20 Highest Grossing Films of 2017 (so far)

Written by:
October 6, 2017
Updated on April 1, 2019
Canva

20 Highest Grossing Films of 2017 (so far)

The summer movie box office heat wave has come and gone, and the annual shift from tent-pole blockbusters to prestige, awards-bait films should commence at any moment. That's not to say summer films won't receive any Academy Awards love 鈥 Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" is already generating buzz as a best picture favorite 鈥 or that end-of-the-year, accolade-seeking movies won't hit it big at the box office. 2014's "American Sniper" 鈥 released on Christmas Day 鈥 topped the domestic box office that year, grossing over $350 million, beating out summer releases like "Guardians of the Galaxy" ($333 million), "Transformers: Age of Extinction" ($245 million) and "X-Men: Days of Future Past" ($233 million). Hits can come at any time of the year, it's just that studios typically stack the deck during the summer months.

With the autumn nearly upon us, it feels like a good time to reflect back on the year in movies so far to see which films have raked in the most at the box office. Using data from , we'll run through the 20 highest-grossing films of 2017 (so far). For this ranking, we'll focus solely on domestic box office returns. All 20 films have grossed at least $100 million mark in the U.S. Five of the top 10 are superhero films, not including the highest-grossing film of the year 鈥 the sole movie to top $500 million.

Note: All box office numbers are as of Aug. 29. Production budget numbers are from Box Office Mojo, unless otherwise noted.

#20. 鈥淏aby Driver鈥

Release date: June 28

Total gross: $103.5 million

Production budget: $34 million

 

The latest from director Edgar Wright drew rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. 鈥淏aby Driver鈥 is a heist film set and shot in Atlanta, featuring an ensemble cast: Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Lily James and Jon Bernthal all appear, with Ansel Elgort in the title role. 鈥淏aby Driver鈥 has made over $194 million worldwide, easily Wright鈥檚 biggest box office hit.

#19. 鈥淕irls Trip鈥

Release date: July 21

Total gross: 鈥$108.4 million

Production budget: $19 million

鈥淕irls Trip鈥 was one of the biggest sleeper hits of the summer. Starring Regina Hall, Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith, the film opened at No. 2 behind 鈥淒unkrik,鈥 making $31.2 million in its first weekend. It was the released by Universal to top $100 million domestically this year.

#18. 鈥淔ifty Shades Darker鈥

Release date: February 10

Total gross: $114.4 million

Production budget: $55 million

The sequel to 2015鈥檚 鈥淔ifty Shades of Grey,鈥 鈥淔ifty Shades Darker鈥 fared far worse than its predecessor. It opened at $46.6 million in its first weekend, compared to the $85.2 million for 鈥淕rey.鈥 鈥淔ifty Shades Darker鈥 still pulled in $378.8 million worldwide, and another sequel 鈥 鈥淔ifty Shades Freed鈥 鈥 is set for a 2018 release.

#17. 鈥淭ransformers: The Last Knight鈥

Release date: June 21

Total gross: $130.2 million

Production budget: $217 million

Michael Bay was back at it again this summer, this time with the fifth installment in the 鈥淭ransformers鈥 series. Shia LaBeouf is long gone by now, replaced by Mark Wahlberg as the lead in 2014鈥檚 鈥淭ransformers: Age of Extinction.鈥 鈥淭he Last Knight鈥 made $473.8 million overseas for a $604 million worldwide take. If you think this is the end of the series, think again: a spin-off titled 鈥淏umblebee鈥 鈥 starring Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena 鈥 is scheduled for release in December 2018, while 鈥淭ransformers 6鈥 will come out in summer 2019.

#16. "Split"

Release date: January 20

Total gross: $138.1 million

Production budget: $9 million

Director M. Night Shyamalan's career was ridiculed and left for dead after 2013's disaster "After Earth." His comeback began with 2015's hit "The Visit," which made $98.5 million worldwide against a $5 million budget. "Split" blew those numbers away, holding the top spot domestically for three consecutive weekends. Its final worldwide haul was nearly $277 million, and a sequel 鈥 titled "Glass" 鈥 has already been .

#15. 鈥淲ar for the Planet of the Apes鈥

Release date: July 14

Total gross: $142.9 million

Production budget: $150 million

The third installment of the 鈥淧lanet of the Apes鈥 reboot series opened at No. 1 at the box office, bringing it $56.3 million. It beat out 鈥淪pider-Man: Homecoming鈥 in its second weekend. 鈥淲ar for the Planet of the Apes鈥 made over $217 million internationally for a worldwide total of $359.9 million.

#14. 鈥淐ars 3鈥

Release date: June 16

Total gross: $149.1 million

Production budget: $175 million*

鈥淐ars 3鈥 had the lowest opening weekend ($53.7 million) of the three installments in the 鈥淐ars" series, though it still debuted at No. 1, ahead of 鈥淲onder Woman鈥 and 鈥淎ll Eyez on Me.鈥 So far, it has made $325.3 million worldwide.

*Note: Budget by IMDb.

#13. 鈥淜ong: Skull Island鈥

Release date: March 10

Total gross: $168.1 million

Production budget: $185 million

The second in Legendary Entertainment鈥檚 鈥淢onsterVerse鈥 鈥 following 2014鈥檚 鈥淕odzilla 鈥 鈥淜ong: Skull Island鈥 is unrelated to the Peter Jackson-directed 2005 film 鈥淜ing Kong.鈥 With an ensemble cast featuring Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John Goodman and John C. Reilly, the film opened at No. 1 and grossed $566.7 million worldwide

#12. 鈥淧irates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales鈥

Release date: May 26

Total gross: $172 million

Production budget: $230 million

The fifth installment of the 鈥淧irates of the Caribbean鈥 film series pits Captain Jack Sparrow against the undead Captain Armando Salazar, played by Johnny Depp and Javier Bardem, respectively. It is the first movie in the series since 2011鈥檚 鈥淧irates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.鈥 To date, the film has made $791.7 million worldwide.

