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- The highest-grossing Christmas film is The Grinch (2018), earning $538 million worldwide.
- Home Alone (1990) is among the highest-grossing Christmas films, with a worldwide box office of $476 million.
- Love Actually (2003) earned $245 million globally and became a Christmas date movie with its interconnected story lines and star-studded cast.
The most financially successful Christmas movies are cultural tent poles that gross millions internationally, appealing to a global audience, year after year.
Christmas movies, whether family comedies or animated fantasies, have been massive box office behemoths, from Home Alone, to How The Grinch Stole Christmas, to The Polar Express.
With these timeless classics and modern favorites, we embark on a cinematic journey filled with festive joy, laughter, and heartwarming tales of Christmas.
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10 The Holiday (2006)
Estimated Global Box Office, The Holiday: $205 Million
With worldwide box-office earnings of $205 million, The Holiday is among the highest-grossing Christmas films.
In this romantic comedy, Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet portray two women who agree to swap homes for the holidays to escape from their troublesome love lives.
In the course of The Holiday, their temporary relocation leads both to a new romance, and a fresh perspective:
The Holiday was a box office triumph, owing to the cast's strength and a clever script, confirming the appealing nature of Christmas themes.
9 Elf (2003)
Estimated Global Box Office, Elf: $225 Million
A true modern holiday classic, Elf (2003) hit theaters and grossed $225 million worldwide.
In the now-iconic film, Will Ferrell plays a human named Buddy, who was rescued and raised by elves at the North Pole.
After discovering he is not an elf, Buddy goes to New York City in search of his biological father.
Thrust into a cynical city, Buddy's childlike innocence and interest in all things remotely associated with Christmas bring a touch of holiday cheer.
Ferrell's high-energy turn and humor deftly calibrated for children and adults alike made Elf a new Christmas classic, which remains one of the most advantageous Christmas competitors.
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Estimated Global Box Office, Love Actually: $245 Million
The romantic comedy Love Actually (2003) is a Christmas film that earned $245 million at the box office.
Love Actually takes place in London, and follows an ambitiously high number of characters across various plot threads and one overarching theme: the often thrilling, occasionally messy, and sometimes heartbreaking intersection of love and the holiday season.
In addition to its narrative sprawl, Love Actually notoriously boasts an all-star cast featuring Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, and Keira Knightley (among many other recognizable stars):
Its formula of multiple interconnected story lines and its focus on holiday trysts ensured Love Actually became a Christmas date movie.
The scale of Love Actually's success reflects the widespread popularity of romantic comedies with sentimental holiday plots , and likely gave rise to what is humorously described as the "Hallmark Cinematic Universe."
When did Hallmark Christmas movies become a thing?
While Hallmark Hall Of Fame movies started way back in 1951, the modern Hallmark Christmas film phenomenon kicked off in earnest around 2014 – around eleven years after the release of Love Actually.
7 The Polar Express (2004)
Estimated Global Box Office, The Polar Express: $315 Million
A fully 3D computer-animated The Polar Express (2004) grossed $315 million worldwide upon its release.
Robert Zemeckis' fantasy adventure tracks a young boy who takes the train one Christmas Eve, to visit Santa in the North Pole. A wild ride along the way ensues, which revives the boy's faith in Santa Claus.
Using cutting-edge motion capture animation techniques, 3D imagery, and Tom Hanks in multiple roles, The Polar Express was a forward-looking holiday hit that succeeded in delighting audiences of all ages with Christmas whimsy.
6 A Christmas Carol (2009)
Estimated Global Box Office, A Christmas Carol: $325 Million
Disney's computer-animated version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (2009) grossed $325 million at the box office worldwide when it hit screens.
In this original animation, Jim Carrey steps into the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, the familiar old curmudgeon who finds redemption after he is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve.
Given its darker tone, beautiful photographs, and faithful adherence to primary plot points of the beloved original story, this adaptation succeeded through a combination of holiday spectacle, heartfelt storytelling, and Hollywood A-list magic.
This timeless tale was one of the biggest Christmas box office hits the year it was released, and hasn't lost its spot near the top of the list.
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Estimated Global Box Office, Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas: $345 Million
The 2000 live-action feature How The Grinch Stole Christmas, based on a Dr. Seuss' classic, grossed $345 million worldwide.
Building on the classic 1957 children's bookHow The Grinch Stole Christmas! – and starring Jim Carrey as the titular Grinch – this version is a fantasy comedy that depicts the routinely festive Whos of Whoville, and the Grinch's lonely existence in the shadow of a cheery town.
