I have always been curious about films and their impact on society. There are many interesting measures and lots of data that one can look up: one above all is the list of highest grossing films of all time. Box Office Mojo offers the official data, but there's a catch. They have a list of all time top grosses worldwide, but it's pretty much useless since it's not adjusted to inflation. The only list that is adjusted to inflation is the all time domestic grosses (domestic meaning USA). So, what if we wanted to compare film grosses at cinemas worldwide, but adjusting the values to take inflation into account? The answer is: you can't. Different countries means different interests rates, different currencies and so on. I googled for a while, but I couldn't find any reliable list that took into account the worldwide gross, adjusted for inflation.
So, I decided to calculate it myself. Precise measurements are almost impossible (for the reasons mentioned above), but we can make an estimate, which is better than nothing.
Methodology
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs made $184,925,486 in 1937, but if we adjust for inflation we get a very different number: $867,640,000. Clearly, absolute numbers tell a very partial story. For example, here's a detailed list of average prices over time. We can calculate the average compound interest rate, using this formula:
Were i = interest rate, FV = Future Value, PV = Present Value, and n = number of years. Plug in the numbers, we get i = 0.02947, or 2.947%. Now let's see how the adjusted list of the top 200 highest grossing films of all time looks like.
Here's how to read the table:
- OLD: The original position in the global list, not adjusted for inflation
- NEW: The original position in the global list, adjusted for inflation
- JUMP: Difference in chart position between the old and the new list
- YEAR: The year the film was released
- FILM: Name of the film (original title)
- GROSS ($): Total Lifetime Grosses in theaters
- ADJUSTED ($ 2011): Total Lifetime Grosses in theaters adjusted for inflation up to 2011
Resources
- Interactive list on Google docs (downloadable, too)
- List sources
- Methodology for inflation
- How to calculate compound interest
The final list
| JUMP | OLD | NEW | YEAR | FILM | GROSS ($) | ADJUSTED ($ 2011) |
| 142 | 143 | 1 | 1939 | Gone with the Wind | 400,200,000 | 3,239,389,304 |
| -1 | 1 | 2 | 2009 | Avatar | 2,782,300,000 | 2,948,705,136 |
| -1 | 2 | 3 | 1997 | Titanic | 1,843,200,000 | 2,767,987,953 |
| 33 | 37 | 4 | 1977 | Star Wars | 775,400,000 | 2,081,571,993 |
| 29 | 34 | 5 | 1982 | E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial | 792,900,000 | 1,840,838,042 |
| 8 | 14 | 6 | 1994 | The Lion King | 945,700,000 | 1,549,480,834 |
| 13 | 20 | 7 | 1993 | Jurassic Park | 914,700,000 | 1,542,855,290 |
| -3 | 5 | 8 | 2003 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | 1,119,900,000 | 1,412,826,417 |
| 97 | 106 | 9 | 1975 | Jaws | 470,700,000 | 1,339,174,676 |
