It has been a very exciting 2023 for the theatres if box-office results of the highest-grossing movies are to go by.
As many as 12 films have crossed the USD 400 million mark, of which eight have grossed over USD 500 million. Two hits, Barbie and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, are now on the list of billion-dollar global box-office earners.
Both franchise favourites and path-breaking movies have laughed all the way to the bank, the latter mainly capitalising on the tastes of a progressive society, which wants to see movies reflect real-world diversity while presenting outstanding stories on the big screen.
There is no greater example of the positive change in audiences’ perception of cinema than Barbie, helmed brilliantly by director Greta Gerwig.
The film deserves a special mention. It is not just the highest-grossing movie of 2023 but also a milestone in cinematic history for the multiple records it has set especially in box office openings and hauls both domestically (in the US) and worldwide.
But its most significant milestone is an achievement for Gerwig. Barbie is the first and so far the only film by a solo female director to have earned USD 1 billion at the worldwide box office. Only 28 billion-dollar-grossing Hollywood movies have a solo director, all men. Jennifer Lee and Anna Boden are the only other female directors to have helmed billion-dollar Hollywood movies, but they were co-directors of their respective projects — the Frozen franchise and Captain Marvel (2019).
While Barbie is the record-breaker of this year, Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the world’s most successful film franchise, has had a mixed run so far with one movie faltering and another performing to its expectations. But in what looks like a great year for animators, three of the top 10 films, including the record-shattering The Super Mario Bros. Movie, are animations.
Here are the top movies according to their global box-office collections
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1 /12
Director: Greta Gerwig
Cast: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Will Ferrell
Release date: 21 July
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy
Worldwide gross: USD 1,433,382,303
Synopsis: Barbie (Robbie), who lives in the fantastical Barbieland with other Barbies and Kens, suddenly has an existential crisis. She travels to the real world to find answers, leading to consequences that forever change Barbieland.
More about the film: Barbie is one of the two movies of 2023 that are among the top 20 highest-grossing movies of all time at the worldwide box office. It was released on the same day as Oppenheimer, which led to one of the most famous Internet meme moments in recent times and gave birth to the term ‘Barbieheimer.’
Image: Courtesy of IMDb
Directors: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
Voice Cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Jack Black
Release date: 5 April
Genre: Animation, Adventure
Worldwide gross: USD 1,360,968,281
Synopsis: Mario (Pratt) is a plumber who goes on an adventure of a lifetime in the Mushroom Kingdom to save Princess Peach (Taylor-Joy) from the evil Bowser (Black).
More about the film: Though critical reception for the movie was below average, it still became a juggernaut at the global box office in the weeks since its release due to the love from fans of the iconic game. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the highest global earner among all animated films of 2023. With Barbie, it is the only other film of the year to be among the top 20 highest-grossers in box-office history.
Image: Courtesy of IMDb
3 /12
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh
Release date: 21 July
Genre: Biography, Drama
Worldwide gross: USD 933,678,125
Synopsis: J. Robert Oppenheimer (Murphy) must race against time as well as American politics to produce a powerful atomic bomb that can change the course of World War II and history.
More about the film: One of the front-runners for the Academy Awards 2024 in all major categories, Oppenheimer has set several records, especially in Nolan’s career. It is the highest-grossing World War II film in history, breaking the record held by Dunkirk (2017), which, too, was directed by Nolan. It is also the highest-grossing biographical film of all time, a record previously held by Bohemian Rhapsody (2018). Oppenheimer is the second-highest-grossing R-rated film after Todd Phillips’s Joker (2019) and the third-highest-grossing film in Nolan’s career.
Image: Courtesy of Universal Pictures – © Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved./IMDb
Director: James Gunn
Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Will Poulter, Sean Gunn, Linda Cardellini, Chukwudi Iwuji
Release date: 5 May
Genre: Superhero, Adventure
Worldwide gross: USD 845,555,777
Synopsis: Still reeling from the loss of his beloved Gamora (Saldaña), Peter Quill (Pratt) is forced to unite the Guardians on a mission to save the life of one of their own from a threat who is far more ruthless than anyone they have encountered so far.
