Most Popular Movies 2022
This chart shows the 2022 movie releases that have attracted the most interest on The Numbers web site over the past 24 hours. A share of 100 corresponds to 1 percent of the total views for all 2022 releases.
See also: Domestic Release Schedule for 2022 - Top 2022 Worldwide
← 2021 | Most Popular Overall | 2023 → |
Avatar: The Way of Water |
Director: James Cameron |
Lead Roles: Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, Zoe Saldana as Neytiri |
Initial Theatrical Release: December 9, 2022 (Wide) by Walt Disney (Finland) |
Keywords: Action Adventure, Delayed Sequel, Humans as Aliens, Sequel With Returning Stars Playing New Characters, 2023 Oscars Best Picture Nominee, Filmed in Los Angeles, CA |
Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Animation/Live Action, Science Fiction |
Domestic BO: $684,075,767 |
International BO: $1,633,438,619 |
Synopsis
Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, “Avatar: The Way of Water” begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.
Everything Everywhere All At Once |
Director: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert |
Lead Roles: Michelle Yeoh |
Initial Theatrical Release: March 25, 2022 (Limited) by A24 |
Keywords: Action Adventure, Alternative Dimensions / Parallel universe, Oscars Best Picture Winner, 2023 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Science Fiction |
Domestic BO: $77,169,474 |
International BO: $34,249,959 |
Synopsis
A sci-fi action adventure about an exhausted Chinese American woman who can’t seem to finish her taxes.
Top Gun: Maverick |
Director: Joseph Kosinski |
Lead Roles: Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, Miles Teller as Rooster, Glen Powell as Hangman, Lewis James Pullman as Bob, Monica Barbaro as Phoenix, Danny Ramirez as Fanboy, Jay Ellis as Payback, Greg Tarzan Davis as Coyote, Jon Hamm as Cyclone |
Initial Theatrical Release: May 20, 2022 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures (Finland) |
Keywords: IMAX: DMR, Action Thriller, In a Plane, Delayed Sequel, 2023 Oscars Best Picture Nominee, Filmed in California, United States |
Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
Domestic BO: $718,732,821 |
International BO: $746,858,459 |
Synopsis
After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw, call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.” Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
Suzume (すずめの戸締まり) |
Director: Makoto Shinkai |
Lead Roles: Nanoka Hara as Suzume Iwato |
Initial Theatrical Release: November 11, 2022 (Wide) by Toho-Towa, released as Suzume no tojimari (すずめの戸締まり) (Japan) |
Keywords: Coming of Age, Action Adventure, Anime, Disaster, Life in a Small Town, Supernatural |
Classification: Original Screenplay, Adventure, Digital Animation, Contemporary Fiction |
Domestic BO: $10,932,037 |
International BO: $305,916,208 |
Synopsis
A coming-of-age story for the 17-year-old protagonist, Suzume, set in various disaster-stricken locations across Japan, where she must close the doors causing devastation. Suzume’s journey begins in a quiet town in Kyushu (located in southwestern Japan) when she encounters a young man who tells her, “I’m looking for a door.” What Suzume finds is a single weathered door standing upright in the midst of ruins as though it was shielded from whatever catastrophe struck. Seemingly drawn by its power, Suzume reaches for the knob… Doors begin to open one after another all across Japan, unleashing destruction upon any who are near. Suzume must close these portals to prevent further disaster. The stars, then sunset, and the morning sky. Within that realm, it was as though all time had melted together in the sky…
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish |
Director: Joel Crawford |
Lead Roles: Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots, Salma Hayek as Kitty Softpaws |
Initial Theatrical Release: December 2, 2022 (Wide) (Cyprus) |
Keywords: Family Adventure, Talking Animals, Animal Lead, Development Hell, Delayed Sequel |
Classification: Spin-Off, Adventure, Digital Animation, Kids Fiction |
Domestic BO: $186,090,535 |
International BO: $299,171,104 |
The Batman |
Director: Matt Reeves |
Lead Roles: Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle / Catwoman, Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot / Penguin, Paul Dano as Edward Nashton / Riddler |
Initial Theatrical Release: March 1, 2022 (Wide), released as 더 배트맨 (South Korea) |
Keywords: Reboot, Action Thriller, Crime, Serial Killer |
Classification: Based on Comic/Graphic Novel, Action, Live Action, Super Hero |
Domestic BO: $369,345,583 |
International BO: $396,604,896 |
The Menu |
Director: Mark Mylod |
Lead Roles: Ralph Fiennes as Chef Slowik, Anya Taylor-Joy as Margot, Nicholas Hoult as Tyler |
Initial Theatrical Release: November 16, 2022 (Wide) (Philippines) |
Keywords: Restaurants, Black Comedy, Food, Surprise Twist |
Classification: Original Screenplay, Black Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
Domestic BO: $41,280,699 |
International BO: $34,539,679 |
Synopsis
Set in the world of high-end culinary culture, a young couple visits an exclusive destination restaurant on a remote island where the acclaimed chef has prepared a lavish tasting menu, along with some shocking surprises.
