In terms of reflecting the human experience in a movie format, no genre does it more effectively than drama. At its core, a good drama is grounded in reality and, most often, draws its conflict or suspense through emotion; think of the likes of Casablanca or The Shawshank Redemption. Drama has its roots in ancient human history, since the very dawn of narrative and acting, and is the very basis of an instinctual desire to tell stories.
Dramas continuously prove to be one of the most consistently watched genres of movies out there. Most dramas are fairly accessible and can be enjoyed by a wide range of moviegoers, but that doesn't always translate to box office success. Still, many dramas have not only succeeded at the domestic box office but actually thrived in ways few expected. The following dramatic movies have grossed the most at the domestic box office according to the website TheNumbers.com, an industry-trusted data and research team operating since 1997.
10 'The Blind Side' (2009) Domestic Box Office: $255,959,475
17-year-old Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) has spent most of his young life homeless and without direction. Leigh Anne Tuhoy (Sandra Bullock) and her family bring Michael in and treat him as if he were their own. Michael's tremendous stature and interest in football land him a spot on a high-school team. With hard work, determination and tremendous love and support from an unexpected family, Michael eventually grows to be one of the most promising football prospects in the country.
The success of The Blind Side is not at all surprising: it's an All-American story based on true events focusing on football and driven by excellent performances. The success led to a Best Picture nomination and a win for Bullock at the 2010 Academy Awards. Since its release, The Blind Side has faced criticism and legal trouble and isn't remembered too fondly. Still, the film did enough for general audiences at the time to earn it one of the biggest paydays for a drama movie in history.
The Blind Side PG-13BiographyDramaSports
Release Date November 20, 2009 Director John Lee Hancock Cast Quinton Aaron , Sandra Bullock , Tim McGraw , Jae Head , Lily Collins , Ray McKinnon , Kim Dickens , Adriane Lenox Runtime 129 Minutes Writers John Lee Hancock , Michael Lewis
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9 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1' (2011) Domestic Box Office: $281,287,133
Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) are wed in what could only be described as the perfect ceremony. It is on their honeymoon that the couple discovers that Bella is pregnant. Unfortunately for Bella, the baby is growing at an extremely accelerated rate, and her life is at risk, but that isn't the only danger coming their way.
The fourth entry in the series, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 proved to be as successful as the title is clunky. While regarded as arguably the weakest of the Twilight franchise movies, like all movies in the series, it still raked in the dough. Fans flooded theaters to see their favorite human-vampire couple finally say their vows. Like them or not, the Twilight movies are a landmark of millennial culture, and it won't be the last time the franchise is mentioned in this list.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 PG-13AdventureDramaFantasyRomance Where to Watch streamrentbuy
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Release Date November 16, 2011 Director Bill Condon Cast Robert Pattinson , Kristen Stewart , Taylor Lautner , Ashley Greene , Billy Burke , Anna Kendrick Runtime 108 minutes Writers Stephenie Meyer , Melissa Rosenberg 8 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2' (2012) Domestic Box Office: $292,324,737
Bella Swan is now a vampire and mother to an immortal child. As Edward is teaching her how to control her new abilities, the world's largest and most powerful coven of vampires deems their newborn child too dangerous to live. Bella must search for allies within Jacob's (Taylor Lautner) wolf pack and prepare for a battle against a powerful threat.
Unsurprisingly, the epic and highly-anticipated conclusion to the Twilight Saga made bank at the box office. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 brought to a close a movie series that was massively successful despite consistent critical lampooning, especially on the aggregator review site Rotten Tomatoes. If nothing else, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 and the series as a whole prove that fans will turn up to watch their favorite properties, despite what critics have to say. The highly-anticipated finale at least delivered more action and a more consistent narrative, living up to its place as the exciting ending to what was one of the defining cinematic sagas of the noughties.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 PG-13AdventureDramaFantasyRomance Where to Watch streamrentbuy
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Release Date November 16, 2012 Director Bill Condon Cast Kristen Stewart , Robert Pattinson , Taylor Lautner , Peter Facinelli , Elizabeth Reaser , Ashley Greene Runtime 115 minutes Writers Melissa Rosenberg , Stephenie Meyer 7 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' (2009) Domestic Box Office: $296,623634
Edward Cullen and the rest of the Cullen family decide to leave their small town of Forks, Washington, after they realize the risk they pose to Bella Swan. Heartbroken and alone, Bella finds new comfort in a close friendship with Jacob Black, a childhood friend and member of a local pack of werewolves.