| 115 | 125 | 10 | 1973 | The Exorcist | 441,100,000 | 1,330,017,876 |
| -8 | 3 | 11 | 2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 | 1,328,100,000 | 1,328,100,000 |
| 68 | 80 | 12 | 1980 | The Empire Strikes Back | 538,400,000 | 1,324,736,812 |
| 5 | 18 | 13 | 1999 | Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace | 924,300,000 | 1,309,716,492 |
| -3 | 11 | 14 | 2001 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | 974,800,000 | 1,303,324,242 |
| 16 | 31 | 15 | 1996 | Independence Day | 817,400,000 | 1,263,688,585 |
| -10 | 6 | 16 | 2006 | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest | 1,066,200,000 | 1,232,841,243 |
| 0 | 17 | 17 | 2002 | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | 926,000,000 | 1,202,636,122 |
| 7 | 25 | 18 | 2001 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | 871,500,000 | 1,165,210,378 |
| 5 | 24 | 19 | 2002 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | 879,000,000 | 1,141,595,196 |
| -1 | 19 | 20 | 2004 | Shrek 2 | 919,800,000 | 1,127,169,613 |
| -17 | 4 | 21 | 2011 | Transformers: Dark of the Moon | 1,123,700,000 | 1,123,700,000 |
| 25 | 47 | 22 | 1994 | Forrest Gump | 677,400,000 | 1,109,885,077 |
| 3 | 26 | 23 | 2003 | Finding Nemo | 867,900,000 | 1,094,912,088 |
| -17 | 7 | 24 | 2010 | Toy Story 3 | 1,063,200,000 | 1,094,532,504 |
| -15 | 10 | 25 | 2008 | The Dark Knight | 1,001,900,000 | 1,093,114,015 |
| -14 | 12 | 26 | 2007 | Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End | 963,400,000 | 1,082,085,115 |
| 76 | 103 | 27 | 1983 | Return of the Jedi | 475,100,000 | 1,071,441,584 |
| -7 | 21 | 28 | 2005 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | 896,900,000 | 1,067,643,341 |
| 1 | 30 | 29 | 2002 | Spider-Man | 821,700,000 | 1,067,177,216 |
| -15 | 15 | 30 | 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | 939,900,000 | 1,055,690,056 |
| -22 | 9 | 31 | 2010 | Alice in Wonderland (2010) | 1,024,300,000 | 1,054,486,121 |
| -24 | 8 | 32 | 2011 | Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides | 1,043,900,000 | 1,043,900,000 |
| 113 | 146 | 33 | 1978 | Grease | 394,600,000 | 1,028,984,955 |
| -7 | 27 | 34 | 2005 | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith | 848,800,000 | 1,010,386,518 |
| -13 | 22 | 35 | 2007 | Spider-Man 3 | 890,900,000 | 1,000,653,549 |
| -20 | 16 | 36 | 2009 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | 934,400,000 | 990,285,045 |
| -24 | 13 | 37 | 2010 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 | 956,400,000 | 984,585,108 |
| -5 | 33 | 38 | 2004 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | 796,700,000 | 976,316,624 |
| -3 | 36 | 39 | 2004 | Spider-Man 2 | 783,800,000 | 960,508,309 |
| 8 | 48 | 40 | 1999 | The Sixth Sense | 672,800,000 | 953,345,511 |
| -18 | 23 | 41 | 2009 | Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs | 886,700,000 | 939,732,180 |
| 0 | 42 | 42 | 2003 | The Matrix Reloaded | 742,100,000 | 936,207,237 |
| 45 | 88 | 43 | 1990 | Ghost | 505,700,000 | 930,637,513 |
