Whether it’s Hallmark’s big city girls going to small hometowns to find Christmas magic that warms your cocoa, or you prefer the classics, Christmas movies have become a part of our daily routine during the holiday season. We all love them, and there are oh-my-garland, so many of them! But not every Christmas movie is destined for jolly box office success, but those that do really give the Grinch a run for his money.
According to Box Office Mojo these are 15 of the highest grossing Christmas movies of all time.
Image Credit: IMDB.
15. ‘Fred Claus’ (2007)
Final Box Office: $72 million
According to the box office, Santa is not the leading man of Christmas – his lesser-known brother is stealing the spotlight. While the 2007 “Fred Claus” was despised by the critics, earning a measly 21% rating at Rotten Tomatoes, but it somehow managed to secure a worldwide gross of $72 million. Inspired by Donald Henkel’s poem “A Legend of Santa and His Brother Fred,” the movie features Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti as the unlikely Claus brothers, Fred and Nicholas, respectively.
Image Credit: IMDb/Warner Bros.
14. ‘A Bad Moms Christmas’ (2017)
Final Box Office: $72 million
Striking while the holiday cheer was high, “A Bad Moms Christmas” brought back the hilarious trio—Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, and Kathryn Hahn—for another round of (now festive) shenanigans. Costing $28 million to make, the sequel, which in all honesty was not as good as its predecessor, laughed all the way to $72 million at the box office.
Image Credit: IMDb.
13. ‘Christmas with the Kranks’ (2004)
Final Box Office: $73.8 million
Adapted from John Grisham’s 2001 novel “Skipping Christmas,” this film stars holiday movie veteran Tim Allen—who unsurpsingly dominates this list— alongside Jamie Lee Curtis as a couple planning to ditch the traditional Christmas festivities as their daughter is away, only to face a whirlwind of change at the last minute. Given the movie got a 5% Roten Tomatoes score, it’s a Christmas miracle it raked $73.8 million at the box office.
Image Credit: IMDb.
12. ‘The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause’ (2006)
Final Box Office: $84.5 million
While the least loved by critics, the third installment of the beloved Disney’s ‘Santa Clause’ trilogy, starring, you guessed it, Tim Allen, did surprisingly well at the box office.
Image Credit: IMDb.
11. ‘Daddy’s Home 2’ (2017)
Final Box Office: $104 million
“Daddy’s Home 2” amped up the holiday cheer by reuniting Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg and throwing John Lithgow and Mel Gibson into the mix. Critics were not exactly fans, but the movie still pulled in a cool $180 million worldwide, even though it couldn’t quite catch up to the original ‘Daddy’s Home’s $242.8 million haul in 2015.
Image Credit: IMDb.
10. ‘Four Christmases’ (2008)
Final Box Office: $120.1 million
In “Four Christmases,” Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon play a couple enduring a Christmas Day marathon, bouncing between their divorced parents’ homes. The Hollywood Reporter dubbed it “one of the most joyless Christmas movies ever,” but its box office told a different story.
Image Credit: IMDb.
9. ‘A Christmas Carol’ (2009)
Final Box Office: $137.9 million
Disney’s third take on Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” put a new spin on an old classic. In a recognizable Robert Zemeckis’ 3D mo-cap animation, the 2009 movie featured Jim Carrey as Scrooge and other characters, and despite mixed reviews, grossed a whopping $318.48 million globally.
Image Credit: IMDb.
8. ‘The Santa Clause 2’ (2002)
Final Box Office: $139.2 million
Eight years after the original, “The Santa Clause 2” saw Tim Allen and the main cast return, but it didn’t quite match the first film’s charm. This time, Scott Calvin’s Santa faces a new challenge: his son Charlie’s rebellious behavior at school. With a budget of about $65 million, the sequel ‘raked in $139.2 million domestically and an additional $33.6 million overseas.
Image Credit: IMDb.
7. ‘The Santa Clause’ (1994)
Final Box Office: $144.8 million
Directed by John Pasquin and starring Tim Allen, the 1994 “The Santa Clause” is the only movie of the trilogy that was approved by the critics, scoring a “fresh” rating of 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, earning itself the honor of being something of a holiday classic. Earning a whopping $189.8 million worldwide, the movie was also a financial hit, especially considering its modest budget of just $22 million.
Image Credit: IMDB.
6. ‘The Polar Express’ (2004)
Final Box Office: $162.8 million
“The Polar Express” set a record in 2006 as the first all-digital capture film, earning three Oscar nominations. Voiced by the likes of Tom Hanks, Nona Gaye, and Peter Scolari, the Robert Zemeckis-helmed visually stunning adventure brings Chris Van Allsburg’s 1985 book to life. Thanks to seasonal IMAX re-releases, it grossed $182.7 million domestically and $306.85 million worldwide.
Image Credit: IMDb.
5. ‘Elf’ (2003)
Final Box Office: $173.4 million
Everyone knows the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear, but a close second is definitely cozying up with “Elf” (2003). The beloved holiday classic wrapped up success, earning a jolly $220.4 million globally on a modest $33 million budget. Directed by Jon Favreau, this festive favorite features Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, and Mary Steenburgen, and has both critics and audiences wrapped around its little elfin finger.
Image Credit: IMDB.
4. ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’ (1992)
Final Box Office: $173.6 million
The smashing success of the first “Home Alone” movie inevitably led to a sequel. “Home Alone 2” sees Kevin McCallister, played by Macaulay Culkin, battling the Wet/Sticky Bandits (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) once more, using his trademark booby traps instead of, say, calling the police. While it didn’t surpass the original in box office earnings, with a domestic haul of $173.58 million and $358.99 million globally, it still was a huge financial success.
Image Credit: IMDB.
3. ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ (2000)
Final Box Office: $260 million
In Ron Howard’s take on the Dr. Seuss classic, Jim Carrey’s Grinch not only stole Christmas but also raked in the green, netting over $345 million worldwide despite initial mixed reviews.Though the 1966 TV special remains a classic, this film adds its own charm with a fun, Seussian spin on the Christmas adventure.
Image Credit: IMDB.
2. ‘The Grinch’ (2018)
Final Box Office: $270.6 million
The third adaptation of the classic tale, with Benedict Cumberbatch voicing the green Christmas-hating Grinch, marked the second animated take on the story. “The Grinch” received a mix of reviews, but that didn’t stop from painting the box office green, bagging $225 million worldwide, with $189.67 million from the U.S. alone, all on a $75 million budget.
Image Credit: IMDB.
1. ‘Home Alone’ (1990)
Final Box Office: $285.8 million
What can we say about “Home Alone” that has not been already said? The beloved holiday classic was made on a $17 million budget, and was the highest-grossing live-action comedy until 2011 when it was surpassed by “Hangover II.” It’s been dominating the box office for 12 weeks straight after its November 16, 1990, release, ultimately grossing a whopping $476.68 million worldwide.
This article was produced and syndicated by MediaFeed.
Image Credit: IMDB.
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