There are many different ways which films make money, these range from merchandise related to the film to people who buy the DVD. However, the most common way in which the popularity of a film is measured is through its takings at the movie theatre box office. Here is a list of the top grossing films when adjusted for inflation. All revenues are from 2017.
1. Gone with the Wind – This 1939 classic starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh earned a staggering $3,703,000,000 worldwide making it the highest grossing film of all time. However, in real terms, this wouldn’t even make the top 50.
2. Avatar – Number 2 on the list is the James Cameron epic Avatar which took $3,251,000,000. the film was revolutionary in its 
use of technology and the depiction of life on the mythical Pandora instantly became a sci-fi classic.
3. Titanic – In at number 3 is another of James Cameron’s films. A world away from the sci-fi of Avatar, this movie of the famed ship which sank in 1912 off the coast of Canda in the Atlantic Ocean earned a tidy $3,078,000,000.
4. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope – This installment of the classic franchise which introduced the world to the likes of Princess Leia took home $3,041,000,000 and instantly became one of the most successful films of all time.
5. The Sound of Music – The number 5 spot was taken by this classic movie-musical starring the irrepressible Julie Andrews as Maria von Trapp. Based on a true story of a family fleeing the Nazis, the film captured the hearts of audiences around the world and earned $2,547,000,000.