Its rich production design, makeup that transformed Carrey into the giant green character, witty interpretation of the source material, and its spiritual subtext about the meaning of Christmas made it a colossal box-office hit that mesmerized young and old alike.
More than two decades later, How The Grinch Stole Christmas is still one of the biggest moneymakers among Christmas films.
4 Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992)
Estimated Global Box Office, Home Alone 2: Lost In New York: $359 Million
This comedy sequel to Home Alone earned $358,994,850 worldwide, a considerable showing for a follow-up film.
Set in New York City, the second chapter of the Kevin McCallister saga sees Macaulay Culkin again portraying the resourceful young Kevin.
He becomes separated from his family a second time, and is forced to fend for himself in Manhattan – while plotting to foil the first film's "Sticky Bandits" planned holiday heist.
Whimsical booby traps, wholesome jokes to appeal to all ages, a holiday setting featuring scenery from Rockefeller Center, and the hide-and-seek-styled Plaza Hotel made Home Alone 2 one of the biggest box office hits ever.
Home Alone 2's success can be attributed to the winning formula of the Home Alone franchise, and the lasting appeal of family-friendly Christmas comedies.
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Let's find out who the richest fictional character is - though not one of these cartoonish creatures of fiction is as rich as Jeff Bezos.In recent years, Home Alone 2 has garnered a new level of infamy, due to a scene featuring former President Donald Trump.
On December 23rd, Deadline revisited the now-controversial cameo, quoting director Chris Columbus:
"Donald Trump was accused of applying quid pro quo during his time at the White House, and Home Alone: Lost in New York director is now confirming that’s the way the twice-impeached president got himself a cameo in the holiday film classic ...
"'Like most locations in New York City, you just pay a fee and you are allowed to shoot in that location. We approached The Plaza Hotel, which Trump owned at the time, because we wanted to shoot in the lobby. We couldn’t rebuild The Plaza on a soundstage,' Columbus said in an interview ... Trump agreed to having the film shoot at his hotel under the condition that he appear in the movie."
3 Alvin And The Chipmunks (2007)
Estimated Global Box Office, Alvin And The Chipmunks: $365 Million
In 2007, Alvin And The Chipmunks (a live-action CGI hybrid) grossed $365 million worldwide.
Alvin And The Chipmunks tracks songwriter Dave Seville's discovery of a trio of singing chipmunks (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore).
Its beloved musical scenes, child-like humor, and re-imagining of the trio of chipmunks turned decades old characters into a novel family comedy.
Playing on Christmas motifs such as gift-giving, faith, and Christmas holiday concerts, Alvin And The Chipmunks built a new franchise in its own right, and demonstrated again that family-friendly Christmas movies can be box office hits.
2 Home Alone (1990)
Estimated Global Box Office, Home Alone: $476 Million
Home Alone (1990) grossed $476 million worldwide, ranking it among the highest-grossing Christmas films ever.
Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister, famously portrayed by Macaulay Culkin, is inadvertently left behind for the Christmas holidays when his family sets off on an overseas trip.
Young Kevin is then forced to protect his home against clumsy burglars, relying on booby traps and his youthful energy.
Buoyed by its witty premise, physical slapstick, sentimental turns, and suburban Christmas milieu, Home Alone became a modern holiday classic:
The film's resounding success established a franchise, and reminded studios that family-oriented Christmas romps can be incredibly lucrative.
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Estimated Global Box Office, The Grinch: $538 Million
Topping the list as the highest-grossing Christmas film is The Grinch (2018), which earned a massive $538 million worldwide during its run.
This 3D computer-animated adaptation by Illumination Entertainment brings the Dr. Seuss holiday tale to life with vibrant visuals and an expanded backstory for the Grinch.
Featuring the voice of Benedict Cumberbatch as the grumpy green outcast, the film charmingly depicts his scheme to ruin Christmas for the Whos of Whoville.
With child-friendly humor, stunning animation, and a message about embracing the holiday spirit, this new interpretation became a major box-office smash by appealing to families and fans of all ages.
Christmas Movie: | Estimated Worldwide Gross: |
The Holiday (2006) | $205 Million |
Elf (2003) | $225 Million |
Love Actually (2003) | $245 Million |
The Polar Express (2004) | $315 Million |
A Christmas Carol (2009) | $325 Million |
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) | $345 Million |
Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992) | $359 Million |
Alvin And The Chipmunks (2007) | $365 Million |
Home Alone (1990) | $476 Million |
The Grinch (2018) | $538 Million |
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