10 Best Movies That Fell Short of $1 Billion at the Box Office

Just over 50 movies have the distinction of earning $1 billion at the box office, a pretty small number considering the vast number of films in existence. And while it’s no surprise that highly anticipated blockbuster films often cross that threshold, box-office performance can still have some surprises, both in terms of what movies are huge hits and which ones come up short.

Some movies have come agonizingly close to hitting the $1 billion milestone without quite making it, an impressive feat on its own. In some cases, the almost-billion-dollar-films were highly anticipated sequels with the audience eager to see what happened next, and in others, the films were part of a larger series, with a follow-up which did indeed hit that major milestone. From comedies to fantasy to critically acclaimed biopics, the best of them prove that no matter the genre, audiences will turn out in droves for a good story and will help propel a movie to success.

10 ‘Despicable Me 2’ (2013)

Box Office: $970 million

In the animated comedy Despicable Me 2, former villain Gru (Steve Carell) is leaving behind his life of crime and is instead navigating parenthood as he raises Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Agnes (Elsie Fisher) and Edith (Dana Geier), which includes figuring out how to provide for them. But when a new villain threatens to destroy the world, the Anti-Villain League asks him to intervene, so he teams up with Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig). And, of course, Gru’s little yellow Minions are along for the ride, too. The movie was released in 2013.

Despicable Me 2 was the third-highest-grossing movie of 2013, coming up short of $1 billion at $970 million. But the franchise did manage to make $1 billion twice, thanks to Minions and Despicable Me 3. Despicable Me 2 is the rare example of a sequel which is actually better than its predecessor. It was also critically acclaimed and was nominated for two Academy Awards—Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

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9 ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ (2017)

Box Office: $995 million

The story of Jumanji, a board game which came to life, was given a modern update in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Here, the board game is now a video game discovered by four teenagers, who become the game’s adult avatars, and risk being trapped inside the game forever. The movie was released in 2017 and stars Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan.

Welcome to the Jungle was a fitting way to revisit the original film’s concept over 20 years later. It’s a fun movie, combining the original concept with more action as the players try to survive and fight their way through the jungle, plus lighthearted humor, especially as the adult cast channels the attitudes of their teenage counterparts (Black and Hart in particular). It came incredibly close to hitting $1 billion, making it $995 million.

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8 ‘The Jungle Book’ (2016)

Box Office: $967 million

The Jungle Book is just one of a number of films Disney set out to remake as a live-action film rather than an animated one. The movie tells the story of young boy Mowgli (Neel Sethi), who was raised by wolves and lives in the jungle alongside its wildlife. It was directed by Jon Favreau and was released in 2016, and is based on the books by Rudyard Kipling.

The Jungle Book impresses with amazing visuals, but even better is its story; it’s no wonder it’s considered to be one of Disney’s best live-action remakes. Mowgli’s life surviving in the jungle is at turns harrowing and heartfelt, as he is faced with the very real dangers of some of its animals while finding companionship in others. The movie made $967 million, coming short of $1 billion but still far surpassing its budget of $175 million.

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7 ‘The Lion King’ (2019)

Box Office: $968 million

Disney remade their classic The Lion King as a photorealistic animated movie in 2019. It tells the story of lion cub Simba (Donald Glover), whose destiny is to follow in his father’s footsteps and one day rule the plains of Africa. But Mufasa’s (James Earl Jones) brother, Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor), has his eyes on the throne and murders Mufasa, then convinces Simba to live in exile. But one day, he decides to return to his home and claim his rightful place on the throne.

The original Lion King is a Disney classic, meaning the remake had a lot to live up to – and it was indeed a box-office hit, coming up just short of $1 billion. Still, though, while it was an enjoyable movie, it wasn’t as well-received as the original. Despite the compelling story, a star-studded voice cast and stunning visuals showcasing the best in filmmaking technology, it didn’t resonate the same way.

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6 ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’ (2007)

Box Office: $961 million

After Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is taken to Davy Jones’ Locker, Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), Will (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) and Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris), as well as the crew of the Black Pearl, set out to rescue him in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Meanwhile, Beckett (Tom Hollander) begins a war against piracy, leading to mass executions of pirates and their sympathizers in Port Royal—and he has control of Davy Jones’ crew. The movie was released in 2007.

