Movies make money in several ways, including selling branded products and TV broadcast and streaming rights. Selling rights has been on the rise in recent years, and especially in 2020 and 2021 as many movie theaters were closed. After a long pause, though, movie fans seemed eager to get back in front of the big screen.
To identify the movies Americans actually came out to the theater to see in 2021, 24/7 Tempo reviewed box office data from The Numbers, a film industry site owned and operated by Nash Information Services, LLC. Films released in 2021 were ranked based on total domestic box office as of Dec. 19, 2021. Supplemental data on worldwide box office and production budget also came from The Numbers. Data on user rating and number of user votes came from the Internet Movie Database.
It seems that in 2021, similar to previous years, movie goers flocked to theaters to see superheroes save the world. Franchise films — especially in the superhero genre – continue to be among the highest-grossing movies of the 21st century. These are the biggest box office hits since 2000.
At the beginning of this year, it was hard to imagine how much the moviegoing experience would change in the coming months. Some studios shifted to a streaming-only release strategy, and anticipated blockbusters, including the latest installment of James Bond, were rescheduled. This year saw many hybrid releases — these are the best comedies to stream right now.
40. Respect
> Release date: August 13, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $24,278,399
> Worldwide box office: $31,759,842
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 6.6 out of 10 (8,887 votes)
> Directed by: Liesl Tommy
> Starring: Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Tituss Burgess
39. Escape Room: Tournament of Champions
> Release date: July 16, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $25,188,958
> Worldwide box office: $51,788,711
> Production budget: $15,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 5.8 out of 10 (30,054 votes)
> Directed by: Adam Robitel
> Starring: Taylor Russell, Logan Miller, Deborah Ann Woll, Thomas Cocquerel
38. Nobody
> Release date: March 26, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $27,268,035
> Worldwide box office: $57,210,518
> Production budget: $16,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 7.4 out of 10 (178,110 votes)
> Directed by: Ilya Naishuller
> Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Aleksey Serebryakov, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd
37. Wrath of Man
> Release date: May 7, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $27,466,489
> Worldwide box office: $84,985,554
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 7.1 out of 10 (131,900 votes)
> Directed by: Guy Ritchie
> Starring: Jason Statham, Holt McCallany, Josh Hartnett, Rocci Williams
36. Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins
> Release date: July 23, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $28,264,325
> Worldwide box office: $34,666,981
> Production budget: $88,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 5.4 out of 10 (29,375 votes)
> Directed by: Robert Schwentke
> Starring: Henry Golding, Andrew Koji, Haruka Abe, Takehiro Hira
35. In the Heights
> Release date: June 10, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $29,879,041
> Worldwide box office: $43,583,702
> Production budget: $55,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 7.4 out of 10 (38,826 votes)
> Directed by: Jon M. Chu
> Starring: Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera
34. Don’t Breathe 2
> Release date: August 13, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $32,638,038
> Worldwide box office: $47,227,560
> Production budget: $15,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 6.1 out of 10 (37,803 votes)
> Directed by: Rodo Sayagues
> Starring: Stephen Lang, Madelyn Grace, Brendan Sexton III, Adam Young
33. The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
> Release date: June 16, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $38,014,727
> Worldwide box office: $67,394,555
> Production budget: $70,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 6.1 out of 10 (64,299 votes)
> Directed by: Patrick Hughes
> Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas
32. PAW Patrol: The Movie
> Release date: August 20, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $40,127,371
> Worldwide box office: $94,375,716
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 6.2 out of 10 (4,746 votes)
> Directed by: Cal Brunker
> Starring: Tyler Perry, Ron Pardo, Will Brisbin, Kingsley Marshall
31. Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
> Release date: June 11, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $40,391,464
> Worldwide box office: $152,550,437
> Production budget: $45,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 6.2 out of 10 (8,426 votes)
> Directed by: Will Gluck
> Starring: Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, David Oyelowo, James Corden
30. Mortal Kombat
> Release date: April 23, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $42,201,013
> Worldwide box office: $83,383,351
> Production budget: $55,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 6.1 out of 10 (154,781 votes)
> Directed by: Simon McQuoid
> Starring: Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Joe Taslim
29. The Forever Purge
> Release date: July 2, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $44,539,245
> Worldwide box office: $76,994,245
> Production budget: $18,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 5.4 out of 10 (24,335 votes)
> Directed by: Everardo Gout
> Starring: Ana de la Reguera, Tenoch Huerta, Josh Lucas, Leven Rambin
28. House of Gucci
> Release date: November 24, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $44,886,084
> Worldwide box office: $106,188,084
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 6.9 out of 10 (36,351 votes)
> Directed by: Ridley Scott
> Starring: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons
27. Tom and Jerry
> Release date: February 26, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $46,041,123
> Worldwide box office: $132,052,977
> Production budget: $50,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 5.3 out of 10 (31,120 votes)
> Directed by: Tim Story
> Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Michael Peña, Colin Jost
26. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train
> Release date: April 23, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $47,700,000
> Worldwide box office: $503,063,688
> Production budget: $15,765,750
> IMDb user rating: 8.2 out of 10 (41,189 votes)
> Directed by: Haruo Sotozaki
> Starring: Natsuki Hanae, Akari Kitô, Hiro Shimono, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka
25. Old
> Release date: July 23, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $48,242,510
> Worldwide box office: $90,136,277
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 5.8 out of 10 (74,005 votes)
> Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
> Starring: Gael García Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Rufus Sewell, Alex Wolff
24. Clifford the Big Red Dog
> Release date: November 10, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $48,586,000
> Worldwide box office: $54,143,480
> Production budget: $64,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 6.0 out of 10 (6,216 votes)
> Directed by: Walt Becker
> Starring: Darby Camp, Jack Whitehall, Izaac Wang, John Cleese
23. Raya and the Last Dragon
> Release date: March 5, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $54,723,032
> Worldwide box office: $116,865,473
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 7.3 out of 10 (124,324 votes)
> Directed by: Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Paul Briggs, John Ripa
