Top 10 Highest-Grossing Movies Worldwide in 2016

As the most anticipated movie of the year, the highly anticipated Batman v Superman failed to make the impact expected, despite bringing together two of the most iconic superheroes: Batman and Superman. Dawn of Justice was meant to be the cornerstone project, expanding the DC superhero universe and positioning Warner Bros as a formidable rival to Disney and Marvel Studios. However, the blockbuster sparked endless debates over its story quality and was met with criticism from critics. While its global earnings of $872.7 million, alongside a production budget of $250 million, were impressive, it was still far from satisfying the movie's producers.

With its heartwarming theme of family love and reunion, Finding Dory captured the hearts of audiences, drawing viewers of all ages. It's no surprise that the film sold out in 4,305 theaters and earned a staggering $831.1 million at the global box office.

The movie's title, meaning 'The Dead Pool', was released just in time for Valentine's Day. While not everyone would dare to take their significant other to a movie as outrageous as this, the film does feature a real love story at its core. However, with its gory scenes and a stream of profanities, it was definitely not suited for viewers under 16. Despite this, Deadpool became an unexpected blockbuster, grossing $782.6 million. As the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, it also earned a spot in IMDb's Top 250 movies, all with a production budget of just $58 million.

The Mermaid, or 'Mỹ nhân ngư' in Vietnamese, is the work of beloved comedic director Stephen Chow. Just hearing his name is enough to entice his fans to buy tickets, disregarding the plot, cast, or special effects. Despite being shown in only 106 theaters over seven weeks, the film earned a whopping 3.7 billion yuan (approximately $553.8 million).

X-Men: Apocalypse is the ninth installment in the iconic X-Men series. It's a bit disappointing to see X-Men: Apocalypse (Fox) only ranked eighth on today's list. It seems that the combination of the Hunger Games' heroine Katniss Everdeen and Sansa Stark from Game of Thrones wasn't enough to attract audiences to the theaters. The film, once expected to be a major blockbuster, earned just $534.5 million, a significant drop from its predecessor, Days of Future Past (2014).

Following the massive success of its predecessors in 2008 and 2011, Kung Fu Panda 3 continues the delightful journey of the lovable, plump, and kind-hearted panda. The film introduces a surprising reunion with his father and extended family. After making a splash in 3,987 theaters worldwide, Kung Fu Panda 3 (Fox), featuring Jackie Chan, earned a solid $519.8 million at the global box office.

Ranked at number 10 on the list is Warcraft, a battle between two worlds. Directed by Duncan Jones, this film is based on the iconic World Of Warcraft franchise. Although first announced in 2006, fans of the game had to wait a decade to witness the epic clash between humans and Orcs on the big screen.

With a box office gross of $433 million, 2.7 times its production budget, and an additional 200,000 players joining the game, Warcraft is considered the most successful video game adaptation ever.

It’s no surprise that this superhero blockbuster, often jokingly called Avengers 2.5, was the highest-grossing film of the first eight months of the year. Featuring familiar characters like Captain America, Iron Man, Falcon, Ant-Man, Black Widow, and The Winter Soldier, while also introducing Black Panther and a new Spider-Man, Civil War took the global box office by storm in late April and early May. The film ended up earning over $1.151.5 million.

The first billion-dollar film on today's list is Zootopia, which comes as no surprise. In a time when people increasingly love animals, a film centered around the entire animal kingdom naturally resonates with audiences. Praised for its stunning animation, engaging story, and powerful message, Zootopia grossed a whopping $1.023.1 million. This makes it the fourth highest-grossing animated film in history, joining the ranks of Frozen (2013) at $1.276 million, Minions (2015) at $1.159 million, and Toy Story 3 (2010) at $1.063 million.

Regarded as a 21st-century take on the 1976 classic, The Jungle Book exceeded all expectations at the box office. With top-notch visual effects and a stellar performance by 12-year-old Neel Sethi, the film made a major impact. His bright smile and sparkling eyes fit perfectly with the story, helping the film rake in a stunning $940.6 million in total revenue.