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The Highest Grossing (Inflation Adjusted) Movies of All Time

Highest Grossing Movies of All Time

These days, it’s become commonplace for blockbuster movies to draw revenues in excess of $100 or $200 million, sometimes even within the first weekend. As far as box office revenues go, the 10 highest grossing movies of all-time have been released within the past 15 years. But with the ever-depreciating dollar, $100 million today means substantially less than it did even 20 years ago. This begs the question: how would the rankings look if revenues were adjusted for inflation? Recently, , a subsi
Source: BoxOfficeMojo

These days, it’s become commonplace for blockbuster movies to draw revenues in excess of $100 or $200 million, sometimes even within the first weekend.

As far as box office revenues go, the 10 highest grossing movies of all-time have been released within the past 15 years. But with the ever-depreciating dollar, $100 million today means substantially less than it did even 20 years ago. This begs the question: how would the rankings look if revenues were adjusted for inflation?

Recently, BoxOfficeMojo, a subsidiary of IMDB, put out its newest list of all-time US Domestic box office grosses, which are adjusted for inflation by using today’s average ticket prices and the film’s original box office sales. When the numbers are adjusted, only one film in the past 15 years makes the top 10 and the highest grossing movie of the 21st century - The Dark Knight (2008) - ranks 27th overall.

So, what are the real highest grossing movies of all time? Click ahead to find out!

By Paul Toscano
Posted 8 July 2009

15. The Sting

Adjusted Gross: $640,045,700Unadjusted Gross: $156,000,000Year: 1973Studio: Universal Studios
Photo: Universal Studios

Adjusted Gross: $640,045,700
Unadjusted Gross: $156,000,000
Year: 1973
Studio: Universal Studios

14. Return of the Jedi      

Adjusted Gross: $675,346,600Unadjusted Gross: $309,306,177Year: 1983Studio: Fox
Photo: Fox

Adjusted Gross: $675,346,600
Unadjusted Gross: $309,306,177
Year: 1983
Studio: Fox

13. Ben-Hur

Adjusted Gross: $703,640,000Unadjusted Gross: $74,000,000Year: 1959Studio: MGM
Photo: MGM

Adjusted Gross: $703,640,000
Unadjusted Gross: $74,000,000
Year: 1959
Studio: MGM

12. The Empire Strikes Back

Adjusted Gross: $704,937,000Unadjusted Gross: $290,475,067Year: 1980Studio: Fox
Photo: Fox

Adjusted Gross: $704,937,000
Unadjusted Gross: $290,475,067
Year: 1980
Studio: Fox

11. 101 Dalmatians

Adjusted Gross: $717,405,900Unadjusted Gross: $144,880,014Year: 1961Studio: Disney
Photo: Disney

Adjusted Gross: $717,405,900
Unadjusted Gross: $144,880,014
Year: 1961
Studio: Disney

10. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Adjusted Gross: $782,620,000Unadjusted Gross: $184,925,486Year: 1937Studio: Disney
Photo: Disney

Adjusted Gross: $782,620,000
Unadjusted Gross: $184,925,486
Year: 1937
Studio: Disney

9. The Exorcist

Adjusted Gross: $793,883,100Unadjusted Gross: $232,671,011Year: 1973Studio: Warner Brothers
Photo: Warner Brothers

Adjusted Gross: $793,883,100
Unadjusted Gross: $232,671,011
Year: 1973
Studio: Warner Brothers

8. Doctor Zhivago

Adjusted Gross: $891,292,600Unadjusted Gross: $111,721,910         Year: 1965Studio: MGM
Photo: MGM

Adjusted Gross: $891,292,600
Unadjusted Gross: $111,721,910        
Year: 1965
Studio: MGM

7. Jaws

Adjusted Gross: $919,605,900Unadjusted Gross: $260,000,000Year: 1975Studio: Universal Studios
Photo: Universal Studios

Adjusted Gross: $919,605,900
Unadjusted Gross: $260,000,000
Year: 1975
Studio: Universal Studios

6. Titanic

Adjusted Gross: $921,523,500Unadjusted Gross: $600,788,188         Year: 1997Studio: Paramount Studios
Photo: Paramount Studios

Adjusted Gross: $921,523,500
Unadjusted Gross: $600,788,188        
Year: 1997
Studio: Paramount Studios

5. The Ten Commandments

Adjusted Gross: $940,580,000Unadjusted Gross: $65,500,000Year: 1956Studio: Paramount Studios
Photo: Paramount Studios

Adjusted Gross: $940,580,000
Unadjusted Gross: $65,500,000
Year: 1956
Studio: Paramount Studios

4. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial

Adjusted Gross: $1,018,514,100Unadjusted Gross: $435,110,554Year: 1982Studio: Universal Studios
Photo: Universal Studios

Adjusted Gross: $1,018,514,100
Unadjusted Gross: $435,110,554
Year: 1982
Studio: Universal Studios

3. The Sound of Music

Adjusted Gross: $1,022,542,400Unadjusted Gross: $158,671,368Year: 1965Studio: Fox
Photo: Fox

Adjusted Gross: $1,022,542,400
Unadjusted Gross: $158,671,368
Year: 1965
Studio: Fox

2. Star Wars

Adjusted Gross: $1,278,898,700Unadjusted Gross: $460,998,007Year: 1977Studio: Fox
Photo: Fox

Adjusted Gross: $1,278,898,700
Unadjusted Gross: $460,998,007
Year: 1977
Studio: Fox

1. Gone with the Wind

Adjusted Gross: $1,450,680,400Unadjusted Gross: $198,676,459Year: 1939Studio: MGM
Photo: MGM

Adjusted Gross: $1,450,680,400
Unadjusted Gross: $198,676,459
Year: 1939
Studio: MGM