After the pandemic, 2022 was arguably a year of redemption and rebuilding for Hollywood. Now, cinema enthusiasts are examining the global box office to determine which films were the year’s best hits. Unsurprisingly, the majority of the Top 10 consists of sequels and large tentpole blockbusters, films that have become safe bets for studios and theatres trying to fill seats and rebound from the existential danger posed by the epidemic.
So, without further ado, here are the worldwide box office Top 10 of 2022 (domestic and foreign statistics combined), along with a few remarks on the quality of the films and their rankings.
Xavi Lopez/ Lightrocket/ Getty Images | “Top Gun: Maverick” has scored two Golden Globes nominations for best original song and best motion picture
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Top Gun: Maverick dominated cinema screens across the country and was a regular draw for moviegoers everywhere: Tom Cruise reprised his renowned role as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in the sequel to the 1986 film Top Gun, which was repeatedly postponed owing to the COVID-19 outbreak. Opening weekend earnings for "Top Gun: Maverick" were $126.7 million. The film's portrayals and the general subject of military duty were influenced by its release during Memorial Day weekend.
Since then, the critical success has become a box-office sensation, with solid week-to-week holds and a total domestic gross of $718 million. Not bad for a film rumored to have cost $170 million to produce. "Top Gun: Maverick" is the first Tom Cruise picture to gross more than $1 billion worldwide.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Marvel fans were, to say the least, dissatisfied with Phase 4 of the MCU and its overabundance of TV series and mediocre releases, prompting even the most ardent fans to confess that superhero weariness was in full swing this year. "Doctor Odd in the Multiverse of Madness" was also to blame for this sensation; a psychedelic installment from horror master Sam Raimi ("Evil Dead" trilogy, "Drag Me to Hell") that wasn’t strange, insane, or multiverse-y enough. Worse, it destroyed the character development "WandaVision" had constructed for Wanda, aka The Scarlet Witch.
Paramount/ IMDb | The epic conclusion of the Jurassic era
‘Jurassic World: Dominion’
After releasing a new "Fast and Furious" film in June 2021, Universal returned a year later with "Jurassic World Dominion," another installment in one of its signature film franchises. The long-awaited third (and maybe last) part in the "Jurassic World" trilogy and the sixth film in the "Jurassic Park" franchise arrived in theatres in early summer, a year after its planned release date.
Despite harsh reviews from critics, "Jurassic World: Dominion" was an instant hit with audiences and had a good run at the box office throughout the summer movie season. The dinosaur-infested movie joined its predecessors (and "Top Gun: Maverick") in the $1 billion club after grossing $376 million domestically and an additional $627 million abroad. Despite its dismal response, "Jurassic World Dominion" ultimately proved to be a commercial success, which is astounding.
Disney Co/ CNBC | Avatar: The Way Of Water focuses on Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri's (Zoe Saldana) family
'Avatar: The Way of Water'
Avatar: The Way of Water, directed by James Cameron, defied skeptics (at least for the time being) by surpassing the $1 billion mark at the global box office in less than two weeks. This was despite its opening in a handful of overseas markets days before its U.S. debut. With more than $300 million domestically and another $700 million from other markets, the long-awaited science-fiction sequel became the third 2022 motion picture to gross over $1 billion at the global box office and the sixth-fastest film ever to reach that milestone.
This ranks the film third after "Jurassic World: Dominion" ($1.003 billion) and "Top Gun: Maverick" ($1.488 billion) on the 2022 global box office list. "The Way of Water" is now surpassing "Dominion" and is projected to be the highest-grossing film of 2022 when the dust settles (or the tide recedes). Adjusted estimates place the film's ultimate gross between $1.6 and $1.9 billion.
