List: The biggest movie premieres through the years

LOS ANGELES - Whether you’re a late-stage millennial from the "Blockbuster generation" or a Gen Z born into the age of streaming, going to the movies these days can feel nostalgic.

Gone are the long lines of people flocking to the theater for the latest "Batman," replaced now with the option to watch new releases from the comfort of your couch.  

But that doesn't mean movies aren't still making money. Here's a look at some of the biggest movie premieres in history.

The biggest movie premieres

By the numbers:

According to Box Office Mojo by IMDbPro, the following movies made the most money on their opening weekends: 

1. "Avengers: Endgame," April 26, 2019: $357 million
2. "Spider-Man: No Way Home," Dec. 17, 2021: $260 million
3. "Avengers: Infinity War," April 27, 2018: $258 million
4. "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens," Dec. 18, 2015: $248 million
5. "Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi," Dec. 15, 2017: $220 million
6. "Deadpool & Wolverine," July 26, 2024: $211 million
7. "Jurassic World," June 12, 2015: $208 million
8. "The Avengers," May 4, 2012: $207 million
9. "Black Panther," Feb. 6, 2018: $202 million
10. "The Lion King," July 19, 2019: $192 million
11. "Avengers: Age of Ultron," May 1, 2015: $191 million
12. "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," May 6, 2022: $187 million
13. "Incredibles 2," June 15, 2018: $183 million
14. "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," Nov. 11, 2022: $181 million
15. "Captain America: Civil War," May 6, 2016: $179 million

File: Fans attend the Los Angeles World Premiere of Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Endgame" at the Los Angeles Convention Center on April 23, 2019. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Disney)

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Is the movie-going experience under threat?

Big picture view:

With the takeover of streaming services, movie theaters are facing increasing financial hardships and declining ticket sales. A 2024 Forbes report pondered: "Is the Death of Movie Theaters Upon Us?"

"The ease with which we can access a vast catalog of films, from over a century of movie-making, has made it less and less likely that people are going to go to the theater," explained FOX entertainment critic and writer Allison Shoemaker. "But it’s still an incredibly valuable experience."

When Director Sean Baker won the Academy Award for best director for "Anora," Shoemaker recalled his impassioned speech about the importance of watching a film in theaters.  

"Where did we fall in love with movies? At the movie theater," Baker said in his Oscar acceptance speech. "Watching a film in the theater with an audience is an experience: We can laugh together, cry together, scream in fright together, perhaps sit in devastated silence together. And in a time when the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever. It’s a communal experience we simply don’t get at home."

Baker warned that the theater-going experience is under threat as more and more people opt to stream films instead, particularly smaller, independent movie theaters. Shoemaker agrees, but she said she hopes we can land somewhere in the middle. 

"There is something to be said for the accessibility of watching film online and at home," Shoemaker said. "We may not have the same communal experience, but there’s a new communal experience that we get to share. And as people continue to return to the movies, as more and more movies come out that people are flocking to big screens to see, I hope that we’re finding an equilibrium."

The cost of movie tickets through the years

One thing that hasn’t changed – whether you’re watching it at the theater or renting it at home – is the ever-increasing cost. In 1994, movie-goers in New York were outraged by the $8 ticket price. According to The Numbers business report, the average cost of a movie ticket in 2025 is $11.31. Meanwhile, renting a new release online typically costs about $20.