Crossing the $1 billion mark at the global box office used to mean something, a milestone associated with successful movies that are beloved by audiences and critics alike. But in the modern era, where ticket prices are high, the $1 billion movie club has added members faster than ever. Back in 2010, there were only seven movies that held this distinction; these days, on a good year, there could be three or four billion-dollar earners. In 2019 alone, there were nine movies hitting the billion-dollar mark.
With quantity, however, does not come quality, so this list takes a look at how some billion-dollar movies do not enjoy critical acclaim. Some of these films reached the billion-dollar club just because they are part of an established franchise, despite being uninspired and having weak plotting. Hitting $1 billion may put them in elite company, but judged on what’s on screen, these are some of the most underwhelming blockbusters ever to reach that milestone.
10
‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ (2018)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom brings Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) back to Isla Nublar as the dinosaurs are facing extinction because of a volcanic eruption. They attempt to save as many dinosaurs as they can, but also uncover a secret about the cloning technology that is used to bring the dinosaurs to life and also recreate hybrid species.
The first Jurassic World was a smash hit, even though it received mixed reviews. Its ending opened up many ideas for the sequel, but Fallen Kingdom decided to push itself into a corner twice in one movie by destroying the island and also somehow setting its third act in a mansion, Home Alone-style, but with dinosaurs. With all the spectacle going on, the introduction of Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon), whose parentage is related to the cloning technology, feels like an afterthought when it could have been a great plot device. The new supporting characters are forgettable, and so are the dinosaurs. It tried its best to connect itself to the original Jurassic Park to give itself relevance, ultimately succeeding only because of brand familiarity.
9
‘Despicable Me 3’ (2017)
Despicable Me 3 introduces Gru’s (Steve Carell) long-lost twin brother Dru (Carell). Alongside the Minions, they team up to stop Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker), a failed actor turned supervillain, from destroying Hollywood. The voice cast also includes Kristen Wiig, Jenny Slate, and Julie Andrews.
It’s a movie aimed at young audiences, so it’s totally understandable if its sole goal is to entertain, but Despicable Me 3 mostly recycles jokes and plot from their previous films or other animated films. The massive box office haul is just driven by how famous and adorable the Minions are. It was released in the middle of summer 2017 with virtually no competition, so its path to $1 billion was wide open. For the older audiences bringing children to watch the film, there are some funny jokes and an unhinged Steve Carell voice performance as both Gru and Dru.
8
‘Moana 2’ (2024)
Moana 2 follows Moana (Auli’i Cravalho), now a master wayfinder, as she answers a call from her ancestors to reconnect the people of Motufetu with their island. With the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) in her crew, she goes on a voyage to break the curse and help the Motufetu people.
Originally conceived as a series on Disney+, the sequel was reworked into a movie, probably because Moana has become one of Disney’s crown jewels in such a short span of time. A theatrical release would mean more box office gross, and indeed, Moana 2 became the third film to cross the $1 billion mark in 2024. However, it struggles to recapture the same magic as the first film. The narrative feels more episodic than focused, and the songs are not as catchy as Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s. Still, the film’s success only solidified how Moana is beloved as a character by audiences all around the world.
7
‘Joker’ (2019)
Set in a standalone universe, Joker follows Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a struggling comedian and isolated man whose fragile mental state unravels under society’s treatment of him. With a neurological disorder that made him laugh uncontrollably, he believes that he shares kinship with billionaire Thomas Wayne. Unlike other comic book films, Joker presents itself as an intimate character study into the psyche of a would-be supervillain.
While Phoenix delivers a committed, physically transformative performance that won him an Oscar, the plot is embarrassingly thin. It draws heavy to blatant inspiration from films like Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, to the point that it also casts Robert De Niro in a minor role. Joker‘s billion-dollar success was driven by controversy and cultural debates, turning it into a must-see event. The awards circuit also embraced the film, receiving eleven Oscar nominations and winning two. It is, however, an irresponsible film that treats mental health as shock value and validates violence. Some may argue that it’s the wrong reading, but the film’s sequel confirms it because it actively tries to deny it.
6
‘Minions’ (2015)
Minions follows the yellow henchmen’s history from prehistoric times to the 1960s, where Kevin, Stuart, and Bob set out to find the perfect villain to serve. Their journey eventually leads them to London, where they start aligning with aspiring supervillain Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock) and her inventor husband Herb (Jon Hamm), who hatch a plot to steal the Queen’s crown.
As supporting characters, the Minions work well and do not overstay their welcome. However, their antics become exhausting in a feature film focused on them. The Minions’ gibberish language and physical comedy are amusing in small doses, but without a strong central emotional arc or meaningful character development, the narrative feels repetitive. The billion-dollar success was fueled by the Minions’ popularity with their core audience. There’s an underrated visual humor in the sci-fi film Mortal Engines, where the dystopian society preserved Minions’ statues because they’re considered deities of old. After grossing $2 billion with just two movies, maybe there is truth to that.
