15 Highest-Grossing Sci-Fi Movies of the Last 10 Years, R...

The 15 Highest-Grossing Sci-Fi Movies of the Last 10 Years, Ranked Elizabeth Banks and Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games Mockingjay - Part 2

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Science fiction is one of the biggest film genres on the planet and, in turn, one of the highest-grossing of all time. People scramble to theaters to escape into new and unique worlds that keep the real one from being so scary and invasive. Whether they travel to space in a galaxy far, far away, or Earth in an alternative reality or dark future, fans always seem to enjoy some incredible journeys through things they've never seen before.

Some of the highest-grossing sci-fi projects also happen to be among the highest-earning in history, largely because the genre holds some of the greatest cinema franchises ever. Star Wars, Dune, Avatar, and Jurassic World are among the sci-fi series that dominated the last ten years, taking sci-fi to a new level of critical and commercial acclaim. This list will rank the highest-grossing sci-fi movies of the last ten years based on their worldwide gross.

15 'Transformers: The Last Knight' (2017)

Worldwide Gross: $605,425,157

A close-up of Optimus Prime in Transformers: The Last Knight

Optimus Prime in Transformers: The Last KnightImage via Paramount Pictures

The Transformers franchise has always been one of the most popular sci-fi franchises ever made. Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) and the Autobots have ruled the box office for most of the years they've released projects. Despite how rough around the edges they can be, at times (aka, the Michael Bay series), this series is known for making a great amount of cash.

One of the more recent examples is the fifth and final entry in the Michael Bay series, Transformers: The Last Knight. Bringing home an incredible $605.4 million, this project may very well be the worst Transformers movie, but it is a high-earner. Funny enough, Transformers: The Last Knight may be one of the highest-grossing sci-fi movies of the last ten years, but it's actually the lowest-grossing of the Michael Bay movies.

14 'Ready Player One' (2018)

Worldwide Gross: $607,874,422

Wade (Tye Sheridan) holding his VR goggles on his head in 'Ready Player One'Image via Warner Bros.

Based on the hit book of the same name, Steven Spielberg's more recent sci-fi success, Ready Player One, had a great time at the box office in 2018. This is partially because the book was already so popular, but also because it's the one and only Steven Spielberg, and nobody wants to miss a Spielberg release when it comes around. Therefore, many flocked to theaters when Ready Player One had its big release.

Despite what people think of the film's quality (book fans, as typical, not enjoying it as much as the source material), the movie made a good amount of money, and gamers specifically loved it. Spielberg did a great job bringing the world of the Oasis to life, and while some people have issues with the plot, the movie is a really enjoyable one for the most part.

13 'The Martian' (2015)

Worldwide Gross:$630,621,406

Matt Damon in his spacesuit looking into camera in The Martian

Matt Damon in The MartianImage via Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.

Another book-to-movie adaptation that hits the list of highest-grossing sci-fi movies of the last ten years is the Matt Damon-starring The Martian. However, unlike Ready Player One, this film was met with profound critical success. The iconic Ridley Scott, director of Alien, helmed the director role and did a great job bringing the book originally written by Andy Weir to the big screen.

With an incredibly great performance from Damon, The Martian was abundantly beloved when it came out ten years ago. A thrilling story about an astronaut being stranded on Mars, needing to use his smarts and wit to somehow survive on the barren landscape and signal to his team and let them know he is alive. The stakes are high, the cinematography is beautiful, and the screenplay adaptation by Drew Goddard is excellently written.

12 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2' (2015)

Worldwide Gross:$664,905,155

Natalie Dormer next to Jennifer Lawrence drawing a bow and arrow in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2.Image via Lionsgate

The big finale of the dystopian sci-fi The Hunger Games franchise, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2, was one of the highest-anticipated films of the 2010s, and for very good reason. When The Hunger Games was released in 2012, it took over the world and became one of the most beloved sci-fi franchises of the 2010s era. So, the second and final part of the final story in the saga was always going to bring people to theaters.

As Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) leads the resistance against the government, everything comes to a climax, and audiences get to see some wonderful storytelling from director Francis Lawrence and writers Peter Craig and Danny Strong. As many "Part 2" films tend to be, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 is action-packed to the very end.

11 'Dune: Part Two' (2024)

Worldwide Gross:$714,844,358

A shot of a man standing in the sand in Dune Part OneImage via Warner Bros.

The most recent sci-fi titan of a franchise is none other than that of Dune. In fact, the first film was so popular and garnered such a large fanbase, that the second movie, Dune: Part Two, out-grossed the first by around a whopping $304 million, bringing home about $714 million. The first movie displayed some of Timothee Chalamet's best acting work, but it doesn't even compare to the performance he brings to Dune: Part Two.