More about the film: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the highest-grossing MCU film of 2023. Audiences called it the best film in all of MCU. It is the third instalment with the Guardians as the protagonists and, according to some observers, marks the conclusion of their trilogy which started in 2014 though the end credits of the movie hint at a return of Pratt’s character.
Image: Courtesy of Jessica Miglio/Jessica Miglio – © MARVEL 2023./IMDb
5 /12
Director: Louis Leterrier
Cast: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, John Cena, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Helen Mirren, Brie Larson, Jason Statham, Jason Momoa, Charlize Theron, Joaquim de Almeida
Release date: 19 May
Genre: Action
Worldwide gross: USD 704,709,660
Synopsis: The unhinged and cruel Dante Reyes (Momoa) targets Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family to seek revenge for the death of his father, drug lord Hernán Reyes (de Almeida). Pushed into a corner with those close to him dying, Dom (Diesel) finds there is almost no chance of escape for the first time in his life no matter which part of the world he tries to find refuge in.
More about the film: Fast X is the 10th main instalment and the first of a two-part story in the long-running Fast & Furious saga. Its budget was USD 340 million, making it the most expensive film in the franchise and one of the 10 most expensive movies ever made. However, this has led to indications that its worldwide earnings may not have been enough as it required USD 850 million to break even.
Image: Courtesy of Peter Mountain/Universal Picture – © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved./IMDb
Directors: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Voice Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Vélez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, Shea Whigham, Greta Lee, Daniel Kaluuya, Mahershala Ali, Oscar Isaac
Release date: 2 June
Genre: Superhero, Animated
Worldwide gross: USD 689,935,201
Synopsis: Miles Morales (Moore) and Gwen Stacy (Steinfeld) are drawn into a multiverse where other Spider-People are trying to prevent it from collapsing. As the threat to their various Earths intensifies, it falls on Miles to keep the team together while rediscovering what being a hero means.
More about the film: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is widely seen as an Oscar frontrunner in the animated film category. Among the several records it has set are the highest-grossing Sony Pictures Animation movie ever and the highest-earning animated comic book movie of all time.
Image: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Animation – © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved. **ALL IMAGES ARE PROPERTY OF SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC. FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY./IMDb
7 /12
Director: Rob Marshall
Cast: Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni, Art Malik, Javier Bardem, Melissa McCarthy
Release date: 26 May
Genre: Fantasy, Musical
Worldwide gross: USD 569,626,289
Synopsis: Mermaid Ariel (Bailey), who has an enchanting voice, is enchanted by the world outside the sea and falls in love with a human named Prince Eric (Hauer-King). She makes a deal with an evil sea witch, Ursula (McCarthy), to get human legs in exchange for her voice. The decision puts her own life and the reign of her father, King Triton (Bardem), in danger.
More about the film: The Little Mermaid received mixed critical reception upon release, with criticism primarily for the plot and praise reserved for Bailey. The film had a production budget of around USD 250 million and needed at least USD 560 million to break even. Based on the data, analysts indicate that the film may have barely scraped through.
Image: Courtesy of Disney – © Disney/IMDb
8 /12
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Mariela Garriga, Henry Czerny
Release date: 11 July
Genre: Action, Thriller
Worldwide gross: USD 567,535,383
Synopsis: Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his Impossible Mission Force, aka IMF team, must prevent a powerful artificial intelligence system from falling into the wrong hands. The task becomes complicated with people from Ethan’s past getting involved.
More about the film: Mission: Impossible, the seventh instalment in its franchise, was one of the most-anticipated films of 2023. Critics rated it as one of the best in franchise history, but analysts see its box-office earnings below expectations. The film was made on a reported budget of USD 290 million and needed around USD 580 million to break even. One of the reasons behind its performance in theatres was the intense competition from both Barbie and Oppenheimer, which was released just 10 days after Cruise’s film.
