10 Highest-Grossing Romance Dramas At The Box Office, Ranked

The romance genre is, without a doubt, one of the most foundational genres of cinema. Arguably, it’s one of the most foundational genres of human storytelling, period. Watching two people fall in love and go through endless trials and tribulations to finally be together or stand side by side has been a favorite human pastime for centuries. Whether a happy ever after or a tragic ending, romance movies have left their indisputable mark on our collective imaginations.

Like all massive genres, romance also has a myriad of sub-genres—and it’s also a sub-genre itself since there are very few action flicks or thrillers that don’t have at least a hint of a romantic subplot. The most beloved romance sub-genre, though, has to be the romance drama. It has all the passions and pathos one looks for in romance, so it should be no surprise that there are several movies that fall into this category that can be found in the list of the highest-grossing movies of all time.

10

The Fault in Our Stars (Josh Boone, 2014)

Total Earnings: $307,170,119

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo

8/10

8/10

the fault in our stars

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

The Fault in Our Stars

pg-13
Drama

Release Date

June 5, 2014

Runtime

126minutes

Director

Josh Boone

Writers

Josh Boone

Cast

  • Headshot of Shailene Woodley

    Shailene Woodley

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    See All Cast & Crew

Based on the bestselling novel by John Green, The Fault in Our Stars follows Hazel Grace Lancaster, a teenage girl living with cancer who meets fellow cancer patient Augustus Waters at a support group and begins and romance with him. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort star as Hazel and Gus. 

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

The Fault in Our Stars was quite the phenomenon among the then-teenager and young adult population, and it had been since 2012 when author John Green first published The Fault in Our Stars as a novel. It only makes sense, then, that the movie adapted from that book was not only highly anticipated by fans everywhere but also a commercial success, leaving its by-now niche but still undeniable mark on pop culture.

The story follows Hazel and Augustus, two teenagers who meet at the same cancer patient support group. Their relationship soon grows and turns into love. It’s all sweet and wholesome until The Fault in Our Stars delivers a rather sad ending that should have been expected but that audiences still hope doesn’t happen. While The Fault in Our Stars is definitely a product of its time—some of its narrative choices would raise a few eyebrows today—the impact it had on the 2010s pop culture scene is still relevant, as testified by its considerable box office earnings.

9

Little Women (Greta Gerwig, 2019)

Total Earnings: $332,103,783

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo

10/10

9/10

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Little Women

PG
RomanceDrama

Release Date

December 25, 2019

Runtime

135 minutes

Director

Greta Gerwig

Writers

Greta Gerwig

Cast

  • Headshot Of Emma Watson In The Kering Foundation Caring For Women Dinner

    Emma Watson

  • Headshot Of Timothée Chalamet

    Timothée Chalamet

  • Bob Odenkirk Profile Picture

    Bob Odenkirk

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    See All Cast & Crew

The seventh film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women details the coming-of-age story of the March sisters, four young women living in Concord, Massachusetts during the American Civil War. The film stars Saoirse Ronan as Jo March, with Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, and Eliza Scanlen playing Amy, Meg, and Beth respectively. The film received critical acclaim upon its release and garnered six nominations and one win at the 92nd Academy Awards. 

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

The latest adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s coming-of-age story Little Women was directed by Greta Gerwig and had an absolutely stacked cast—both things that definitely contributed to its worldwide success. Gerwig’s decision to split the story into two different timelines makes the events of the lives of the March sisters even more engaging if that is even possible. The fact that the harsh contrast between the four girls’ childhoods and their adulthood is also marked visually, the former being drenched in warm colors and the latter in stark cold ones, is a stroke of visual storytelling genius.

A brief history of Little Women in cinema

Specs

Cast

Notes

Little Women (Alexander Butler, 1917)

Mary Lincoln as Meg, Ruby Miller as Jo, Muriel Myers as Beth, Daisy Burrel as Amy

This movie is considered a lost film

Little Women (Harley Knoles, 1918)

Isabel Lamon as Meg, Dorothy Bernanrd as Jo, Lillian Hall as Beth, Florence Flinn as Amy

This is the second silent film adaptation of Little Women after the 1917 one

Little Women (George Cukor, 1933)

Frances Dee as Meg, Katharine Hepburn as Jo, Jean Parker as Beth, Joan Bennett as Amy

