Top 10 Movie Franchises with the Highest Total Box Office Earnings in 1998

1. James Bond Franchise

By 1998, the James Bond franchise had released eighteen films since Dr. No in 1962, more theatrical entries than any rival series. Tomorrow Never Dies grossed over $333 million worldwide in 1997 alone, and combined lifetime earnings across all eighteen films topped an estimated $3 billion. No single Bond picture matched the per-film peaks of Jurassic Park or Star Wars, but eighteen consistent hits over three decades gave 007 the largest cumulative total of any franchise running in 1998.

This history suits film buffs tracking sustained studio output rather than single blockbuster spikes. It trades per-picture spectacle for consistency, since even a modest entry like Licence to Kill still cleared roughly $156 million worldwide. Compared with Jurassic Park just below it, Bond's edge came from volume, not per-film size: eighteen releases outlasted every other active 1990s series. Viewers wanting raw per-film scale should look to the next entry instead.

2. Star Wars Trilogy

The Star Wars trilogy ranks second because its 1997 Special Edition theatrical re-release pushed cumulative worldwide earnings for three films past $1.3 billion, an enormous sum for just three theatrical releases between 1977 and 1983. The original 1977 film alone earned over $530 million worldwide before adjusting for the 1997 re-issue's added gross.

This trilogy suits fans who value cultural saturation over release frequency, since no fourth film had reached theaters by 1998 and The Phantom Menace was still a year away. It trades Bond's steady output for concentrated impact: three films, one re-release, and merchandising that outpaced the movies themselves. Ranked just below Bond's eighteen-picture total but ahead of Jurassic Park, it proves fewer films can still rival decades of sequels.

3. Jurassic Park Franchise

Jurassic Park ranks third because two films by 1998 combined for roughly $1.6 billion worldwide, an average per-picture gross higher than almost any other 1990s series. The 1993 original earned over $914 million worldwide, briefly the highest-grossing film ever released, and 1997's The Lost World added another $618 million. With just two entries, the franchise generated more per film than Batman's four or Indiana Jones's three, trailing only Star Wars and Bond in total dollars.

This franchise suits audiences who prize spectacle density over franchise breadth, since two films outearned four-film series like Batman on pure box office. It trades Bond's steady eighteen-film cadence for two massive events five years apart, with a third Jurassic Park entry still unannounced in 1998. Compared with Star Wars above it, Jurassic Park achieved its total without any re-release boost, purely from first-run ticket sales.

4. Batman Film Series

Batman ranks fourth on four films released between 1989 and 1997 that combined for roughly $1.2 billion worldwide. Tim Burton's 1989 original alone earned over $411 million worldwide on a $35 million budget, a return ratio few franchises matched. By Batman & Robin in 1997 grosses had declined to about $238 million worldwide, dragging the franchise average below Jurassic Park's two-film total despite Batman having twice as many entries.

This series suits collectors tracking a franchise's rise and decline rather than steady output, since its four films show the widest swing in quality and gross of any entry here. It trades Jurassic Park's consistency for a peak-then-fade arc: strong under Burton, weaker under Schumacher. Ranked just above Indiana Jones, Batman shows that more sequels do not guarantee a higher cumulative total when later entries underperform.

5. Indiana Jones Franchise

Indiana Jones ranks fifth with three films from 1981 to 1989 combining for roughly $1.1 billion worldwide. Raiders of the Lost Ark grossed over $389 million worldwide in 1981 on a modest $18 million budget, and 1989's The Last Crusade added another $474 million. With no fourth film yet in production by 1998, the trilogy's total sat just behind Batman's four-film sum despite having one fewer picture to draw from.

This trilogy suits viewers who favor tight continuity over a franchise stretched across changing decades, since all three films share the same director and lead actor. It trades Batman's shifting cast and tone for consistency, though that consistency capped its total below Batman's four-picture haul. Sitting just above Star Trek in this ranking, Indiana Jones proves three well-crafted films can still outearn most eight-film series.

6. Star Trek Film Series

Star Trek ranks sixth with eight theatrical films released between 1979 and 1998, combining for roughly $700 million worldwide despite the largest film count in this top ten besides Bond. Star Trek IV in 1986 was the franchise peak at over $133 million worldwide, while most entries earned closer to $80-90 million. Star Trek: Insurrection, released in December 1998, kept the count rising but never matched the per-film scale of Jurassic Park or Batman.

This series suits longtime television fans more than casual moviegoers, since its box office leans on a built-in fanbase rather than mass crossover appeal like Jurassic Park. It trades blockbuster scale for reliability, with eight films rarely flopping but rarely breaking out either. Ranked just below Indiana Jones and above Terminator, Star Trek shows that a loyal audience alone cannot match the per-film totals of a true crossover hit.

7. Terminator Franchise

The Terminator franchise ranks seventh with just two films by 1998 combining for roughly $700 million worldwide. Terminator 2: Judgment Day earned over $520 million worldwide in 1991 on what was then the largest production budget in film history at roughly $100 million, while the 1984 original added another $78 million on a far smaller scale. No third film had entered production by 1998, capping the franchise total at two entries.