Image: Courtesy of Christian Black/Christian Black – © 2023 Paramount Pictures./IMDb
9 /12
Director: Peter Sohn
Voice Cast: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Catherine O’Hara
Release date: 16 June
Genre: Animation, Comedy
Worldwide gross: USD 489,452,209
Synopsis: Ember (Lewis), a fire element, and Wade (Athie), a water element, are two young residents of the Element City. Despite their contrasting personalities and the reservations of their respective elemental tribes, Ember and Wade try to change the world around them with their love for each other.
More about the film: Elemental had its world premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on 27 May, where it was screened out of competition as the closing film of the festival.
Image: Courtesy of Pixar/PIXAR – © 2023 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved./IMDb
Director: Peyton Reed
Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors, Kathryn Newton, Bill Murray, Michelle Pfeiffer, Corey Stoll, Michael Douglas
Release date: 17 February
Genre: Superhero, Adventure
Worldwide gross: USD 476,071,180
Synopsis: Scott Lang (Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Lilly) are accidentally transported to the Quantum Realm with Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Newton) and Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Douglas). They discover that the Quantum Realm is in fact populated by mysterious inhabitants who are fighting to protect their home world from a tyrant named Kang (Majors).
More about the film: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania had a production budget of around USD 200 million and it needed around USD 600 million to break even. As such, it is among the handful of MCU movies that failed to break even at the box office despite having the best opening among the three Ant-Man films. It is also the lowest-rated MCU film ever, with criticism primarily for its plot, treatment, and performances barring Majors’.
Image: Courtesy of Jay Maidment/Jay Maidment – © 2022 MARVEL./IMDb
Director: Steven Caple Jr.
Cast: Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Peter Cullen, John DiMaggio, David Sobolov, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Pete Davidson, Liza Koshy, Colman Domingo
Release date: 9 June
Genre: Action, Adventure
Worldwide gross: USD 438,966,392
Synopsis: Planet-eating Unicron (Domingo) and his heralds known as Terrorcons threaten Earth in the 1990s. To stop them, the Autobots form an alliance with a unique Transformers race known as the Maximals, who have the ability to change into beasts.
More about the film: The story of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is set before the events of Transformers (2007), the first film in the franchise, and after the events of Bumblebee (2018), which is seen as the first Transformers film in chronological order. The movie had a production budget of USD 195 million. Despite high expectations, Rise of the Beasts officially ended as the lowest-grossing of all movies in the Transformers franchise.
Image: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures. – © 2023 Paramount Pictures. Hasbro, Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro. ©2023 Hasbro/IMDb
12 /12
Director: Chad Stahelski
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Donnie Yen, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, Clancy Brown
Release date: 24 March
Genre: Action, Thriller
Worldwide gross: USD 428,471,898
Synopsis: John Wick (Reeves) is looking for freedom from The High Table following the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019). But the way to do it is to defeat a ruthless foe, who has turned Wick’s equally powerful old friends against him.
More about the film: Critically and commercially acclaimed, John Wick: Chapter 4 is both the highest-grossing and highest-rated film of its franchise. It had a reported budget of USD 100 million, making it the most expensive film of the series. Its worldwide gross not only helped turn a profit but also took the franchise’s total past the USD 1 billion mark.
Image: Courtesy of Murray Close/Lionsgate/Murray Close/Lionsgate – © 2021 Lionsgate/IMDb
(Hero image: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures – © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved./IMDb; Featured image: Courtesy of Universal Pictures – © Universal Pictures/IMDb)
This article first appeared on Lifestyle Asia.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the highest-grossing movie of all time?
The highest-grossing movie of all time is Avatar (2009), with a lifetime gross of over USD 2.9 billion.
Which film has recorded the highest collection in India in 2023?
The highest collection recorded by an Indian film in 2023 is Jawan, with a reported total gross of INR 1,082 crore, or USD 132 million.
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