5
‘Alice in Wonderland’ (2010)
Tim Burton’s reimagining of Alice in Wonderland follows a 19-year-old Alice (Mia Wasikowska), who finds herself in Underland and discovers her destiny is to defeat the Red Queen’s (Helena Bonham Carter) monster, the Jabberwocky. In the magical world, she’s helped by the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) and the White Queen (Anne Hathaway) to save Underland.
Alice in Wonderland is one of the most recognizable and beloved children’s books, so there was already a built-in audience. Tim Burton delivered a visually striking film, but its restructuring of the plot that turns Alice’s story into the chosen one narrative does not feel special and whimsical. The performances of the supporting characters, like Mad Hatter and the Red Queen, are so exaggerated that they eclipsed Mia Wasikowska’s portrayal of Alice. It’s arguably the most peculiar film to join the $1 billion group, but “peculiar” does not mean “good.” If anything, its success was solely because of great timing: it was the biggest 3D release after Avatar sparked a boom in 3D, and it starred Johnny Depp, who was at his peak of fame. Other than that, the film has nothing special.
4
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ (2011)
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides sends Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) on a quest to find the Fountain of Youth. He crosses paths with his former lover, Angelica (Penélope Cruz), and also the mythical Blackbeard (Ian McShane), the captain of the Queen Anne’s Revenge. Hot on his trail is his nemesis/ally Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), who now sides with the British Navy.
After the spectacular achievement of the previous trilogy, this film aimed to start fresh with a new adventure, but it pales in comparison with its predecessors. Based on a book that has also inspired the original film, the plot is formulaic, recycling several elements from the previous movies. The new characters never fully compensate for the absence of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, and the new antagonist falls short. Despite being somewhat entertaining, On Stranger Tides is arguably the weakest in the franchise. Its box office success came from the sheer power of the Pirates of the Caribbean brand and the higher ticket prices for its 3D option.
3
‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ (2019)
As the final chapter of the Skywalker saga, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker follows Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe (Oscar Isaac) on a mission to stop a resurrected Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). Meanwhile, the return of the Emperor strengthens the First Order and Kylo Ren’s (Adam Driver) quest to eradicate the Resistance once and for all.
It’s safe to say that the sequel trilogy lacks cohesive planning. The Rise of Skywalker has the impossible task of course-correcting from the divisive response to Rian Johnson‘s Star Wars: The Last Jedi while also being the ending to a nine-film saga that started in 1977. The result is a haphazard attempt to recapture the spectacle of the franchise. The story is weak, and the return of Palpatine comes out of nowhere. Character arcs for Finn and Poe that have been built from the previous two films are sidelined or unresolved. Most importantly, the film does not know what to do with Rey and Kylo Ren after their interaction in the previous film. Despite controversies and lukewarm response from critics, Star Wars still hit $1 billion because it’s one of the world’s most recognizable franchises.
2
‘Jurassic World Dominion’ (2022)
After the events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Jurassic World Dominion promises a world where humans and dinosaurs coexist. Owen Grady is rescuing wild dinosaurs while Claire Dearing investigates illegal dinosaur operations from breeding to trafficking. Their paths converge with Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), who are looking into a suspicious organization named Biosyn.
For a film about dinosaurs, Jurassic World: Dominion barely focuses on them, since the plot is more interested in genetically engineered locusts and corporate conspiracy. The film seems built on a rough idea and several action sequences rather than a compelling story. Almost none of the emotional stakes land despite the presence of legacy characters to fill the film with nostalgia. While Dominion promises a triumphant return of the original film’s trio, it never fully respects their characters in the plot. The good news for Universal is that dinosaurs are still popular with the audience, and the film managed to pass the one-billion mark.
1
‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’ (2014)
Set after the destruction of Chicago, Transformers: Age of Extinction sees the Autobots and Decepticons hunted by the government and a new task force. When self-proclaimed inventor Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) finds Optimus Prime in disguise in his garage, he’s pulled into the galactic conflict as a Transformer bounty hunter, Lockdown, arrives on Earth to kill all the Autobots.
At almost three hours, the fourth film in the Transformers franchise is bloated and incoherent. There are too many ideas crammed in, and none of them land. The new human cast, led by Wahlberg, is passable as they’re drowned out by the excess of Bayhem. The film was also one of the first modern Hollywood films to cater to the lucrative Chinese market, with much of the film’s third act set in China and Hong Kong, equipped with Chinese product placements. The strategy worked as the film earn $300 million alone in China, becoming Hollywood’s highest-grossing film there at the time.