Hollywood is no stranger to producing bold and exciting sequels, with many studios like Marvel and Disney wanting to capitalize on the success of their spectacular original creations. From groundbreaking sci-fi spectacles like Avatar: The Way of Water to long-awaited follow-ups such as Top Gun: Maverick, the cinema has been home to some truly electrifying sequels.

Die-hard Star Wars fans were ecstatic when news broke that J.J. Abrams would helm a brand-new entry in the enduring franchise, and 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens shattered records and brought back beloved heroes like Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. Children all across the world rejoiced when Frozen II hit theaters, with Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and the rest of the lovable gang returning for the buzzed about flick. Here are the top ten highest-grossing movie sequels of all time.

10 Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) - $1.403 Billion

After dazzling moviegoers all across the world with the ultimate superhero dream team in 2012's The Avengers, Marvel outdid themselves once again with its highly-anticipated sequel Avengers: Age of Ultron. Iron Man, Captain America, and the rest of Earth's fierce defenders were back and ready to protect humanity from the extremely intelligent and powerful Ultron, an artificial intelligence that wishes to eradicate all life from the planet and thus bring forth world peace.

Whedon & Marvel's Blockbuster Triumph

Seeing as its predecessor brought in over $1 billion and MCU fan-favorites like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, and Scarlett Johansson all returned for the star-studded event, it's not surprising that Avengers: Age of Ultron completely dominated the box office.

Director Joss Whedon drew inspiration from The Empire Strikes Back and The Godfather Part II, setting out to create something original and "not just a rehash of what seemed to work the first time." The follow-up amassed $1.403 billion worldwide and further proving that the Avengers and MCU weren't going anywhere. Stream on Disney+.

9 Frozen II (2019) - $1.453 Billion

Kids rejoiced and parents cringed when it was announced that sisters and Arendelle royalty Anna and Elsa were back for another adventure in the animated musical fantasy Frozen II. The original Disney picture sparked a massive global phenomenon and won numerous accolades like an Academy Award and two Grammys, while also spawning the relentless earworm, "Let It Go." The follow-up had huge shoes to fill and giant expectations to meet, and it did so in spectacular fashion.

Shattering Box Office Records

Though many critics felt that Frozen II couldn't quite surpass the magic and wonder featured in the original, it nonetheless earned positive praise and was a knockout with moviegoers, becoming the second highest-grossing animated film of all time. After roughly just a month in theaters, Frozen II had passed the $1 billion mark at the global box office, bowing out at $1.453 billion after completing its theatrical run. Two new Frozen sequels are now in the works, with a third installment eyeing a 2026 release. Stream on Disney+.

8 Top Gun: Maverick (2022) - $1.496 Billion

After countless setbacks, delays, and production hurdles, Tom Cruise finally reprised his role as Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick, with the long-awaited sequel making its stunning debut 36 years after the original captivated audiences. Maverick is forced to address his past pain when he is enlisted to help train a brand-new batch of aspiring Top Gun graduates, with one student being the spirited son of his deceased close pal Nick "Goose".

Sequel Surpasses its Predecessor

Instead of opting to have Top Gun: Maverick hit streaming platforms, Cruise listened to his instincts and gut and pushed for the action flick to have a theatrical release. The gamble paid off, as the sequel received overwhelming acclaim from both audiences and critics, and was even deemed superior to its predecessor.

Not only did it earn a superb six Oscar nominations and was named Best Film by the National Board of Review, but Top Gun: Maverick also became the highest-grossing film of Cruise's career, taking in $1.496 billion. Stream on Prime Video.

Related: Top Gun 3: Everything That's Been Said About a Potential Sequel

7 Furious 7 (2015) - $1.515 Billion

Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and their loyal car-obsessed gang put the pedal to the metal once again with the action extravaganza Furious 7, with the installment following Dominic Toretto and Brian O'Conner as their team is recruited to help take down a dangerous terrorist while they are fiercely pursued by a mysterious, revenge-seeking stranger. With an estimated budget of roughly $250 million, the sequel was one of the most expensive films ever made and had to truly deliver at the box office (doing so with flying colors).

Tragedy Hits During Production

Production of Furious 7 was halted with the devastating death of Walker, who was killed in a car crash on November 30, 2013, and his brothers were brought in to help complete the project when filming ultimately resumed. Fans of the enduring franchise flocked to theaters to see how O'Conner's story would end, and the film was lauded for its emotional depth and tribute to the actor, as well as its jaw-dropping action sequences.

Furious 7 is the highest-grossing entry in the franchise and undeniably the most well-received. Stream on Max.

6 Jurassic World - $1.671 Billion

Hot off the heels of his charismatic performance as Peter Quill in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, Chris Pratt headlined another lucrative and exciting franchise with Jurassic World. The fourth entry in the thrilling sci-fi action series, the film takes place 22 years after the original at the luxury resort, where genetically engineered dinosaurs roam and curious minds come to witness the wonder. When some of the dinosaurs escape, it's up to a passionate ethologist and the park's operation manager to help save the day.

