Since its inception in 1922, the box office has been used as a measure of a film’s success. Over the past 100 years, films have been hitting milestones such as $100 million and $1 billion at an increasing rate. In 1990, Dances with Wolves became the first film to gross over $100 million at the box office (per ABC News); however, it would take seven years for another movie, Titanic, to reach that billion-dollar milestone. In 2017, three films — The Fate of the Furious, Beauty and the Beast, and The Boss Baby — surpassed this mark within one year. Similarly, it took nearly 75 years for films to begin hitting $1 billion at the box office; however, since 2010, several movies have reached this milestone or beyond.

Now you ask, what makes a movie successful at the box office? The benchmarks for commercial success vary depending on the type of film and the expectations for it. For example, a blockbuster movie is expected to earn at least $100 million at the box office in its opening weekend. For independent films or low-budget productions, reaching $1 million in sales is considered a success. Additionally, films that break major records such as exceeding $1 billion in earnings are lauded for their financial success.

Unfortunately, streaming services have had an impact on box office numbers. Their increasing popularity and the availability of more content than ever before has led to a decrease in theatrical box office earnings for many films, with global box office revenue dropping 71% in 2020 compared to 2019. Additionally, it has made it harder for films to reach certain milestones as quickly as they used to due to increased competition from streaming services. Nevertheless, let’s dive into the movies that made $1 billion at the box office the quickest.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

10 Avatar (2009) — 19 Days

     20th Century Studios

Avatar was a celebrated film when it first released, and still is to this day due to its superb storytelling and gorgeous animation. The hype surrounding Avatar was unprecedented; it has been over 12 years since its release and the movie continues to dominate cinemas around the world. Audiences were eagerly awaiting the sequel The Way of Water, which was released in 2022. Social media has played a big role in generating excitement for this movie, as well as creating an online community where fans can come together and discuss their love for Avatar.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

Distributors are deserting multiplexes out of fear of being pancaked by James Cameron’s masterful storytelling abilities — his track record speaks for itself, as he won an Academy Award for his work on Avatar. Cameron made history as the first director to have three films exceed $1.5 billion at the box office. The film was released on December 16, 2009, and by January 3, 2010, the film had reached $1.02 billion, taking only 19 days to reach the milestone.

9 Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) — 19 Days

     Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Star Wars: The Last Jedi had immense hype surrounding it. It is also considered one of the most original installments in the sequel trilogy. Despite being met with backlash from some fans, the movie still managed to become a box office smash due to its strong word-of-mouth and the yet-to-be-quelled Star Wars hype. The movie also featured many beloved characters from the original trilogy, such as Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). Additionally, it introduced new characters such as Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega), who quickly became fan favorites. All these factors contributed towards making Star Wars: The Last Jedi one of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters in recent years. Releasing on December 13, 2017, the film hit $1.04 billion on December 31, 2017, taking the same 19 days as Avatar.

8 The Fate of the Furious (2017) — 18 Days

     Universal Pictures

The Fate of the Furious features all of the elements that make up a successful action franchise. It has a popular cast, including Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson, as well as an exciting premise that keeps fans coming back for more. Additionally, it has spectacular action sequences and over-the-top thrills that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The film also offers unexpected dramatic heft through its marriage plot line between Dom (Diesel) and Letty (Theron). The success of Furious 7 paved the way for this installment to be just as successful at the box office. With these factors in mind, it’s no surprise that this film made so much money so quickly after its release in 2017. Releasing on April 12, 2017, the film hit $1.06 billion on April 29, 2017, taking only 18 days to hit this marker.

7 Furious 7 (2015) — 17 Days

     Universal Studios

Furious 7 had quite a few things going for it. First, the film had an established fan base and franchise reputation that attracted audiences. Second, the movie featured a star-studded cast led by Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, both of whom were well-known action movie stars with a loyal fan base. Thirdly, Universal Studios used its marketing power to promote Furious 7 through advertisements and interviews with celebrities and late-night hosts, such as Jimmy Fallon. Finally, Universal Studios also capitalized on the tragic death of Walker by using it as a promotional tool to increase ticket sales even further in order to honor his legacy as an actor. These factors helped make Furious 7 one of 2015’s most successful movies at the box office with over $1 billion in total gross revenue within 17 days of its release date.

