The Top 11 Most Profitable Films in Box Office History

5. Grease

This one was a bit of a surprise. Grease was certainly a hit, but who would have thought it was as big as this? The studio certainly didn’t expect it to achieve blockbuster status, but that’s precisely what it was in 1978. It was perfectly timed for people in their 20s to 40s to hit up a movie that would offer a little nostalgia. Grease was released in 1978, one year after John Travolta’s monster success in Saturday Night Fever. And it certainly didn’t hurt box office numbers by inserting Olivia Newton John into the cast. The film rolled out a monster return on investment when considering the original budget. An inflation adjusted budget of $20 million resulted in an impressive $395 million. And the film lives on… and on… and the actors say thanks, and thanks again as the residuals continue to roll in year after year.