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50 Famous Movies That Made All Their Money Overseas

50 Famous Movies That Made All Their Money Overseas

Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” was the first major movie to be released in theaters after the pandemic started. The sci-fi film made just under $60 million domestically – but earned about six times that abroad. (Here’s a look at the highest-grossing movie every year since 1975.)

Coronavirus restrictions were blamed at least in part for the movie’s poor showing at the box office, at least in the U.S. But it was not the first – or the last – example of a major Hollywood production proving to be more popular among moviegoers abroad than at home.  

To assemble a list of Hollywood films that made all their money (or most of it) overseas, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on domestic and international box office from The Numbers, an online movie database owned by Nash Information Services. English-language film productions that grossed at least $250 million internationally were ranked based on international box office as a percentage of total global box office. Box office data was adjusted for inflation using historical ticket price data from the National Association of Theatre Owners. Audience scores from IMDb, an online movie and TV database owned by Amazon, and critics’ Tomatometer scores from Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, are current as of June 2022.

It’s not easy to tell why some movies appear to find bigger audiences in other countries. Installments of multi-film franchises – like James Bond, Fast & Furious, and Transformers – appear frequently on this list, perhaps because early films in the series created a fan base that later ones benefitted from. (Domestically, these are the James Bond movies that did best at the box office.) 

A few of the movies on the list may also benefit from their setting – for instance, “The Great Wall” and “The Last Samurai,” both of which feature Hollywood stars but are set in China and Japan, respectively, which may have contributed to their popularity in Asian countries.

Source: Courtesy of Fox-Walden

50. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $364.3 million (75.0% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $121.2 million (25.0% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.3/10 (147,219 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 50% (167 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Apted

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

49. Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $577.1 million (75.1% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $190.9 million (24.9% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.2/10 (265,857 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (182 reviews)
> Directed by: Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

48. Pacific Rim (2013)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $348.4 million (75.2% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $114.7 million (24.8% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.9/10 (480,009 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (294 reviews)
> Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

47. Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $315.1 million (75.5% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $102.4 million (24.5% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.7/10 (291,982 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 51% (308 reviews)
> Directed by: Matthew Vaughn

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

46. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $494.4 million (75.5% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $160.4 million (24.5% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.5/10 (238,698 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 36% (332 reviews)
> Directed by: David Yates

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

45. The Last Samurai (2003)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $525.1 million (75.7% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $168.8 million (24.3% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.7/10 (415,450 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 66% (223 reviews)
> Directed by: Edward Zwick

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

44. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $680.8 million (75.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $217.5 million (24.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.9/10 (486,836 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 60% (411 reviews)
> Directed by: Bryan Singer

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

43. Love Actually (2003)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $284.6 million (75.9% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $90.3 million (24.1% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.6/10 (447,898 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 64% (224 reviews)
> Directed by: Richard Curtis

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

42. The Fifth Element (1997)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $399.8 million (75.9% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $126.9 million (24.1% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.7/10 (449,151 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (68 reviews)
> Directed by: Luc Besson

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

41. Mamma Mia! (2008)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $586.2 million (76.1% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $183.9 million (23.9% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.4/10 (227,487 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 55% (185 reviews)
> Directed by: Phyllida Lloyd

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

40. Ready Player One (2018)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $443.8 million (76.2% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $138.4 million (23.8% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.4/10 (397,015 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (444 reviews)
> Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

39. Rampage (2018)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $328.7 million (76.4% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $101.6 million (23.6% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.1/10 (154,612 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 51% (284 reviews)
> Directed by: Brad Peyton

Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

38. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $375.4 million (76.7% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $113.9 million (23.3% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.6/10 (94,246 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 39% (255 reviews)
> Directed by: Joachim Rønning

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

37. Furious 7 (2015)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $1.3 billion (76.7% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $383.6 million (23.3% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.1/10 (374,870 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (277 reviews)
> Directed by: James Wan

Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

36. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $929.4 million (76.9% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $278.5 million (23.1% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.6/10 (497,634 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 33% (278 reviews)
> Directed by: Rob Marshall

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

35. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $586.4 million (77.1% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $174.0 million (22.9% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.4/10 (193,692 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (342 reviews)
> Directed by: David Leitch

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

34. Spectre (2015)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $738.3 million (77.3% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $217.4 million (22.7% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.8/10 (397,895 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 63% (363 reviews)
> Directed by: Sam Mendes

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

33. Penguins of Madagascar (2014)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $318.0 million (77.3% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $93.5 million (22.7% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.7/10 (84,820 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (116 reviews)
> Directed by: Eric Darnell & Simon J. Smith

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

32. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $962.7 million (77.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $275.2 million (22.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.6/10 (304,774 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 17% (212 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Bay

Source: Courtesy of United Artists

31. License to Kill (1989)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $278.9 million (77.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $79.6 million (22.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.6/10 (98,737 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (58 reviews)
> Directed by: John Glen

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

30. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $842.9 million (77.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $240.1 million (22.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.9/10 (232,723 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 46% (165 reviews)
> Directed by: Carlos Saldanha

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

29. A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $266.9 million (77.9% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $75.9 million (22.1% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.3/10 (202,345 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 15% (231 reviews)
> Directed by: John Moore

