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Looking Back: The Top 10 Highest Grossing Movies from 2010!

by Ethan Anderton
December 31, 2010
Source: THR

The year may just be ending, but today's earnings won't make or break THR's tally of the Top 10 highest grossing films from 2010. No matter how many times we cry about wanting original stories, less sequels and more bold motion pictures, the films that earn the most money at the box office seem to indicate other desires from audiences worldwide. Nearly every movie included in the ten biggest earners of 2010 is either a sequel in an established franchise or an adaptation of a book or series of books, and one remake. Only two original films cracked the Top 10, and you probably already know one. See the full Top 10 list below!

10. Clash of the Titans - $163 Million Domestic / $493 Million Worldwide
9. How to Train Your Dragon - $218 Million Domestic / $495 Million Worldwide
8. Despicable Me - $251 Million Domestic / $540 Million Worldwide
7. Iron Man 2 - $312 Million Domestic / $622 Million Worldwide
6. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - $301 Million Domestic / $694 Million Worldwide
5. Shrek Forever After - $238 Million Domestic / $740 Million Worldwide
4. Inception - $293 Million Domestic / $825 Million Worldwide
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 - $278 Million Domestic / $865 Million Worldwide
2. Alice in Wonderland - $334 Million Domestic / $1.02 Billion Worldwide
1. Toy Story 3 - $415 Million Domestic / $1.06 Billion Worldwide

It's no surprise that a Pixar film, especially the heart-breaking end to the story that started the animation studio's success all the way back in '95, is the biggest success of the year. But box office is just another conquest for Pixar as they have their sights set on winning the Oscar for Best Picture. The presence of other sequels in Iron Man 2, Shrek Forever After, Twilight: Eclipse and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I is to be expected, and it's not surprising that most of the list is composed of films that are intended to be viewed by the whole family (and with How to Train Your Dragon, I couldn't be happier with its success).

The two glaring exceptions in this year's box office hits are Universal's surprise animated hit Despicable Me and the mind-bending original dreamweaver Inception. Leave it to Christopher Nolan, a director who became a household name after helming two movies in one of the most successful blockbuster franchises currently running, to deliver an original film that rakes in a shitload of money without the inflated cost of a 3D ticket - impressive. Of course, when these two original movies are surrounded by all these sequels and adaptations, it's hard to make the case for more original stories. Hollywood will remake nearly any movie, no matter how classic or beloved, but if the money flow ain't broke, you know they won't even try to fix it.

But for me the most interesting note on box office comes from the site Screened, who has included James Cameron's Avatar, a film initially released on December 18th, 2009, as an honorable mention on their biggest box officer earners chart. Why? Well apparently the film made $466 million of its $760 million box office take in 2010, which trumps Toy Story 3's 2010 box office take of $415 million with plenty of room to spare. That's pretty impressive for a 3D remake of Dances with Wolves, eh? Sorry about that, but we had to throw it in, its been a year! So what's your take on the highest grossing films of 2010?

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Related categories: Hype, Movie News, Opinions, Pixar