As a movie buff who has spent countless Christmases huddled around the TV or at the cinema watching festive favorites, I must say, I’m both surprised and intrigued by the revelation that The Grinch (2018) holds the title of the highest-grossing Christmas movie ever. It’s a bit like discovering that your favorite Christmas cracker joke is actually the most popular one in the world – you can’t help but feel a mix of pride and disbelief!
Without a doubt, it’s Christmas time as Slade once crooned! Today, countless individuals worldwide are indulging in festive films – yet, if I revealed the one that raked in the highest earnings, you might find it hard to credit.
Every year, just like opening advent calendars and singing along to ‘Fairytale of New York’ almost in full, it becomes an unavoidable tradition for folks to go through their favorite Christmas movies once more.
For a variety of tastes, there’s something here for all: whether you’re seeking heartwarming stories like It’s a Wonderful Life or Love Actually, thrilling action movies such as Die Hard and Lethal Weapon, spine-chilling horror flicks including Black Christmas and Gremlins, or even light-hearted suspense with the Home Alone series.
Despite being judged successful primarily based on how frequently they’re rewatched on DVD and streaming platforms, often long after their initial theater releases, it’s unlikely you’ve ever pondered whether or not these movies earned any income in cinemas. Interestingly, one film stands out as a clear leader in this regard.
The Grinch is the biggest Christmas movie ever
In a twist from the traditional tale, the 2018 animated Grinch film by Illumination holds the record as the highest-earning Christmas movie of all time, raking in an impressive $538 million globally.
As a huge fan, I must say that the film which surprisingly made little impact on pop culture is actually the biggest Christmas movie ever! For many children, it was their first encounter with Dr. Seuss’ timeless tale, and they might ask to watch it annually – but for most of us, Jim Carrey’s adaptation or even the 1966 TV special remains the undisputed favorite.
This doesn’t mean it’s poor quality; instead, it’s quite endearing! Benedict Cumberbatch lends his voice to the main character, Grinch, and while it may not be as gloomy as Ron Howard’s version, it effectively explores the Grinch’s transformation towards kindness (and let me tell you, Max is incredibly adorable). To top it off, Danny Elfman composed the music for this film, so there’s no room for complaints on that front.
Notably, when The Grinch debuted in 2018, it was the sole new Christmas film in cinemas. This movie was geared towards families, and during that period (from October to November), there were limited options for children’s entertainment; Goosebumps 2, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and Mary Poppins Returns were the only other films available.
It’s not uncommon to find this scenario with other movies as well: The earnings from Moana 2 surpassed all predictions, yet it didn’t face much competition in family-oriented audiences. Meanwhile, The Super Mario Bros Movie maintained its stronghold for months and ended up being the second highest-grossing film of 2023.
Highest-grossing Christmas movies of all time
Here are the top 20 highest-earning Christmas films ever, ranked by their global box office takings; you might recognize a few, but others may take you by surprise.
- The Grinch (2019) – $538 million
- Home Alone (1990) – $476 million
- Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) – $365 million
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) – $358 million
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) – $345 million
- A Christmas Carol (2009) – $325 million
- The Polar Express (2004) – $315 million
- Batman Returns (1992) – $266 million
- Love Actually (2003) – $245 million
- Die Hard 2 (1990) – $240 million
- Elf (2003) – $225 million
- The Holiday (2006) – $205 million
- The Santa Clause (1994) – $172 million
- While You Were Sleeping (1995) – $182 million
- Daddy’s Home 2 (2017) – $180 million
- The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) – $173 million
- The Santa Clause 2 (2002) – $172 million
- Four Christmases (2008) – $163 million
- Gremlins (1984) – $153 million
- Arthur Christmas (2011) – $147 million
It’s more astonishing to find Die Hard 2 on the list, while Die Hard is not (it barely missed by earning $141 million), or it’s equally surprising that there are not one but two Santa Clause movies in the top 20.
There’s one film I want to highlight because its box office haul is an extraordinary achievement: Home Alone.
Among all the movies listed, Home Alone is the oldest and surprisingly remains in second place. This ranking hasn’t been altered to account for inflation, making its achievement even more remarkable. Even considering ’90s movie ticket prices, it has outperformed almost every film released since then.
Adjusted for inflation, the $476 million earned by a certain entity in 1990 is equivalent to approximately $1.17 billion today. However, it’s important to note that this figure might not fully capture the film Home Alone’s earnings as it has been re-released in cinemas numerous times since its debut, and those additional revenues are included in its total box office take, hence contributing to its ongoing income.
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2024-12-25 18:49