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

28. 2012 (2009)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $722.5 million (78.1% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $202.9 million (21.9% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.8/10 (363,790 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 39% (247 reviews)
> Directed by: Roland Emmerich

Source: Courtesy of United Artists

27. Live and Let Die (1973)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $679.8 million (78.1% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $190.4 million (21.9% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.8/10 (101,372 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (51 reviews)
> Directed by: Guy Hamilton

Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

26. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $635.5 million (78.3% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $176.2 million (21.7% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.5/10 (280,731 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 30% (290 reviews)
> Directed by: Joachim Rønning & Espen Sandberg

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

25. Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $482.7 million (78.4% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $132.9 million (21.6% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.2/10 (142,436 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 15% (254 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Bay

Source: Courtesy of United Artists

24. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $371.2 million (78.5% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $101.8 million (21.5% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.7/10 (99,825 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 40% (50 reviews)
> Directed by: Guy Hamilton

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

23. Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $316.1 million (78.6% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $85.8 million (21.4% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.3/10 (246,568 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 61% (328 reviews)
> Directed by: Robert Rodriguez

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

22. Battleship (2012)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $285.7 million (79.2% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $75.1 million (20.8% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.8/10 (241,504 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 34% (225 reviews)
> Directed by: Peter Berg

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

21. Terminator Genisys (2015)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $372.0 million (79.2% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $97.5 million (20.8% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.3/10 (267,619 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 27% (274 reviews)
> Directed by: Alan Taylor

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

20. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $342.4 million (79.3% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $89.6 million (20.7% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.3/10 (223,091 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (233 reviews)
> Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

19. Daylight (1996)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $261.1 million (79.3% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $68.2 million (20.7% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.9/10 (70,748 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 27% (41 reviews)
> Directed by: Rob Cohen

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

18. The Smurfs 2 (2013)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $312.7 million (79.6% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $80.0 million (20.4% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.3/10 (40,046 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 14% (95 reviews)
> Directed by: Raja Gosnell

Source: Courtesy of Screen Gems

17. Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $273.7 million (79.7% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $69.8 million (20.3% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.8/10 (166,381 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 21% (107 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson

Source: Courtesy of Fox 2000 Pictures

16. Life of Pi (2012)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $568.8 million (79.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $143.8 million (20.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.9/10 (600,070 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (253 reviews)
> Directed by: Ang Lee

Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate

15. Now You See Me 2 (2016)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $278.8 million (80.2% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $68.9 million (19.8% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.5/10 (265,362 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 33% (196 reviews)
> Directed by: Jon M. Chu

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

14. The Mummy (2017)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $336.8 million (80.5% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $81.8 million (19.5% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.4/10 (179,283 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 16% (314 reviews)
> Directed by: Alex Kurtzman

Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema

13. The Golden Compass (2007)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $395.6 million (80.9% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $93.3 million (19.1% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.1/10 (183,174 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 42% (198 reviews)
> Directed by: Chris Weitz

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

12. Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $826.8 million (81.7% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $185.6 million (18.3% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.5/10 (198,985 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 37% (135 reviews)
> Directed by: Steve Martino & Mike Thurmeier

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

11. The Fate of the Furious (2017)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $1.0 billion (81.7% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $230.5 million (18.3% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.6/10 (219,146 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (312 reviews)
> Directed by: F. Gary Gray

Source: Courtesy of Gramercy Pictures

10. Bean (1997)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $421.6 million (82.3% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $90.5 million (17.7% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.5/10 (101,095 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 44% (34 reviews)
> Directed by: Mel Smith

Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures

9. The Full Monty (1997)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $429.7 million (82.4% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $91.7 million (17.6% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.2/10 (102,609 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (50 reviews)
> Directed by: Peter Cattaneo

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

8. Tenet (2020)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $304.0 million (84.0% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $57.9 million (16.0% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 7.4/10 (421,801 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 70% (359 reviews)
> Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

7. Ice Age: Collision Course (2016)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $358.0 million (84.1% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $67.8 million (15.9% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.7/10 (60,965 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 18% (121 reviews)
> Directed by: Mike Thurmeier

Source: Courtesy of Universal Studios

6. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $330.0 million (84.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $59.3 million (15.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.0/10 (110,332 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 27% (157 reviews)
> Directed by: Beeban Kidron

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

5. Mr. Bean’s Holiday (2007)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $268.5 million (85.8% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $44.3 million (14.2% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.4/10 (120,426 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 51% (115 reviews)
> Directed by: Steve Bendelack

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

4. The Great Wall (2016)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $306.4 million (86.5% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $47.8 million (13.5% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.9/10 (129,447 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 35% (238 reviews)
> Directed by: Yimou Zhang

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

3. xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $306.5 million (87.0% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $45.8 million (13.0% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.2/10 (88,902 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 45% (150 reviews)
> Directed by: D.J. Caruso

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

2. Warcraft (2016)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $414.6 million (89.2% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $50.2 million (10.8% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 6.8/10 (252,948 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 28% (232 reviews)
> Directed by: Duncan Jones

Source: Courtesy of Screen Gems

1. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)
> International box office, adjusted for inflation: $304.2 million (91.5% of total)
> Domestic box office, adjusted for inflation: $28.4 million (8.5% of total)
> IMDb audience score: 5.5/10 (88,506 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 37% (102 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson

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