Is Avatar Really King Of The Box Office?

Yes, it’s got the biggest worldwide gross of all time. But it’s still no “Gone With The Wind.”

James Cameron broke his own record Tuesday. With a $1.86 billion haul, “Avatar” beat “Titanic” to become the highest grossing movie of all time at the worldwide box office.

 

 

It’s a remarkable achievement. But before every Hollywood studio exec decides that all future movies must be in 3-D and feature blue aliens, it’s worth getting a little perspective on the film.

“Avatar” has the advantage of showing in 3-D (which usually commands an average $3 extra per ticket) and coming out at a time when even 2-D movie tickets are more expensive than ever. According to the National Association of Theater Owners, the average ticket price in 2008 was $7.18, up 56% from prices in 1997 when “Titanic” was in theaters.

A look at domestic grosses adjusted for inflation shows a more realistic view of “Avatar”‘s performance.

In the U.S., “Avatar” has grossed $555 million making it the second highest grossing domestic (as opposed to worldwide) film of all time. Titanic is temporarily still in the lead here with $600.8 million.

But adjusting for ticket price for inflation, Avatar ranks as the 26th highest grossing film in the U.S., according to Box Office Mojo. Number one? “Gone With The Wind” with $1.5 billion adjusted gross in the U.S. “Star Wars” ranks second with $1.3 billion.

Cameron’s “Titanic” ranks sixth (just behind “The Ten Commandments“) with an adjusted $943 million take in the U.S.

Movies are released very differently today then they were in 1939 when “Gone With the Wind” premiered. The film showed originally in 156 theaters in the U.S. “Avatar” premiered on 3,452 screens. “Gone With the Wind” was re-released in 1947, 1954 and 1961. In 1967 it was shown in 70 mm. With as many as 600 films being released per year, these days few films get a second shot in theaters.

Of course movie now can sometimes double their box office with DVD and television sales. Here we’re only looking at box office.

Even some modern films beat “Avatar” when looked at through a price-adjusted prism. “Forrest Gump” (1994) ranks 22nd with an adjusted $623 million box office. “Star Wars: Episode 1 — The Phantom Menace,” which was released in 1999, ranks 19th with an adjusted $623 million domestic gross.

But most of the films at the top are from at least 30 years ago. “The Sound of Music” ranks third with an adjusted $1.05 billion take. “E.T.” is just behind with $1.04 billion.

With no film on the near horizon poised to challenge “Avatar”‘s dominance, the film is sure to continue to mint money. But it’s got a way’s to go to catch up with a classic like “Gone With The Wind.”

 

Avatar is now the highest-grossing film of all time. But the movie has the advantage of being in 3-D (which commands an extra $3 per ticket) and coming out at a time when ticket prices are higher then ever. When Box Office Mojo adjusted U.S. ticket prices to account for inflation, Avatar ranked only 26th. Here is a list of the top ten highest-grossing domestic films on an inflation-adjusted basis, according to Box Office Mojo.
Avatar is now the highest-grossing film of all time. But the movie has the advantage of being in 3-D (which commands an extra $3 per ticket) and coming out at a time when ticket prices are higher then ever. When Box Office Mojo adjusted U.S. ticket prices to account for inflation, Avatar ranked only 26th. Here is a list of the top ten highest-grossing domestic films on an inflation-adjusted basis, according to Box Office Mojo.
Gone With The Wind: 1939 : $1.48 billion : The MGM classic based on Margaret Mitchell's novel about the post-Civil-War South was a huge hit in its day. The film earned ten Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress for Vivien Leigh. It was such a hit for MGM that the studio re-released the movie in 1942, 1947, 1954, 1961, 1967 and 1974. Few films these days benefit from that kind of repeat business at the box office.
Gone With The Wind: 1939 : $1.48 billion : The MGM classic based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel about the post-Civil-War South was a huge hit in its day. The film earned ten Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress for Vivien Leigh. It was such a hit for MGM that the studio re-released the movie in 1942, 1947, 1954, 1961, 1967 and 1974. Few films these days benefit from that kind of repeat business at the box office.
Star Wars: 1977: $1.3 billion : The sci-fi film set the stage for the next generation of space movies and launched a six-part series that eventually grossed a total $4.2 billion at the worldwide box office (not adjusted for ticket inflation). As technology improved after the film's 1977 release, director George Lucas decided to touch up the original film. In 1997 he angered many fans when he released the updated version.
Star Wars: 1977: $1.3 billion : The sci-fi film set the stage for the next generation of space movies and launched a six-part series that eventually grossed a total $4.2 billion at the worldwide box office (not adjusted for ticket inflation). As technology improved after the film’s 1977 release, director George Lucas decided to touch up the original film. In 1997 he angered many fans when he released the updated version.

