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Top 10 Highest-Grossing Movies of All Time (Inflation-adjusted)

The value of money is not static, but changes with time based on the inflation rate. This of course also impacts the amount of money a movie makes at the box office. While all the top movies these days easily make billions of US dollars in profit, generating that kind of sum in profits was unthinkable half a century ago. Yet if you adjust for inflation rates, then you’ll find that many old movies were actually as financially successful as their modern counterparts.

The following Top 10 Ranking therefore ranks the highest grossing movies of all time, adjusted for inflation. You can treat this ranking as a perhaps more correct Top 10 Ranking of the 10 all-time highest-grossing movies in total. Old movies are at an obvious disadvantage in this ranking since even though just as financially successful at the box office, they just weren’t able to produce profits in the billions like it is normal today. Unlike in the normal ranking, expect to see some all-time classics i this inflation-adjusted ranking.

Note: This ranking ranks the 10 highest-grossing movies of all time based on inflation-adjusted worldwide financial success. You can find the Top 10 All-Time Best Movies ranking, based on critics ratings, right here.

The 10 Highest-Grossing Movies of All Time (Adjusted for Inflation)

highest grossing movies

1. Gone With The Wind

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2. Avatar

avatar - highest grossing movies no 2


3. Titanic

titanic - highest grossing movies number 3


4. Star Wars

star wars original highest grossing films


5. Avengers: Endgame

avengers endgame - highest grossing movies inflation adjusted top 5


6. The Sound of Music


7. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial


8. The Ten Commandments


9. Doctor Zhivago


10. Star Wars: The Force Awakens


The 10 Highest-Grossing Movies of All Time (Inflation-adjusted)

(as of April 2020)

Top 10 Highest-Grossing Movies in History (adjusted for inflation):
1. GONE WITH THE WIND
Inflation-adjusted worldwide gross: ~ $3.71 billion
2. AVATAR
Inflation-adjusted worldwide gross: ~ $3.26 billion
3. TITANIC
Inflation-adjusted worldwide gross: ~ $3.09 billion
4. STAR WARS
Inflation-adjusted worldwide gross: ~ $3.05 billion
5. AVENGERS: ENDGAME
Inflation-adjusted worldwide gross: ~ $2.80 billion
6. THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Inflation-adjusted worldwide gross: ~ $2.55 billion
7. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
Inflation-adjusted worldwide gross: ~ $2.49 billion
8. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Inflation-adjusted worldwide gross: ~ $2.36 billion
9. DOCTOR ZHIVAGO
Inflation-adjusted worldwide gross: ~ $2.24 billion
10. STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
Inflation-adjusted worldwide gross: ~ $2.07 billion

Top 10 Highest-Grossing Movies in History, adjusted for inflation. Current and historic inflation rates based on World Bank & IMF data.

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