10 of the biggest movie successes of the last decade

Over the past couple of weeks, we've dedicated some time to talking about the biggest failures in the video game industry over the past decade, and likewise also the biggest successes. After this, we pivoted to the film sector to spotlight the biggest failures in this area, and now, as you might expect, it's time to talk about the biggest successes.

Avengers: Endgame delivered a conclusion that will permeate history

We couldn't begin without talking about the final point in the Infinity Saga (yes, Spider-Man: Far From Home was technically the last part...). What Disney and Marvel Studios managed to achieve with the 20 or so films that made up this era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is nothing short of remarkable. It may just go down as one of the greatest cultural revolutions in the history of cinema, as for most of the 2010s, the talk surrounded this world and how each movie advanced the wider narrative a little further. The special part about Avengers: Endgame was that it was a perfect landing. It was like watching a gymnast do a triple-double and then land without a waver of concern. It was thrilling, action-packed, emotional, and left a mark like few other films and series ever had. Not to mention nearly $3 billion in ticket sales in Disney's pocket too...

Avatar: Way of Water established James Cameron as the box office final boss

Speaking about Disney and multi-billion dollar earners, we can't not include Avatar: Way of Water. Any film that surpasses the almost mythical $2 billion marker, even becoming the third-biggest film of all-time in the process, can be nothing but an astounding success. It's a reasonable opinion to state that this film isn't as strong as the original, but what can't be denied is that Way of Water also had a mountain of expectation and anticipation on its shoulders, and yet it still performed like few others ever had. James Cameron is the box office final boss, and Way of Water went a step further to proving that, but the question now is whether Fire and Ash will do so too.

Ne Zha 2 showed the might of the Chinese audience

As a final note on entries that mostly revolve around ticket sales, we have Ne Zha 2, a Chinese animated sequel that became such an immense hit in its native country that it nearly crossed the $2 billion threshold thanks to domestic viewers alone... This film achieved something that no one ever expected nor thought possible. It galvanised one audience like nothing ever has, it smashed and set new records for animated films to have to envy, and cemented itself as one of the seven $2 billion earners ever. If Ne Zha 2 isn't a mega success, we don't know what is.

Streamers and on-demand become king

The pandemic landed a full-force right hook on the box office and we're still waiting for it to get back on its feet and begin fighting back. It will recover, eventually, when fans realise how much they miss the beauty and magic of the big screen, but for several years now, the way to consume entertainment and films has been at home or through streamers. It's become such an important market that companies that have a fraction of the history of the production giants are now supposedly looking to buy the established giants outright, with Netflix reportedly being interested in acquiring the entirety of Warner Bros. If streamers and on-demand weren't now the kings of entertainment, would this really be the status quo?

Barbenheimer defined 2023

When it became clear that Greta Gerwig's Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer would be opening at the same time, we all began to joke about how different the two projects were, before 'shipping' them like two awkward and dejected celebrities. No one would have expected that this would create the cultural phenomenon that would define 2023, as Barbenheimer took over the world, seeing both films benefit from the other, catapulting them to well over $2 billion in ticket sales when combined. Millions flocked to cinemas in pink feather boas to watch Barbie while millions of others settled down for a dramatic three-hour epic, and the end result was a success story that we'll look back on delightfully for years to come.

Tom Cruise continued to be the epitome of an A-list movie star

In an era of blue and green screens and digital and CG effects, the aging Tom Cruise continued to be the prime example of a movie star at their best. Over the last ten years, Cruise appeared in three Mission: Impossible films where he performed countless physical stunts that made your jaw drop in sheer wonder, and as way to reset his palette, a long-awaited sequel to Top Gun where he spent a bunch of time piloting his own jet plane like an absolute maniac. The adrenaline junkie actor remains a draw for cinemagoers after four decades of work thanks to his commitment to authentic action, and frankly the day when Cruise steps back from throwing himself off buildings and out of planes will be a sad day for cinema as a whole.

Video game adaptations became (mostly) watchable

For years and years, any attempt to turn a video game into a film has resulted in disaster. Whether it's a creative setup that didn't feel befitting of the work or just a low budget that delivered god-awful trash, we became used to hearing a video game being adapted by Hollywood as a bad omen. But things have started changing and adaptations are becoming better. More experienced and suitable folk are being tasked with these projects and developers and publishers (now thanks to their immense size) have more creative control over the production too. The result is The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Sonic the Hedgehog, A Minecraft Movie, Detective Pikachu, Five Nights at Freddy's, Mortal Kombat, Uncharted, and more. There are still plenty of examples of colossal failures, but we're also now more comfortable hearing an adaptation is in the works, perhaps even excited...

Everything Everywhere All At Once becomes the most-awarded film ever

It came out of nowhere and became one of the most acclaimed films of all-time. Everything Everywhere All At Once debuted in 2022 and soon took most every awards ceremony that season by storm. As of writing, on IMDB the film has a whopping 397 awards wins (seven of which are Oscars) and a further 379 nominations. For a movie that cost upwards of $25 million to make, this is a pretty remarkable feat, nevermind the fact that it also raked in almost six-times its production budget at the box office. It may not have been a ticket-selling behemoth, but few have ever rivalled the silverware haul that this flick managed.

Denis Villeneuve goes on one of the strongest five-film runs of all-time

When you look at modern day directors, there are only a handful that are as successful and acclaimed as Denis Villeneuve. You could rightly argue Christopher Nolan, and he was close to taking this spot, but the British filmmaker hasn't nearly been as productive as the Canadian over the past ten years, and if you need proof, let me just list his five remarkable directorial efforts; Sicario, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, Dune, Dune: Part Two. If we were to repeat this article premise in a decade, there's a very real chance Villeneuve makes the cut once again, as on the immediate horizon he has Dune: Part Three, the next James Bond, and two other ideas in the pipeline about a nuclear war and disaster-preventing astronauts. Bravo, Denis. What else needs to be said?

Sony Pictures Animation gives animated movies a refresh

Lastly, how could we not mention Sony Pictures Animation, where in an era where most animated Hollywood films do their best to copy Pixar's cutesy style, they surprised many with a new innovative approach that opened countless others eyes to new possibilities. You might remember seeing Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in cinemas for the first time and being stunned. It was this excellent film that paved the way for equally amazing projects like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Wild Robot, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Nimona, and even other Sony Pictures Animation hits like The Mitchells vs. The Machines and KPop Demon Hunters. Animation has never been so enthralling and we can thank Sony Pictures Animation for that.

Did we miss any major successes? Let us know in the comments below.