As the year 2023 comes to a close, we take a look back at the year’s most popular films.
Disney, Marvel, Mario, and Barbie ruled the box office this year. One of the year’s most famous events occurred in July, when the tonally disparate films Barbie and Oppenheimer were released on the same day, spawning the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, which became a meme.
Both films did admirably, with Greta Gerwig’s Barbie likely to end 2023 as the year’s highest-grossing film globally, making more than $1.4 billion.
Oppenheimer did well as well, generating over $950 million at the box office to become director Christopher Nolan’s highest-grossing non-Batman film in his entire career.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie made a big impression in 2023, debuting in April and grossing more than $1 billion.
That makes it (by far) the highest-grossing video game film. Many feel it will lead to other Hollywood studios utilizing video game assets (Nintendo is also collaborating with Sony on a live-action Zelda film).
2023 was also notable for being the first year since 2014 without a billion-dollar film from Disney. In 2019, the studio had seven films grossing $1 billion or more.
Disney had another massive year this year, with films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Little Mermaid, Elemental, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania collecting more than $2.5 billion globally.
Explore the top ten highest-grossing films of 2023 at the global box office. BoxOfficeMojo.com provides all box office figures.
10. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – $476 million
The first blockbuster movie of 2023 was Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. It was released in February, and despite a poor start (by Marvel movie standards), it will end 2023 as the No. 10 highest-grossing film of the year, with $476 million worldwide.
The film received mixed reviews and will not be remembered as particularly notable inside the MCU. However, it served its purpose.
9. Elemental – $495.9 million
Elemental, a Disney film from the renowned animation company Pixar, was released in June. Some considered it a commercial failure, yet it nonetheless earned about $500 million globally, placing it in the top ten for 2023.
The film, which chronicles the story of anthropomorphic parts of nature, got a new lease on life when it was released on Disney+ later that year.
8. Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One – $567.5 million
Tom Cruise films often make a lot of money at the box office, and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One was no exception.
Although it was not Cruise’s most commercially successful film, it nevertheless grossed more than $500 million worldwide. The projected sequel will be released in 2025.
7. The Little Mermaid – $569.6 million
The Little Mermaid, starring Halley Bailey, was not Disney’s most successful live-action remake, but it nevertheless grossed more than $550 million worldwide.
Movies like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast performed better, but $569.6 million is nothing to sneeze at and demonstrates the immense appeal of Disney’s films in general.
6. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – $690.5 million
Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse grossed more than $690 million at the global box office this year, placing it sixth overall.
The film, which combines several distinct versions of Spider-Man, was also critically acclaimed. It also has a stunning and attractive art style that many people appreciated and commented on.
5. Fast X – $704.7 million
The Fast and Furious franchise is making a lot of money. You can place bets on death, taxes, and Fast X delivered.
The tenth installment in the main series generated more than $700 million worldwide, placing it fifth in 2023. Don’t we simply enjoy seeing Vin Diesel drive fast cars?
4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – $845.5 million
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was Disney’s most successful film in 2023, grossing about $850 million.
It concluded the existing Guardians saga and was also the final Guardians film from writer-director James Gunn, who currently oversees DC’s film division.
As previously stated, Disney’s streak of having at least one movie gross $1 billion or more ended in 2023, with Vol. 3 coming the closest this year.
3. Oppenheimer – $950.5 million
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer will be the year’s third highest-grossing film and the director’s most successful non-Batman film.
The film covers the narrative of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic bomb, with Cillian Murphy taking the lead and delivering one of his greatest performances to date.
2. The Super Mario Bros. Movie – $1.361 billion
Nintendo didn’t have a great track record with Mario films until this year, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a huge success.
The picture grossed more than $1.361 billion and appeared to be on track to become the highest-grossing film of 2023 (until Barbie came up).
The film is the highest-grossing video game film of all time (by far! ), and its success may motivate other companies to increase their attempts to adapt video games for the cinema.
While we wait for Nintendo and Universal to develop a sequel, Nintendo has already signed a contract with Sony to make a live-action Legend of Zelda film.
1. Barbie – $1.441 billion
The Barbie film, directed by Greta Gerwig, stars Margot Robbie as a Barbie doll who contemplates death and experiences an existential crisis.
The film grossed more than $1.44 billion and produced numerous memes, which will be important in 2023. Ryan Gosling co-starred with Robbie as Ken, who went through his own emotional and spiritual journey throughout the play.
Despite Barbie’s massive popularity, Robbie, who was a producer on the film, has stated that fans should not expect a sequel.
