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)
1. Gone With The Wind
2. Avatar
3. Titanic
4. Star Wars
5. Avengers: Endgame
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.