8 Highest Grossing X-Men Movies, Ranked

Highlights

Deadpool & Wolverine bid farewell to Fox X-Men films, merging into MCU, where nostalgia fuels box office success.
X-Men movies, with iconic moments and diverse characters, carved their own wondrous world despite flaws.
From X-2 to Logan, Fox’s X-Men films showcased star power, intricate storylines, and memorable performances.

As a long-time fan of the X-Men franchise, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing some truly remarkable films over the years. Having grown up with the original X-Men trilogy starring Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman, I was beyond excited when Fox began producing new entries in the series.

The long-awaited arrival of Deadpool & Wolverine, releasing the Fox X-Men franchise from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, doesn’t mean the rich history of the separate X-Men universe will be easily dismissed. While there were inconsistencies and complex timelines, the X-Men films boasted thrilling moments that created a captivating world all their own.

From cameo appearances to the closing credits montage, Deadpool & Wolverine as well as the entirety of Marvel Studios have bid a proper farewell to the Fox films. Both Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine began there, and nostalgia for these films is what has helped the impressive early showings at the box office for that new MCU entry, which is packed full of old and new Marvel cameos.

8 X-2

$407 Million

Released 2003
Directed By Bryan Singer
Starring Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman & Halle Berry

In the follow-up to the initial X-Men movie from Fox, the talented ensemble of mutants, led by Charles Xavier, returned. After characters such as Rogue played significant roles in the original storyline, this second installment put the spotlight on Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Throughout the subsequent decade-plus, Fox’s X-Men films primarily revolved around this character.

In the second installment, weaving in fresh characters like Nightcrawler, heightened tension between humans and mutants, and hints of the Phoenix Force created an engaging sequel. The success of the initial film boosted recognition and resulted in a powerful box office showing during that time. The ensemble’s up-and-coming stars contributed significantly, as did standout performances from veterans Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and Hugh Jackman.

7 The Wolverine

$414 Million

Released 2013
Directed By James Mangold
Starring Hugh Jackman, Tao Okamoto & Rila Fukushima

After the criticized “Origins: Wolverine” movie, it took courage from Fox to produce another solo Wolverine film. Fortunately, this installment turned out to be more successful. Post-“The Last Stand,” Logan is feeling down and haunted by his role in Jean Grey’s death. In seclusion, he is tracked down by an old friend who invites him to Japan, hoping to persuade him to relinquish his healing powers.

Drawing inspiration from an earlier Marvel Comics miniseries, “The Wolverine” stood out as a captivating solo tale deserving of greater recognition. Initially well-received and commercially successful, it unfortunately faded into obscurity due to its lack of alignment with the youthful X-Men films that dominated Fox’s attention at the time.

6 X-Men: The Last Stand

$460 Million

Released 2006
Directed By Brett Ratner
Starring Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen & Halle Berry

Despite being viewed less positively than other “X-Men” films in hindsight, there was tremendous excitement surrounding the release of “X-Men: The Last Stand.” Following the critical acclaim and fan enthusiasm for the first two movies, this final installment of the initial trilogy had the potential to be a major triumph for Fox. And although reviews were divided, it still performed well financially.

As a huge fan of the X-Men saga, I can’t help but reflect on the pivotal moment when Jean Grey returned and transformed into the Dark Phoenix. The intensity of her rage drove her to take the lives of Professor X and Cyclops, leaving us all stunned. With Magneto and his army by her side, she became a formidable force that no X-Man wanted to face.

5 X-Men: Apocalypse

$543 Million

Released 2016
Directed By Bryan Singer
Starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender & Jennifer Lawrence

In “First Class,” there was a slight dip in Fox’s X-Men series performance. However, they successfully regained fans’ enthusiasm with the excellence of that film and its successor. As a result, anticipation for the introduction of significant X-Men antagonist Apocalypse on the big screen is now at an all-time high.

Unfortunately, “Apocalypse” fell short of the enchantment that “Days of Future Past” possessed. However, it generated enough box office revenue to secure employment for the younger cast for a few more years. Meanwhile, Oscar Isaac’s portrayal of the villainous Egyptian mutant left him feeling somewhat disappointed.

4 Logan

$619 Million

Released 2017
Directed By James Mangold
Starring Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart & Dafne Keen

In the film “Logan,” which some believed would be Hugh Jackman’s last portrayal of Wolverine, the story drew inspiration from the “Old Man Logan” comic series. Here, an older and weary Logan lived in a dismal world, caring for an aging Charles Xavier while being forced to flee with a young girl who possesses similar abilities as his own.

Logan was the most intimate, brutal X-Men film made by Fox, which didn’t feel like it belonged in any cinematic universe. It presented a very different sort of world and story, but the emotional rollercoaster rode a huge hype train to become one of Fox’s highest-grossing films as well as a memorable exercise in what Hugh Jackman is truly capable of as an actor.

3 X-Men: Days Of Future Past

$746 Million

Released 2014
Directed By Bryan Singer
Starring: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy & Patrick Stewart

The excitement surrounding one of the X-Men team films has arguably reached an all-time high. By combining classic X-Men characters such as Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman with their newer, younger counterparts, the marketing team crafted a brilliant campaign that lived up to the anticipation.

In the wake of global devastation, Professor X sends Wolverine back to his past self to rectify a pivotal error that brought about this catastrophic state of affairs. Boasting an impressive ensemble, a compelling narrative, and seamless intergenerational dynamics, Days of Future Past stands as a remarkable achievement in Fox’s stewardship of the X-Men film franchise.

2 Deadpool

$782 Million

Released 2016
Directed By Tim Miller
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin & Ed Skrein

The film that Fox initially rejected turned out to be their most prosperous franchise and iconic character derived from their management of Marvel’s intellectual property. When Ryan Reynolds portrayed Wade Wilson in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” it didn’t appear that the pairing would reach the heights they have now with their blockbuster ensemble film. However, everything shifted dramatically when a short film showcasing Reynolds in complete Deadpool regalia was inadvertently released.

The massive reaction on social media to this triggered the production of a complete film, showcasing Reynolds’ spot-on portrayal as the “Merc With a Mouth.” The overwhelming enthusiasm for the movie became one of the biggest financial successes ever for an R-rated film, proving to studios that superhero films don’t have to be family-oriented to succeed.

1 Deadpool 2

$785 Million

Released 2018
Directed By David Leitch
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin & Morena Baccarin

As a gamer, I can tell you that among all the games or movies produced by Fox, Deadpool 2 truly stood out for me, surpassing Deadpool in many ways. After the massive success of the first film, it was a no-brainer for Fox to produce a sequel. And I, as a fan and Ryan Reynolds himself, were more than excited to be back for another round of chaos. In Deadpool 2, we welcomed the addition of the time-traveling Cable, brilliantly portrayed by Josh Brolin, adding even more depth and madness to the storyline.

As a longtime fan of the X-Men universe, I’ve been thrilled to see how Fox has brought some of my favorite lesser-known characters into the spotlight in recent years. With Deadpool 2, they really outdid themselves. This film wasn’t just a success, it was a triumph.

2024-07-29 15:04