The year 2022 was pretty decent for the movies. From small auteur films like Pearl and The Fabelmans to big successful events like No and ElvisThe movie industry delivered many movies that filled the theaters and rocked audiences across the globe.
Now that 2022 is over, it’s time to look back at the movies that, for better or worse, stuck with us. These are the most popular movies of 2022 based on their US domestic box office grosses as of March 18, 2023. (The * indicates that the film is still in theaters and making money.)
Honorable mention: Black Adam ($168 million)
Dwayne Johnson finally made his dream movie come true with black adam. But with lackluster reviews and less-than-desirable box office numbers, it didn’t shake up the DC Universe like many people expected.
Despite this, it still gave many audiences an impressive, exciting and enjoyable superhero romp as the Man in Black takes on the Justice Society and the Intergang. He also caused quite a stir by bringing back Henry Cavill’s Superman, at least for a while. black adamDreamworks’ place in the top 10 was recently usurped. Puss in Boots: The Last Wishwho sported incredible legs in early 2023 and ended up beating the mighty Rock at the box office.
10. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish ($181 million*)
When Puss in Boots: The Last Wish debuted around Christmas, no one had high expectations. After all, it had been almost a decade since the last The cat with boots movie, and CGI toons were a dime a dozen. Furthermore, apart from Minions: The Rise of Gru, animated films aimed at children had been struggling at the box office since the pandemic. And certainly, the last wishThe unspectacular opening weekend at the box office suggested it would struggle to break $100 million, let alone make the top 10 box office champs list for 2022.
However, the fearless cat persisted, and audiences kept coming back week after week. the last wish became a real word-of-mouth hit, due in no small part to its different animation style, which was clearly inspired by Spider-Man: Into the Spider-VerseThe kinetic images of . The animated image proved that there is life in the nearly two-decade-old Shrek franchise, and that animated movies can still draw audiences to theaters.
9. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ($190 million)
Earth’s favorite blue hedgehog is back in theaters, this time accompanied by his two friends, Tails and Knuckles, to bring audiences another exciting adventure. sonic the hedgehog 2 surpassed its predecessor to become the highest-grossing video game movie in the world.
At the same time, it built its own cinematic universe by building on the lore of the games and eventually introducing Chaos Emeralds and Super Sonic into the mix. Ultimately, this sequel sets up a promising adventure for Sonic and his friends that fans are excited to see in the near future.
8. Thor: Love and Thunder ($343 million)
In God of Thunder’s fourth solo film, Marvel Studios brought the long-awaited return of Jane Foster as Mighty Thor. Although it grossed over $760 million at the box office, many people expressed disappointment with the film’s campy tone and underdeveloped CGI, calling it another example of Marvel’s recent decline with Phase Four.
Despite this, it still features plenty of vibrant visuals, outstanding performances, and hilarious moments that make Taiki Waititi’s latest film an electrifying and thrilling ride.
7. Batman ($369.3 million)
Director Matt Reeves brought a new version of the Dark Knight and Gotham City to the big screen with this film. Unlike previous cinematic iterations of the Batman mythos, this reboot takes a deep dive into the morals of the Caped Crusader, questioning whether or not he can truly be considered a hero.
All of this takes place against the backdrop of Batman’s war with the Riddler and Gotham’s corrupt elite, making for a suspenseful, gripping and action-packed adventure through the city’s criminal underworld.
6. Minions: The Rise of Gru ($369.6 million)
Gru and his Minions do it again in this long-awaited prequel to My favorite villain. Though he follows a young Gru as he attempts to become the world’s greatest villain, his Minions continue to steal the show as they attempt to save their “mini Boss” from Vicious 6.
With so many hilarious and lovable moments from the titular yellow munchkins, it’s understandable that the film was a huge hit at the box office. It also started that weird but despicable trend of people dressing up as Minions and hassling people in theaters.
5. Jurassic World: Dominion ($376 million)
This threequel brought Colin Trevorrow back to the director’s chair, as well as the original cast of the franchise, for one last trip through jurassic world. Like the other films in the franchise, Domain it made a massive profit in theaters.
However, the movie was still buried under a mountain of negative reviews, and many people agreed that now is the time to shut down Jurassic Park for good. Despite its flaws, it was a joy to see the characters from both trilogies come together on the big screen, and with lots of amazing dinosaurs. Domain it felt like a solid conclusion to the franchise.
4. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ($411 million)
Doctor Strange’s second solo movie had Marvel fans buzzing, especially since Spiderman director Sam Raimi directed it. While it grossed nearly a billion dollars, it still turned out to be one of the MCU’s most divisive projects for failing to live up to its massive hype.
The movie essentially brought the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Inhumans back with the Illuminati, but audiences still felt this interdimensional blockbuster fell short of its potential. However, with Raimi’s unique style and mind-blowing visuals, this film is undoubtedly one of Marvel Studios’ most distinctive and director-led films to date.
3. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ($453 million)
As a sequel to one of the films with the greatest cultural impact of recent times, wakandan forever he was sure to receive a massive audience. Although the film sadly lacked the great Chadwick Boseman, it still provided a fascinating story of a nation trying to recover from its tragic loss in the midst of its war with the aquatic talokans.
Cast members old and new give some standout performances, including a Golden Globe-nominated performance from Angela Bassett, and director Ryan Coogler’s beautifully crafted epic makes the film shine among many other Marvel movies.
2. Avatar: The Way of Water ($676 million*)
Audiences waited 13 years for James Cameron’s sequel Avatar, so naturally it caused quite a stir when it hit theaters. Like the original movie, the path of water is a technological evolution of cinema, featuring a state-of-the-art motion capture system for its many impressive underwater scenes.
the path of water It also has its fair share of detractors, but it still ended up being an instant hit, garnering two Golden Globe nominations for Best Drama and Best Director even before its release. This film feels like the culmination of Cameron’s exalted career, combining elements of Titanic, the abyss, aliensand the terminator movies to create just one of the many more Avatar sequels to come.
1. Top Gun: Maverick ($718 million)
It’s not often that a reboot works better than the original movie, but Top Gun: Maverick it shot both critically and at the box office. After 30 years, the audience meets Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, who is tasked with teaching a new team of Top Gun fighter pilots, including the son of his late friend Goose.
With jaw-dropping action, a refreshingly moving story, and loving references to the first film, Top Gun: Maverick is a sequel that has become a legacy film over the centuries.
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