6 Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) — 14 Days

Avatar: The Way of Water was released in late-2022, with millions of fans waiting over a decade for the sequel. The film was directed, co-written, and produced by James Cameron, who also acted as the film’s cinematographer. The film was shot in 6K resolution on Arri Alexa cameras with a frame rate of 48 frames per second. The visual effects were created by a team led by Jim Bosher and Richard Baneham from Double Negative (Dneg), with additional help from Weta Digital and other visual effects studios around the world. Avatar: The Way of Water has grossed over $2 billion worldwide since its release in December 2022, making it one of the highest-grossing films ever made. It took this film only 14 days to hit $1.02 billion, and we can’t be surprised. With its outstanding graphics, beautiful story and huge fan base, its no wonder Avatar has been such a smashing success.

5 Jurassic World (2015) — 13 Days

Jurassic World combined its sequel star power and nostalgia to rake in the fans. The film features Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Irrfan Khan, and Vincent D’Onofrio. In addition to bringing back iconic characters from the original Jurassic Park movie, the film’s storyline is familiar yet exciting enough for audiences who have been waiting decades for another dinosaur adventure. Furthermore, Universal Pictures had high expectations for this blockbuster hit, which helped ensure it would be a success at the box office. Raking in over $1 billion in just 13 days, Jurassic World was a box office success.

4 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) — 12 Days

     Marvel Studios

Spider-Man: No Way Home was a huge success, even in terms of Marvel films. Marvel films are known for drawing dedicated fans in and grossing increasingly high at the box office, but No Way Home was one of their fastest hits. It grossed over $1.05 billion in just 12 days after its release on December 15, 2021. The film became the only one of 2021 to cross that mark on December 26, 2021. In terms of success, No Way Home only comes in behind Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

3 Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) — 12 Days

     Lucasfilm

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was one of the fastest movies to make over $1 billion due to its appeal to both longtime fans and newcomers alike. The movie featured an incredibly talented cast, including Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, as well as new faces such as Adam Driver. Additionally, it had the advantage of being the first Star Wars movie released after Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, which gave them greater resources for promotion than ever before. Finally, the film was masterfully directed by J.J. Abrams, who understood exactly how to balance nostalgia with freshness for an exciting experience for audiences around the world. All these factors contributed to making The Force Awakens the third-fastest film to hit $1 billion, with the film racking up $1.09 billion in only 12 days.

2 Avengers: Infinity War (2018) — 11 Days

Avengers: Infinity War was set up for success out of the gate due to its enormous success that it has already achieved in previous Avengers and interconnected MCU films. The film is one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. Part of the reason for its success is the fact that it features numerous popular characters from Marvel’s cinematic universe, such as Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the Hulk. Additionally, it offers viewers an exciting action-packed storyline with emotional elements that have resonated with audiences around the world.

Furthermore, Infinity War has been praised for its successful juggling between so many characters and locations without losing momentum or pacing. Ultimately, this film’s legacy will be defined by how it left audiences stunned by its heartbreaking ending which saw some fan favorites perish at the hands of Thanos. Infinity War pulled in over $1.04 billion in just 11 days, making it the second-fastest film to gross over $1 billion.

1 Avengers: Endgame (2019) — 5 Days

The anticipation for Avengers: Endgame was enormous, and it’s no surprise that it grossed billions of dollars in such a short period of time. What makes this movie stand out from others is its ability to deliver an exciting, entertaining and emotionally impactful finale to Marvel’s epic Infinity Saga storyline. Additionally, the film features high-profile actors such as Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo who help bring the characters to life on screen. Finally, director Anthony Russo and Joe Russo have created stunning visual effects that make viewers feel like they are part of the action themselves - contributing significantly to its success at the box office. Grossing over $1.22 billion in just five short days, Avengers: Endgame is the fastest grossing film to $1 billion to date.