| 42 | 86 | 44 | 1991 | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | 519,800,000 | 929,202,096 |
| 15 | 60 | 45 | 1997 | The Lost World: Jurassic Park | 618,600,000 | 928,969,915 |
| 106 | 152 | 46 | 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | 384,100,000 | 918,026,389 |
| 58 | 105 | 47 | 1989 | Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade | 474,200,000 | 898,385,731 |
| -16 | 32 | 48 | 2007 | Shrek the Third | 799,000,000 | 897,432,019 |
| -8 | 41 | 49 | 2005 | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | 745,000,000 | 886,826,055 |
| -22 | 28 | 50 | 2009 | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | 836,300,000 | 886,317,833 |
| 16 | 67 | 51 | 1997 | Men in Black | 589,400,000 | 885,119,411 |
| 50 | 102 | 52 | 1990 | Home Alone | 476,700,000 | 877,268,939 |
| -14 | 39 | 53 | 2006 | The Da Vinci Code | 758,200,000 | 876,702,523 |
| 35 | 89 | 54 | 1992 | Aladdin | 504,100,000 | 875,340,268 |
| -20 | 35 | 55 | 2008 | Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | 786,600,000 | 858,212,880 |
| 53 | 109 | 56 | 1990 | Pretty Woman | 463,400,000 | 852,793,006 |
| -28 | 29 | 57 | 2010 | Inception | 825,500,000 | 849,827,485 |
| -5 | 53 | 58 | 2002 | Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones | 649,400,000 | 843,403,777 |
| -8 | 51 | 59 | 2003 | Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl | 654,300,000 | 825,441,847 |
| -22 | 38 | 60 | 2009 | 2012 | 769,700,000 | 815,734,588 |
| 95 | 156 | 61 | 1985 | Back to the Future | 381,100,000 | 810,951,770 |
| 12 | 74 | 62 | 1998 | Armageddon | 553,700,000 | 807,704,611 |
| -18 | 45 | 63 | 2007 | Transformers | 709,700,000 | 797,130,793 |
| 67 | 131 | 64 | 1990 | Dances with Wolves | 424,200,000 | 780,653,417 |
| 73 | 138 | 65 | 1989 | Batman | 411,300,000 | 779,219,847 |
| -23 | 43 | 66 | 2009 | Up | 731,300,000 | 775,037,942 |
| -27 | 40 | 67 | 2010 | Shrek Forever After | 752,600,000 | 774,779,122 |
| -13 | 55 | 68 | 2004 | The Incredibles | 631,400,000 | 773,749,612 |
| 23 | 92 | 69 | 1996 | Twister | 494,500,000 | 764,489,852 |
| -20 | 50 | 70 | 2006 | Ice Age: The Meltdown | 655,400,000 | 757,835,444 |
| -27 | 44 | 71 | 2009 | The Twilight Saga: New Moon | 709,800,000 | 752,252,060 |
| 5 | 77 | 72 | 2000 | Mission: Impossible II | 546,400,000 | 752,075,323 |
| -12 | 61 | 73 | 2004 | The Passion of the Christ | 611,900,000 | 749,853,322 |
| 50 | 124 | 74 | 1993 | Mrs. Doubtfire | 441,300,000 | 744,355,570 |
| 113 | 188 | 75 | 1986 | Top Gun | 353,800,000 | 731,307,808 |
| -30 | 46 | 76 | 2010 | The Twilight Saga: Eclipse | 698,500,000 | 719,084,795 |
| 62 | 139 | 77 | 1992 | The Bodyguard | 410,900,000 | 713,503,900 |
| 34 | 112 | 78 | 1996 | Mission: Impossible | 457,700,000 | 707,597,584 |
| -14 | 65 | 79 | 2005 | War of the Worlds | 591,700,000 | 704,342,251 |
| 19 | 99 | 80 | 1998 | Saving Private Ryan | 481,800,000 | 702,821,169 |
| 2 | 83 | 81 | 2001 | Monsters, Inc. | 525,400,000 | 702,468,770 |
| -23 | 59 | 82 | 2007 | Ratatouille | 623,700,000 | 700,536,108 |
