From Gone with the Wind and Snow White to Avatar and Pirates of the Caribbean; every time a new movie hits the theaters, the highest box office grossing movies of all time changes slightly. Though when cost of living and inflation are taken into account, there are a few that seem to remain unmoved.
Following is a list of the latest top grossing movies, according to Box Office Mojo, a website that tracks movie-making revenues. The list includes films from as recent as the end of 2013 and lists these movies side-by-side with the all-time, highest money makers in films after inflation of the average ticket cost is taken into account.
Top Ranking Movies in First Place:
Avatar is on the top of the most recent list of highest grossing movies. This movie is about a paraplegic Marine dispatched on a mission to the moon Pandora, who struggles between upholding his orders and protecting the world he has made his home. It grossed over $2.7 billion worldwide, with more than $760 million of that income being made in America in 2009. Even when ticket cost inflation is taken into account, the movie ranks as the 14th all-time highest box office hit.
Though, the same Box Office Mojo site reports Gone with the Wind as the all-time highest box office success after inflation costs are taken into consideration for a fair comparison over the years. The movie pulled in a whopping $198.6 million for MGM in 1939.
Second Place Movies:
Next up, sinking all others as it stays afloat in second place on recent lists, is Titanic. This 1997 movie about the ocean liner thought to be unsinkable grossed $2.1 billion worldwide and more than $658 million in the U.S. alone the year it was released.
When inflation is taken into account, the “force” is with the second ranking highest money maker, Star Wars. The movie sent most other new releases to the “dark side” as it brought in $461 million in 1977 for Fox.
Third Highest Grossing Movies of All Time:
The third highest all-time money maker at the box office in recent years is Marvel’s The Avengers, which pulled in $1.5 billion in 2012. With inflation considered, The Sound of Music made the hills alive with the sound of $158 million — music to movie-maker’s ears in 1965.
Fourth Place Movies:
It didn’t take a magic potion or wizardry to bring Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 into the fourth ranking place on recent lists, brewing up $1.34 billion in 2011. Take inflation into account, and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial sends all others phoning home, with a reported $435 million in ticket sales at 1982 prices.
Number Five Movie of All Time:
Iron Man 3 ranks a strong fifth place on recent lists, grossing $1 billion in 2013. After calculating average ticket cost inflation value, Titanic is the all-time fifth-place ranker at 1997 ticket prices, pulling in $658 million for Paramount.
Sixth through Tenth Highest Grossing Box Office Movies of All Time:
Sixth Place on recent lists is Transformers: Dark of the Moon, drawing $1.12 billion in 2011. Thou shalt not lie, however, that The Ten Commandments ranks sixth when you consider the worth of the average ticket price in 1956, grossing $65 million.
Seventh Place on recent lists is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King with $1.12 billion in 2003. With ticket prices adjusted for inflation, Jaws reeled in $260 million in 1975 sales for Universal.
Eighth Place on recent lists is Skyfall, grossing $1.11 billion in 2012. Dr. Zhivago skates into eighth place after considering ticket cost adjustments, shoveling in a cool $111.7 million for MGM in 1965.
Ninth Place on recent lists is The Dark Knight Rises, with $1.08 billion ticket sales in 2012. However, when you consider the comparison of ticket costs, The Exorcist screams into ninth place, casting out a $232 million host of money in 1973.
Tenth Place on recent lists is Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest at $1.07 billion in 2006. An all-time adjusted total for Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs sweeps in a whistling $184.9 million in 1937 ticket sales.