Deadline has compiled a list of the highest-grossing movies at the North American box office for each since 1977, including the most recent winner, 2024’s Inside Out 2. With a few noted exceptions, the list is dominated by superheroes, Star Wars, animation and, of course, Harry Potter.
RELATED: The Movies That Have Made More Than $1 Billion At The Box Office
Click on the photo above to launch the photo gallery to see how many you remember.
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2024 – Inside Out 2
Image Credit: Disney Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: 6/12/2024
North American Total: $652,980,194
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2023 – Barbie
Image Credit: Warner Bros. / Everett Collection Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 7/19/2023
North American Total: $636,238,421
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2022 – Top Gun: Maverick
Image Credit: Scott Garfield /Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: 5/20/2022
North American Total: $718,318,561
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2021 – Spider-Man: No Way Home
Image Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing / © Marvel Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Release Date: 12/17/2021
North American Total: $804,793,477
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2020 – Bad Boys For Life
Image Credit: Ben Rothstein / © Columbia Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Release Date: 1/17/20
North American Total: $206,305,244
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2019 – Avengers: Endgame
Image Credit: Marvel/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: 4/26/19
North American Total: $858,373,000
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2018 – Black Panther
Image Credit: Matt Kennedy /Marvel /Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures /Everett Collection Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: 2/13/18
North American Total: $700,426,566
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2017 – Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Image Credit: J Heath/Lucasfilm/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: 12/15/17
North American Total: $620,181,382
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2016 – Finding Dory
Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection Distributor: Disney
Release Date: 6/17/16
North American Total: $486,295,561
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2015 – Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
Image Credit: Lucasfilm Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: 12/6/15
North American Total: $936,662,225
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2014 – Guardians of the Galaxy
Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: 8/1/14
North American Total: $333,176,600
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2013 – Iron Man 3
Image Credit: Walt Disney Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Release Date: 5/3/13
North American Total: $409,013,994
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2012 – Avengers
Image Credit: Disney Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: 5/4/12
North American Total: $623,357,910
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2011 – Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows II
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 7/15/11
North American Total: $381,011,219
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2010 – Avatar
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: 12/18/08
North American Total: $749,766,139
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2009 – Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Image Credit: Paramount/Everett Collection Distributor: Paramount
Release Date: 6/24/09
North American Total: $402,111,870
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2008 – The Dark Knight
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 7/18/08
North American Total: $534,987,076
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2007 – Spider-Man 3
Image Credit: Sony Distributor: Sony
Release Date: 5/4/07
North American Total: $336,530,303
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2006 – Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
Image Credit: Disney Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Release Date: 7/7/06
North American Total: $423,315,812
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2005 – Star Wars: Ep. III – Revenge Of The Sith
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: 5/19/05
North American Total: $380,270,577
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2004 – Shrek 2
Image Credit: Dreamworks SKG Distributor: Dreamworks SKG
Release Date: 5/19/04
North American Total: $441,426,807
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2003 – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Distributor: New Line Cinema
Release Date: 12/17/2003
North American Total: $381,878,219
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2002 – Spider-Man
Image Credit: Columbia Pictures Distributor: Sony
Release Date: 5/3/02
North American Total: $403,706,375
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2001 – Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 11/16/01
North American Total: $317,575,550
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2000 – Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Image Credit: Universal Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: 11/17/00
North American Total: $260,745,620
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1999 – Star Wars: Ep. I – Phantom Menace
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: 5/19/99
North American Total: $431,088,295
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1998 – Titanic
Image Credit: Paramount Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: 12/19/97
North American Total: $600,683,057
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1997 – Men in Black
Image Credit: Sony/Everett Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release Date: 7/2/97
North American Total: $250,690,539
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1996 – Independence Day
Image Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release Date: 7/2/96
North American Total: $306,169,268
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1995 – Batman Forever
Image Credit: Warner Bros./Everett Collection Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 6/16/95
North American Total: $184,031,112
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1994 – The Lion King
Image Credit: Disney Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: 6/15/94
North American Total: $312,855,561
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1993 – Jurassic Park
Image Credit: Universal Distributor: Univeral
Release Date: 6/11/93
North American Total: $357,067,947
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1992 – Batman Returns
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 6/19/92
North American Total: $162,831,698
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1991 – Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Image Credit: TriStar Pictures Distributor: TriStar Pictures
Release Date: 7/3/91
North American Total: $204,843,345
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1990 – Ghost
Image Credit: Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection Distributor: Paramount
Release Date: 7/13/90
North American Total: $217,631,306
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1989 – Batman
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 6/23/89
North American Total: $251,188,924
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1988 – Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Image Credit: Everett Collection Distributor: Walt Disney
Release Date: 6/24/88
North American Total: $156,452,370
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1987 – Beverly Hills Cop II
Image Credit: Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection Distributor: Paramount
Release Date: 5/20/87
North American Total: $153,665,036
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1986 – Top Gun
Image Credit: Paramount / courtesy Everett Collection Distributor: Paramount
Release Date: 5/16/86
North American Total: $176,781,728
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1985 – Back to the Future
Image Credit: Universal Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: 6/3/85
North American Total: $211,850,472
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1984 – Ghostbusters
Image Credit: Columbia Pictures/ Everett Collection Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: 6/8/84
North American Total: $229,242,989
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1983 – Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
Image Credit: Twentieth Century Fox/Everett Collection Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
Release Date: 5/25/83
North American Total: $252,583,617
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1982 – E.T., (aka E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL)
Image Credit: Universal/Everett Collection Distributor: Universal
Release Date: 6/11/82
North American Total: $359,197,037
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1981 – SUPERMAN II, (aka SUPERMAN 2)
Image Credit: Warner Bros./ Courtesy: Everett Collection. Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 6/19/81
North American Total: $108,185,706
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1980 Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
Image Credit: Twentieth Century Fox/ Everett Collection Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
Release Date: 5/21/80
North American Total: $209,398,025
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1979 – Superman
Image Credit: Warner Bros./Everett Collection Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 12/15/79
North American Total: $134,218,018
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1978 – Grease
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures/Everett Collection Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: 6/16/78
North American Total: $159,978,870
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1977 – Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
Image Credit: Twentieth Century Fox Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
Release Date: 5/25/77
North American Total: $307,263,857