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The biggest movies of 2020 by box-office

From Digital Spy

Even before COVID-19 happened, 2020 was never going to match the record-breaking box office heights of 2019, where nine movies hit $1 billion and Avengers: Endgame became the biggest movie of all time.

However, nobody could have predicted the drop in box office that has resulted from major blockbusters being delayed, following cinemas worldwide having to close and audience restrictions placed on them once reopened (as well as some subsequent closures again).

Wonder Woman 1984 is finally coming out at Christmas, but with cinemas still closed in major markets, it's not set to be as much of a box-office hit as the first movie, especially as it's coming straight to HBO Max as well in the US.

Photo credit: Clay Enos - Warner Bros.
Photo credit: Clay Enos - Warner Bros.

Instead, cinemas have had to rely on unexpected movies to bring in the box-office bucks this year and at least we had some hits earlier in 2020, so here are the top 20 highest-grossing movies released this year.

(The data refers to worldwide box-office takings, and is from Box Office Mojo and The Numbers, accurate as to December 15. We're only considering movies first released in 2020, unless they had a staggered release like Parasite.)

20. Fantasy Island

Supernatural horror.

US: $27,309,289

International: $27,045,584

Overall: $54,354,873

19. Mulan

Live-action adaptation.

US: N/A

International: $69,951,770

Overall: $69,951,770

18. Love You Forever

Photo credit: Edko Films
Photo credit: Edko Films

Chinese time-travel romance.

US: N/A

International: $73,692,536

Overall: $73,692,536

17. The Croods: A New Age

Animated sequel.

US: $24,310,640

International: $52,321,000

Overall: $76,631,640

16. Caught In Time

Photo credit: Emperor Motion Pictures
Photo credit: Emperor Motion Pictures

Chinese crime thriller.

US: N/A

International: $80,620,075

Overall: $80,620,075

15. Parasite

Oscar-winning Korean satirical drama.

US (in 2020): $30,736,060 (of $53,369,745)

International (in 2020): $69,063,327 (of $204,187,237)

Overall (in 2020): $99,799,387 (of $257,556,986)

14. The Call of the Wild

Photo credit: 20th Century Fox
Photo credit: 20th Century Fox

Adaptation of the dog-centred novel.

US: $62,342,368

International: $48,596,661

Overall: $110,939,029

13. Leap

Photo credit: JETSEN HUASHI
Photo credit: JETSEN HUASHI

Sports biopic about the Chinese women's volleyball team.

US: $83,074

International: $128,630,658

Overall: $128,713,732

12. Onward

Pixar animation.

US: $61,555,145

International: $80,033,650

Overall: $141,588,795

11. The Invisible Man

Horror update of the classic story.

US: $70,410,000

International: $73,535,040

Overall: $143,945,040

10. Sacrifice

Photo credit: China Film Group
Photo credit: China Film Group

Chinese war movie set during the Korean War.

US: N/A

International: $171,077,608

Overall: $171,077,608

9. Birds of Prey

Supervillain spin-off for Harley Quinn and her gang.

US: $84,158,461

International: $117,700,000

Overall: $201,858,461

8. Jiang Ziya

Photo credit: Well Go USA
Photo credit: Well Go USA

Chinese animated sequel to 2019 hit Ne Zha.

US: $214,670

International: $243,646,789

Overall: $243,861,459

7. Dolittle

Remake of the classic about a man who speaks to the animals.

US: $77,047,065

International: $173,634,115

Overall: $250,681,180

6. Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train

Photo credit: Toho/Aniplex
Photo credit: Toho/Aniplex

Big-screen sequel to Japanese manga series.

US: N/A

International: $280,694,964

Overall: $280,694,964

5. Sonic the Hedgehog

Videogame adaptation with the speedy blue fuzzball.

US: $146,066,470

International: $164,455,991

Overall: $310,522,461

4. Tenet

Christopher Nolan's cerebral, time-bending thriller.

US: $57,800,000

International: $303,600,000

Overall: $361,400,000

3. Bad Boys for Life

Belated action sequel.

US: $206,305,244

International: $220,200,000

Overall: $426,505,244

2. My People, My Homeland

Photo credit: Douban
Photo credit: Douban

Chinese drama anthology made up of five stories.

US: N/A

International: $432,068,307

Overall: $432,068,307

1. The Eight Hundred

Photo credit: CMC Pictures - YouTube
Photo credit: CMC Pictures - YouTube

Chinese historical war epic.

US: $372,755

International: $472,438,230

Overall: $472,810,985


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