The Whale |
Director: Darren Aronofsky |
Lead Roles: Brendan Fraser as Charlie |
Initial Theatrical Release: December 9, 2022 (Oscar Qualifying Run) by A24 |
Keywords: Family Drama, Dysfunctional Family, Death of a Spouse or Fiancée / Fiancé, Young Child Dealing with the Death of a Parent, Eating Disorder, Fat Suit |
Classification: Based on Play, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
Domestic BO: $17,453,440 |
International BO: $36,591,041 |
Synopsis
A 600-pound man who can’t leave his apartment and is estranged from his teenage daughter, wants to reconnect.
Eiga Slam Dunk |
Director: Takehiko Inoue |
Initial Theatrical Release: December 3, 2022 (Limited) by Toei Company, released as The First Slam Dunk (ザ・ファーストスラムダンク) (Japan) |
Keywords: Sports Comedy, Anime, Basketball, High School, High School Sports, Romance, First Love, Novel or Other Work Adapted by Author |
Classification: Based on Comic/Graphic Novel, Comedy, Digital Animation, Contemporary Fiction |
Domestic BO: $1,291,869 |
International BO: $277,307,868 |
Synopsis
Shohoku's “speedster” and point guard, Ryota Miyagi, always plays with brains and lightning speed, running circles around his opponents while feigning composure. Born and raised in Okinawa, Ryota had a brother who was three years older. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, who was a famous local player from a young age, Ryota also became addicted to basketball. In his second year of high school, Ryota plays with the Shohoku High School basketball team along with Sakuragi, Rukawa, Akagi, and Mitsui as they take the stage at the Inter-High School National Championship. And now, they are on the brink of challenging the reigning champions, Sannoh Kogyo High School.
Close |
Director: Lukas Dhont |
Initial Theatrical Release: November 1, 2022 (Limited) by Diaphana Films (France) |
Keywords: Coming-of-Age Drama, Coming of Age, LGBTQ+, Death of a Best Friend, Death of a Son or Daughter, Missing Person |
Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
Domestic BO: $1,100,114 |
International BO: $2,387,615 |
Synopsis
Leo and Remi are two thirteen-year-old best friends, whose seemingly unbreakable bond is suddenly, tragically torn apart. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Lukas Dhont’s second film is an emotionally transformative and unforgettable portrait of the intersection of friendship and love, identity and independence, and heartbreak and healing.
Strange World |
Director: Don Hall |
Initial Theatrical Release: November 22, 2022 (Wide) by Walt Disney, released as Strange World (Странный мир) (Russia (CIS)) |
Keywords: Family Adventure, Missing Person, Father’s Footsteps, Explorer, Dysfunctional Family |
Classification: Original Screenplay, Adventure, Digital Animation, Kids Fiction |
Domestic BO: $39,089,002 |
International BO: $31,610,726 |
Synopsis
The film follows a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob, a three-legged dog and a slew of ravenous creatures.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness |
Director: Sam Raimi |
Lead Roles: Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange, Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlett Witch, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo, Benedict Wong as Wong, Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez, Michael Stuhlbarg as Nicodemus West, Rachel McAdams as Dr. Christine Palmer |
Initial Theatrical Release: May 4, 2022 (Wide) by Walt Disney (Germany) |
Keywords: Action Adventure, Alternative Dimensions / Parallel universe, Filmed in London, England, Filmed in Los Angeles, CA |
Classification: Based on Comic/Graphic Novel, Action, Animation/Live Action, Super Hero |
Domestic BO: $411,331,607 |
International BO: $540,893,379 |
Synopsis
Marvel Studios' “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”—a thrilling ride through the Multiverse with Doctor Strange, his trusted friend Wong and Wanda Maximoff, aka Scarlet Witch.
Retour à Séoul |
Director: Davy Chou |
Lead Roles: Ji-Min Park as Frédérique Benoît |
Initial Theatrical Release: August 4, 2022 (Limited), released as Return to Seoul (New Zealand) |
Keywords: Life Drama, Adopted Family Seeking Reunion, Set in South Korea |
Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
Domestic BO: $798,774 |
International BO: $856,378 |
Synopsis
After an impulsive travel decision to visit friends, Freddie, 25, returns to South Korea for the first time, where she was born before being adopted and raised in France. Freddie suddenly finds herself embarking on (an unexpected) journey in a country she knows so little about, taking her life in new and unexpected directions.
