02. Avatar (2009)
Gross: $2,923,706,026
It will take a lot for James Cameron’s Avatar to be punted from the top spot of the highest-grossing movies of all time. Many have tried, but in the 16 years since its release, only a handful have got close. Avatar changed cinema as we know it, introducing an entire world of visual graphics that felt like witchcraft at the time and, to be honest, still kind of does even now. A sequel came 15 years later, and we’re due to get another three, meaning this list could shape up to be a one-man party before long. A feast for the eyes in every single way, Avatar became the cinematic event of the decade, and with $2.9b racked up at the box office, it’s likely to remain it for another decade to come.
