Some Oscar Best Pictures grossed over $1 billion. Others made less than the cost of a single Hollywood marketing campaign.
How to Play: Guess if the Best Picture winner on the right grossed HIGHER or LOWER than the one on the left.
Name A
Name B
Top 10 Best Picture Winners by Box Office
Best Picture winners by domestic/worldwide box office. Mass-appeal blockbusters often co-exist with prestige indie wins. We use unadjusted nominal grosses.
| # | Name | Worldwide Gross (USD millions) | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Titanic (1997) | 2,257 | M |
| 2 | LOTR: Return of the King (2003) | 1,146 | M |
| 3 | Oppenheimer (2023) | 970 | M |
| 4 | Forrest Gump (1994) | 678 | M |
| 5 | Gladiator (2000) | 460 | M |
| 6 | Dances with Wolves (1990) | 424 | M |
| 7 | Slumdog Millionaire (2008) | 378 | M |
| 8 | American Beauty (1999) | 356 | M |
| 9 | Rain Man (1988) | 354 | M |
| 10 | Schindler's List (1993) | 322 | M |
Oscar vs Box Office
Best Picture winners and box office champions don’t always overlap. Titanic, LOTR ROTK, and Gladiator all won and were huge hits. But CODA (2021) made just $2M before Apple TV+ acquisition.
Streaming-era Best Picture winners (CODA, Nomadland, Coda) are often Apple/Netflix originals with limited theatrical runs. Their ‘box office’ is artificially low.
Oppenheimer (2023) at $970M is one of the largest Best Picture grossers ever — Christopher Nolan’s first BP win after multiple nominations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Highest-grossing Best Picture winner?
Titanic (1997) at $2.26B. LOTR Return of the King is second at $1.15B.
Why is CODA so low?
CODA was distributed by Apple TV+. Its theatrical release was minimal (~$2M box office) before streaming acquisition.
How does box office affect Oscar voting?
Loosely. Voters skew toward critical acclaim. Box-office success helps with broader awareness but isn’t decisive.
Has Avatar won Best Picture?
No. Avatar (2009) was nominated but lost to The Hurt Locker. Avatar 2 (2022) was not nominated.
Note: Best Picture winner worldwide gross in USD millions per Box Office Mojo.
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