Sci-fi is an enchanting and ingenious style that has produced many fascinating movies. The style has launched many memorable characters and worlds, however has additionally delivered thought-provoking concepts about know-how, scientific developments, and the chances of the longer term.
All through movie’s historical past, science fiction has additionally been one in every of Hollywood’s most profitable genres. It has generated main franchises like Star Wars and Jurassic Park, together with solo hits like Gravity, Interstellar, and The Martian.
This record options the ten highest-grossing movies on the U.S. field workplace, fairly than worldwide. Whereas superhero movies will be thought of sci-fi, they don’t seem to be on this record as they belong in their very own class. Nevertheless, one franchise does seem ceaselessly all through this record. Try the record under, which incorporates field workplace totals in response to Field Workplace Mojo.
E.T. is a heartwarming sci-fi story a few friendship between a boy and an alien. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the movie stars Henry Thomas as Elliott, a younger boy who meets an alien he names E.T. Although from totally different worlds, the 2 type a bond as Elliott tries to maintain E.T. a secret and assist him discover his method dwelling.
The movie was a essential and field workplace hit, and presently holds a 99% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes. On the home field workplace, E.T. made round $439.5 million. Worldwide, the movie made $797.3 million. When adjusted for inflation, E.T. is the fourth highest-grossing movie of all time, incomes over $1.297 billion, in response to Field Workplace Mojo.
9
Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope – $460.9 million
Whereas A New Hope will not be the highest-grossing movie on this record, it is arguably essentially the most influential. Launched in 1977, the primary Star Wars movie ignited one in every of Hollywood’s most profitable franchises, and made sci-fi a extra well-liked style throughout the movie business. Nearly 50 years later, the franchise remains to be producing new initiatives, together with 2026’s The Mandalorian and Grogu.
The movie revamped $460.9 million on the home field workplace and round $775.4 million worldwide. When adjusted for inflation, A New Hope is the second highest-grossing movie ever, incomes over $1.6 billion, sitting behind Gone With the Wind. Star Wars nonetheless continues to search out success through the years, as proven by the remainder of this record.
8
Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace – $487.58
16 years after the unique trilogy’s conclusion, audiences have been thrilled to return to the galaxy that George Lucas launched in 1977. The Phantom Menace was the start of Lucas’ prequel trilogy. It launched youthful variations of acquainted characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, in addition to new characters like Darth Maul and Padmé Amidala.
The Phantom Menace made round $487.58 million domestically and has grossed over $1 billion worldwide via its preliminary launch and re-releases. Whereas the movie obtained combined reactions from critics with a 54% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it has grown a fanbase through the years, together with the opposite two movies within the prequel trilogy.
7
Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker – $515.2 million
The Rise of Skywalker ended the sequel trilogy on a divisive be aware throughout the Star Wars fanbase. On a essential stage, it was met with combined reception from critics, and is presently the lowest-rated live-action Star Wars movie on RT with a 51%. Nevertheless, it was nonetheless a business success, each domestically and internationally.
On the home field workplace, The Rise of Skywalker earned $515.2 million, whereas worldwide, it grossed round $1.08 billion. It did not carry out in addition to the opposite two movies within the sequel trilogy, nevertheless it nonetheless crossed the billion-dollar mark. Regardless of Episode IX‘s field workplace success, Star Wars hasn’t launched one other movie since, however that streak is ready to finish in 2026.
6
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – $533.5 million
After Star Wars returned for the sequel trilogy in 2015, the franchise went again to a well-recognized period the next yr with Rogue One. Directed by Gareth Edwards, this spinoff passed off shortly earlier than the start of the unique trilogy, and instructed the story of the heroic mission by the Revolt to retrieve the plans to destroy the Demise Star.
Rogue One earned over $533.5 million domestically, and round $1.06 billion worldwide. The movie took a grittier method to Star Wars, specializing in a small crew throughout the Revolt as they stand as much as the empire. This tone labored for the movie, and was expanded upon in Andor, a derivative sequence that centered round Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor.
5
Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Final Jedi – $620.2 million
After the sequel trilogy started in 2015, anticipation was excessive for Episode VIII, particularly after the final movie ended with the return of Luke Skywalker. Nevertheless, The Final Jedi is arguably essentially the most divisive movie in the entire franchise. It presently holds a 91% RT critic rating, and a 41% RT viewers rating.
It is a movie that sparked a large number of opinions, but in addition generated success on the field workplace. It garnered round $620.2 million domestically, and over $1.3 billion worldwide. It will not be essentially the most universally beloved within the franchise, nevertheless it’s the second highest-grossing Star Wars movie.
4
Jurassic World – $653.4 million
Jurassic World reinvigorated the Jurassic franchise, 14 years after the final movie, Jurassic Park III. Directed by Colin Trevorrow, the movie starred Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, and launched a completely realized model of John Hammond’s dream theme park. Nevertheless, it will definitely turns disastrous, because the dinosaurs break away and terrorize the vacationers.
Jurassic World was an enormous hit, grossing $653.4 million on the home field workplace and $1.67 billion worldwide. It led to a brand new trilogy of movies with Pratt and Howard, with every movie crossing the billion-dollar mark. The franchise just lately soft-rebooted with Jurassic World Rebirth, which did not hit $1 billion, however was nonetheless a field workplace hit.
3
Avatar: The Method of Water – $688.46
After 13 years, director James Cameron lastly introduced audiences again to the world of Pandora. Within the sequel, Jake Sully, Neytiri, and their household journey to an oceanic area of Pandora to flee the RDA. Residing with the Metkayina Na’vi clan, the Sully’s study to adapt to their new dwelling earlier than the battle involves them.
The Method of Water earned round $688.46 domestically, and over $2.3 billion worldwide, making it the third highest-grossing movie of all time on the worldwide field workplace. The sequel continued the large success of the primary movie, and gave Cameron three $2 billion movies.
2
Avatar – $785.2 million
2009’s Avatar was a worldwide hit, bringing audiences to Pandora via extraordinary particular results and immersive 3D. It was Cameron’s follow-up to 1997’s Titanic, which, on the time, was the highest-grossing movie ever, till the director beat his personal document with this sci-fi spectacle.
Avatar earned over $785.2 million domestically, and has earned over $2.9 billion worldwide. It is nonetheless the highest-grossing movie of all time on the worldwide field workplace, although it did lose this title briefly to Avengers: Endgame, earlier than ultimately regaining it after it “returned to film theaters in China” in 2021, per Selection.
1
Star Wars: Episode VII — The Power Awakens – $936.7 million
Whereas Avatar holds the highest spot on the worldwide field workplace, The Power Awakens is the highest-grossing movie on the home field workplace. The 2015 movie kicked off Star Wars‘ sequel trilogy, introducing new characters like Rey, Finn, and Kylo Ren, and introduced again traditional heroes, together with Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Leia Organa.
The sci-fi movie earned round $936.7 million, and $2.07 billion worldwide. The Power Awakens does share related plot parts to A New Hope, nevertheless it added partaking characters and an intriguing battle that laid the groundwork for a brand new trilogy. It revitalized folks’s ardour for Star Wars and launched a brand new story to a brand new era.