Top grossing movies (adjusted dollars)
Recently a GITS reader raised a question about the all-time top box office movies, adjusted for inflation. I finally remembered to follow through on that and went to one of my favorite sites BoxOfficeMojo. Here is the top 25:
1Gone with the WindMGM$1,588,070,800$198,676,4591939²Star WarsFox$1,400,020,000$460,998,0071977³The Sound of MusicFox$1,119,384,900$158,671,36819654E.T.: The Extra-TerrestrialUni.$1,114,975,100$435,110,5541982⁵The Ten CommandmentsPar.$1,029,660,000$65,500,00019566TitanicPar.$1,008,798,700$600,788,18819977JawsUni.$1,006,699,500$260,000,00019758Doctor ZhivagoMGM$975,704,700$111,721,91019659The ExorcistWB$869,069,700$232,671,0111973¹⁰Snow White and the Seven DwarfsDis.$856,740,000$184,925,4861937¹¹¹⁰¹ DalmatiansDis.$785,349,600$144,880,0141961¹²The Empire Strikes BackFox$771,699,800$290,475,0671980¹³Ben-HurMGM$770,280,000$74,000,000195914AvatarFox$764,426,400$760,507,6252009¹⁵Return of the JediFox$739,307,000$309,306,1771983¹⁶The StingUni.$700,662,900$156,000,000197317Raiders of the Lost ArkPar.$692,795,000$242,374,4541981¹⁸Jurassic ParkUni.$677,577,900$357,067,947199319The GraduateAVCO$672,591,200$104,901,8391967²⁰Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom MenaceFox$666,730,800$431,088,3011999²¹FantasiaDis.$652,721,700$76,408,0971941²²The GodfatherPar.$620,331,400$134,966,4111972²³Forrest GumpPar.$617,368,500$329,694,499199424Mary PoppinsDis.$614,509,100$102,272,7271964²⁵The Lion KingBV$607,041,900$328,541,7761994^
And here is the official list for the top 100 box office movies. What’s your analysis of these numbers?
UPDATE: In comments, Annika W notes that only one movie from the last decade — Avatar — is on the top 25 list. Compare to top 25 non-adjusted dollars:
1AvatarFox$760,507,6252009²TitanicPar.$600,788,18819973The Dark KnightWB$533,345,35820084Star WarsFox$460,998,0071977⁵Shrek 2DW$441,226,24720046E.T.: The Extra-TerrestrialUni.$435,110,5541982⁷Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom MenaceFox$431,088,3011999⁸Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s ChestBV$423,315,81220069Toy Story 3BV$415,004,880201010Spider-ManSony$403,706,375200211Transformers: Revenge of the FallenP/DW$402,111,870200912Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the SithFox$380,270,577200513The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingNL$377,027,325200314Spider-Man 2Sony$373,585,825200415The Passion of the ChristNM$370,782,9302004¹⁶Jurassic ParkUni.$357,067,947199317The Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersNL$341,786,7582002¹⁸Finding NemoBV$339,714,978200319Spider-Man 3Sony$336,530,303200720Alice in Wonderland (2010)BV$334,191,110201021Forrest GumpPar.$329,694,499199422The Lion KingBV$328,541,7761994²³Shrek the ThirdP/DW$322,719,944200724TransformersP/DW$319,246,193200725Iron ManPar.$318,412,1012008A lot more movies from the last decade on the list.