50 Highest-Grossing Movies Of All Time Ranked

20. Frozen (2013)

Box Office: $1.276 billion (#12)

If you paid any attention at all to the "Frozen fever" that swept the world in 2013 and 2014, you won't be surprised that Frozen is decisively the highest-grossing animated film of all time.

While it isn't particularly inventive or witty, Frozen is visually stunning, touts a welcome message for kids and boasts undeniably brilliant songs.

At once a revision of the typical Disney princess formula and a loving tribute to it, Frozen isn't quite among Disney's best recent animations - though some might argue with that - but it's easy to see why it became such an unstoppable cultural phenomenon.

19. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Box Office: $2.068 billion (#3)

Though Episode VII gets its fair share of flak for playing things too safe and dining out on nostalgia a little too eagerly, it did serve as a welcome palate cleanser after the insanity of George Lucas' prequels.

Introducing a trio of likeable new protagonists and some almost equally appealing villains, The Force Awakens also benefited from J.J Abrams' assured direction, a witty script and an emotional reunion with the original trilogy's cast.

A more bold and daring movie would've certainly been more interesting, but there's still plenty here to savour for hardcore fans, casuals and newcomers alike.

18. Black Panther (2018)

Box Office: $1.345 billion (#9)

In addition to scoring one of the most unexpected box office hauls in recent memory, Black Panther become a pop-culture event beyond compare while landing some of the MCU's best reviews ever.

Though it's still beholden to some of the franchise's key issues - a few pacing blips and some dodgy CGI - the world-building, the characterisation and Michael B. Jordan's villain all add up to make this one of the MCU's most distinctive efforts to date.

With a refreshingly character-driven approach to heroes and villains alike, there's a real heart and righteousness to the narrative, giving it a real sense of soul that so many MCU movies sadly lack.

17. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Box Office: $1.332 billion (#11)

Though it was extremely polarising with the hardcore fanbase, for the most part The Last Jedi is a refreshing response to those who deemed The Force Awakens overly safe and familiar.

Quickly dismissing several of The Force Awakens' plot threads as red herrings and forging ahead with a far more intriguing, uncertain path, its big reveals certainly weren't for everyone, but their lack of reliance on lazy nostalgia was certainly refreshing.

Some elements don't really work - the occasionally juvenile humour, the prequel-calibre fathier chase - but by decisively closing the door on the old and ushering in the new, this was exactly what the franchise needed.

16. Shrek 2 (2004)

Box Office: $919.8 million (#48)

A rare animated sequel that improves upon its predecessor - especially remarkable considering this is DreamWorks - Shrek 2 builds on the fairytale-lampooning brilliance of the original with a broader but also funnier script that hilariously homages pop-culture as a whole.

With terrific animation, unexpectedly biting social commentary, a great message for kids and a wealth of appealing new characters, Shrek 2 is a bigger, better sequel in practically every way. Almost 15 years later, has anyone forgotten that incredible giant Gingerbread Man sequence?

Shame it's the latest great or even particularly good Shrek movie, though.