| 66 | 149 | 83 | 1991 | Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves | 390,500,000 | 698,063,521 |
| 103 | 187 | 84 | 1988 | Rain Man | 354,800,000 | 691,988,062 |
| -31 | 54 | 85 | 2008 | Kung Fu Panda | 631,700,000 | 689,210,623 |
| 9 | 95 | 86 | 1999 | Toy Story 2 | 485,000,000 | 687,236,286 |
| -23 | 64 | 87 | 2006 | Casino Royale | 594,200,000 | 687,070,218 |
| -31 | 57 | 88 | 2008 | Hancock | 624,400,000 | 681,246,023 |
| 71 | 160 | 89 | 1991 | Beauty and the Beast | 377,400,000 | 674,645,769 |
| -12 | 78 | 90 | 2004 | The Day After Tomorrow | 544,300,000 | 667,012,851 |
| -42 | 49 | 91 | 2011 | Kung Fu Panda 2 | 665,700,000 | 665,700,000 |
| -30 | 62 | 92 | 2008 | Mamma Mia! | 609,800,000 | 665,316,824 |
| -21 | 72 | 93 | 2006 | Night at the Museum | 574,500,000 | 664,291,215 |
| -31 | 63 | 94 | 2008 | Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | 603,900,000 | 658,879,682 |
| -26 | 69 | 95 | 2007 | I Am Legend | 585,300,000 | 657,405,458 |
| 12 | 108 | 96 | 1999 | The Matrix | 463,500,000 | 656,771,172 |
| -21 | 76 | 97 | 2005 | King Kong | 550,500,000 | 655,298,985 |
| -46 | 52 | 98 | 2011 | The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 | 650,500,000 | 650,500,000 |
| -1 | 98 | 99 | 2001 | Shrek | 484,400,000 | 647,651,070 |
| -42 | 58 | 100 | 2010 | Iron Man 2 | 623,900,000 | 642,286,333 |
| -33 | 68 | 101 | 2008 | Quantum of Solace | 586,100,000 | 639,459,152 |
| -32 | 70 | 102 | 2008 | Iron Man | 585,200,000 | 638,477,215 |
| 17 | 120 | 103 | 1999 | Tarzan | 448,200,000 | 635,091,347 |
| -23 | 81 | 104 | 2005 | Madagascar | 532,700,000 | 634,110,389 |
| -18 | 87 | 105 | 2004 | Meet the Fockers | 516,600,000 | 633,067,865 |
| 7 | 113 | 106 | 2000 | Gladiator | 457,600,000 | 629,849,318 |
| -51 | 56 | 107 | 2011 | Fast Five | 626,100,000 | 626,100,000 |
| 75 | 183 | 108 | 1992 | Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | 359,000,000 | 623,382,575 |
| 58 | 167 | 109 | 1993 | The Fugitive | 368,900,000 | 622,236,052 |
| 48 | 158 | 110 | 1994 | True Lies | 378,900,000 | 620,808,172 |
| 79 | 190 | 111 | 1992 | Basic Instinct | 352,900,000 | 612,790,281 |
| -15 | 97 | 112 | 2003 | Bruce Almighty | 484,600,000 | 611,354,301 |
| -23 | 90 | 113 | 2004 | Troy | 497,400,000 | 609,539,210 |
| -48 | 66 | 114 | 2010 | Tangled | 590,700,000 | 608,107,929 |
| 2 | 117 | 115 | 2001 | Ocean's Eleven | 450,700,000 | 602,593,594 |
| 3 | 119 | 116 | 2001 | Pearl Harbor | 449,200,000 | 600,588,069 |
| -35 | 82 | 117 | 2007 | The Simpsons Movie | 527,100,000 | 592,035,566 |
| 11 | 129 | 118 | 2000 | Cast Away | 429,600,000 | 591,309,587 |
| 14 | 133 | 119 | 1999 | The Mummy | 415,900,000 | 589,322,827 |
| 53 | 173 | 120 | 1995 | Die Hard: With A Vengeance | 366,100,000 | 582,664,895 |
| -50 | 71 | 121 | 2011 | The Hangover Part II | 581,500,000 | 581,500,000 |
| 5 | 127 | 122 | 2001 | The Mummy Returns | 433,000,000 | 578,928,392 |
| -8 | 115 | 123 | 2003 | The Last Samurai | 456,800,000 | 576,282,800 |
| 55 | 179 | 124 | 1995 | Toy Story | 362,000,000 | 576,139,558 |