This franchise suits fans of a single defining sequel rather than a deep catalog, since Judgment Day alone accounts for most of the combined total. It trades Star Trek's steady eight-film volume for one enormous outlier and one modest predecessor. Tied closely with Star Trek in total dollars but earned from a quarter as many films, Terminator ranks just above Rocky in this 1998 accounting.

8. Rocky Franchise

Rocky ranks eighth with five films released between 1976 and 1990 combining for roughly $650 million worldwide. The original 1976 Rocky earned over $225 million worldwide on a budget of about $1 million, one of the highest return ratios of any film on this list. By Rocky V in 1990, however, grosses had fallen to roughly $119 million worldwide, pulling the five-film average below Terminator's two-film total.

This franchise suits viewers drawn to underdog storytelling stretched across five films spanning fourteen years rather than pure spectacle. It trades Terminator's high per-film scale for a long-running character study that kept earning steadily even as grosses declined. Sitting just above Die Hard and below Terminator, Rocky shows how an aging franchise can still out-earn newer, shorter series through sheer longevity.

9. Die Hard Franchise

Die Hard ranks ninth with three films released between 1988 and 1995 combining for roughly $500 million worldwide. The 1988 original earned over $140 million worldwide on a $28 million budget, and 1995's Die Hard with a Vengeance became the franchise peak at roughly $366 million worldwide. With no fourth film yet announced by 1998, three entries left Die Hard's total below both Rocky's five films and Terminator's two.

This franchise suits action fans who prize a single set-piece formula repeated well over franchise scale, since its third entry easily outgrossed the first two combined. It trades Rocky's steady long-running arc for a late-franchise spike, with Die Hard with a Vengeance alone nearly matching the other two films' totals together. Ranked just below Rocky and above Alien, Die Hard proves a franchise can peak on its third try.

10. Alien Franchise

Alien ranks tenth with four films released between 1979 and 1997 combining for roughly $480 million worldwide, the smallest total in this top ten. Aliens in 1986 was the franchise peak at over $131 million worldwide, while 1997's Alien Resurrection slipped to about $161 million worldwide across its full run. Spread across four films and eighteen years, Alien's darker tone and R rating capped its mainstream box office ceiling below every other 1998 franchise here.

This franchise suits fans of horror-leaning science fiction over family-friendly spectacle, since its R rating kept it from the broader audience that lifted Jurassic Park and Star Wars. It trades mass box office for critical durability, with Aliens especially still praised decades later despite modest grosses. Sitting last behind Die Hard, Alien proves a franchise can be influential and enduring without leading in total earnings.

How we ranked these

This ranking totals the worldwide theatrical box office, in nominal dollars as reported at release, for every film released under each franchise banner through the end of 1998. Sequels, direct spin-offs, and numbered entries were counted; separately branded reboots were not. Data was cross-checked against contemporaneous trade reporting and later archival compilations (Box Office Mojo, The Numbers, Variety) to weight verified grosses over estimates circulating at the time.

Ignored entirely: home video, television syndication, merchandising, theme-park licensing, and novelization revenue, none of which is reliably documented film-by-film for this era. Inflation adjustment was also skipped — comparing nominal grosses matches how contemporary audiences and studios actually experienced these numbers in 1998, even though it favors franchises with more recent entries like Batman and Jurassic Park over 1960s-70s originals whose real-terms totals were larger.

What to look for

What actually matters when comparing these franchises isn't the cumulative total but the per-film average and consistency — a franchise with ten entries that never dips below $100 million says more about durable audience trust than one inflated by a single blockbuster propping up several weaker follow-ups. Look at how grosses trend from film to film: rising, flat, or declining reveals whether a series is still creatively healthy or coasting on brand recognition alone.

The most common mistake is treating box office rank as a quality ranking — James Bond's sheer volume of films inflates its total well past franchises with far higher per-movie ratings, and a single mega-hit like Jurassic Park can outweigh years of steady but unspectacular sequels elsewhere. Judge a franchise by what you actually want: total cultural footprint favors high totals, while consistent quality favors checking each entry's individual reception first.

Related questions

How is a 'movie franchise' defined for box office totals?

For this ranking, a franchise means every theatrically released film sharing continuous characters, numbering, or direct narrative continuity under one title — sequels and prequels count, but spin-offs with different lead characters or unrelated reboots using the same name do not. This keeps the comparison to films audiences would recognize as one ongoing story, not just a shared studio brand.

Why does James Bond rank near the top despite no single blockbuster hit?

By 1998 the Bond series had released 18 films over 36 years, and even modest-to-strong grosses compound fast across that many entries. No individual Bond film matched the single-picture peaks of Jurassic Park or Star Wars, but volume alone pushed its franchise total into the top tier — a pattern true of any long-running series with a loyal built-in audience.

Does Star Wars lead because of one movie or the whole trilogy?

Through 1998 Star Wars meant only the original 1977-1983 trilogy, since the prequels hadn't released yet. All three entries grossed heavily worldwide, but the 1977 original alone accounts for the largest share of the trilogy's total, meaning the franchise's ranking rests disproportionately on a single film's historic run rather than even performance across three.

