2014 was big when it comes to movie releases, and topping the list of box office hits are high-profile films that moviegoers truly enjoyed. "Transformers: Age of Extinction" is hailed as the highest-grossing film of 2014, earning over $1 billion in worldwide sales. In terms of domestic sales, however, it occupies only the fifth spot.
Here are the top three domestic gross earners for 2014, as listed by Box Office Mojo:
"Guardians of the Galaxy" - Earning $332.8 million at the domestic box office and $772.5 million worldwide, this Marvel film surprised many as the group of unlikely superheroes wasn't as known or mainstream prior to the film's release. Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper, the motley crew of space-navigating protagonists has gotten generally positive reviews from moviegoers and critics alike, earning a 90 percent approval rating in Rotten Tomatoes.
"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1" - The third movie installment in the film franchise wasn't as strong as its predecessor, but it was still a tough contender when it comes to box office earnings. Its gross domestic sales is recorded at $313.2 million, while internationally, it raked in $676.2 million. The film shows the return of Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, and Josh Hutcherson, along with Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Julianne Moore is also introduced in the film.
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" - Not only did this movie show the return of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) to the big screen, along with Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), it also showed the strength of its following. The film earned $259.7 million at the domestic box office, amounting to $714.1 million in worldwide sales.
The other films that made it to the top 10 are:
- "The LEGO Movie" - $257.7 million domestic, $468 million worldwide
- "Transformers: Age of Extinction" - $245.5 million domestic, $1.087 billion worldwide
- "Maleficent" - $241.4 million domestic, $757.7 million worldwide
- "X-Men: Days of Future Past" - $233.9 million domestic, $746 million worldwide
- "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" - $208.5 million domestic, $708.2 million worldwide
- "Big Hero 6" - $204.5 million domestic, $325.4 million worldwide
- "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" - $202.8 million domestic, $708.9 million worldwide
Ranking from 11 to 20 are: "Godzilla (2014)"; "22 Jump Street"; "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"; "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"; "Interstellar"; "How to Train Your Dragons 2"; "Gone Girl"; "Divergent"; "Neighbors"; and "Ride Along."
