See which films made the most money at the box office in 2022.

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In 2022, there were a lot of events in the film world. We saw Tom Cruise returning to an iconic role in Top Gun: Maverick and Robert Pattinson stepping into an iconic role in The Batman. We also saw Chris Hemsworth return as Thor and Chadwick Boseman get a loving tribute with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Other sequels included Minions, Doctor Strange, Jurassic World, and even Avatar.

The year’s most successful films mostly seemed to be sequels to already beloved movies. Audiences seemed to prefer something familiar on the big screen. It looks like the reboot and sequel craze didn’t slow down this year at all.

But which one of these films made the most money? Let’s find out.

8/8Thor: Love and Thunder – $760,928,081

This sequel to 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok is the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It once again stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor, who appears alongside Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Jaimie Alexander, Waititi, Russell Crowe, and Natalie Portman. It was directed by Taika Waititi, who co-wrote the film’s screenplay along with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. This particular installment follows Thor on his quest to find inner peace. During his quest, he realizes he must stop Gorr the God Butcher from eliminating all gods.

7/8The Batman – $770,836,163

When Robert Pattinson was cast as Batman in 2019, there was a lot of media attention. The public was extremely curious as to what his performance would be like. Filming began in January 2020, but obviously needed to be put on hold due to the pandemic. The production resumed filming later in the year and finished in March 2021. The pandemic also caused the film’s release to be delayed, originally set for a June 2021 opening. It would eventually see a worldwide theatrical release in March 2022, with critics praising the film. It was also a clear success at the box office.

6/8Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – $808,448,513

When Chadwick Boseman died of colon cancer, the world was shocked. Here was this successful, good-looking actor who seemingly had it all. He also seemed to be young and in good health. People were surprised to discover the pain he was privately dealing with on such a public scale. The role he was best known for was T’Challa in Black Panther. For its sequel, it was decided that Boseman’s role wouldn’t be recast. His character is killed off in the movie and we see how the rest of the people protect their nation in his wake. The film was well-received by critics and served as a fitting tribute to Boseman.

5/8Minions: The Rise of Gru – $939,433,210

The Minions were a stand-out part of the Despicable Me films. So much so, that they got their own spin-off movie in 2015. That prequel was successful enough to warrant a sequel. The sequel was released in July 2022 and became a critical success. It was also a success at the box office, with many familiar faces reprising their roles. Steve Carell in once again playing Gru and Pierre Coffin as the Minions. It also featured the voice talents of Taraji P. Henson, Michelle Yeoh, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, and Alan Arkin. The film was delayed for two years due to the pandemic and was the highest-grossing animated film of the year.

4/8Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – $955,775,804

In yet another sequel, this time to 2016’s Doctor Strange, Strange protects a teenager who can fly through the multiverse from Wanda Maximoff. This was another film whose production was postponed because of the pandemic. Filming began in November 2020, but was paused in January 2021. The filming resumed by March of that year and completed sometime in mid-April. It was eventually released in May as part of Phase Four of the MCU. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Strange, with Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Rachel McAdams. The film received mixed reviews, but was a box office dream come true.

3/8Jurassic World: Dominion – $1,001,136,080

When the Steven Spielberg-directed Jurassic Park was released in 1993, it became a huge phenomenon. It was acclaimed by audiences, as a Spielberg production usually is. There have been several things about the 2018 reboot that have made news, particularly the casting of Chris Pratt. His role is reprised for this film, which is set four years after Fallen Kingdom. This film actually stars many familiar faces including, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, DeWanda Wise, Mamoudou Athie, BD Wong, and Omar Sy. Dern, Goldblum and Neill are reprising their roles from Jurassic Park. While the film did well at the box office, the same can’t be said for the critical reviews.

2/8Avatar: The Way of Water – $1,168,717,914

James Cameron’s Avatar was a huge success, becoming the second highest-grossing movie of all time. It was a film that became a national obsession with many hoping for a sequel. Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Giovanni Ribisi, Dileep Rao, and Matt Gerald all return for this sequel. Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, and Jemaine Clement also appear as new cast members. The film became one of the most expensive films ever made. The film follows Na’vi Jake Sully who seeks refuge in the Metkayina clan of Pandora, to escape being under human threat. It has also been nominated for several awards, most notably at the Golden Globes.

1/8Top Gun: Maverick – $1,488,732,821

In 1986, Top Gun was one of the films which helped make Tom Cruise a star. His role of Maverick is reprised in this sequel. In this film, he confronts a lot of past issues while training a group of young Top Gun graduates, including the son of his best friend who passed away. He is training these graduates for a very dangerous mission. The film was a huge success, not only becoming the highest-grossing film of the year, but the second film since the pandemic to gross $1 billion. It also became the highest-grossing film of Tom Cruise’s career. The film received critical praise, with many saying it was better than the original.

Source: thethings.com