I found this statistic in an investment magazine and I thought it might make a good discussion so here it is:

Top 20 Grossing Motion Pictures:
Rank/Title
1. Titanic, $1,845,000,000
2. Lord of the Rings, Return of the King, $1,118,900,000
3. Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest, $1,065,700,000
4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, $976,500,000
5. The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, $926,300,000
6. Star Wars, Episode 1, The Phantom Menace, $924,300,000
7. Shrek 2, $920,700,000
8. Jurassic Park, $914,700,000
9. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, $892,200,000
10.Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, $876,700,000
11. The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, $871,400,000
12. Finding Nemo, $864,600,000
13. Star Wars, Episode 3, Revenge of the Sith, $850,000,000
14. Spider-Man, $821,700,000
15. Independence Day, $817,000,000
16. E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial, $792,900,000
17. Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban, $789,800,000
18. The Lion King, $783,800,000
19. Spider-Man 2, $783,800,000
20. Star Wars, $775,400,000


I actually was suprised by quite a few of these, but I guess if you think about when they came out most of them make since...What do you think?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: techie1902,

I'd be interested to see the earnings versus money spent (Especially on advertising) and earnings versus the economy at the time.

It didn't say individually but it did say that "According to MPAA Worldwide Market Research, the average movie only recoups 60 cents in box office revenues for every dollar it costs to make."

Haha, there's Hollywood for ya

I actually never realized how close Titanic was to breaking 2 billion. I've never been able to understand how that movie got that much success.

Good advertising, cutting edge special effects, and a slow market in film when it opened = success.

Even if it was a crappy screenplay.

This is very true. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the slow market aspect was huge for this film.

The list is very interesting, but some things are hidden beneath it. Probably the most successful films of all time would be the LOTR films (just considering films - nothing can compete with the expanded star wars franchise in terms of money raking). If you think of the LOTR trilogy as a single film, which in terms of budgeting and production it really was, it's really incredible. Together the three films cost about $300 million to make (about $94 million each), and grossed about $3 billion. Dead Man's Chest, on the other hand, cost about $225 million to make and Titanic cost $200 million.

Of course, I'm not arguing that Titanic wasn't big. And I agree- how the hell did it make THAT much money?

The ones I really find interesting are the animated films up there. Shrek 2, Finding Nemo, and the Lion King vying with Star Wars, LOTR, and Titanic. Very interesting indeed.

It'll be really interesting seeing how these new mega-cost films do. Spiderman 3 has been estimated at about $300 million to make, while the third Pirates film has already launched past that mark. And to think, I was groaning about my latest production costing me $300. Yeesh.

(oh, and another couple of things to think about are Rentals and DVD's. DVD sales, I read, now make more than the box office. So factor THAT in to all the various editions of each film)

Anyone have a list of some of the most expensive films? I know Waterworld cost 175mil

The list really hasnt been adjusted for inflation so its not completely accurate, but Im sure you all already knew that.

I think I can honestly say I despise every film on that list except, perhaps, The Lion King. But thats just my opinion, obviously TONS of other people must find value in them or they wouldnt be making 700,000,000+ dollars.

I don't think it was necessarily that they liked them so much as the just bought into the hype.

Glad to see thespian Jar Jar Binks' work is so well loved.

it wasn't so much Jar Jar, it was the fact Star Wars was back. Notice episode 2 and 3 aren't up there, because episode 1 let all of the fans down.

I've seen this list before, so I'm not surprised, but you all should look up the list adjusted for inflation, that one is far more interesting. These are all manipulative hollywood films that I really hate as well. F*ck the Lord of the Rings

quote:

Originally posted by Forsakenproductions:
it wasn't so much Jar Jar, it was the fact Star Wars was back. Notice episode 2 and 3 aren't up there, because episode 1 let all of the fans down.

Yeah, I know, you're right. And I went and saw it too (all three of them, actually) just like everybody. So I'm partly responsible for their success. And, while ep. 3 IS up on that list, it's true that Jar Jar was pretty much left out of that one (if I remember correctly).

But on some level Jar Jar may as well be in basically all of those movies. I sort of wish he was, actually. Jar Jar in Titanic would have been sweet.

Yeah, that's not adjusted. If imflation were taken into account, Gone With The Wind would be up there, and the original star wars would be higher.

whoops sorry, Ep 3 was on the list! Totally looked over it.

Will someone go into detail as to why LOTR films were so "terrible?"

I think some people simply want to go against the mainstream simply for going against the mainstream. I don't understand why it can't just be accepted that maybe a mainstream, hollywood, big-budget film can be good. The simple fact is that the LOTR, as a trilogy, is the most widely and generally popular, critically acclaimed, and profitable film series of all time (if you take all three aspects into account; yes I know other films will be higher in each category, but no other is so generally "up there").

You can not like a film and still acknowledge that it is a well made film. And to say that the LOTR films weren't well made is just silly.

quote:

Originally posted by Director Drew:
Will someone go into detail as to why LOTR films were so "terrible?"

Well I personally hate them because:
1. They are only a Hollywood income magnet.
No message or point, its just there to generate profit.
2. Fantasy movies somehow think they have to include the exact same elements and they have to have the exact same feel and style. Nothing new is presented in LOTR. Just a CGI powered remix of the same old elements.
3. It distracts people from what I would consider worthwhile and meaningful films. People get so caught up in the I-WANT-INTENSE-ACTION-AND-SPECIAL-EFFECTS
FROM-BEGINNING-TO-END hype that they cant sit through something more subtle yet 100 times more meaningful.

Then again, there are people that watch films only for entertainment and not for enlightenment. I respect that. I am glad they found something to enjoy. LOTR has everything they are looking for. As for myself and other on these forums, however, we have a different set of opinions and values that cause LOTR to seem incredible empty and pointless.

I looked up some more lists (I think they're all adjusted for inflation) so you guys can compare...I'm not really sure how reliable they all are but they all have pretty similiar lists...

Here are the links for the lists:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1340070

http://www.the-movie-times.com/thrsdir/alltime.mv?adjusted+ByAG

So yeah I think most of you were pretty accurate in your earlier comments, and these definately make more sense...