Avatar is still trumpeting it’s financial success as the number 1 money-maker, topping Titanic‘s previous position at the top.
Remember how you always heard data can be manipulated?
Avatar has made over 700 million dollars in domestic ticket sales, but that’s before you adjust it for inflation. boxofficemojo has broken down the highest domestic (U.S.) grosses and Avatar isn’t even in the top ten.*
Can you guess what is? Nope, not Star Wars.
The #1 title belongs to Gone With the Wind. Adjusted for inflation, Gone With the Wind made the equivalent of 1.5 billion dollars in 1939 (no word on its overseas grosses).
Hell, the animated 101 Dalmatians (1961) beats out Avatar in domestic sales and that’s without IMAX and 3D extras bumping up the figures.
There are other interesting films on the list, including The Graduate: It’s in the top 20 after making the equivalent of $650+ million, coming right behind Jurassic Park and ahead of titles like The Dark Knight.
You can see the whole chart below
http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm
*True, Avatar is currently number 1 with worldwide ticket sales, but that’s not adjusted for inflation either. Unfortunately, there don’t seem to be any tables which do the worldwide box office math when adjusted for inflation.
The Filmsmith 