Dominating Screens Everywhere

With a supporting cast including Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio, and BD Wong, Jurassic World helped relaunch the franchise and was the first sequel to hit theaters in fourteen years. At the time of its release, the follow-up set a box office record and became the first film to cross $500 million during a single weekend, and within just two weeks it surpassed the $1 billion mark.

Critics and audiences everywhere declared Jurassic World the best sequel in the series, and its success led to two more films starring Pratt. Stream on Max.

5 Spider-Man: No Way Home - $1.922 Billion

The delightful and endearing Tom Holland returned as the friendly neighborhood web-slinger in the blockbuster hit Spider-Man: No Way Home, focusing on the titular hero as his identity is revealed to the world, and he finds his life completely turned upside down. Peter Parker turns to Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to help him return to the shadows and restore his massive secret, yet the spell causes the multiverse to break open and both villains and familiar faces are released into his universe.

Spider-Man Stars Unite

Spider-Man: No Way Home caused a massive frenzy amongst fans of the MCU when it was revealed that former Spider-Man stars Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield had returned to the role, with all three portrayers teaming up to save the day.

The film went on to surpass Spider-Man: Far From Home and became the highest-grossing Sony Pictures release and the highest-earning release of the year, raking in over $1.9 billion worldwide upon its theatrical release. Rent/Buy on Prime Video.

4 Avengers: Infinity War - $2.052 Billion

All the universe's beloved superheroes joined forces to help take on the mighty, destruction-seeking Thanos in the MCU's Avengers: Infinity War, which centers on the eponymous supergroup as they team up with the Guardians of the Galaxy in a valiant effort to protect half of humanity from becoming instantly extinct. With an unforgettable ensemble cast led by Robert Downey Jr., Chadwick Boseman, and Zoe Saldaña (to name just a few), the sequel was destined to dominate the box office.

Major Cinema Milestone

Avengers: Infinity War had a mind-boggling budget of $325–400 million and was one of the most expensive films of all time, and despite the jaw-dropping price tag, it became the first superhero movie to surpass more than $2 billion worldwide.

Lauded for its emotional depth, dazzling visual effects, and epic action sequences, the sequel received an Academy Award nomination and was named by Empire magazine as one of the 100 greatest films of the 21st century, as voted on by fans. Stream on Disney+.

3 Star Wars: The Force Awakens - $2.071 Billion

J.J. Abrams directed the seventh installment in the "Skywalker Saga", the epic space opera Star Wars: The Force Awakens, an electrifying sequel that takes place three decades after the Galactic Empire was defeated, and follows new heroes Rey and Finn as they work together to help the Resistance and take a stand against the nefarious warlord Kylo Ren. The duo enlist the help of the legendary General Leia Organa, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker to stop Ren and protect the law and order of the universe.

Enthusiastic Fans Couldn't Get Enough

Iconic original film stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill returned for the sensational flick, with new faces like Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver joining the celebrated and enduring franchise. Passionate fans flocked to watch the new entry, and there was such a demand in advance ticket sales that online movie ticket sites crashed because of the fervent reaction.

The Force Awakens was both a critical and commercial triumph, earning an A CinemaScore by audiences and bringing in over $2 billion at the box office. Stream on Disney+.

2 Avatar: The Way of Water - $2.320 Billion

After a long and arduous 13-year wait, fans of James Cameron's groundbreaking epic sci-fi masterpiece Avatar finally got the sequel they had been waiting for when Avatar: The Way of Water was finally released to the world in 2022. Enchanted audiences were once again transported to the breathtaking Pandora, where Jake Sully and Neytiri battle to keep their children, family, and clan safe after their land is once again threatened by relentless human colonizers.

A Mind-Bending Visual Spectacle

Not only was Avatar: The Way of Water a critical hit, garnering praise for its gorgeous technical achievements and imagery, but it also became the third highest-grossing film of all time and won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.

Like its predecessor, moviegoers were spellbound by the stunning world Cameron created, and the revered director had to once again wait for cutting-edge technology to be developed in order to film the sequel; the wait paid off, as the picture bowed out at the box office at over $2.3 billion. Stream on Max.

Related: Could the Avatar Sequels Go Beyond Jake Sully, and Should They?

1 Avengers: Endgame - $2.799 Billion

Unsurprisingly, the highest-grossing sequel of all time is a Marvel Studios creation that provided an emotional send-off to some of the MCU's most beloved heroes. Avengers: Endgame picks up after the events of Infinity War and chronicles the efforts of the surviving Avengers to restore order and peace after Thanos erased half of all the life in the universe. Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Thor, and the remaining superheroes set out to find a way to reverse Thanos' actions, leading to an explosive grand finale.

A Groundbreaking Marvel Send-Off

Avengers: Endgame marked the bittersweet end to an exciting chapter in the MCU, and devoted viewers were thrilled to find out what happened after the devastating snap and demise of the cherished characters. The sequel had a worldwide opening of $1.2 billion, becoming the biggest opening of all time, while also becoming the fastest movie to hit $1 billion (doing so in just five days).

Endgame was truly a spectacle to behold and gave fans the closure they needed, and the brilliant film remains a hallowed entry in both the MCU and cinema. Stream on Disney+.