Triangle of Sadness |
Director: Ruben Ostlund |
Lead Roles: Harris Dickinson as Carl, Charlbi Dean as Yaya, Woody Harrelson, Zlatko Buric, Iris Berben, Sunnyi Melles, Henrik Dorsin, Dolly De Leon as Cleaning Lady, Vicky Berlin, Oliver Ford Davies |
Initial Theatrical Release: July 28, 2022 (Limited) (New Zealand) |
Keywords: Black Comedy, Satire, Tourists In Trouble, On a Boat, Marooned, 2023 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
Classification: Original Screenplay, Black Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
Domestic BO: $4,608,096 |
International BO: $28,282,887 |
Synopsis
Celebrity model couple, Carl and Yaya, are invited on a luxury cruise for the uber-rich, helmed by an unhinged boat captain. What first appeared instagrammable ends catastrophically, leaving the survivors stranded on a desert island and fighting for survival.
Living |
Director: Oliver Hermanus |
Lead Roles: Bill Nighy as Mr. Williams |
Initial Theatrical Release: November 4, 2022 (Limited) by Lionsgate (United Kingdom) |
Keywords: Sundance Film Festival 2022, Life Drama, Terminal Illness, 1950s, Set in London, Remake, Foreign-Language Remake |
Classification: Based on Movie, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
Domestic BO: $3,037,858 |
International BO: $9,381,182 |
Synopsis
LIVING is the story of an ordinary man, reduced by years of oppressive office routine to a shadow existence, who at the eleventh hour makes a supreme effort to turn his dull life into something wonderful.
Minions: The Rise of Gru |
Director: Kyle Balda |
Lead Roles: Steve Carell as Gru |
Initial Theatrical Release: June 16, 2022 (Wide) by Universal Pictures (Australia) |
Keywords: Disrupted by 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Prequel, Inbetwequel, Origin Story, Super Villains, Family Adventure |
Classification: Spin-Off, Adventure, Digital Animation, Kids Fiction |
Domestic BO: $370,270,765 |
International BO: $569,138,132 |
Synopsis
In the heart of the 1970s, amid a flurry of feathered hair and flared jeans, Gru is growing up in the suburbs. A fanboy of a supervillain supergroup known as the Vicious 6, Gru hatches a plan to become evil enough to join them. Luckily, he gets some mayhem-making backup from his loyal followers, the Minions. Together, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto—a new Minion sporting braces and a desperate need to please—deploy their skills as they and Gru build their first lair, experiment with their first weapons and pull off their first missions. When the Vicious 6 oust their leader, legendary fighter Wild Knuckles, Gru interviews to become their newest member. It doesn’t go well (to say the least), and only gets worse after Gru outsmarts them and suddenly finds himself the mortal enemy of the apex of evil. On the run, Gru will turn to an unlikely source for guidance, Wild Knuckles himself, and discover that even bad guys need a little help from their friends.
Turning Red |
Director: Domee Shi |
Lead Roles: Rosalie Chiang as Mei Lee |
Initial Theatrical Release: March 10, 2022 (Wide) (Philippines) |
Keywords: Family Adventure, Human Animal Transformation, Curses, Dysfunctional Family |
Classification: Original Screenplay, Adventure, Digital Animation, Science Fiction |
Domestic BO: $1,399,001 |
International BO: $10,872,141 |
Synopsis
Mei Lee is a 13-year-old who suddenly “poofs” into a giant red panda when she gets too excited (which is practically ALWAYS). Mei Lee’s protective, if not slightly overbearing mother Ming, who is never far from her daughter—an unfortunate reality for the teenager.
Aftersun |
Director: Charlotte Wells |
Lead Roles: Paul Mescal as Calum, Francesca Corio as Sophie, Celia Rowlson-Hall as Adult Sophie |
Initial Theatrical Release: August 11, 2022 (Limited) (New Zealand) |
Keywords: Family Drama, Faulty Memory, Dysfunctional Family, Family Vacations, Non-Chronological, Same Role, Multiple Actors, F-Rated |
Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
Domestic BO: $1,658,791 |
International BO: $8,092,203 |
Synopsis
Sophie reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of a holiday she took with her father twenty years earlier. Memories real and imagined fill the gaps between miniDV footage as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn’t.
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody |
Director: Kasi Lemmons |
Lead Roles: Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston |
Initial Theatrical Release: December 21, 2022 (Wide) by Sony Pictures, released as Whitney Houston I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Spain) |
Keywords: Biography, Pop Music, Biographical Drama, African Americans, Addiction, Musicians |
Classification: Based on Real Life Events, Drama, Live Action, Dramatization |
Domestic BO: $23,708,080 |
International BO: $35,677,104 |
Synopsis
A portrait of the complex and multifaceted woman behind The Voice. From New Jersey choir girl to one of the best-selling and most awarded recording artists of all time, a journey through Houston’s trailblazing life and career.
