Eight of the IMDb’s top 20 movies generated over 1000% ROI

Just a few days after the Academy Awards 2023, our team decided to collect financial data on the 20 most highly-rated IMDb movies and calculate their return on investment (ROI), i.e. their real profit.

As data accuracy has always been a priority for us, our analyst team used only information provided by the trusted IMDb (rating) and Box Office Mojo (budget and gross revenue). We consulted the American Film Institute and the British Institute in relation to the oldies in our list – Seven Samurai, 12 Angry Men, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Highlights of the analysed data:

– The first part of The Godfather is synonymous with success, both in terms of rating (9.2) and return on investment (4072.36%)

– The Lord of the Rings is the only sequel with 3 representatives in the IMDb Top 20. Each part had gross revenues between 10 and 12 times higher than the movie budget.

– The movies with the highest investments involved is The Dark Knight – $185 million. In terms of ROI, it occupies the 13th position with 443.91%.

For more detailed information you can refer to our full analysis which includes data and graphics for the IMDb Top 20 Movies as well as the most popular sequels. The study and visuals can be used for your publication by providing a proper link attribution.