The follow-up to the unexpected hit, Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon proved to be even more financially successful than its predecessor. A new spark of drama and romance was lit following the introduction of Bella and Jacob's will-they/won't-they yearning. Audiences ate it up, leading to impressive domestic and worldwide totals, but even still. New Moon is the definition of a sequel building upon the foundations of the original movie: it expanded the world and delivered an even more intense dose of teen angst that turned it into a sensation in the fall of 2009.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Release Date Director Cast Runtime Rating Writers Expand
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6 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' (2010) Domestic Box Office: $300,531,751
A series of mysterious murders has Seattle in a chokehold that threatens the residents of nearby Forks, Washington. Meanwhile, soon-to-be high school graduate Bella Swan finds herself almost unable to resist the charms of vampire Edward Cullen. The only thing holding her back is Jacob Black, Bella's childhood friend and confidant. Bella must make the impossible decision between the two.
The third entry to the Twilight franchise, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse's success is a testament to its marketing. At the time, one's stance on Team Edward vs. Team Jacob was a pressing matter. Like two warring political parties that had their respective supporters clawing at the opposition, fans were eager to witness for themselves who Bella would choose. The Twilight Saga: Eclipsebuilt up on the success of its predecessors and doubled down on the melodrama, serving up heaps of teenage angst and a revenge side plot as a side dish.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Release Date Director Cast Runtime Rating Writers Expand
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5 'Oppenheimer' (2023) Domestic Box Office: $329,862,540
Oppenheimer chronicles the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), the genius physicist who played a leading role in the creation of the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer's subsequent trial regarding potential ties to communism is intercut with his work on the top-secret Manhattan Project, with the end goal of winning the war and establishing the United States as a nuclear superpower. An experiment known as The Trinity Test would lead to Oppenheimer's greatest success and worst nightmares.
The massive success of Oppenheimer shouldn't have been surprising. After all, Christopher Nolan had already proved himself a visionary filmmaker and one of Hollywood's most consistent creators of quality entertainment. Still, the sheer cultural impact of Oppenheimer is hard to quantify. Releasing in tandem with Greta Gerwig's Barbie, the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon is best described by the phrase "you had to be there."Oppenheimer's success wouldn't end at the box office -- it went on to win seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, making it the closest thing the 21st century has had to a true dramatic cinematic event.
Oppenheimer RBiographyDramaHistory Where to Watch streamrentbuy *Availability in US
Release Date July 21, 2023 Director Christopher Nolan Cast Cillian Murphy , Matt Damon , Robert Downey Jr. , Emily Blunt , Alden Ehrenreich , Scott Grimes , Jason Clarke , Tony Goldwyn Runtime 180 minutes Writers Kai Bird , Christopher Nolan , Martin J. Sherwin 4 'Forrest Gump' (1994) Domestic Box Office: $330,151,138
Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) is a man with an impossibly interesting life story. From his time on the All-American Collegiate football team, service in the Vietnam War, entrepreneurial efforts aboard a shrimping boat, and even meeting with three different U.S. presidents, Forrest always seemed to be at the center of American cultural events. Still, he stayed true to who he was and what he believed in, inspiring kindness and understanding.
Forrest Gump is a movie as American as baseball and apple pie; it's no wonder why domestic audiences found it so delectable. Tom Hanks is a national treasure, filling in the shoes of the titular character wonderfully. Even after an impressive box office run, Forrest Gump won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, beating out heavy hitters like The Shawshank Redemption and Pulp Fiction. Forrest Gump is a winning combination of optimistic sentimentality and heartfelt execution that remains popular today.