| 69 | 194 | 125 | 1994 | The Mask | 351,600,000 | 576,078,525 |
| 69 | 195 | 126 | 1994 | Speed | 350,400,000 | 574,112,387 |
| -4 | 123 | 127 | 2002 | Men in Black II | 441,800,000 | 573,784,707 |
| -27 | 101 | 128 | 2005 | Mr. & Mrs. Smith | 478,200,000 | 569,235,194 |
| -44 | 85 | 129 | 2008 | WALL-E | 521,300,000 | 568,759,693 |
| -26 | 104 | 130 | 2005 | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | 475,000,000 | 565,426,008 |
| 55 | 186 | 131 | 1995 | Apollo 13 | 355,200,000 | 565,317,047 |
| -59 | 73 | 132 | 2011 | The Smurfs | 562,500,000 | 562,500,000 |
| -5 | 128 | 133 | 2002 | Die Another Day | 432,000,000 | 561,057,025 |
| 57 | 191 | 134 | 1995 | GoldenEye | 352,200,000 | 560,542,409 |
| -56 | 79 | 135 | 2010 | Despicable Me | 543,100,000 | 559,105,157 |
| -52 | 84 | 136 | 2009 | Sherlock Holmes | 524,000,000 | 555,339,644 |
| 20 | 157 | 137 | 1998 | Godzilla | 379,000,000 | 552,862,647 |
| -63 | 75 | 138 | 2011 | Cars 2 | 551,900,000 | 551,900,000 |
| -13 | 126 | 139 | 2003 | Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines | 433,400,000 | 546,762,183 |
| 26 | 166 | 140 | 1998 | There's Something About Mary | 369,900,000 | 539,588,108 |
| -11 | 130 | 141 | 2003 | The Matrix Revolutions | 427,300,000 | 539,066,638 |
| -32 | 110 | 142 | 2006 | Cars | 462,000,000 | 534,208,079 |
| -32 | 111 | 143 | 2006 | X-Men: The Last Stand | 459,400,000 | 531,201,713 |
| -4 | 140 | 144 | 2002 | Signs | 408,200,000 | 530,146,939 |
| 30 | 175 | 145 | 1998 | A Bug's Life | 363,400,000 | 530,106,295 |
| 28 | 174 | 146 | 1999 | Notting Hill | 363,900,000 | 515,639,761 |
| -53 | 94 | 147 | 2009 | Angels & Demons | 485,900,000 | 514,960,941 |
| 13 | 161 | 148 | 2000 | What Women Want | 374,100,000 | 514,918,335 |
| -8 | 141 | 149 | 2003 | X2: X-Men United | 407,700,000 | 514,339,968 |
| -36 | 114 | 150 | 2007 | National Treasure: Book of Secrets | 457,400,000 | 513,748,943 |
| 29 | 180 | 151 | 1999 | The World Is Not Enough | 361,800,000 | 512,664,099 |
| -36 | 116 | 152 | 2007 | 300 | 456,100,000 | 512,288,791 |
| 44 | 197 | 153 | 1998 | Deep Impact | 349,500,000 | 509,829,802 |
| -63 | 91 | 154 | 2010 | How to Train Your Dragon | 494,900,000 | 509,484,703 |
| -62 | 93 | 155 | 2010 | Clash of the Titans (2010) | 493,200,000 | 507,734,604 |
| 29 | 185 | 156 | 1999 | American Beauty | 356,300,000 | 504,870,698 |
| -3 | 154 | 157 | 2002 | Ice Age | 383,300,000 | 497,808,235 |
| -36 | 122 | 158 | 2007 | The Bourne Ultimatum | 442,800,000 | 497,350,310 |
| -52 | 107 | 159 | 2009 | The Hangover | 467,500,000 | 495,460,465 |
| 8 | 168 | 160 | 2001 | Jurassic Park III | 368,800,000 | 493,091,896 |
| -65 | 96 | 161 | 2011 | Rio | 484,600,000 | 484,600,000 |
| 16 | 178 | 162 | 2001 | Planet of the Apes (2001) | 362,200,000 | 484,267,584 |
| 33 | 196 | 163 | 2000 | Dinosaur | 349,800,000 | 481,471,354 |
| -64 | 100 | 164 | 2011 | Rise of the Planet of the Apes | 481,200,000 | 481,200,000 |
| 4 | 169 | 165 | 2002 | My Big Fat Greek Wedding | 368,700,000 | 478,846,586 |
