Theaters were fully open again in the United States in 2022, although the domestic box office still isn't back to pre-pandemic levels across the board, but some of the top 10 movies of 2022 saw box office returns similar to top movies of previous years. Thanks to some productions being shut down or slowed down due to the pandemic, theaters didn't have nearly as many big movies as pre-pandemic levels, but there were still a number of big hits.
While Avatar: The Way of Water is a part of an original franchise, since it's a sequel, every single movie in the top 10 thus year is a sequel or reboot of an existing IP. The list includes also includes Spider-Man: Now Way Home, which only earned part of its revenue in 2022, and Avatar: The Way of Water, which is expected to earn the bulk of its revenue in 2023, but here's how the numbers shake down for the top 10 movies of 2022 at the domestic box office.
10. Avatar: The Way of Water
Avatar: The Way of Water released on Dec 16, 2022, with an opening weekend haul of $134.1 million. At the time of writing Avatar: The Way of Water hasn't completed its second weekend, so it's not clear how much it will drop-off; however, if it follows in the footsteps of James Cameron's last two movies, its box office performance won't behave like typical blockbusters, and it'll earn the bulk of its revenue in the long run. Avatar: The Way of Water is the biggest opening weekend for any James Cameron movie and the sixth-biggest opening weekend for any movie in 2022. It's too early to predict the movie's performance, but at the time of writing it's the 10th highest grossing movie of 2022 at the domestic box office with $183 million.
9. Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 released on Apr 8, 2022, with an opening weekend haul of $72.1 million. Its second weekend box office dropped by 59.4 percent, and it went on to gross a total of $190.9 million at the domestic box office. Its domestic opening weekend numbers are the lowest out of any of the top 10 movies and its 2nd weekend drop is a few points higher than the top 10 average of 57.81%, but its legs were still strong enough for it to land in ninth place (although Avatar: The Way of Water is sure to pass it before the end of December).
8. Spider-Man: No Way Home
Spider-Man: No Way Home released on Dec 17, 2022, to an opening weekend haul of $260.1 million. Its second weekend box office dropped by 67.5 percent, and it went on to gross a total of $804.8 at the domestic box office. While it didn't actually release in 2022, it earned $231.8 million of its total domestic haul during the 2022 calendar year, which is enough to make it the eighth highest grossing movie in 2022.
7. Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor: Love and Thunder released on Jul 8, 2022, to an opening weekend haul of $144.2 million. Its second weekend box office dropped by 67.7 percent, and it went on to gross a total of $343.3 domestically. While Thor: Love and Thunder's opening weekend box office was the fifth-highest opening weekend domestically, its 67.7 percent 2nd weekend drop is bigger than any other movie in the top 10 and nearly 10 points higher than the 67.8 percent average.
6. The Batman
The Batman released on Mar 4, 2022, to an opening weekend haul of $134 million. Its second weekend box office dropped by 50.4 percent, and it went on to gross a total of $369.3 million. Out of the top 10 2022 movies, The Batman's opening weekend is the fourth-lowest, although it's barely below Avatar: The Way of Water's $134.1 million opening. The Batman's box office success can be attributed to its moderately strong legs, as its second-weekend drop of 50.4 percent is the second lowest out of the top 10 movies; however, while the drop is a little over seven points lower than the top 10 average, it's still 21 points higher than Top Gun: Maverick's.
5. Minions: The Rise of Gru
Minions: The Rise of Gru released on Jul 1, 2022, to an opening weekend haul of $107 million. Its second weekend box office dropped by 56.9 percent, and it went on to gross a total of $369.5 million. Minions: The Rise of Gru's opening weekend box office is the second-lowest opening in the top 10, but its 56.9 second-weekend drop is the third best (behind Top Gun: Maverick and The Batman), contributing to its strong legs pushing it to the fifth highest grossing spot of the year.
4. Jurassic World: Dominion
Jurassic World: Dominion released on Jun 10, 2022, to an opening weekend haul of $145 million. Its second weekend box office dropped by 59.2 percent, and it went on to gross a total of $376 million. Jurassic World: Dominion's domestic opening weekend is the third best opening in 2022, but with average legs (59.2 percent is a little over 2 percent above average), its total box office run landed it in fourth place domestically.
3. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness released on May 6, 2022, to an opening weekend haul of $187.4 million. Its second weekend box office dropped by 67 percent, and it went on to gross a total of $411.3 million. While Spider-Man: No Way Home opened to $260 million earned a lot of money in 2022, since its opening weekend was in December 2021, that means Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has the biggest domestic opening weekend in 2022. Despite the strong opening, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' 67 percent second-weekend drop is the second worst drop in the top 10 (behind Thor: Love and Thunder).
2. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever released on Nov 11, 2022, to an opening weekend box office haul of $181.3 million. Its second weekend box office dropped by 63.3 percent, and it went on to gross a total of $421.7 million. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's opening weekend is the second-best domestic opening of 2022 (behind Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), but like the other Marvel movies, it had poor legs, coming in third worst of the top 10. Even so, still managed to come in as the second highest grossing movie of 2022.
1. Top Gun: Maverick
Top Gun: Maverick released on May 27, 2022, to an opening weekend haul of $126.7 million. Its second weekend box office dropped by 28.9 percent, and it went on to gross a total of $718.7 million. Top Gun Maverick has the third-lowest opening weekend box office, but its legs were far better than any other movie in the top 10, dropping less than 30 percent compared to the 57 percent average, with the next lowest drop belonging to The Batman a 50.4 percent drop. Top Gun: Maverick is the year's highest grossing movie domestically, and is guaranteed to finish the year on top, although if Avatar: The Way of Water has legs nearly as strong as the first Avatar, it could catch Top Gun: Maverick's total sometime in 2023.