Many consider Dune to be the new generation's Star Wars, and that makes complete sense, given the critical love it's gotten and the massive box office return it brings in. Dune: Part Two helped define the franchise's reputation and cement it in not only the sci-fi genre but the Hollywood landscape of films as a whole.

10 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' (2025)

Worldwide Gross: $868,823,474

Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) and Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) stare up at a dinosaur in Jurassic World Rebirth. Image via Universal Pictures

Despite how absolutely horrific the reviews were for Jurassic World: Rebirth, it, as usual for the Jurassic Park franchise, brought home the bacon at the box office. In spite of trying to do something new and different with the series (which, in theory, is a great idea), the love was not critically present for Jurassic World: Rebirth. They got very lucky with how many people went to see it, due to the money it received, but it was also a detriment, thanks to the horrible reputation it now has.

Jurassic World: Rebirth takes place five years after the last entry in the franchise and brings in an entirely new cast—thank goodness, due to the nostalgia bait that so horribly held down the last trilogy—and has fun with new concepts. Again, in theory, this was a great idea, and if written a bit better, this could have easily been one of the most critically successful movies in the Jurassic Park series.

9 'Jurassic World Dominion' (2022)

Worldwide Gross: $1,001,978,080

Old and new together as the cast looks up at something in 'Jurassic World Dominion'

Old and new together as the cast of 'Jurassic World Dominion'Image via Universal Pictures

Since the beginning of the genre, the Jurassic Park franchise has been one of the defining staples of it in cinema—of course, Hollywood needed to keep it around for more big bucks. Thus, the world got the Jurassic World franchise. While it has been hit-or-miss critically (with the entire franchise feeling tired at this point), it has been a massive earner at the box office.

Still, when the original Jurassic Park cast returned for the third Jurassic World film, people immediately sprinted to theaters on June 10th, 2022. The assumptions were true, as Jurassic World: Dominion became one of the highest-grossing movies of 2022. The movie didn't get great reviews, but the box office numbers cannot be denied, which is why another sequel is on the way.

8 'Lilo & Stitch' (2025)

Worldwide Gross:$1,037,869,882

Stitch spraying a soda gun in Lilo & StitchImage via Disney

One of the later entries in the long-growing line of useless Disney live-action remakes is a revival of the classic film, Lilo & Stitch. When it was released, the reviews coming in were not great. Sure, there were a lot of children and families who loved it—made clear via the Rotten Tomatoes score—but most people were not happy with it, especially those who actually grew up on the original Lilo & Stitch.The movie made so many changes to the source material that didn't add to it, but detracted from it, which resulted in the film becoming a hollow shell of what came before. At the very least, remakes like The Lion King made changes that actually worked. Unfortunately, however, this is still a Disney film aimed at families, so it made a boatload of money—a whopping $1,037,869,882.

7 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' (2016)

Worldwide Gross: $1,058,684,742

Cassian Andor and Jon Erso lay low in a market on the planet Jedha in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Cassian Andor (played by actor Diego Luna), and Jon Erso (played by actor Felicity Jones), lay low in a market on the planet Jedha in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.Image via Lucasfilm

For years, people asked for a Star Wars movie that didn't revolve around the Skywalkers, but they were unsure if they'd ever get it. However, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story proved them wrong. With a whopping $1,058,684,742 at the worldwide box office, this movie proved (or should have) to Disney that this kind of Star Wars film was possible.

Unlike Jurassic World Dominion, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was met with heavy critical acclaim. The plot shows how Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) secured the Death Star plans in Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope, introducing audiences to a crucial time in the chronology that hadn't been explored before. Star Wars fans can only hope that they get more projects like this. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story even spawned a spin-off starring Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), meaning its legacy lives on.

6 'Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker' (2019)

Worldwide Gross: $1,077,022,372

Finn, Chewbacca, Rey, C-3PO and Poe all look onward on a sandy planet in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

It's expected that a few Star Wars projects to be among the highest-grossing sci-fi films of the last ten years. While some may not like the Sequel Trilogy, it can't be denied that it raked in some cash for Disney and Lucasfilm at the box office. As the conclusion of the sequel trilogy, Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker was always going to be a major cinematic event, even with all the divisiveness among the fandom.

The Rise of Skywalker kept viewers on the edge of their seats as Rey Palpatine (Daisy Ridley) faced off against her evil grandfather for the fate of the galaxy, with Ben Solo (Adam Driver) eventually joining her side. This movie sequel angered some fans, but they still took it to the top of the box office, ending the sequel trilogy on a high note, at least monetarily speaking.

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Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

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