| 27 | 193 | 166 | 2001 | Hannibal | 351,700,000 | 470,228,904 |
| -46 | 121 | 167 | 2009 | Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel | 443,100,000 | 469,601,138 |
| 16 | 184 | 168 | 2002 | Minority Report | 358,400,000 | 465,469,532 |
| 30 | 199 | 169 | 2001 | Rush Hour 2 | 347,300,000 | 464,346,029 |
| -25 | 145 | 170 | 2006 | Mission: Impossible III | 397,900,000 | 460,089,599 |
| -39 | 132 | 171 | 2008 | The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian | 419,700,000 | 457,909,923 |
| 20 | 192 | 172 | 2002 | Catch Me If You Can | 352,100,000 | 457,287,450 |
| -38 | 135 | 173 | 2008 | Sex and the City | 415,300,000 | 453,109,343 |
| -26 | 148 | 174 | 2006 | Superman Returns | 391,100,000 | 452,226,796 |
| -3 | 172 | 175 | 2004 | Shark Tale | 367,300,000 | 450,108,066 |
| -58 | 118 | 176 | 2011 | Thor | 449,300,000 | 449,300,000 |
| 0 | 177 | 177 | 2004 | Ocean's Twelve | 362,700,000 | 444,470,992 |
| -27 | 151 | 178 | 2006 | Happy Feet | 384,300,000 | 444,363,993 |
| -16 | 163 | 179 | 2005 | Batman Begins | 372,700,000 | 443,651,102 |
| -9 | 171 | 180 | 2005 | Hitch | 368,100,000 | 438,175,397 |
| -44 | 137 | 181 | 2009 | Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian | 413,100,000 | 437,806,883 |
| -40 | 142 | 182 | 2008 | The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor | 401,100,000 | 437,616,560 |
| -30 | 153 | 183 | 2007 | Live Free or Die Hard | 383,500,000 | 430,744,905 |
| -37 | 147 | 184 | 2008 | Twilight | 392,600,000 | 428,342,711 |
| -51 | 134 | 185 | 2010 | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader | 415,700,000 | 427,950,679 |
| -50 | 136 | 186 | 2010 | The King's Speech | 414,200,000 | 426,406,474 |
| 11 | 198 | 187 | 2004 | National Treasure | 347,500,000 | 425,844,140 |
| 12 | 200 | 188 | 2004 | I, Robot | 347,200,000 | 425,476,505 |
| -25 | 164 | 189 | 2007 | The Golden Compass | 372,200,000 | 418,052,813 |
| -31 | 159 | 190 | 2008 | Slumdog Millionaire | 377,900,000 | 412,304,408 |
| -47 | 144 | 191 | 2010 | Tron Legacy | 400,100,000 | 411,890,947 |
| -42 | 150 | 192 | 2009 | Star Trek | 385,700,000 | 408,768,131 |
| -12 | 181 | 193 | 2007 | Alvin and the Chipmunks | 361,300,000 | 405,809,998 |
| -39 | 155 | 194 | 2009 | Monsters Vs. Aliens | 381,500,000 | 404,316,935 |
| -33 | 162 | 195 | 2009 | X-Men Origins: Wolverine | 373,100,000 | 395,414,544 |
| -31 | 165 | 196 | 2009 | Terminator Salvation | 371,400,000 | 393,612,870 |
| -21 | 176 | 197 | 2009 | Fast and Furious | 363,200,000 | 384,922,440 |
| -16 | 182 | 198 | 2010 | The Karate Kid | 359,100,000 | 369,682,677 |
| -29 | 170 | 199 | 2011 | Captain America: The First Avenger | 368,600,000 | 368,600,000 |
| -11 | 189 | 200 | 2011 | X-Men: First Class | 353,600,000 | 353,600,000 |
Interactive chart
Here's an interactive chart that shows the distribution of films based on gross revenue, displaying the difference between the old and the new value. Mouse over each dot to get the details. If you can't see the graph, or if you'd like to display it fullscreen, click here.