Best Selling Movies Of 2016: 5 Highest Grossing Blockbusters Include 'Deadpool', 'Captain America' [VIDEO]
It's been a year of major blockbusters, sequels, animated films and unexpected breakouts in the movie industry, but which movies emerged as the most successful of 2016?
The film industry continues to benefit from the popularity of superheroes and animated blockbusters. Such films continued to be the bestselling of the year, and as we head into this Thanksgiving holiday, let's take a look at the five films that proved most successful in the United States:
5. Deadpool - $363 million
The surprise breakout success of the year, Deadpool proved that America was ready for a foul-mouthed, wise-cracking superhero who didn't take his job too seriously. Considering the film was rated R and its lead character wasn't exactly a well-known property, its financial success was even more impressive given how often family films dominate the box office. It also gave star Ryan Reynolds the biggest film of his career after years of relative flops.
4. The Jungle Book - $364 million
The 2016 "live action" remake of The Jungle Book was a huge success for Disney, through the combination of stunning visual effects, an all-star cast led by Bill Murray and that good ol' childhood nostalgia. The film was no. 1 for three consecutive weeks in April and has become the highest grossing modern remake of a Disney classic in the U.S.
3. The Secret Life of Pets - $367 million (and counting)
The Secret Life of Pets is the only movie in this top five to not come from a pre-existing property or franchise - an impressive feat in 2016. However, the animated film's vague similarities to Pixar's Toy Story made this an irresistible choice for both kids and their parents alike, with voiceover work from Louis C.K., Dana Carvey, Kevin Hart, Eric Stonestreet and more.
2. Captain America: Civil War - $408 million
This installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a huge hit with moviegoers, crossing the truly-impressive $400 million line domestically, and has since become the no. 1 worldwide movie of the year. It's no surprise the film became a smash hit considering the appeal of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Captain America (Chris Evans) doing battle with each other.
1. Finding Dory - $486 million (and counting)
Finding Dory is by far the best selling movie of the year, domestically, and currently ranks as the no. 7 most successful movie of all time in America. Talk show phenomenon Ellen DeGeneres returned to voice her iconic character Dory in this animated sequel to 2003's Finding Nemo. The Pixar film has broken numerous records, including the highest debut weekend for an animated film ($135 million), the most successful Pixar film of all time and the highest grossing animated movie of all time.
December will feature its fair share of blockbusters, including Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Passengers and Patriots Day, but it's difficult to imagine anything surpassing Finding Dory's massive total.