The Sound of Music : 1965 : $1.05 billion : The final musical written by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Twentieth Century Fox turned the Broadway play into a movie in 1965. It was such a big hit for the studio that a mural depicting Julie Andrews on a mountaintop adorns a wall on the lot at Fox Studios. The film lives on in a sing-along version complete with subtitles and costumed fans.
The Sound of Music : 1965 : $1.05 billion : The final musical written by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Twentieth Century Fox turned the Broadway play into a movie in 1965. It was such a big hit for the studio that a mural depicting Julie Andrews on a mountaintop adorns a wall on the lot at Fox Studios. The film lives on in a sing-along version complete with subtitles and costumed fans.
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial : 1982 : $1.04 billion : Millions of children and adults wept when E.T. (spoiler alert!) died in Steven Spielberg's touching and funny sci-fi film. Of course E.T. came back, and Elliott was able to help him get home. Spielberg re-released the film in 2002 with new special effects just as George Lucas had with Star Wars. The film, refreshingly, did not spawn any sequels.
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial : 1982 : $1.04 billion : Millions of children and adults wept when E.T. (spoiler alert!) died in Steven Spielberg’s touching and funny sci-fi film. Of course E.T. came back, and Elliott was able to help him get home. Spielberg re-released the film in 2002 with new special effects just as George Lucas had with Star Wars. The film, refreshingly, did not spawn any sequels.
The Ten Commandments: 1956 : $963 million : The Ten Commandments was the last of Cecil B. DeMille's Biblical epics that included The King of Kings and Samson and Delilah. Using special effects wizardry, DeMille was able to make the Red Sea appear to part in front of the fleeing Israelites. The film established Charlton Heston as the go-to guy to play big personalities like Ben-Hur and Michelangelo.
The Ten Commandments: 1956 : $963 million : The Ten Commandments was the last of Cecil B. DeMille’s Biblical epics that included The King of Kings and Samson and Delilah. Using special effects wizardry, DeMille was able to make the Red Sea appear to part in front of the fleeing Israelites. The film established Charlton Heston as the go-to guy to play big personalities like Ben-Hur and Michelangelo.

Titanic : 1997 : $943 million : A few months ago people doubted any film would earn more than Titanic, which for 12 years has held its place as the top-earning film of all time. Even massive hits like The Dark Knight and The Lord of the Rings films couldn't knock Titanic off its throne. Now, on a worldwide-unadjusted basis, Avatar is leaving Titanic in the surf.
Titanic : 1997 : $943 million : A few months ago people doubted any film would earn more than Titanic, which for 12 years has held its place as the top-earning film of all time. Even massive hits like The Dark Knight and The Lord of the Rings films couldn’t knock Titanic off its throne. Now, on a worldwide-unadjusted basis, Avatar is leaving Titanic in the surf.
Jaws : 1975 : $941 million : The movie that kept millions of people out of the water was also a big earner for Universal Pictures. The film earned $260 million at the domestic box office, which would be $941 million today. Tourists can still experience Steven Spielberg's mechanical shark on the Universal back lot tour where Bruce scares people every day.
Jaws : 1975 : $941 million : The movie that kept millions of people out of the water was also a big earner for Universal Pictures. The film earned $260 million at the domestic box office, which would be $941 million today. Tourists can still experience Steven Spielberg’s mechanical shark on the Universal back lot tour where Bruce scares people every day.
Doctor Zhivago : 1965 : $912 million : This epic love story runs 3 hours and 17 minutes, but that didn't stop people from flocking to theaters when it opened in 1965. The film was nominated for ten Oscars and won five. It lost Best Picture to The Sound of Music. Director David Lean made only two more films in his lifetime: Ryan's Daughter and A Passage to India
Doctor Zhivago : 1965 : $912 million : This epic love story runs 3 hours and 17 minutes, but that didn’t stop people from flocking to theaters when it opened in 1965. The film was nominated for ten Oscars and won five. It lost Best Picture to The Sound of Music. Director David Lean made only two more films in his lifetime: Ryan’s Daughter and A Passage to India

The Exorcist : 1973 : $813 million : William Friedkin's terrifying film about a young girl possessed by a demon is the highest-grossing R-rated film on an adjusted basis. The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including one for young Linda Blair, who played the possessed girl. It lost Best Picture to The Sting.
The Exorcist : 1973 : $813 million : William Friedkin’s terrifying film about a young girl possessed by a demon is the highest-grossing R-rated film on an adjusted basis. The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including one for young Linda Blair, who played the possessed girl. It lost Best Picture to The Sting.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs : 1937 : $801 million : Disney's Snow White was the first full-length animated picture. It is also the oldest film on our list. The movie's success helped establish Disney as the premier animation studio. Disney re-released the film about once per decade until 1993. The film is still a beloved classic and even inspired a ride at Disney World.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs : 1937 : $801 million : Disney’s Snow White was the first full-length animated picture. It is also the oldest film on our list. The movie’s success helped establish Disney as the premier animation studio. Disney re-released the film about once per decade until 1993. The film is still a beloved classic and even inspired a ride at Disney World.

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