The most successful movies of all time

Disney's superhero blockbuster has claimed the crown with $2.79 billion (€2.48 billion), and there is still room for growth after running for just 13 weeks.

The second biggest movie in terms of box office earnings is "Avatar" by director James Cameron, with total earnings of $2.79 billion. Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver, the epic sci-fi film is set in a 22nd-century mining colony on a moon called Pandora, and portrays a conflict with the original inhabitants, the Na'vi.

Another box office smash for Cameron, "Titanic" has raked in $2.19 billion after multiple re-releases since it premiered nearly 20 years ago. The film, which dramatized the April 1912 sinking of the British passenger liner on its maiden voyage, saw a young Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet adopt the iconic pose pictured above.

The seventh film in the Star Wars franchise made $2.07 billion at the box office following its much-hyped 2015 release. Produced and directed by J J Abrams, this was the first Star Wars movie not to involve the franchise's creator, George Lucas — the production company, Lucasfilm, was acquired by Disney in 2012.

Gargantuan ambitions, and dizzying results: In 2018, the "Avengers" cast ensemble reunited for success. The Marvel Comics superhero team not only prevented the destruction of the universe, but the film also grossed $2.05 billion at the box office worldwide.

Another hit from 2015, the long-awaited sequel to Steven Spielberg's 1993 hit "Jurassic Park" earned nearly $1.7 billion worldwide. The following sequel, "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," released in 2018, grossed over $1.3 billion internationally — but didn't make it into the top 10.

Uniting Marvel comics' biggest names — from Captain America to the Hulk (above) — proved to be a successful recipe, as four "Avengers" films have since found their place in the top 10. The eclectic ensemble went down well with cinema audiences, who shelled out more than $1.5 billion to see the movie.

The seventh installment in the "Fast and the Furious" franchise made $1.52 billion in cinemas — again following a 2015 release. After actor Paul Walker (left) died in a car crash, his brothers stood in for him on set so that filming could be completed.

The 2015 "Avengers" sequel revealed more about the dark past of the Black Widow, portrayed by Scarlett Johansson (picture). She reunited with Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk and the rest of the Marvel Comics crew to once again save the world. The eye-popping epic made $1.4 billion at the box office.

Another title in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is the highest-grossing film franchise of all time, "Black Panther" earned $1.35 billion at the box office. The film was praised for its cultural significance: The narrative centering on black superheros was compared by some writers to key events in history, such as Barack Obama's election as US president.