10 Highest-Grossing Warner Bros. Movies (2024)

For over one hundred years, Warner Bros. has delivered some of the most iconic films of all time, including The Public Enemy, Blazing Saddles, and Goodfellas. Established in 1923 by brothers, Albert, Sam, Henry, and Jack Warner, the studio made its official mark on American cinema with the release of the first talking picture, The Jazz Singer, in 1927 and quickly gained notoriety for its gangster movies and classic film noirs, such as Little Cesar and The Maltese Falcon. Through the years, Warner Bros. has continued to churn out hits that have gone on to become some of the highest-grossing films in the industry, most notably last year's blockbuster hit, Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.

Out of all the major Hollywood studios today, Warner Bros. is known for popular franchises like Harry Potter and Peter Jackson's The Hobbit as well as Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, which also reigns as some of the studios' best-performing films at the box office. With smash hits like Todd Phillips' stand-alone Joker starring Joaquin Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, these are the 10 highest-grossing Warner Bros. movies of all time.

10 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' (2014)

$962.2 Million

After Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) has reclaimed Erebor and the treasure from the dragon, Smaug, he desires the Arkenstone, giving whoever possesses it the power to summon the seven armies of Dwarves from across the land. As Bilbo (Martin Freeman) tries to reason with Oakenshield, Sauron (Benedict Cumberbatch) orders a sneak attack on the Lonely Mountain, forcing the races of men, elves, and dwarves to choose to either join forces and fight to save Middle-Earth or parish altogether.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is Peter Jackson's final installment in the director's prequel trilogy, which became the second highest-grossing movie of 2014. Despite being the lowest-performing movie in the franchise, it did earn overall positive reviews, notably praising Jackson's passionate efforts to bring J.R.R. Tolkien's classic tale of Middle-Earth to the silver screen, which isn't an easy task even for a skilled and experienced filmmaker.

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9 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1' (2010)

$977.1 Million

While Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and the Death Eaters grow stronger each day, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermoine (Emma Watson), and Ron (Rupert Grint) set out to find and destroy the Horcruxes, which are the source of Voldemort's immortality. As they search for each magical object, they are faced with dangerous obstacles and dark forces that threaten to tear the three friends apart, and while they embark on their journey, their friends and professors at Hogwarts prepare for the ultimate showdown of good versus evil.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 ended up becoming the third highest-grossing film of 2010, as well as the third in the popular film franchise. The movie earned a total of 24 million during its midnight showing in North America, breaking its own midnight showing record, which was previously held by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Part I was praised by critics for its overall performances and special effects, earning two Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Visual Effects.

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8 'The Dark Knight' (2008)

$1.006 Billion

With the support of Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and Gotham's fearless district attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman (Christian Bale) has been able to keep crime in Gotham City under control, but when a new villain known as the Joker (Heath Ledger) arrives, he sends the Caped Crusader and his allies into pure chaos. As the Joker terrorizes the people of Gotham, Batman is soon backed into a corner and must choose between revealing his true identity or risking the lives of everyone around him.

The second installment of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, The Dark Knight, reigns as one of the greatest superhero movies of all time and is noted for its unforgettable performance by Ledger as the Clown Prince of Crime. The movie broke numerous box office records, including having the highest-grossing opening weekend and becoming the first film to surpass $400 million in 18 days. A majority of critics gave The Dark Knight rave reviews, including Roger Ebert who said, alongside Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, both films "redefined the potential superhero films by combining comic-book tropes with real-world events." The movie earned 8 Academy Award nominations, winning for both Best Achievement in Sound Editing and Best Supporting Actor for Ledger.

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7 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' (2012)

$1.017 Billion

Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) is a hobbit who lives a peaceful life in the shire with other hobbits, but his simple life is turned upside down when he is visited by a wizard, Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and a group of dwarves. Gandalf convinces Bilbo to join him and his friends on their quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon known as Smaug. As Bilbo and his new friends embark on their journey, they're faced with dangerous obstacles full of orcs and goblins as well as an encounter with Gollum (Andy Serkis) and a single gold ring that ties into the fate of Middle-Earth.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first film in Jackson's prequel trilogy, which is set 60 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings films. The movie ended up becoming the 15th film in history to earn one billion dollars and, overall, was the fourth highest-grossing film of 2012. Aside from a few critics noting a slow start, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey earned a majority of positive reviews and earned three Academy Award nominations for Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design, and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

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6 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' (2001)

$1.017 Billion

After losing his parents as a baby, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is sent to live with his horrid Aunt Petunia (Fiona Shaw), Uncle Vernon (Richard Griffiths), and their son, Dudley (Harry Melling) and is forced to live in a cupboard under the staircase. On his 13th birthday, he learns that he's a wizard and has been accepted into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As Potter starts his new magical education, he discovers the truth about his parents as well as his legacy as The Boy Who Lived.

