List of fastest-grossing films

The success of a film is assessed by trade publications (such as Box Office Mojo and Variety) primarily by its theatrical box office earnings. Although several other revenue streams also generate revenue (such as theatrical exhibition, home video, television broadcast rights and merchandising) theatrical box office earnings take prominence, mostly because of the availability of the data compared to sales figures for home video and broadcast rights, but also because of historical practice. The success at the box office is measured in a number of ways, and these look at both the total gross as well as the speed with which that gross is attained. This list focuses on the latter. Included on the list charts showing the films that reached certain milestones in the fastest time. All charts ranked first by the number of days they took to reach the milestone, and second by their total gross on the day they exceeded the milestone. The charts are not adjusted for inflation, which does erode the achievements of earlier films.

Fastest-grossing films

On this chart, films are ranked by the revenues from theatrical exhibition at their nominal value, along with the highest positions they attained. Twenty-four films in total have grossed in excess of $1 billion worldwide, with Avatar ranked in the top position. All of the films have had a theatrical run (including re-releases) in the 21st century, and films that have not played during this period do not appear on the chart because of ticket-price inflation, population size and ticket purchasing trends not being considered.

Fastest-grossing films to $50 million

  † Background shading indicates films playing in the week commencing 22 November 2024 in theaters around the world.

Fastest-grossing films to $50 million

Rank	Date	Title	Days to milestone	Gross on day of Milestone	Reference(s)
1	December 18, 2015	Star Wars Ep. VII: The Force Awakens	1	$119,119,282
2	July 15, 2011	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II	1	$91,071,119
3	May 1, 2015	The Avengers: Age of Ultron	1	$84,424,532
4	June 12, 2015	Jurassic World	1	$81,953,950
5	May 4, 2012	The Avengers	1	$80,813,985
6	July 20, 2012	The Dark Knight Rises	1	$75,754,897
7	November 20, 2009	The Twilight Saga: New Moon	1	$72,703,754
8	November 18, 2011	The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1	1	$71,642,526
9	November 16, 2012	The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2	1	$71,167,839
10	November 22, 2013	The Hunger Games: Catching Fire	1	$70,950,136
11	May 3, 2013	Iron Man 3	1	$68,858,555
12	June 25, 2010	The Twilight Saga: Eclipse	1	$68,533,840
13	April 3, 2015	Furious 7	1	$67,407,340
14	March 23, 2012	The Hunger Games	1	$67,263,650
15	July 18, 2008	The Dark Knight	1	$67,165,092
16	June 19, 2009	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	1	$62,016,476
17	November 19, 2010	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I	1	$61,684,550
18	May 4, 2007	Spider-Man 3	1	$59,841,919
19	July 10, 2009	Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	1	$58,175,412
20	May 25, 2007	Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End	1	$56,150,436
21	June 14, 2013	Man of Steel	1	$56,075,491
22	July 7, 2006	Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest	1	$55,830,600
23	November 21, 2014	The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1	1	$55,139,942
24	May 7, 2010	Iron Man 2	1	$51,239,677
25	May 13, 2005	Star Wars Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith	1	$50,013,859
26	May 18, 2007	Shrek the Third	2	$86,411,827
27	March 5, 2010	Alice in Wonderland	2	$85,014,035
28	July 10, 2015	Minions	2	$84,901,740
29	May 3, 2002	Spider-Man	2	$83,029,136
30	November 20, 2015	The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2	2	$79,420,425
31	June 18, 2010	Toy Story 3	2	$78,240,091
32	May 26, 2006	X-Men: The Last Stand	2	$77,100,108
33	November 18, 2005	Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire	2	$76,837,498
34	May 2, 2008	Iron Man	2	$76,084,460
35	June 27, 2014	Transformers: Age of Extinction	2	$74,302,843
36	May 16, 2003	The Matrix Reloaded	2	$73,838,696
37	April 4, 2014	Captain America: The Winter Soldier	2	$71,593,056
38	May 16, 2014	Godzilla	2	$70,570,970
39	May 24, 2013	Fast and Furious 6	2	$70,434,075
40	June 4, 2004	Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban	2	$69,762,162
41	August 1, 2014	Guardians of the Galaxy	2	$68,835,193
42	May 2, 2014	The Amazing Spider-Man 2	2	$68,328,154
43	February 13, 2015	Fifty Shades of Grey	2	$67,031,300
44	May 20, 2011	Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides	2	$66,782,023
45	November 16, 2001	Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone	2	$65,846,144
46	June 29, 2007	Transformers	2	$65,725,939
47	June 19, 2015	Inside Out	2	$65,208,670
48	December 14, 2012	The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey	2	$64,865,362
49	May 23, 2014	X-Men: Days of Future Past	2	$64,795,624
50	June 24, 2011	Transformers: Dark of the Moon	2	$64,680,329
51	April 29, 2011	Fast Five	2	$64,334,820
52	June 25, 2004	Spider-Man 2	2	$64,255,524
53	November 8, 2013	Thor: The Dark World	2	$63,977,220
54	November 15, 2002	Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets	2	$63,845,256
55	May 1, 2009	X-Men Origins: Wolverine	2	$63,757,542
56	May 2, 2003	X2	2	$63,248,608
57	July 6, 2007	Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix	2	$62,606,743
58	May 17, 2013	Star Trek Into Darkness	2	$62,107,246
59	May 27, 2011	The Hangover Part II	2	$61,592,547
60	June 21, 2013	Monsters University	2	$59,207,090
61	December 14, 2007	I am Legend	2	$58,854,500
62	May 8, 2009	Star Trek	2	$58,142,588
63	November 21, 2008	Twilight	2	$57,265,377
64	March 8, 2013	Oz the Great and Powerful	2	$57,114,192
65	May 19, 2006	The Da Vinci Code	2	$55,947,620
66	December 13, 2013	The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug	2	$55,621,003
67	May 23, 2008	Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull	2	$55,612,347
68	April 3, 2009	Fast & Furious	2	$55,254,865
69	July 27, 2007	The Simpsons Movie	2	$54,557,638
70	May 17, 2002	Star Wars Ep. II: Attack of the Clones	2	$54,546,174
71	November 6, 2015	Spectre	2	$53,718,385
72	July 11, 2014	Dawn of the Planet of the Apes	2	$53,146,310
73	November 14, 2008	Quantum of Solace	2	$52,838,853
74	March 9, 2007	300	2	$52,787,575
75	May 15, 2015	Pitch Perfect 2	2	$52,754,870
76	May 4, 2001	The Mummy Returns	2	$52,729,333
77	December 18, 2009	Avatar	2	$52,281,135
78	December 12, 2003	The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King	2	$51,470,821
79	April 2, 2010	Clash of the Titans	2	$50,077,440
80	March 13, 2015	Cinderella	2	$50,051,849
81	July 27, 2001	Planet of the Apes	2	$50,050,500
82	May 30, 2014	Maleficent	2	$50,048,100
83	November 5, 2004	The Incredibles	2	$50,027,012