The Fabelmans |
Director: Steven Spielberg |
Lead Roles: Michelle Williams as Mitzi Fabelman, Paul Dano as Burt Fabelman, Seth Rogen as Bennie Loewy, Gabriel LaBelle as Sammy Fabelman, Julia Butters as Reggie Fabelman |
Initial Theatrical Release: November 11, 2022 (Limited) by Universal |
Keywords: Biographical Drama, Biography, Autobiographical, 1940s, 1950s, Coming of Age, Set in Arizona, Filmed in California, United States, 2023 Oscars Best Picture Nominee, Filmed in Los Angeles, CA |
Classification: Based on Real Life Events, Drama, Live Action, Dramatization |
Domestic BO: $17,348,945 |
International BO: $25,932,195 |
Synopsis
A deeply personal portrait of 20th Century American childhood, Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans is a coming-of-age story about a young man’s discovery of a shattering family secret and an exploration of the power of movies to help us see the truth about each other and ourselves.
Women Talking |
Director: Sarah Polley |
Lead Roles: Rooney Mara as Ona, Claire Foy as Salome, Jessie Buckley as Mariche, Judith Ivey as Agata, Frances McDormand as Scarface Janz |
Initial Theatrical Release: December 23, 2022 (Limited) by United Artists |
Keywords: Crime Drama, Sex Crimes, Sexism, Inspired by a True Story, Mennonites, 2010s, Orthodox Religion, Religious, 2023 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
Domestic BO: $5,456,531 |
International BO: $3,719,329 |
Synopsis
Do nothing. Stay and fight. Or leave. In 2010, the women of an isolated religious community grapple with reconciling a brutal reality with their faith.
An Cailín Ciúin |
Director: Colm Bairéad |
Lead Roles: Catherine Clinch as Cáit |
Initial Theatrical Release: May 13, 2022 (Limited) by Curzon Artificial Eye, released as The Quiet Girl (United Kingdom) |
Keywords: 1980s, Set in Ireland, Foster Family, Family Secrets, Coming of Age, Coming-of-Age Drama |
Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
Domestic BO: $1,500,014 |
International BO: $4,761,581 |
Synopsis
Rural Ireland. 1981. Nine-year-old Cait is sent away from her overcrowded, dysfunctional family to live with foster parents for the summer. Quietly struggling at school and at home, she has learned to hide in plain sight from those around her. She blossoms in their care, but in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one painful truth.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever |
Director: Ryan Coogler |
Lead Roles: Letitia Wright as Shuri, Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Winston Duke as M’Baku, Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams/Ironheart, Florence Kasumba as Ayo, Michaela Coel as Aneka, Tenoch Huerta as Namor, Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross, Angela Bassett as Ramonda |
Initial Theatrical Release: November 9, 2022 (Wide) by Walt Disney (Germany) |
Keywords: Action Adventure, Sequels Without Their Original Stars, Set in Africa, Underwater, Death of a Son or Daughter, Death of a Sibling |
Classification: Based on Comic/Graphic Novel, Action, Animation/Live Action, Super Hero |
Domestic BO: $453,829,060 |
International BO: $400,156,486 |
Synopsis
Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia and Everett Ross and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |
Director: Jeff Fowler |
Lead Roles: Ben Schwartz as Sonic the Hedgehog, Jim Carrey as Dr. Ivo Robotnik, Idris Elba as Knuckles the Echidna, Colleen O Shaughnessey as Miles “Tails” Prower, James Marsden as Tom Wachowski, Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski, Lee Majdoub as Stone, Natasha Rothwell as Rachel, Shemar Moore as Randall |
Initial Theatrical Release: March 30, 2022 (Wide) (Netherlands) |
Keywords: Family Adventure, Talking Animals, Animal Lead, Underwater, Undercover, Wedding Day Disasters |
Classification: Based on Game, Adventure, Animation/Live Action, Kids Fiction |
Domestic BO: $190,872,904 |
International BO: $214,281,522 |
Synopsis
Once settled in Green Hills, Sonic is determined to prove that he has the temperament of a hero. He is put to the test as Dr. Robotnik reappears, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, looking for an emerald that would have the power to destroy entire civilizations. And here’s Sonic alongside his own sidekick, Tails, who venture on a globetrotter mission to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.
Emily |
Director: Frances O’Connor |
Lead Roles: Emma Mackey as Emily Brontë |
Initial Theatrical Release: October 14, 2022 (Limited) by Warner Bros. (United Kingdom) |
Keywords: Biographical Drama, Biography, 1800s, Writing and Writers, Romance |
Classification: Based on Real Life Events, Drama, Live Action, Dramatization |
Domestic BO: $1,097,067 |
International BO: $2,413,177 |
Synopsis
Haunted by the death of her mother, Emily struggles within the confines of her family life and yearns for artistic and personal freedom, and so begins a journey to channel her creative potential into one of the greatest novels of all time.