Forrest Gump PG-13DramaComedyRomance Where to Watch streamrentbuy *Availability in US
Release Date July 6, 1994 Director Robert Zemeckis Cast Tom Hanks , Robin Wright , Gary Sinise , Mykelti Williamson , Sally Field , Rebecca Williams Runtime 142 Writers Winston Groom , Eric Roth 3 'American Sniper' (2014) Domestic Box Office: $350,126,372
American Sniper is a biographical drama focusing on Navy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper). His precision and tactical awareness made Kyle a legend on the battlefield and a prime target for the enemy. Kyle's skill saved many lives in combat, but he struggles to leave the fight behind when he returns home.
Directed tactfully by Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, American Sniper is a movie ultimately propped up by a powerful lead performance from Cooper. Based on a real soldier, husband and father, Cooper delivers a performance that is respectfully restrained yet layered. American Sniper isn't exactly an anti-war statement, but it also isn't a sensationalist piece of boisterous patriotism. It works best as a story of an American soldier who was excellent at what he did and suffered because of it. The patriotic subtext propelled American Sniper at the box office, where it benefitted from Oscar buzz and the mostly empty January release slot.
American Sniper RActionWar Where to Watch streamrentbuy *Availability in US
Release Date December 25, 2014 Director Clint Eastwood Cast Bradley Cooper , Sienna Miller , E.R. Ruiz , Luke Grimes , Jake McDorman , Max Charles Runtime 132 Writers Jason Hall , Chris Kyle , Scott McEwen , James Defelice 2 'The Passion of the Christ' (2004) Domestic Box Office: $370,782,930
The Passion of the Christ is a period epic that depicts the last twelve hours of Jesus of Nazareth's life. Jesus (James Caviezel) is condemned to death for blasphemy following his betrayal at The Last Supper. He is then arrested, brought to Jerusalem, and exposed to extreme forms of suffering and torture before his crucifixion.
The highest-grossing Christian movie of all time, The Passion of the Christ is widely considered essential viewing for those of the Christian faith. Before the release of Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), The Passion of the Christ was also the highest-grossing R-rated movie in US box office history. The film was arguably the most talked-about release of 2004, inspiring both positive and negative commentary surrounding its graphic depiction of Jesus' last hours. While most certainly not for everybody, considering the extreme violence, The Passion of the Christ is an important piece of religious filmmaking.
The Passion of the Christ pg-13Drama Where to Watch streamrentbuy
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Release Date March 15, 2004 Director Mel Gibson Cast Jim Caviezel , Monica Bellucci , Maia Morgenstern Runtime 127minutes Writers Mel Gibson 1 'Titanic' (1997) Domestic Box Office: $674,460,013
A dramatization of the maritime disaster that took place in 1912, Titanic tells the story of artist Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and aristocrat Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet). A romance blossoms between the two on the maiden voyage on what is deemed to be the unsinkable R.M.S. Titanic. When disaster strikes, Jack and Rose are thrust into a fight for survival that would find more than 1500 souls lost to the sea.
The success story of Titanic is a long and fabled one. It was the highest-grossing movie of all time for more than a decade and, perhaps more stunningly, remained in theaters for 54 weeks. That kind of theatrical longevity is unprecedented these days, most definitely helping to contribute to the movie's legacy as one of the greatest cinematic success stories of all time. Titanic was the definition of a cinematic phenomenon; people rewatched it countless times in theaters, contributing to its outright legendary standing in modern film history. In regards to quality, Titanic is bold blockbuster filmmaking that stands the test of time and remains thoroughly enjoyable to this day.
Titanic PG-13DramaRomanceEpic Where to Watch streamrentbuy *Availability in US
Release Date November 19, 1997 Director James Cameron Cast Leonardo DiCaprio , Kate Winslet , Billy Zane , Kathy Bates , Frances Fisher , Gloria Stuart Runtime 194 minutes Writers James Cameron
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