No sequels, adaptations, biopics, or remakes: The 25 best original blockbusters of the 2000s
Gold Derby is celebrating its 25th anniversary with our series of "25 in '25" highlighting the best, worst, and weirdest of the 2000s.
Hollywood's perceived lack of originality is a common critique of the movie-making business. While it's true that theaters are often filled with never-ending sequels, adaptations, biopics, and remakes, there have also been some truly innovative features — original IP as they say in the biz — that broke through at the box office over the past 25 years. Some made us think, others made us laugh — and one made nearly $3 billion worldwide. Many of these films went on to spawn successful franchises of their own, including big-screen follow-ups, television versions, even theme park rides.
Criteria for inclusion:
- No sequels or prequels
- No adaptations from books, short stories, games, plays, etc.
- No biopics or true stories
- No remakes or reboots
Got it? Good. Here are the 25 best original blockbusters since 2000.
25. Ted (2012)
Directed by: Seth MacFarlane
Screenplay by: Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin, Wellesley Wild
Story by: Seth MacFarlane
Box office: $218 million domestic; $549 million worldwide
Plot: John Bennett, a man whose childhood wish of bringing his teddy bear to life came true, now must decide between keeping the relationship with the bear, Ted or his girlfriend, Lori.
24. M3GAN (2023)
Directed by: Gerard Johnstone
Screenplay by: Akela Cooper
Story by: Akela Cooper, James Wan
Box office: $95 million domestic; $180 million worldwide
Plot: When robotics engineer Gemma becomes the guardian of her orphaned niece, Cady, she thinks her new invention, a robotic AI, will be a good companion. However, M3GAN begins to behave in unexpected and shocking ways.
23. Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
Directed by: Doug Liman
Written by: Simon Kinberg
Box office: $186 million domestic; $487 million worldwide
Plot: A husband and wife struggle to keep their marriage alive until they realize they are both secretly working as assassins. Now, their respective assignments require them to kill each other.
22. Finding Nemo (2003)
Directed by: Andrew Stanton
Screenplay by: Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, David Reynolds
Story by: Andrew Stanton
Box office: $380 million domestic; $941 million worldwide
Plot: After his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home.
21. Elf (2003)
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Written by: David Berenbaum
Box office: $178 million domestic; $230 million worldwide
Plot: Raised as an oversized elf, Buddy travels from the North Pole to New York City to meet his biological father, Walter Hobbs, who doesn't know he exists and is in desperate need of some Christmas spirit.
20. Superbad (2007)
Directed by: Greg Mottola
Written by: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Box office: $121 million domestic; $170 million worldwide
Plot: Two co-dependent high school seniors are forced to deal with separation anxiety after their plan to stage a booze-soaked party goes awry.
19. Pacific Rim (2013)
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Screenplay by: Travis Beacham, Guillermo del Toro
Story by: Travis Beacham
Box office: $101 million domestic; $411 million worldwide
Plot: As a war between humankind and monstrous sea creatures wages on, a former pilot and a trainee are paired up to drive a seemingly obsolete special weapon in a desperate effort to save the world from the apocalypse.
18. Spirited Away (2001)
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
Box office: $15 million domestic; $358 million worldwide
Plot: During her family's move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts.
17. Bridesmaids (2011)
Directed by: Paul Feig
Written by: Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig
Box office: $169 million domestic; $324 million worldwide
Plot: Competition between the maid of honor and a bridesmaid, over who is the bride's best friend, threatens to upend the life of an out-of-work pastry chef.
16. Cast Away (2000)
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Written by: William Broyles Jr.
Box office: $233 million domestic; $429 million worldwide
Plot: A FedEx executive undergoes a physical and emotional transformation after crash landing on a deserted island.
15. Signs (2002)
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
Written by: M. Night Shyamalan
Box office: $227 million domestic; $408 million worldwide
Plot: A widowed former reverend living with his children and brother on a Pennsylvania farm finds mysterious crop circles in their fields, which suggests something more frightening to come.
14. Gravity (2013)
Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón
Written by: Alfonso Cuarón, Jonás Cuarón
Box office: $274 million domestic; $723 million worldwide
Plot: Dr Ryan Stone, an engineer on her first space mission, and Matt Kowalski, an astronaut on his final expedition, have to survive in space after they are hit by debris while spacewalking.
13. The Incredibles (2004)
Directed by: Brad Bird
Written by: Brad Bird
Box office: $261 million domestic; $631 million domestic
Plot: While trying to lead a quiet suburban life, a family of undercover superheroes are forced into action to save the world.
12. The Hangover (2009)
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Written by: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Box office: $277 million domestic; $469 million worldwide
Plot: Three buddies wake up from a bachelor party in Las Vegas with no memory of the previous night and the bachelor missing. They must make their way around the city in order to find their friend in time for his wedding.
11. A Quiet Place (2018)
Directed by: John Krasinski
Screenplay by: Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, John Krasinski
Story by: Bryan Woods, Scott Beck
Box office: $188 million domestic; $340 million domestic
Plot: A family struggles for survival in a world invaded by blind alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing.
10. Knives Out (2019)
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Written by: Rian Johnson
Box office: $165 million domestic; $312 million worldwide
Plot: When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate.
9. La La Land (2016)
Directed by: Damien Chazelle
Written by: Damien Chazelle
Box office: $151 million domestic; $509 million worldwide
Plot: When Sebastian, a pianist, and Mia, an actress, follow their passion and achieve success in their respective fields, they find themselves torn between their love for each other and their careers.
8. Despicable Me (2010)
Directed by: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin
Screenplay by: Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio
Story by Sergio Pablos
Box office: $251 million domestic; $544 million worldwide
Plot: Gru, a criminal mastermind, adopts three orphans as pawns to carry out the biggest heist in history. His life takes an unexpected turn when the little girls see the evildoer as their potential father.
7. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Written by: Quentin Tarantino
Box office: $70 million domestic; $180 million worldwide
Plot: After waking from a four-year coma, a former assassin wreaks vengeance on the team of assassins who betrayed her.
6. Get Out (2017)
Directed by: Jordan Peele
Written by: Jordan Peele
Box office: $176 million domestic; $255 million worldwide
Plot: A young Black man visits his white girlfriend's parents for the weekend, where his simmering uneasiness about their reception of him eventually reaches a boiling point.
5. Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Directed by: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Written by: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Box office: $77 million domestic; $143 million worldwide
Plot: A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.
4. Inside Out (2015)
Directed by: Pete Docter
Screenplay by: Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley
Story by: Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen
Box office: $356 million domestic; $859 million worldwide
Plot: After young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions - Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness - conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house, and school.
3. Interstellar (2014)
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Written by: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan
Box office: $203 million domestic; $758 million worldwide
Plot: When Earth becomes uninhabitable in the future, a farmer and ex-NASA pilot, Joseph Cooper, is tasked to pilot a spacecraft, along with a team of researchers, to find a new planet for humans.
2. Inception (2010)
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Written by: Christopher Nolan
Box office: $292 million domestic; $839 million worldwide
Plot: A thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O., but his tragic past may doom the project and his team to disaster.
1. Avatar (2009)
Directed by: James Cameron
Written by: James Cameron
Box office: $785 million domestic; $2.9 billion worldwide
Plot: A paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.
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