The movie that has made the most money worldwide in theatrical release is Avatar (2009), directed by James Cameron, with over $2.9 billion in lifetime gross, followed by Avengers: Endgame (2019) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022). These figures usually only include box office revenue, not home video or streaming, though Avatar and Titanic have also earned billions from home entertainment.
There's no single definitive #1 most-watched movie due to different metrics (box office, TV, streaming), but James Cameron's Titanic often appears at the top for overall viewership, blending massive theatrical success with extensive TV broadcasts, while Disney's The Lion King and The Wizard of Oz are frequently cited for sheer volume over decades, and Avatar holds the box office crown, notes Statista and Wikipedia.
The latest: Following in the footsteps of Ne Zha 2, Lilo & Stitch, and Zootopia 2, Disney's Avatar: Fire and Ash reaches the $1 billion milestone in less than three weeks.
There's no single "top 5 movies," as it depends on critics or audience polls, but consistently high-ranking films across lists include The Godfather, The Shawshank Redemption, Citizen Kane, Pulp Fiction, and Casablanca, with classics like Seven Samurai and 12 Angry Men also frequently cited by critics and The Dark Knight often appearing in popular lists. These films are praised for storytelling, impact, and technical achievement.
Three movies are tied for the most Oscar wins with 11 Academy Awards each: Ben-Hur (1959), Titanic (1997), and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). These films share the record for the most Oscars won by a single movie in Academy Awards history, with The Return of the King achieving a clean sweep of all its nominations.
The website keeps track of all the reviews counted for each film and calculates the percentage of positive reviews (called the "Tomatometer"). If the positive reviews make up 60% or more, the film is considered "fresh". If the positive reviews are less than 60%, the film is considered "rotten".
The first actor paid $1 million for a single movie role is often cited as Marlon Brando for Mutiny on the Bounty (1962), but Elizabeth Taylor secured a $1 million contract for Cleopatra (1963) that included significant box office bonuses, making her the first to earn that much, while Mary Pickford had a $1 million contract for multiple films earlier (1916).
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The movie that took 48 years to make is The Other Side of the Wind, Orson Welles' final, unfinished film that began shooting in the 1970s and was finally completed and released by Netflix in 2018, long after Welles' death. The project was famously trapped in legal issues and distribution nightmares, with production spanning years and the editing process continuing posthumously until its eventual release, making it one of the longest-produced films ever.
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As of late 2025, the number 1 most-watched Netflix movie of all time by views is KPop Demon Hunters, followed by Red Notice, then Carry-On, according to Netflix's official data, with these figures updated regularly on their Tudum site.
The animated film that famously took 29 years to make is The Thief and the Cobbler, which began production in 1964 and was finally released (in a modified form) in 1993, though it was an unfinished project riddled with production hell and director changes. Another contender is Mad God, a stop-motion film that was in development for 30 years before its release in 2021.
Citizen Kane (1941), starring and directed by Orson Welles, has topped several international polls, including five consecutive decades at number 1 in the British Film Institute's Sight and Sound decennial poll of critics.
The #1 movie in the world, based on the highest worldwide box office gross, is James Cameron's Avatar (2009), followed by Avengers: Endgame (2019) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022). These rankings focus on total money earned, with Avatar exceeding $2.9 billion globally.
The #1 richest actor is often cited as Arnold Schwarzenegger, with an estimated net worth around $1.49 billion, followed closely by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, while some lists place Tyler Perry at the top due to his studio ownership, but Schwarzenegger consistently leads actor-focused lists with vast wealth from acting, business, and politics.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau: $16 million (£12m)
Part of GOT's highest-paid stars club, he reportedly earned $1.1 million (£820k) per episode in the final two seasons.
Jim Carrey first earned a $20 million salary for the 1996 dark comedy The Cable Guy, making him the first actor to command that much upfront, though he also earned $20 million for How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Batman Forever, Liar Liar, Me, Myself & Irene, and Yes Man.
In 1991, acclaimed director Zhang Yimou's “Ju Dou” became the first film from China to be nominated for best international feature film, followed by Chen Kaige's 1993 release “Farewell My Concubine.” Ang Lee's “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” finally won the prize in 2001. By submitting, you agree to our Terms Of Use.
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When at least 60% of reviews for a movie or TV show are positive, it is considered Fresh and a red tomato is displayed. Rotten score. When less than 60% of reviews for a movie or TV show are positive, it is considered Rotten and a green splat is displayed. No score yet.
On the film review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, films that every surveyed critic considered poor have a 0% rating.