#11. "Dunkirk"

Release date: July 21

Total gross: $172.5 million

Production budget: $100 million

In his first film since 2014's "Interstellar," Christopher Nolan appears to have nailed it with the war epic "Dunkirk," portraying the Dunkirk evacuation from World War II. Nolan wrote the script 鈥 which has little dialogue 鈥 and the movie features an ensemble cast, including Fionn Whitehead, James D'Arcy, Kenneth Branaugh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Harry Styles and Tom Hardy. "Dunkirk" has brought in $413.1 million worldwide so far and is being tabbed as an Oscars favorite come awards season, with particular praise for its cinematography and sound mixing.

#10. 鈥淭he Boss Baby鈥

Release date: March 31

Total gross: $174.9 million

Production budget: $125 million*

鈥淭he Boss Baby鈥 is directed by Tom McGrath, who helmed the 鈥淢adagascar鈥 series and directed 2010鈥檚 鈥淢egamind.鈥 Featuring voice acting from Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel and Lisa Kudrow, 鈥淭he Boss Baby鈥 made $498.1 million worldwide and has a slated for a 2021 release.

*Note: Budget by IMDb

#9. 鈥淕et Out鈥

Release date: February 24

Total gross: $175.5 million

Production budget: $4.5 million

Written and directed by Jordan Peele 鈥 one-half of the comedy duo 鈥淜ey & Peele鈥 鈥 鈥淕et Out鈥 is one of the biggest sleeper hits of the year. The horror film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and drew rave reviews. It opened at No. 1, bringing in over $33 million during its first weekend, and has made over $252 million worldwide

#8. 鈥淭he LEGO Batman Movie鈥

Release date: February 10

 

Total gross: $175.8 million

Production budget: $80 million

 

The first spin-off of 2014鈥檚 鈥淭he LEGO Movie鈥 focuses on Batman and his battle with the Joker (as well as his innermost fears). Will Arnett and Zach Galifianakis voice Batman and the Joker, respectively. The film has made over $311 million worldwide and received positive reviews, scoring a 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes鈥 Tomatometer with an 80 percent audience score.

#7. 鈥淭he Fate of the Furious鈥

Release date: April 14

Total gross: $225.8 million

Production budget: $250 million

鈥淭he Fate of the Furious鈥 didn鈥檛 score as well with domestic audiences as its predecessor, 2015鈥檚 鈥淔urious 7.鈥 Still, 鈥淔ate鈥 was no slouch overall, bringing in over $1 billion internationally for a worldwide gross of $1.2 billion. Universal has already announced plans for , the first of which is set to be released in 2019.

#6. "Logan"

Release date: March 3

Total gross: $226.3 million

Production budget: $97 million

The 10th film overall in the "X-Men" series, "Logan" is the third solo Wolverine movie, following 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and 2013's "The Wolverine." It is the first film in the franchise to receive an R-rating, with "Logan" feature more graphic violence than its predecessors. Star Hugh Jackman has stated that "Logan" will be his as the character. The movie has pulled in $616.2 million worldwide to date.

#5. 鈥淒espicable Me 3鈥

Release date: June 30

Total gross: $254.8 million

Production budget: $80 million

The sequel to 2013鈥檚 鈥淒espicable Me 2,鈥 鈥淒espicable Me 3鈥 had the second-lowest opening weekend of the franchise (including 2015鈥檚 鈥淢inions). 鈥淒espicable Me 3鈥 brought in $72.4 million in its first weekend, placing first ahead of 鈥淏aby Driver鈥 ($20.6 million).

#4. 鈥淪pider-Man: Homecoming鈥

Release date: July 7

Total gross: $319.3 million

Production budget: $175 million

In what was (incredibly) the sixth feature film centered on the 鈥淪pider-Man鈥 character, 鈥淪pider-Man: Homecoming鈥 seems to have set the franchise in the right direction. Now incorporated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the newest version of the web-slinging hero had a much lighter feel than its recent predecessors. Starring Tom Holland in the title role, 鈥淗omecoming鈥 made $737.5 million worldwide and featured a supporting cast of Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau, Marissa Tomei, Donald Glover and Zendaya.

#3. 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2鈥

Release date: May 5

Total gross: $389.4 million

Production budget: $200 million

鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2鈥 did nearly 56 percent better in its opening weekend ($146.5 million) than its predecessor in 2014 ($94.3 million). Both films were directed by James Gunn, and 鈥淰ol. 2鈥 has grossed over $862 million worldwide.

#2. 鈥淲onder Woman鈥

Release date: June 2

Total gross: $406.4 million

Production budget: $149 million

Taking the No. 2 spot for 2017 is 鈥淲onder Woman,鈥 the fourth installment of the DC Extended Universe. Directed by Patty Jenkins 鈥 who also helmed 2003鈥檚 鈥淢onster鈥 鈥 鈥淲onder Woman鈥 is the first studio superhero movie to be directed by a woman. Starring Gal Gadot in the title role, the film drew positive reviews and has made $806.4 million worldwide so far.

#1. "Beauty and the Beast"

Release date: March 17

Total gross: $504 million

Production budget: $160 million

The top spot for 2017 goes to "Beauty and the Beast," which has made nearly $100 more domestically than any other film to date. The live-action adaptation of the 1991 animated film of the same name is directed by Bill Condon and stars Emma Watson as Belle, with supporting roles from Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor and Stanley Tucci. "Beauty and the Beast" has made $758.8 million internationally, good for a worldwide gross of over $1.2 billion.

Trending Now