Let’s face it: the modern movie landscape is ruled by titans. Gone are the days when a single film could dominate the cultural conversation for years—now, it’s all about cinematic universes, sequels, and interconnected stories that keep fans coming back for more. If you’ve ever wondered which franchises have truly conquered the box office, buckle up. Here are the 7 highest-grossing movie franchises in history, and why they are the unstoppable juggernauts of Hollywood.
7. Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is the box office king. With 35 movies released and eight more scheduled, the MCU has collected more than $31.4 billion globally. As Investopedia states, “Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU, is undoubtedly the monarch of profitable movie franchises.” The Avengers films alone have raked in an astonishing $7.7 billion, with “Avengers: Endgame” sitting on the box office record as the second-highest-grossing film ever at $2.79 billion. What’s amazing is that when Disney acquired Marvel in 2009, the MCU wasn’t even a guarantee—most of the biggest characters were contracted to other studios. But as Marvel regained rights and constructed a vast, interlocking universe, the box office took off.
6. Star Wars
A galaxy far, far away in the distant past, George Lucas introduced a phenomenon that would be the second most valuable movie franchise in history. With 12 already here and two more coming, Star Wars has amassed $10.32 billion globally. The Force is with this one—”Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens” itself raked in over $2 billion, landing the film as the fifth highest-grossing of all time. Since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, the franchise went ballistic with new movies, TV shows, and merchandising empire, envying the whole galaxy. As mentioned by Investopedia, “Another Disney property, Star Wars, is the second most valuable movie franchise in the world by box office revenue.”
5. Harry Potter/Wizarding World
Magic, mystery, and a pinch of British flair—J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World comes in third, with a total of $9.6 billion at the box office. Those are the first eight Harry Potter movies and the Fantastic Beasts spin-offs. The last Potter movie, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” by itself brought in more than $1.3 billion. The reach of the franchise extends far past the screen, with theme parks, video games, and even a Broadway production.
And with an HBO television series in the works, the magic doesn’t show any signs of diminishing. According to Investopedia, “the Harry Potter film franchise contains both the original eight Harry Potter films as well as a spinoff series, Fantastic Beasts.”
4. Spider-Man
Everybody’s favorite web-slinger swings into fourth place with $8.9 billion worldwide box office. The Spider-Man franchise is distinct, although the latest Tom Holland films belong to the MCU, previous films, and the animated Spider-Verse films are a Sony product. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” almost reached $2 billion on its own, demonstrating that nobody can ever have enough Peter Parker action, no matter who is underneath the mask.
As per Investopedia, “the Spider-Man movie franchise comprises two previous sets of films and two animated films (and a third scheduled for 2026) as well.”
3. James Bond
Shaken, not stirred, and always lucrative—James Bond is the fifth-top-grossing franchise, earning $7.9 billion in 27 films. From Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, eight actors have played the tuxedo since “Dr. No” in 1962. The highest-grossing film of the franchise, “Skyfall,” grossed $1.1 billion, proving that 007 still has plenty of license to thrill. According to Investopedia, “the James Bond movie franchise is the fifth-highest-grossing of all time.” With Amazon MGM Studios now in creative control, the future of Bond is as intriguing as ever.
2. Jurassic Park/World
Dinosaurs are never out of fashion. The Jurassic brand, starting with Steven Spielberg’s original 1993 blockbuster, has continued to attract audiences with its combination of spectacle and nostalgia. The new release of “Jurassic World Rebirth” has pushed the franchise’s overall total even higher, potentially catapulting it ahead of Harry Potter and Spider-Man in the rankings. As pointed out by Business Insider, “The recent release of ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ could place the ‘Jurassic’ franchise above some titans such as ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Spider-Man’ once its run is completed.”
1. Batman and the DC Extended Universe
Though Marvel might reign supreme, DC’s caped crusader and his cinematic universe are not slackers. Batman’s standalone movies have collected almost $2.8 billion, and the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has contributed another $2.65 billion on 14 titles. Whether it is the grimy realism of Nolan’s trilogy or the bombastic extravagance of the DCEU, fans continue to queue up for more action in Gotham. As IGN tells it, “One of the biggest comic book heroes of all time, Batman has enjoyed immense success with a live-action take by 6 different actors and multiverse versions of wonderful Batman films.”
So what’s the key to these blockbuster franchises? It’s a combination of nostalgia, world-building, and constant innovation. Shared universes allow fans to dig deeper, and sequels and spinoffs maintain the momentum. Merchandising, theme parks, and streaming shows make these tales cultural references that endure for decades. And, of course, one mustn’t forget the magic of a great cast—be it Robert Downey Jr. playing Iron Man or Daniel Radcliffe playing Harry Potter, the right actor makes a franchise box office gold.