How did Jurassic Park's two films compare to Batman's four?

Jurassic Park's two 1990s entries (1993 and 1997) grossed more combined than several four-film franchises managed across a decade, because both installments individually ranked among the highest-grossing films of their release years. Batman's four films (1989-1997) spread similar total revenue across more entries, with grosses declining steadily from the first film to Batman & Robin.

Are worldwide totals or domestic-only totals used here?

Worldwide theatrical grosses are used throughout, since domestic-only figures understate franchises with strong international followings like James Bond and increasingly undercount 1990s blockbusters that earned the majority of their total overseas. Domestic-only rankings for the same era can look noticeably different, particularly for effects-driven films that traveled well internationally regardless of language.

Why isn't Harry Potter or the Marvel Cinematic Universe on this list?

Neither existed yet in 1998 — Harry Potter's first film released in 2001 and the Marvel Cinematic Universe began in 2008. This ranking is a historical snapshot of franchise earnings as they stood at the end of 1998, using only films actually released by that date, not later additions to a series.

How much did sequels typically drop off from the original film?

Most 1990s franchise sequels earned 60-85% of their predecessor's gross, with steeper drops common by a third or fourth entry — Lethal Weapon and Superman both show this pattern clearly. Exceptions like The Empire Strikes Back later proved sequels could outgross originals, but through 1998 that was still the rarer outcome overall.

Does box office total account for re-releases?

Yes, theatrical re-release grosses are folded into the totals when they occurred before the end of 1998 — Star Wars' 1997 Special Edition re-release, for example, added tens of millions to the original trilogy's cumulative total and is a meaningful reason it ranks as high as it does.

FAQ

What counts as 'total box office earnings' in this ranking?

Total box office earnings means the sum of worldwide theatrical grosses reported for every film in a franchise, added together in the nominal dollar figures recorded at the time of release. It does not include video, TV, or merchandise revenue, and it is not adjusted for inflation, so older franchises are compared on the same raw dollar basis as newer ones.

Why 1998 specifically as the cutoff year?

1998 is used as a snapshot point before several franchises that would later dominate box office history even existed, giving a clearer picture of which series had actually proven themselves as consistent earners over decades rather than through a single recent phenomenon. It also predates the premium-format eras that complicate later comparisons.

Which franchise had the most individual films by 1998?

James Bond led by a wide margin with 18 films released between 1962 and 1997, followed by Star Trek with eight films counting the original series cast and the Next Generation crossover era. Most other franchises on this list had released between two and five films by the same cutoff.

Is box office gross the same as profit?

No — gross box office is ticket revenue before studios, theaters, distributors, and marketing costs are subtracted, so it is not a measure of profitability. A franchise ranking high on cumulative gross can still include individual films that lost money once production and marketing budgets are factored in, particularly expensive sequels that underperformed.

Do these totals include international box office or just the US?

They include both — every figure is a worldwide total combining domestic (US and Canada) and international theatrical receipts. This matters because several 1990s and earlier franchises, especially action and sci-fi series, earned a majority of their money overseas, so a domestic-only comparison would rank them noticeably lower.

How reliable are box office figures from decades ago?

Figures from the 1970s through 1990s are generally reliable for major studio releases because distributors reported grosses to trade publications like Variety, but early-era international figures are less complete than domestic ones, meaning very old franchises may be slightly undercounted relative to how thoroughly recent films are tracked.

Why do sequels usually earn less than the first film in a franchise?

Audience interest naturally narrows after the novelty of the first film wears off, and sequels increasingly rely on existing fans rather than new viewers discovering the story for the first time. Declining reviews, franchise fatigue, and rising production costs that don't scale with ticket sales all contribute to the pattern, though exceptions exist.

What's the difference between a franchise's total and its highest-grossing single film?

The total is every film in the series added together, while the highest-grossing single film is just its best individual performer — a franchise can have a modest per-film average but a huge total simply by releasing many movies, while another can have one massive hit and a much smaller overall total.

Were any of these franchises based on books rather than original screenplays?

Yes — Jurassic Park originated from Michael Crichton's 1990 novel and James Bond from Ian Fleming's novels beginning in 1953, while Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Back to the Future were original screenplay creations developed directly for film rather than adapted from prior published source material.

Does this ranking predict which franchises would keep growing after 1998?

No, it's a historical snapshot only. Several franchises on a 1998 list, like Batman, would be rebooted and grow far larger in the 2000s and 2010s, while others effectively ended, so this ranking says nothing about future trajectory, only about cumulative earnings as they stood at that point.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bond_(film_series)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_(film)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_(film_series)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_in_film
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurassic_Park_(franchise)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones
• https://www.boxofficemojo.com/
• https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/franchises
• https://variety.com/

Related on PULSE

• [More movie franchises with the highest total box office earnings rankings and buying guides](/knowledge)
• [PULSE Tools and calculators](/tools)
• [Everything on PULSE RevOps](/)