Avengers: Endgame & Other Fastest Movies To $1 Billion At the Global Box Office (Photo Credit – Prime Video/Instagram)
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Crossing the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office is the ultimate benchmark of commercial success in Hollywood. But there’s an even more exclusive achievement of getting there fast. Some films like Avengers: Endgame and Ne Zha don’t just gross a billion, they race past that milestone within weeks of release, setting new records and stunning even the most bullish industry analysts. The speed with which these films reach $1B reveals how massive their anticipation, fan base, and cultural momentum really are. The following list of the fastest billion-dollar movies is as per Letterboxd.
Studios pour hundreds of millions into marketing, while fan events, social media buzz, and opening weekend blitzes turn these releases into global phenomena. It’s no surprise that Disney dominates this billion-dollar sprint, with franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and their animated hits, and only one film on this lightning-fast list didn’t come from Disney’s empire.
1. Avengers: Endgame – $1B in Just 5 Days
Director: Anthony and Joe Russo
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
Streaming on: Disney+
Plot: The culmination of 11 years and 21 interconnected Marvel films, Avengers: Endgame was not just a movie; it was an event. Following the devastating aftermath of Infinity War, audiences were desperate to see how the Avengers would respond to Thanos’ universe-halving snap. The film delivered an emotional, time-traveling odyssey with major sacrifices, jaw-dropping callbacks, and a final battle that made cinematic history.
Endgame exploded into theaters with unmatched momentum, earning a staggering $1.22 billion in its global opening weekend and surpassing the $1 billion mark in just five days. No film before or since has achieved that milestone as quickly. By the end of its run, it grossed $2.79 billion globally, cementing its place as the second highest-grossing movie of all time behind Avatar.
2. Avengers: Infinity War – $1 Billion in 11 Days
Director: Anthony and Joe Russo
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
Streaming on: Disney+
Before Endgame could shatter records, Avengers: Infinity War had already redrawn the box office map. The film pulled off a monumental ensemble effort, uniting heroes from every corner of the Marvel Universe against the Mad Titan Thanos. Unlike typical superhero narratives, Infinity War ends with stunning loss, as Thanos snaps half of all life into dust, leaving audiences in collective shock.
It reached the $1 billion milestone in just 11 days, making it the fastest film to do so at the time in 2018. Its opening weekend alone brought in over $640 million globally, and the final worldwide gross reached $2.05 billion. The bold storytelling choice of letting the villain win created massive anticipation for its sequel and proved that fans were fully invested in Marvel’s interconnected vision.
3. Ne Zha 2 – $1 Billion in 12 Days
Director: Yu Yang (aka Jiaozi)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Streaming on: N/A
The only non-Disney title on this list, Ne Zha 2, emerged as a cultural phenomenon in China and surprised global box office trackers. This animated fantasy is rooted in Chinese mythology and follows a rebellious boy born with demonic powers who must defy his destiny and fight for acceptance. Its visually rich storytelling, relatable themes, and dynamic action scenes struck a chord with families and teens alike.
The film was the first-ever in the history of Chinese cinema to gross a billion dollars. Doing so in a matter of 12 days is all the more fascinating. Furthermore, the movie just didn’t stop there. It went on to gross double of a billion, becoming the first non-American movie to do so.
4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens – $1 Billion in 12 Days
Director: J.J. Abrams
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
Streaming on: Disney+
When Star Wars returned to the big screen after a ten-year hiatus, the anticipation was unprecedented. The Force Awakens introduced a new generation of heroes like Rey, Finn, and Kylo Ren while honoring the original trilogy’s legacy with returns from Han Solo, Leia, and Luke. It combined nostalgia, mystery, and high-stakes action in a way that reignited the franchise’s global fanbase.
The film smashed records when it hit theaters in December 2015, becoming the fastest movie ever to reach $1 billion at that time, matching Infinity War and Ne Zha’s 12-day pace. With a final worldwide gross of $2.07 billion, it remains the highest-grossing Star Wars film ever made. Its release also reestablished Star Wars as a modern pop culture juggernaut under Disney’s banner.
5. Spider-Man: No Way Home – $1 Billion in 12 Days
Director: Jon Watts
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
Streaming on: Netflix (India), Prime Video, Apple TV
Even amid a global pandemic, Spider-Man: No Way Home swung into theaters with a level of buzz rarely seen for any film. Driven by multiverse madness and decades of nostalgia, the film brought together three generations of Spider-Men—Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire—for a crossover fans had only dreamed about. It was both a love letter to Spider-Man cinema and a thrilling MCU entry.
The film crossed the $1 billion mark in just 12 days, an especially impressive feat given that it had no release in China, one of the world’s biggest box office markets. It finished with a global total of $1.92 billion and became the highest-grossing Spider-Man movie ever. No Way Home redefined the possibilities of fan service when done right and proved theaters could bounce back strong.
Note: All numbers are retrieved from Box Office Mojo
