Raking in $1 billion at the box office is no laughing matter for a movie. In fact, only 53 total movies have ever accomplished this amazing feat. In this list, we’re going over the most recent 12 films to join the billion-dollar club. If you’ve been looking for a new(ish) movie to watch that is undoubtedly approved by the masses, try one of these out and see for yourself why it was so popular amongst movie-goers.
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Barbie
Starting off with the most recent film to join this elusive club, Barbie proved in 2023 that everything really does look better in pink. This film starred A-list actress Margot Robbie as the titular doll while Ryan Gosling took on the role of Ken. With a powerful feminist message and a commitment to capturing the magical plastic world we all know and love, this movie enchanted audiences young and old.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
It’s always a risk to adapt a beloved video game franchise into a movie, and many Mario superfans had reservations when it came to how faithful this film would be to the original source material. However, as audiences watched the famous plumbing brothers fight alongside Princess Peach against the evil Bowser, even die-hard gamers had to admit that this movie had heart.
Avatar: The Way of Water
With how successful James Cameron’s movies are, it’s no surprise that the sequel to the first Avatar movie, which had also previously joined the billion-dollar club, makes this list. The stunning visuals and intriguing world of Pandora drew viewers in once again after more than a decade of waiting.
Jurassic World Dominion
Another entry in the iconic Jurassic Park franchise, this movie explored the aftermath of a previous film’s incident that had led to dinosaurs roaming the fictional world freely. Packed with action scenes starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, this film delivered on thrilling intrigue and nail-biting tension.
Top Gun: Maverick
This action drama was released in 2022 to wide acclaim. One of its biggest selling points was that it served as a long-awaited sequel to the original Top Gun from all the way back in 1986. Tom Cruise returned to the big screen in the starring role, playing the role of Top Gun graduate “Maverick” 30 years after completing the program.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
This 2021 superhero hit explored what would happen if the multiverse broke open and a slew of villainous foes attacked. A star-studded production featuring Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Zendaya, this movie gave fans of the MCU everything they were wanting and more.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
This film is certainly not the only Star Wars movie to make the billion-dollar club, but it is the most recent. Interestingly, other installments in the film franchise, such as “The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi,” took fewer days to reach this monumental money milestone.
Frozen II
With the raging popularity of Anna, Elsa, and the iconic song “Let It Go,” it’s no wonder that this wondrously wintry Disney film got a sequel. Packed with more powerful songs that just beg the audience to sing along, Frozen II gave us more insight into what happened to Queen Elsa of Arendelle and her friends after the events of the first movie.
Joker
The Joker has always been a fan-favorite villain from the Batman franchise. This film dove deep to tell the origin story of this iconic character, exploring themes of mental illness along the way. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, this film is actually the first R-rated movie to make $1 billion at the box office, making it quite the special entry on this list.
The Lion King
It’s no surprise that bringing this classic movie that played a huge role in many people’s childhoods back to the box office would be a big hit. Instead of being a cartoon sequel stylized in the same way as the original 1994 animated film, this 2019 release portrayed the main characters as photorealistic animals.
Spider-Man: Far From Home
The second Spider-Man entry on this list, this film actually released first in 2019. The story finds us in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame. The plot follows Spider-Man, Ned, and MJ as the gang’s attempted vacation goes haywire and transforms into a crucial world-saving mission.
Toy Story 4
Many fans of this long-time franchise thought the movie series would end after the third movie when Andy left for college. However, we were pleasantly surprised to see Buzz, Woody, and other childhood friends return to the screen for more adventures in this 2019 movie.
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This article was produced by Our Woven Journey. Featured Image Credit: Lucasfilm/Lucasfilm Ltd.