Through the pandemic, it became harder and harder for films to reach the $1 billion mark in the box-office. The release of such films Spider-Man: No Way Home and Top Gun: Maverick really saved theaters as audiences arrived in droves to see these films.
Sadly, in recent years, films aren't making as much money as they used to as streaming films at home have become a preferable option and moviegoers have become pickier in the films they see, with most opting to see big-budget event films. In the 2000s and 2010s, there would be multiple high-grossing blockbusters per year and while they might not have gotten the approval of critics, the spectacle was enough for audiences to still go see them.
Jurassic World Dominion - $1.001 Billion, 29%
The final film in the Jurassic Park franchise, Dominion, released to very middling reviews. Due to the disappointing critical reception of the previous film, it was honestly a massive surprise the final entry was able to make money close to the previous one.
While the writing is very thin, Colin Trevorrow doesn't disappoint in bringing fun action in the film. With dinosaurs, a marketable star in Chris Pratt and the return of the original Jurassic Park cast, it's no surprise this film was a major success.
Alice in Wonderland - $1.025 Billion, 51%
Tim Burton's live-action reimagining of Disney's classic animated Alice in Wonderland film generated a lot of hype. With Burton's stylized direction and a huge star in Johnny Depp, many were very anxious to see the film.
The film was massively praised for its unique visuals, acting and music but some were not satisfied with the story. While it received mixed reviews from critics, most audiences gave the film a favorable review.
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - $1.027 Billion, 51%
Following the conclusion of the Original Trilogy with Return of the Jedi in 1983, it would not be 16 years until fans were treated with the next chapter of the saga. At the time of its release, The Phantom Menace was one of the most divisive films.
Many were disappointed with the different tone the film had versus that of the Original Trilogy. Roger Ebert reviewed it very favorably with 3.5/4 stars while other critics tore it to shreds. Despite the flaws, many have come around on the film and viewed it as a brilliant example of world-building and the hero's journey with Anakin.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - $1.046 Billion, 33%
With the exciting finale of At World's End, many believed the Pirates of the Caribbean series to be over as it had a proper conclusion and the main characters all went through their arcs. With the announcement of another film, many were excited to see Johnny Depp return as Jack Sparrow.
Although quite entertaining, the film failed to live up to the previous films and without Gore Verbinski in the director's chair, it had a certain charm missing from it. Nonetheless, the middling reviews didn't stop the film from being a success as it grossed $1.046 billion.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - $1.074 Billion, 52%
The Star Wars sequels have arguably become more divisive than the prequels with many viewing them as a disorganized corporate mess while others viewed them as fun, entertaining escapism. After the mixed reception of The Last Jedi, Lucasfilm went in a completely different direction for this film, opting to abandon some plotlines from the previous film.
Due to the messy writing and rushed production schedule, most critics gave the film a lukewarm review. The film sadly failed to live up to fans' expectations as well. Despite this, The Rise of Skywalker still turned a huge profit for Disney and introduced fun new characters such as Babu Frik and Zorii Bliss.
Transformers: Age of Extinction - $1.104 Billion, 17%
Despite each film receiving worse and worse reviews (until Bumblebee broke the curse), the Transformers movies continue to break box-office records. Regardless of the extremely underwhleming reviews, the film still brought in a huge audience.
Arguably the series' lowest point, Age of Extinction introduced a brand new cast of characters following Dark of the Moon being the final film starring Shia Labeouf. Although the visual effects consistenly look amazing, the writing is sadly still the problem of the Transformers franchise.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - $1.124 Billion, 35%
While the film is by no means a masterpiece, Dark of the Moon was the perfect conclusion to the original Transformers trilogy with some even viewing it as the best entry. Continuing with the bombastic action of the previous films, audiences again hurried to see the film in theaters.
With critics once again poorly reviewing the films, audiences loved the film as it delivered great humor, action and spectacle with some of the most complicated VFX work of the 2010s. Of course, the film is no Citizen Kane, but Michael Bay sure knows how to create spectacle.
Minions - $1.159 Billion, 55%
The Despicable Me franchise has made its Minions become a global phenomenon. Even as of the third Despicable Me film, Minions had become the highest grossing entry of the entire franchise, without even having Gru appear in any promotional material or most of the film.
Despite finding immense popularity with audiences, critics and some fans felt the Minions had become overdone. After a much needed break from Minions following Despicable Me 3 in 2017, the next Minions film would only be released in 2022, releasing to positive reviews and a much better reception from fans. Another main Despicable Me entry is set to release in 2024.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom - $1.310 Billion, 47%
Although Jurassic World reinvigorated interest in the Jurassic Park franchise, many share the same sentiment that the series never should have been and should have just been the original film. By the time Fallen Kingdom released, many felt the series had run its course as the series felt like it was running out of ideas.
With ridiculous plotlines such as a dinosaur auction to human clones, many audiences missed the simplicity of what made the original so great. Although the film featured brilliant direction from J.A. Bayona, it failed to recapture the magic of the original. Despite middling reviews, the film still managed to make a lot of money, grossing $400 million worldwide in its opening weekend.
The Lion King (2019) $1.663 Billion, 52%
While it can definitely be looked at as a very impressive tech demo, Disney's live-action Lion King remake never should have been made. What made the original so magical was its expressive characters and vibrant animation. Sadly, the live-action version instead focuses too heavy on photorealism, taking away all the personality from the lively character's faces.
Though many found the film to be inferior to the original, the casting of the characters was extremely well done and the return of James Earl Jones as Mufasa was highly praised.