 7 (2015) — $1.516 Billion
Walker’s last screen time, heartfelt music, jaw-dropping stunts and stars’ authentic chemistry lends melody to its relentless beat.
6. The Avengers (2012) — $1.518 Billion
The movie that set the stage for Marvel with an awesome cast, hulk smash and of course America’s finest ass, the Avengers became a part of us and we still wanna become a part of avengers. From stellar action sequences, on-point storytelling and rib-tickling humour, Joss Whedon struck perfectly paving the way for one of the greatest and biggest celebration of superheroes in Hollywood.
5. The Lion King (2019) — $1.656 Billion
It's really hard to beat the original. Well, the visuals worked miracles and for most fans that might just be enough.
4. Jurrasic World (2015) — $1.672 Billion
Cheesy, dumb, balls-to-the-wall crazy and visually dazzling popcorn thriller that fails to match the original. Jurrasic World hit the theatres with a bang registering a whopping $524.1 million opening weekend worldwide. Working behind the name of a world-renowned franchise, Jurrasic World adds yet another name to this list under the ‘Less effort, maximum impact’ category. Following a simple philosophy of more blood, more teeth, more money, another iconic franchise turned into a successful money-making machine.
3. Avengers: Infinity War (2018) — $2.048 Billion
A thrilling, emotionally resonant blockbuster that (mostly) realizes its mammoth ambitions. And remember destiny still arrives!
2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) — $2.068 Billion
The Force Awakens successfully recalls the series’ former glory while injecting it with renewed energy and a thumping $2 Billion box office.
Avengers: Endgame (2019) — $2.797 Billion
Was there any doubt! Avengers: Endgame does whatever it takes to deliver a satisfying finale to Marvel’s epic Infinity Saga.
