As the title suggests we wanted to look at what movie was truly number 1 in the domestic gross. This is done by simply adjusting the ticket prices for inflation, basically if every movie ever made came out today and had the same number of viewers.
The outcome changes dramatically, currently Avatar (2009) sits on top with $760,507,625 domestic box office, and after the adjustment it grows to $812,081,500, but that is only enough to land it just outside the top 10, at number 14 .
So, just what movie is on the top, if Avatar sits in 14th, then it must be some enormous blockbuster that has the 1 spot, right? Like say, Star Wars (1977). Well no, Star Wars, once adjusted, is actually sitting comfortably in 2nd with $1,487,298,600, beating out 3rd place contender The Sound of Music (1965) by about $300 million, earning a respectable $1,189,168,400.
Which finally brings us to the answer, the number 1 highest grossing movie, adjusted for inflation, is Gone with the Wind (1939). The legendary Clark Gable picture earned $189,523,031 domestically during late 39' and early 40', but once it is adjusted for today its total rises to an astounding $1,687,072,600.
This all depends on a person's point of view to discern who really is the highest domestic grossing movie of all time. If you believe that its the number of viewers that matter most, than the adjusted gross is most accurate. But, if its all about money, then the normal domestic scale is the correct way.
And remember, keep watching movies.
Here is the top 10 for both the Domestic Gross and the Adjusted Gross.
Domestic Gross
1 Avatar - $760,507,625
2 Titanic - $658,672,302
3 Marvel's The Avengers - $623,357,910
4 The Dark Knight - $534,858,444
5 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace - $474,544,677
6 Star Wars - $460,998,007
7 The Dark Knight Rises - $448,139,099
8 Shrek 2 - $441,226,247
9 E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial - $435,110,554
10 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire -$423,914,000
Adjusted Gross
- Gone with the Wind - $1,687,072,600
- Star Wars - $1,487,298,600
- The Sound of Music - $1,189,168,400
- E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial - $1,184,483,700
- Titanic - $1,131,211,800
- The Ten Commandments - $1,093,850,000
- Jaws - $1,069,458,100
- Doctor Zhivago - $1,036,531,100
- The Exorcist - $923,503,000
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - $910,150,000
For full the lists go to Box Office Mojo