Shattering records with their seemingly non-stop output of movies and tv shows, Marvel is the movie franchise that has steadily become the highest-grossing in the world. Among many other high-grossing film franchises (Harry Potter, James Bond, Lord of the Rings, etc.), Marvel takes first place with a staggering $10.2 billion lead ahead of Star Wars in second place. While this may surprise some, that number doesn’t even include the X-Men or Spider-Man franchises. Thanks to the endless amounts of usable material from generations of comic books, the end of the Marvel universe may never come.
While scanning the list of highest-grossing Marvel movies may raise a few eyebrows, it’s important to highlight that the box office amounts reflect the lifetime gross of the film, not just the opening gross (according to Box Office Mojo). Due to the significant increase in streaming services and overall subscribers in the past years, it’s easier to imagine how this lineup ended up earning so much during its lifetime. Let’s dive into the top 10 highest-grossing Marvel movies of all time.
10. Iron Man 3 (2013)
$409,013,994
Iron Man 3
Starting with one of the older additions to the list, Iron Man 3 surprised audiences everywhere with a smashingly triumphant return of the beloved Tony Stark. After repeated, devastating terrorist attacks and attempts on his life by a cunning foe, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) must muster all of the courage and tech he has accumulated to defeat this new, relentless nemesis. After the success of the first two Iron Man films, it’s logical that audiences flocked to the release of this sequel which turned out to be a very re-watchable and fun film.
Read our review of Iron Man 3.
9. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
$411,331,607
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
A much more recent production in the lineup, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness stands out as one of the more visually and thematically unique additions. Plagued by surreal dreams and visions of a universe-jumping teenager, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) faces new, unimaginable threats as he tries to save friends both new and old. Packed with action, cheeky comedy, and elements of horror, this Sam Raimi Marvel film creates a niche within the universe that enthusiasts have come to celebrate.
Read our review of Doctor Strang in the Multiverse of Madness.
8. Captain Marvel (2019)
$426,829,839
Captain Marvel
The first of the Marvel movies with a superstar, female lead, Captain Marvel brings a new face and feel to the cinematic universe. One of the very first official members of The Avengers Initiative, Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) goes on a journey of self-discovery to uncover the foggy past and become Captain Marvel. With a special theme of scattered 90’s memorabilia and music from bands like Garbage, Heart, and No Doubt, there’s a certain successful, empowering feel to this unique Marvel movie.
Read our review of Captain Marvel.
7. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
$453,829,060
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
The newest release on this list today is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: the emotional, long-winded sequel to the highly well-received original, Black Panther. Torn apart by the sudden loss of their fearless leader, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), the family and kingdom come together to defend Wakanda from a previously unknown, underwater kingdom that threatens to steal and destroy everything they have built. While the film is not the strongest in overall quality or cohesion, the visual effects and homage to Boseman make this a worthy insertion into the universe.
Read our review of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
6. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
$459,005,868
Avengers: Age of Ultron
The second installment of the Avengers ensemble films, Avengers: Age of Ultron was set to make money no matter the quality of the film. Born from the minds of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), the self-aware tech named ‘Ultron’ decides that humanity is a disease that needs to be wiped from the face of the Earth. While this was not received so well as the other movies of this kind, Ultron still offers a lot of action-packed fun and good performances to enjoy.
Read our review of Avengers: Age of Ultron.
5. The Avengers (2012)
$623,357,910
The Avengers
The beginning of the ensemble Avengers movies: The Avengers exploded onto the scene as the third-highest-grossing movie of all time. Brought on by the reckless terrorism and invasion of Earth by Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the Avengers Initiative officially enacts to defend humanity from almost-certain destruction. Since it was announced in 2008 that this star-studded superhero movie would be released in 2011 with the core Avengers, it is a shock to no one that this movie was an immediate hit.
Read our review of The Avengers.
4. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
$678,815,482
Avengers: Infinity War
Juggling an impressively large cast of superheroes for the third Avengers installment, Avengers: Infinity War jumps leagues above its predecessors in multiple respects. Determined by his goal to acquire all infinity stones and wipe out half of all life, Thanos (Josh Brolin) proves himself as The Avengers’ most formidable foe yet. Since this very re-watchable movie capitalizes on near-non-stop action as well as emotional adversity, its lifetime gross has gone up exponentially and will most likely continue to do so.
Read our review of Avengers: Infinity War.
3. Black Panther (2018)
$700,059,566
Black Panther
A truly unique addition to the Marvel cinematic universe, Black Panther developed a huge following well before its actual release date, promising a fortuitous and long-lasting future to come. King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) is next in line as the leader and protector of Wakanda but is suddenly challenged by a shadow from the past, one with a chip on his shoulder and a score to settle. The Kendrick Lamar and Ludwig Göransson Black Panther music is also to be thanked for its achievements in popularity, winning a Best Score Oscar and Grammy as well as a Grammy for “King’s Dead” from Lamar’s curated Black Panther album.
Read our review of Black Panther.
2. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
$804,793,477
Spider-Man: No Way Home
The newest and most exciting Spider-Man movie is Spider-Man: No Way Home; an insanely fun cast-blending experiment that combines all Spider-Man iterations into one glorious adventure. After Spider-Man’s (Tom Holland) true identity is announced on the news, he seeks the help of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to undo what has been done, sparking a chain of events that bring multiple universes crashing together. With the promise of every actor who’s played Spider-Man and their respective foes to be included, even the most skeptical viewers deemed it necessary to see this movie as soon as possible.
Read our review of Spider-Man: No Way Home or see our guide to Spider Man movies in order.
1. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
$858,373,000
Avengers: Endgame
Serving as the epic conclusion to the ensemble cast of Avengers movies, Avengers: Endgame is an emotionally charged experience of nostalgia, revenge, and redemption. Set years after the events of Avengers: Infinity War, the remaining Avengers woefully re-unite to attempt to undo the devastating actions taken by Thanos. With a 3-hour runtime, Endgame sets out to settle scores, finish off multiple subplots, and leave audiences with a satisfactory goodbye to their favorite movie saga.
Read our review of Avengers: Endgame.
For Marvel fans you’ll also want to look at Marvel merch and Avengers collectibles on sale including:
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Connor Sheppard is a contributing culture writer and critic of all things media at IGN with previous work on The Manual.