10 Highest-Grossing Musicals of All Time, Ranked By How Good They Are

When one thinks of the highest-grossing movies of all time, they tend to think of one genre and one related subgenre. On the former end there’s sci-fi, with movies like Avatar and the Star Wars saga proving to be adventures that are best seen on the big screen. If you didn’t pay for a ticket and see it on the biggest display possible, you feel as though you didn’t see it as it was meant to be seen. They’re the types of movies that make the theater industry not only seem relevant, but integral. As for the aforementioned subgenre, that would be superhero movies, with mega-events like The Dark Knight and The Avengers drawing in audiences across all demos week after week.

But it might surprise you that, if you adjust for inflation, some of the biggest movies ever made have been musicals. For instance, the two Wicked films. What follows are the ten highest-grossing musicals in United States movie history. The numbers by their titles reflect their domestic haul were it adjusted to 2025 dollars.

10) The Rocky Horror Picture Show ($516 Million Adjusted)

Is The Rocky Horror Picture Show a good movie in the traditional sense? It depends on who you ask, but even some of its many fans would likely answer no. But it is, however, the definitive cult movie. After all, it opened in 1975, flopped then, but has essentially never left theaters in 50 years. To this day it gets itself midnight showing, where fans can interact and have the time of their lives.

At the end of the day, though, this camp fest is most important for putting Tim Curry on the map. As alien scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter, he delivered one of the ultimate star-making performances, consistently displaying charisma to spare. This was his first performance in a movie, and most fans would argue it remains his best. At the very least it’s his most important.

Stream The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Hulu.

9) The Lion King (2019) ($565 Million Adjusted)

In 1994, The Lion King broke the hearts of children and parents alike with its moving narrative and the devastating stampeding of pappa lion Mufasa. It says a lot about the 2019 remake, and how much more alienating CGI is than traditional animation, that even Mufasa’s death fails to really register. With hand-drawn animation, you find yourself drawn into the world. With CGI, you see something that is effectively trying to cross over into your world. The lions may look real, but they don’t feel real, so even if Mufasa is again voiced by James Earl Jones, it just doesn’t carry the same weight when he dies.

But the question is whether Jon Favreau’s The Lion King is a total failure. It’s not, as the vocal cast give game performances and on the surface level the special effects are impressive, but you can’t help but feel as though it’s a wholly necessary retelling of a classic that was told perfectly the first time.

Stream The Lion King on Disney+.

8) Beauty and the Beast (2017) ($533 Million Adjusted)

The original Beauty and the Beast was an important entry in Disney’s filmography. After all, it was the first animated movie to ever be nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Picture. And even after decades it is still a powerful musical with important themes and gorgeous hand-drawn animation.

The 2017 remake is…fine. It’s more engrossing than the aforementioned The Lion King, but it’s further proof that classic Disney movies don’t necessarily need live action remakes. Something is taken out of them in the process. Even still, some of the casting was pretty spot-on, from Luke Evans as Gaston to Ian McKellen as Cogsworth.

Stream Beauty and the Beast on Disney+.

7) Grease ($722 Million Adjusted)

While Grease has aged particularly poorly in spots it’s still an influential and beloved entry in musical film history. But, when it comes to its antiquated view of the male-female interpersonal dynamic, it felt right to put it on the lower end of the ranking.

Even still, its 1950s setting is charming and convincingly crafted, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John have top-notch chemistry in the lead roles, and some of the songs were and remain phenomenons. It’s a film that holds a spark, just be prepared to hear some controversial lyrics here and there.

Stream Grease for free on Kanopy.

6) Wicked ($475 Million Adjusted)

Visually stunning and well-acted by Ariana Grande and, especially, Cynthia Erivo, Jon M. Chu’s Wicked is a sublime adaptation of the 2003 stage musical. And, like that stage musical, it’s an interesting subversion of The Wizard of Oz‘s narrative that will forever alter how you watch that film (the same could be said even more emphatically of Wicked: For Good).

One might argue the film runs a little too long for its own good, but even at 160 minutes you find yourself wrapped up in its well-staged musical numbers and the organic nature of the cast’s performances, from the two leads to the standout work by Jonathan Bailey and Ethan Slater. Wicked was a box office smash, quintupling its budget with its worldwide haul, and will remain a favorite in households for decades to come.

Stream Wicked on Prime Video.

5) The Bells of St. Mary’s ($588 Million Adjusted)

The Bells of St. Mary’s is an ultra-charming classic that coasts on the chemistry shared between Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. But their dynamic isn’t the only thing that works about it, as it’s also capable of making the audience laugh and, more frequently, feel the warmth of human nature.

It’s also a movie that is particularly well-aged, considering the push and pull between modernization and conservatism in Christianity is still very much present. At the end of the day this is a Christmas movie that harkens back to the days when different sides could attempt to meet in the middle.

Stream The Bells of St. Mary’s for free with ads on The Roku Channel.

4) West Side Story (1961) ($525 Million Adjusted)

Unlike Steven Spielberg’s remake, the original West Side Story was a genuinely massive movie. And it’s easy to see why, as it’s a visually and emotionally dazzling then-modern-day retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

West Side Story is impressive in its ability to tackle some serious issues and do it well but in a way that is decidedly almost joyous. The excellent score by Leonard Bernstein interweaves itself into the narrative so nothing becomes too depressing or overwhelming. Admittedly, there is a brownface issue here, but fortunately it’s never used in a way that turns characters in caricatures.

Stream West Side Story on Prime Video.

3) My Fair Lady ($563 Million Adjusted)

With top-tier costuming, an iconic performance by Audrey Hepburn, and a catchy score by Lerner & Loewe, My Fair Lady is one of the great classic musicals for good reason. And, considering it focuses on classism, there’s but so much the film has or will age.

The film was the second highest-grossing movie of 1964, finding itself embraced by audiences of a great many demos. Opinion is divided on whether it’s indicting classist attitudes or championing them, but if viewed through the lens of the former it’s one of the most purely enjoyable musicals ever made.

2) Mary Poppins ($733 Million Adjusted)

One of Disney’s most, well, magical films, Mary Poppins is one of the most creative endeavors of the 1960s. It managed to blend live action and animation in a way that still plays like a charm today.

While just about everything regarding Mary Poppins‘ construction is hugely impressive even 60 years later, it’s a film that really wouldn’t have worked without the two right people in the lead roles. Fortunately, both Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke couldn’t have been better choices, with each bringing in a level or relatability, likability, and humanity to their roles that perpetually props up the viewing experience.

Stream Mary Poppins on Disney+.

1) The Sound of Music ($1.335 Billion Adjusted)

When it comes to the highest-grossing musical of all time, you might expect The Wizard of Oz to easily be it. But that’s not the case. In fact, The Wizard of Oz didn’t do well back in 1939. It wasn’t until its 1949 re-release that it became profitable. Instead, the highest-grossing musical movie of all time is the 1965 classic The Sound of Music, which is behind only Gone with the Wind and Star Wars: A New Hope in terms of domestic haul.

And that’s convenient, because it’s also as great as a musical can be and has nabbed itself the number one spot on our quality ranking. The Rodgers & Hammerstein music is iconic, the cinematography is gorgeous, Julie Andrews’ work in the lead role is astoundingly note-perfect, and the narrative perfectly blends serious topics like WWII and Nazism with a beautifully realistic look at the things that make life worth living.

Stream The Sound of Music on Hulu.