> Starring: Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Izaac Wang
22. The Suiсide Squad
> Release date: August 6, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $55,800,219
> Worldwide box office: $167,103,026
> Production budget: $185,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 7.3 out of 10 (264,560 votes)
> Directed by: James Gunn
> Starring: Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman
21. The Addams Family 2
> Release date: October 1, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $56,489,153
> Worldwide box office: $110,246,296
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 5.4 out of 10 (7,500 votes)
> Directed by: Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon, Laura Brousseau, Kevin Pavlovic
> Starring: Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton
20. The Boss Baby: Family Business
> Release date: July 2, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $57,300,280
> Worldwide box office: $146,745,280
> Production budget: $82,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 5.9 out of 10 (13,820 votes)
> Directed by: Tom McGrath
> Starring: Alec Baldwin, James Marsden, Amy Sedaris, Ariana Greenblatt
19. Candyman
> Release date: August 27, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $61,186,570
> Worldwide box office: $77,395,789
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 5.9 out of 10 (45,142 votes)
> Directed by: Nia DaCosta
> Starring: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Colman Domingo
18. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
> Release date: June 4, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $65,565,074
> Worldwide box office: $200,205,869
> Production budget: $40,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 6.3 out of 10 (96,912 votes)
> Directed by: Michael Chaves
> Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ruairi O’Connor, Sarah Catherine Hook
17. Space Jam: A New Legacy
> Release date: July 16, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $70,528,072
> Worldwide box office: $143,939,593
> Production budget: $150,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 4.4 out of 10 (61,002 votes)
> Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee
> Starring: LeBron James, Don Cheadle, Cedric Joe, Khris Davis
16. Encanto
> Release date: November 24, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $81,544,607
> Worldwide box office: $175,544,607
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 7.6 out of 10 (13,869 votes)
> Directed by: Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith
> Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Mauro Castillo
15. Cruella
> Release date: May 28, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $86,103,234
> Worldwide box office: $228,565,681
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 7.4 out of 10 (197,401 votes)
> Directed by: Craig Gillespie
> Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser
14. Halloween Kills
> Release date: October 15, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $92,002,155
> Worldwide box office: $130,854,215
> Production budget: $20,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 5.6 out of 10 (59,991 votes)
> Directed by: David Gordon Green
> Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney
13. Godzilla vs. Kong
> Release date: March 31, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $100,563,133
> Worldwide box office: $467,711,667
> Production budget: $155,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 6.4 out of 10 (184,724 votes)
> Directed by: Adam Wingard
> Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry
12. Dune
> Release date: October 22, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $106,628,486
> Worldwide box office: $392,928,486
> Production budget: $165,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 8.2 out of 10 (395,691 votes)
> Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
> Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac
11. Jungle Cruise
> Release date: July 30, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $116,987,516
> Worldwide box office: $210,381,949
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 6.6 out of 10 (153,610 votes)
> Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
> Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Edgar Ramírez, Jack Whitehall
10. Ghostbusters: Afterlife
> Release date: November 19, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $117,259,884
> Worldwide box office: $173,659,884
> Production budget: $75,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 7.6 out of 10 (45,196 votes)
> Directed by: Jason Reitman
> Starring: Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
9. Free Guy
> Release date: August 13, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $121,626,598
> Worldwide box office: $323,639,876
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 7.2 out of 10 (236,082 votes)
> Directed by: Shawn Levy
> Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Taika Waititi, Lil Rel Howery
8. A Quiet Place: Part II
> Release date: May 28, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $160,215,261
> Worldwide box office: $296,667,086
> Production budget: $61,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 7.3 out of 10 (179,939 votes)
> Directed by: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe
> Starring: John Krasinski
7. No Time to Die
> Release date: October 8, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $160,772,007
> Worldwide box office: $773,300,613
> Production budget: $250,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 7.4 out of 10 (244,486 votes)
> Directed by: Cary Joji Fukunaga
> Starring: Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux
6. Eternals
> Release date: November 5, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $163,598,293
> Worldwide box office: $399,698,293
> Production budget: $200,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 6.8 out of 10 (122,285 votes)
> Directed by: Chloé Zhao
> Starring: Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek
5. F9: The Fast Saga
> Release date: June 25, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $173,005,945
> Worldwide box office: $721,077,945
> Production budget: N/A
> IMDb user rating: 5.2 out of 10 (107,008 votes)
> Directed by: Justin Lin
> Starring: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson
4. Black Widow
> Release date: July 9, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $183,651,655
> Worldwide box office: $375,474,179
> Production budget: $200,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 6.7 out of 10 (301,493 votes)
> Directed by: Cate Shortland
> Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz
3. Venom: Let There be Carnage
> Release date: October 1, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $212,418,049
> Worldwide box office: $498,118,049
> Production budget: $110,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 6.0 out of 10 (126,620 votes)
> Directed by: Andy Serkis
> Starring: Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris
2. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
> Release date: September 3, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $224,543,292
> Worldwide box office: $417,952,233
> Production budget: $150,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 7.5 out of 10 (254,513 votes)
> Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton
> Starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Chiu-Wai Leung, Ben Kingsley
1. Spider-Man: No Way Home
> Release date: December 17, 2021
> Domestic box office as of Dec 19: $260,000,000
> Worldwide box office: $600,467,472
> Production budget: $200,000,000
> IMDb user rating: 9.0 out of 10 (185,309 votes)
> Directed by: Jon Watts
> Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon