It’s early to make predictions for the film landscape of 2027, but there’s a good chance that year could break the decade’s billion-dollar movie record. The 2020s have been unpredictable when it comes to box office numbers, which continue to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. While billion-dollar films had become commonplace in the 2010s, it’s been more difficult for new releases to break that ceiling in recent years.
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Underscoring that point, 2025 had just four movies that made $1 billion or more while in theaters: Ne Zha 2, Zootopia 2, the live-action Lilo and Stich, and Avatar: Fire and Ash (which came out in December 2025 but didn’t hit the $1 billion mark until January 2026). 2026 promises several more billion-dollar movies, with blockbusters like The Mandalorian and Grogu and Avengers: Doomsday poised to perform incredibly well. However, 2027 feels like the year things will really start to turn around, as five movies are likely to pass that milestone — with two more as promising hopefuls.
Five Movies Are Likely to Make $1 Billion or More in 2027 (With Two More Hopefuls)
2027 is already a stacked year for movies, with a number of highly anticipated titles slated for release. All the ones likely to pass the billion-dollar mark are sequels. Judging by the performance of past films in their franchises, hitting $1 billion should be doable. There are two huge superhero projects from Marvel Studios and the DCU, as well as several family films that have a cross-generational appeal:
- Avengers: Secret Wars
- The Batman: Part II
- Frozen 3
- Shrek 5
- Untitled A Minecraft Movie sequel
Avengers: Doomsday will give us a good idea of whether Secret Wars can pass the billion-dollar line. But as it’s one of Marvel’s ensemble features — and the follow-up to the two-part story, no less — it seems all but certain. Many of the MCU’s recent projects have proven disappointing, but these movies will bring back actors like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans and tie up lingering threads. They’re more comparable to Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame in that regard, both of which made over $2 billion worldwide.
The Batman: Part II also comes out in 2027, and while the first installment only made $772 globally (via Box Office Mojo), the sequel is likely to outdo it. People were skeptical going into the 2022 film, as there were questions about whether Robert Pattinson would succeed as DC’s Caped Crusader — and whether this take on Batman could live up to Cristopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. Now that people know and like The Batman, its sequel should get more of them to theaters.
Finally, there are multiple films for the whole family that could break $1 billion in two years’ time. Both the original Frozen and Frozen 2 managed it, so Frozen 3 feels destined to do the same. Many who grew up with Anna and Elsa are adults by now, which means multiple generations will be going to see the next chapter of their story. Shrek 5 has a similar appeal across ages. And while none of the prior films have crossed $1 billion, Shrek 2 came close. Given that this will bring the gang back together after over a decade away, it’s possible it’ll get there. The Minecraft Movie also made more than $950 million in 2025 (via Box Office Mojo), so its sequel can push it over the line in 2027.
Additionally, there are two movies that feel less assured of a billion-dollar box office but could still manage it: Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse and The Legend of Zelda. Despite being critically acclaimed, the Spider-Verse movies haven’t neared that milestone. The first made a little under $400 million worldwide, while the second jumped to $690 million (per Box Office Mojo). If the third continues that trajectory, it will at least come close to $1 billion. And The Legend of Zelda certainly has the fan base to repeat The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s success. Only time will tell if it does.
2027’s Highest-Grossing Movies Will Continue a Worrying Trend
It’s exciting that 2027 could break the 2020s’ billion-dollar movie record. However, the films likely to do so continue a worrying Hollywood trend. The vast majority of projects that are dominating the box office are sequels that continue massive franchises. While these sorts of projects have always been top performers, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for original stories to make waves. And as consumers grow weary of sequels, reboots, and nostalgia grabs, even seemingly guaranteed hits could begin to falter. This probably won’t hurt 2027’s numbers, but it could eventually backfire on the box office.
Even If These Movies Make $1 Billion, 2027 Won’t Reach the Box Office Heights of 2019
The other thing worth noting about 2027 is that, even if the year does see five films breaking $1 billion, we still won’t be back to the heights of 2019. In 2019, an impressive nine movies reached that number — a showing that makes the 2020s’ slowdown even more jarring. Per Box Office Mojo, these are the titles that made 2019 such a groundbreaking year for film:
- Avengers: Endgame
- The Lion King
- Frozen 2
- Spider-Man: Far From Home
- Captain Marvel
- Joker
- Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker
- Toy Story 4
- Aladdin
If the third Spider-Verse movie and The Legend of Zelda join the likely contenders in making $1 billion, 2027 could bring us significantly closer to reaching 2019’s heights. Either way, so many high-performing movies would be a sign that things are headed in the right direction. It will still take more time to fully recover, but things look hopeful. And while 2026 doesn’t have as many promising blockbusters, this year could take a big step forward too.
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