Summer has, and likely forever will be, the “busy season” of film releases and mega-hits. Studios unload the best movies they have in hopes of cashing in big at the box office.
And thanks to Box Office Mojo, we know the top-earning movies, based on how much they made in the US, adjusted for inflation, since the year 2000.
Mojo factored in movies that were released from May through August each year.
2000: “Mission: Impossible 2”
Release date: May 4, 2000
Adjusted domestic gross: $370,473,000
Original domestic gross: $215,409,889
Original worldwide gross: $546,388,105
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 57%
2001: “Shrek”
Release date: May 16, 2001
Adjusted domestic gross: $438,384,200
Original domestic gross: $267,665,011
Original worldwide gross: $484,409,218
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 88%
Columbia Pictures
2002: “Spider-Man”
Release date: May 3, 2002
Adjusted domestic gross: $644,123,600
Original domestic gross: $403,706,375
Original worldwide gross: $821,708,551
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 89%
Pixar
2003: “Finding Nemo”
Release date: May 30, 2003
Adjusted domestic gross: $522,248,400
Original domestic gross: $380,843,261
Original worldwide gross: $940,335,536
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 99%
Dreamworks
2004: “Shrek 2”
Release date: May 19
Adjusted domestic gross: $658,642,100
Original domestic gross: $441,226,247
Original worldwide gross: $919,838,758
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 88%
LucasFilm
2005: “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”
Release date: May 19, 2005
Adjusted domestic gross: $549,938,900
Original domestic gross: $380,270,577
Original worldwide gross: $848,754,768
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 79%
Disney
2006: “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”
Release date: July 7, 2006
Adjusted domestic gross: $599,105,000
Original domestic gross: $423,315,812
Original worldwide gross: $1,066,179,725
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 54%
Sony
2007: “Spider-Man 3”
Release date: May 4, 2007
Adjusted domestic gross: $453,435,400
Original domestic gross: $336,530,303
Original worldwide gross: $890,871,626
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 63%
Warner Bros.
2008: “The Dark Knight”
Release date: July 18, 2008
Adjusted domestic gross: $688,473,800
Original domestic gross: $534,858,444
Original worldwide gross: $1,004,558,444
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 94%
Paramount
2009: “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”
Release date: Jun 24, 2009
Adjusted domestic gross: $499,661,600
Original domestic gross: $402,111,870
Original worldwide gross: $836,303,693
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 19%
Pixar
2010: “Toy Story 3”
Release date: June 18, 2010
Adjusted domestic gross: $494,456,600
Original domestic gross: $415,004,880
Original worldwide gross: $1,066,969,703
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 99%
Warner Bros.
2011: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2”
Release date: July 15, 2011
Adjusted domestic gross: $444,866,400
Original domestic gross: $381,011,219
Original worldwide gross: $1,341,511,219
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 96%
Marvel Studios
2012: “The Avengers”
Release date: May 4, 2012
Adjusted domestic gross: $712,688,900
Original domestic gross: $623,357,910
Original worldwide gross: $1,518,812,988
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 92%
Marvel Studios
2013: “Iron Man 3”
Release date: May 3, 2013
Adjusted domestic gross: $452,833,000
Original domestic gross: $409,013,994
Original worldwide gross: $1,214,811,252
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 80%
Marvel Studios
2014: “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Release date: August 1, 2014
Adjusted domestic gross: $381,716,000
Original domestic gross: $333,176,600
Original worldwide gross: $773,328,629
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 91%
Universal
2015: “Jurassic World”
Release date: June 12, 2015
Adjusted domestic gross: $732,786,100
Original domestic gross: $652,270,625
Original worldwide gross: $1,671,713,208
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 71%
Pixar
2016: “Finding Dory”
Release date: June 17, 2016
Adjusted domestic gross: $520,585,500
Original domestic gross: $486,295,561
Original worldwide gross: $1,028,570,889
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 94%
Warner Bros.
2017: “Wonder Woman”
Release date: June 2, 2017
Adjusted domestic gross: $427,490,900
Original domestic gross: $412,563,408
Original worldwide gross: $821,847,012
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 92%
Pixar
2018 (thus far): “Incredibles 2”
Release date: June 15
Adjusted domestic gross (so far): $552,968,500
Worldwide gross (so far): $943,285,687
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 93%