The first film of J.K. Rowling's iconic book series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, was a commercial and critical success as well as the beginning of one of Warner Bros.'s most profitable film franchises. The movie earned over 32 million dollars in the United States on its first day, breaking the record for a single-day release, which was previously held by Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. During its first weekend, it broke another record, having the highest opening weekend in history, earning 90.3 million at the box office and ultimately knocking The Lost World: Jurassic Park out of the top spot. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone went on to earn several Oscar nominations, including Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score by John Williams.

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5 'Joker' (2019)

$1.079 Billion

In the crime-ridden city of Gotham, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a failed comedian who wears two masks; one as a clown for his job and the other as an attempt to pretend that he fits in with the world around him. After losing his job, being bullied and constantly knocked down, Fleck slowly descends into madness and takes on the alter-ego of the Joker, becoming one of Gotham's most notorious masterminds and high-profile criminals.

Todd Phillip's stand-alone psychological film, Joker, is a modern twist on the infamous DC Comic villain, the Joker, which is set against the backdrop of the 1980s, and also stars Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz. The film is an inspired take on Martin Sorcesese's iconic thriller, Taxi Driver, and became the sixth highest-grossing film of 2019 as well as the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time. Joker earned a total of eleven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, and went on to win for both Best Original Score and Best Actor in a Leading Role for Phoenix's performance.

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4 'The Dark Knight Rises' (2012)

$1.085 Billion

Set 8 years after the death of Harvey Dent, Batman (Christian Bale) continues to take the blame for the promising district attorney's death with the hope that Commissioner Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) will be enough for the people of Gotham. However, when an elusive cat burglar emerges (Anne Hathaway) and a new ruthless terrorist, Bane (Tom Hardy) takes control of the city, Batman is forced out of the shadows and into a strenuous battle that he may or may not survive.

The final chapter in Christopher Nolan's epic Dark Knight trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, went on to become the director's highest-grossing film ever as well as the third highest-grossing film of 2012. It held the number one spot at the box office during its second and third weekend and also broke the opening weekend record previously held by The Dark Knight. Despite knocking its predecessor out of its top spot, The Dark Knight Rises didn't receive any Oscar nominations, but it did earn several Saturn Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Action/Adventure Film and also a BAFTA nomination for Best Visual Effects.

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3 'Aquaman' (2018)

$1.14 Billion

The underwater kingdom of Atlantis was once a prosperous and advanced civilization that has since been taken over by the power-hungry King Orm (Patrick Wilson). With a massive army at his full command, Orm executes his plans to take over the rest of the seven seas and intends on conquering the people on land, but his plans are jeopardized when his half-brother and rightful heir to Atlantis, Aquaman (Jason Mamoa), takes a stand against him and sets out to find the legendary Trident of Atlan.

Game of Thrones' fan favorite, Jason Mamoa stars as DC Comic superhero, Arthur Curry, in James Wan's Aquaman, which also stars Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman, and Randall Park. Despite receiving mixed reviews, Aquaman was a major success at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing DCEU film, the fifth highest-grossing film of 2018, as well as the 20th highest-grossing film of all time. Aquaman went on to earn several Saturn Award nominations, including Best Director, Best Editing, and Best Comic-to-Film Motion Picture.

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2 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2' (2011)

$1.342 Billion

While Harry and his friends continue to search for the Horcruxes that keep Lord Voldemort strong and immortal, their mission eventually leads them back to Hogwarts, where the battle between good and evil slowly approaches the school's gates. As Harry prepares to take on Voldemort, his friends stand united with him, more than willing to fight for their lives as well as millions of others in the final duel between The Boy Who Lived and He Who Must Not Be Named.

The conclusion to Rowling's beloved series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 originally held the spot as Warner Bros. highest-grossing film of all time, but it was recently knocked out of its top-tier spot. In worldwide earnings, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, ranked as the third highest-grossing film and also became the number one highest-grossing film of 2011. The film also became the most financially successful film out of the book series and is still the number one highest-grossing book-to-film adaptation. Part 2 earned several Academy Award nominations, including Best Art Direction, Best Makeup, and Best Visual Effects.

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1 'Barbie' (2023)

$1.45 Billion

In Barbieland, Barbie (Margot Robbie) and her friend, Ken (Ryan Gosling) live an ideal and happy life with their other friends, unaware of the world beyond their own. When they are faced with the opportunity to leave the comfort of their home to explore the human world, they embark on an unforgettable journey and learn about the ups and downs that come with living in our world.

Greta Gerwig's summer blockbuster comedy, Barbie, is Warner Bros.'s latest hit as well as the studio's highest-grossing film of all time. With an all-star supporting cast of America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, and Will Ferrell, the movie broke several records, including knocking Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 out of its number one spot as Warner Bros. highest-grossing film and becoming the highest-grossing live-action comedy film of all time. Barbie earned overall positive reviews from critics and audiences and recently received a total of eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Gosling's epic performance as Ken.

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