Although it isn’t as good as the previous two films, largely due to a convoluted plot and characters frequently betraying and double-crossing each other, At World’s End is still an entertaining, action-packed end to the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. The ensemble cast is the film’s greatest strength. The movie also didn’t achieve the same box-office success as Dead Man’s Chest in particular, which made just over $1 billion.

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5 ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ (2013)

Box Office: $959 million

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug continues the story of Hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), who has been asked to steal the Arkenstone and reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch), along with the help of the thirteen Dwarves and Thorin (Richard Armitage), their leader. Meanwhile, Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) investigates Dol Guldur, where he encounters a Necromancer. The movie was directed by Peter Jackson and was released in 2013.

Given the success of The Lord of the Rings trilogy before it – and Jackson’s proven skill at bringing Tolkien’s world of Middle Earth to life – it’s no surprise that the film trilogy adapting The Hobbit was also a box-office hit, with the second film coming just shy of earning $1 billion. It was later outdone by its sequel, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, though it, too, didn’t hit the $1 billion mark.

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4 ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ (2022)

Box Office: $955 million

In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) meets America Chavez (Xochitl Gómez), who’s being pursued by demons who want to kill and take her power to travel the multiverse (and who’s appeared in Doctor Strange’s dreams). The two travel through the multiverse together to stop the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) from using a spell called the Darkhold to enslave the multiverse. The movie was released in 2022 and was the sequel to 2016’s Doctor Strange. Sam Raimi directed.

Marvel films often, though not always, enjoy massive success at the box office, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is no exception. The movie is a fascinating and entertaining exploration of Marvel’s multiverse—and has a darker tone than other films in the franchise, leaning more towards horror than superhero with Scarlet Witch’s powers, as well as brutality, on display, making for some of the film’s most disturbing moments.

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3 ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1’ (2010)

Box Office: $977 million

The final film adaptation of the Harry Potter series was split into two parts, with the first hitting theaters in 2010. The film follows the trio of Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) outside the safety of Hogwarts as they search for and destroy Voldemort’s (Ralph Fiennes) Horcruxes, items containing pieces of his soul, making them the key to his immortality. In the process, they learn of the existence of the three most powerful items in the wizarding world, known as the Deathly Hallows.

The decision to split the final Harry Potter book into two films meant both could stay faithful to the source material, and the first Deathly Hallows proved it was the right call. The series had grown increasingly darker, with this being the bleakest, most harrowing yet. At just under $977 million, it was the third-highest grossing film of 2010—and it was outdone by Part 2, which hit the $1 billion mark and ultimately earned $1.356 billion.

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2 ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ (2002)

Box Office: $948 million

The second in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers continues the story of the now-separated fellowship, with Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) accompanied by Gollum (Andy Serkis) on their trek to Mordor while Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) escape after being taken by the Uruk-hai. With the fellowship separated, Sauron allies with Saruman (Christopher Lee), and everything culminates in the Battle of Helm’s Deep. The movie was released in 2002 and was directed by Peter Jackson.

The Two Towers was a fantastic adaptation of its source material and brought Tolkien’s world to life, with exciting action sequences and impressive special effects. Some consider it to be the best of the three films. The movie set the stage for the final film in the trilogy, Return of the King, in more ways than one; although Two Towers came up short of $1 billion, Return of the King surpassed it, ultimately earning $1.156 billion.

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1 ‘Oppenheimer’ (2023)

Box Office: $957 million

The blockbuster biopic, Oppenheimer tells the story of the famed American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his work on the Manhattan Project to create the atomic bomb – along with the guilt he felt as a result of creating something that was so deadly and destructive. Afterward, an investigation into Oppenheimer’s leftist politics led to him being stripped of his security clearances. The movie stars Cillian Murphy and was written, directed and co-produced by Christopher Nolan.

Oppenheimer is an epic film which has been praised as one of Nolan’s best and was one of the most successful and critically acclaimed films of 2023. The star-studded cast all deliver fantastic performances, most notably Murphy in the role of Oppenheimer himself, from his ascent as a brilliant scientist to his downfall. Despite its acclaim, the movie came up short of making $1 billion, bringing in a total of $957 million at the box office.

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NEXT: The 20 Best Movies to Gross Over $1 Billion, Ranked