Top 10 profitable movies

Profitability in the movie industry is not solely determined by box office performance.
Case in point: "Toy Story 3," the highest-grossing film of 2010, earned over $600 million worldwide, but with a budget of $200 million, it only yielded a three-fold return on investment. Even "Titanic," the second highest grossing film of all time, could only generate a 900% return on its budget.
However, there are films that have made back their investments multiple times over, even beyond the usual blockbuster suspects. Below is a list of the 10 most profitable movies of all time, ranked by their worldwide box office earnings. These films exceeded expectations and continue to be financial successes in the industry.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

Return on investment: 6150%
Budget $6 million (inflation-adjusted)
Gross revenue $369 million
In 2002, the romantic comedy "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" opened in limited release to a niche audience, telling the story of a Greek-American woman's relationship with a non-Greek man and the cultural conflicts that arise. Despite its humble beginnings, the film gained traction and became a surprising hit, exceeding all expectations.
Despite never reaching the number one spot at the box office, the independent film went on to earn an impressive $369 million, representing a remarkable return of over sixty-one times its investment. As a result, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" holds the title of the most profitable film of all time. Women loved it, and their boyfriends might have suffered through it, but no one can deny its incredible success.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Return on investment: 3172%
Budget: $25 million (inflation-adjusted)
Gross Revenue: $793 million
When Steven Spielberg directed "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," he was already an accomplished filmmaker having directed hits such as "Jaws," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and "Raiders of the Lost Ark." With such an impressive resume, Spielberg could have easily made another expensive blockbuster, but instead, he chose to make a relatively low-budget film about a boy and his cute alien friend.
The movie was a massive success, resonating with audiences of all ages, but especially with children who flocked to theaters to see it multiple times. Its box office earnings of almost $793 million were almost thirty-two times its budget, making it one of the highest-grossing films of all time. Additionally, Hershey's Company saw a significant rise in profits, with a 65% increase due to the product placement of Reese's Pieces in the film.

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Return on investment: 2520%
Budget $15 million (inflation-adjusted)
Gross revenue $378 million
Initially, "Slumdog Millionaire" appeared to be an unlikely hit, with a story about a poor street kid from Bombay who becomes a game show contestant not exactly promising commercial success. Warner Bros. was so skeptical about the movie's potential that it considered skipping a theatrical release and going straight to DVD.
However, after the movie premiered at the 2008 Telluride film festival, it generated strong buzz and was ultimately given a wide release. The film went on to win eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and become a massive box office hit, earning almost $378 million on a $15 million investment. This represents a return of over twenty-five times the movie's budget.

Pretty Woman (1990)

Return on investment: 2013%
Budget $23 million (inflation-adjusted)
Gross revenue $463 million
The romantic comedy "Pretty Woman" from the 1990s told the story of a wealthy businessman, played by Richard Gere, who hires a prostitute, portrayed by Julia Roberts, as his date for various social and business events. Throughout the movie, Roberts' character is taught the ways of etiquette and table manners, while teaching Gere's character to become a better version of himself.
Although the film was met with mixed reviews from critics, it became a beloved classic among audiences who were enchanted by the on-screen chemistry between Gere and Roberts. Over time, the film has remained a favorite in the romantic comedy genre, and has amassed a remarkable $463 million at the box office, yielding a return of over twenty times its initial investment.

Grease (1978)

Return on investment: 1975%
Budget $20 million (inflation-adjusted)
Gross revenue $394 million
The 1978 movie musical "Grease" was adapted from the 1971 stage production of the same name. Starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, both of whom were major stars at the time, the film studio had high hopes for a good return on their modest investment.
The return ended up being much better than expected. The movie was beloved by fans worldwide, and the soundtrack became a permanent fixture at drunken karaoke nights, whenever there were two people willing to trade parts on “Summer Lovin’.” All in all, the film grossed almost $395 million, almost twenty times its budget.

Star Wars (1977)

Return on investment: 1938%
Budget $40 million (inflation-adjusted)
Gross Revenue: $775 million
.For over three decades, the words "Star Wars" have been synonymous with long queues outside movie theaters filled with comic book collectors and gamers dressed up as Boba Fett. However, the first film in the franchise struggled to get made. Nearly every major studio rejected the project, but eventually 20th Century Fox took a chance on it, providing only a modest budget.
As they say, the rest is history. The movie has grossed over $775 million worldwide to date, more than nineteen times its production budget. Not to mention the toy, comic book, and t-shirt empire that the movie spawned, as well as the two sequels and three prequels, all of which continue to generate revenue to this day.

American Beauty (1999)

Return on investment: 1780%
Budget $20 million (inflation-adjusted)
Gross revenue $356 million
"American Beauty," much like several other movies on this list, was a surprise hit. A character-driven satire that explored the ennui of the suburban middle-class lifestyle, it featured Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening as a discontented married couple going through a midlife crisis. It wasn't exactly the type of film that typically drew large audiences.
Despite this, the movie was widely praised by critics upon its release in 1999, and it went on to win multiple Oscars, including Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture. These accolades helped to boost its box office performance, and to date, the film has earned over $356 million, nearly eighteen times its production budget.

The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Return on investment: 1749%
Budget: $35 million (inflation-adjusted)
Gross Revenue: $612 million
After Mel Gibson's departure from acting, he made a name for himself as a renowned director. In 1995, he won an Oscar for "Braveheart", and he subsequently returned to the director's chair for a project that was deeply personal to him: the story of Jesus Christ's final twelve hours.
"The Passion of the Christ," released in 2004, generated a great deal of controversy due to accusations of anti-Semitism and the film's extensive violence. Nevertheless, it resonated with an underserved audience of Christian moviegoers, as well as the merely curious, earning the movie nearly $612 million at the box office. The film, which remains the highest-grossing non-English language film of all time, earned over seventeen times its production budget.

Home Alone (1990)

Return on investment: 1590%
Budget $30 million (inflation-adjusted)
Gross revenue $477 million
"Home Alone," the movie that catapulted Macaulay Culkin to fame, was never anticipated to become a blockbuster hit like many other films on this list. However, it defied expectations and now holds a Guinness World Record as the highest-grossing live-action comedy film in the history of the United States.
The story revolves around an eight-year-old boy who is accidentally left behind while his family travels to France for vacation. The child, played by Culkin, is then targeted by two bumbling burglars, but he cleverly outwits them with an array of booby traps inspired by those used to foil Wile E. Coyote. Audiences couldn't get enough of the young hero's crime-fighting antics, and the film earned an astounding $477 million at the box office, almost sixteen times its production budget.

Ghost (1990)

Return on investment: 1446%
Budget: $35 million (inflation-adjusted)
Gross Revenue: $506 million
"Ghost," a 1990 romantic drama film, tells the story of Sam Wheat, a wealthy young professional played by Patrick Swayze, who lives with his girlfriend Molly Jensen, portrayed by Demi Moore, a talented potter. However, after Sam is murdered in a robbery attempt, his ghost seeks the assistance of a psychic medium, played by Whoopi Goldberg, to uncover the circumstances surrounding his death.
Despite its modest budget, "Ghost" struck a chord with audiences due to the central love story, and quickly became a box office sensation. In fact, it went on to become the highest-grossing film of 1990, generating over $506 million in revenue, more than fourteen times its production cost. The film's popularity also led many viewers to watch it repeatedly, cementing its status as a classic in the romantic drama genre.