The very first sound adaptation of Little Women

Little Women (Mervyn LeRoy, 1949)

Janet Leigh as Meg, June Allyson as Jo, Margaret O’Brien as Beth, Elizabeth Taylor as Amy

The first color adaptation of the story

Little Women (Gillian Armstrong, 1994)

Trini Alvarado as Meg, Winona Ryder as Jo, Claire Danes as Beth, Samantha Mathis and Kirsten Dunst as Amy

The most famous Little Women adaptation before Gerwig’s 2019 one

Little Women (Clare Niederpruem, 2018)

Melanie Stone as Meg, Sarah Davenport as Jo, Allie Jennings as Beth, Elise Jones and Taylor Murphy as Amy

A contemporary adaptation made for the 150th anniversary of the novel

There’s a reason Little Women has remained such a beloved story ever since its first publication in 1868. The four March sisters all feel like actual people one might know in real life and have resonated with audiences for more than a century. The performances of Emma Watson as Meg, Saoirse Ronan as Jo, Eliza Scanlen as Beth, and Florence Pugh as Amy are all brilliant and perfectly capture the spirit of these iconic characters. Gerwig’s Little Women is overall a great example of an adaptation done right, with great monologues that tugged at viewers’ heartstrings.

8

It Ends with Us (Justin Baldoni, 2024)

Total Earnings: $350,993,761

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo

5/10

29

8.1/10

It Ends With Us - Poster

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

It Ends With Us

PG-13
DramaRomance

Release Date

August 9, 2024

Runtime

130 Minutes

Director

Justin Baldoni

Writers

Christy Hall, Colleen Hoover

Cast

  • Headshot Of Blake Lively In The 'It Ends With Us' World Premiere

    Blake Lively

    Lily Bloom

  • Headshot of Justin Baldoni

    Justin Baldoni

    Ryle Kincaid

  • Headshot OF Brandon Sklenar

    Brandon Sklenar

    Atlas Corrigan

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    See All Cast & Crew

Based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel, It Ends With Us is a drama-romance film directed by Justin Baldoni. The film follows a recent college graduate named Lily, who meets a man named Ryle and falls in love with him. However, a traumatic incident compounded with her former high-school sweetheart re-entering her life complicates her plans.

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

It Ends with Us was a considerable phenomenon in the summer of 2024, ascending almost immediately to the status of box office success. A success that is easily understood when taking into consideration that the book the movie is based on, author Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name, has enjoyed that same kind of success ever since its publication in 2016.

It Ends with Us was a controversial production from the start, even before the movie was actually made—criticism of Hoover’s novel was already rampant in every corner of the Internet dedicated to books, from BookTok to BookTube. The main point of contention was the subject of the book, which deals with heavy themes like domestic violence and emotional abuse in a way that has been considered too careless and superficial. It Ends with Us’s name is now also associated with the legal dispute between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, the movie’s lead actress.

7

Fifty Shades Freed (James Foley, 2018)

Total Earnings: $371,985,018

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo

4/10

4/10

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Fifty Shades Freed

R
RomanceThriller

Release Date

February 9, 2018

Runtime

101minutes

Director

James Foley

Writers

Niall Leonard

Prequel(s)

Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades of Grey

Cast

  • Headshot Of Rita Ora

    Rita Ora

  • Headshot Of Jamie Dornan

    Jamie Dornan

  • Headshot Of Tyler Hoechlin

    Tyler Hoechlin

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    See All Cast & Crew

The final film in the Fifty Shades trilogy, Fifty Shades Freed follows the newlywed lives of Anatasia Steele and Christian Grey. Still riding high from their wedding, Ana and Christian are brought back down to earth when a break-in at Christian’s company heralds the return of an old nemesis, and outside forces threaten to pull the couple apart once more. Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan reprise their roles as Ana and Christian. 

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Fifty Shades Freed is the final installment of the Fifty Shades movie franchise, all of which are based on the book series of the same name by author E.L. James. The movie finishes up the story of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, who are now officially married and ready to start their lives together—but not before taking down the last of their adversaries who have it out for them. In the end, they lead a happy life together with their children, who were not exactly planned but are much loved nonetheless.

Fifty shades Freed Christian and Anastasia with rotten logos in the background

Related

10 Biggest Reasons Why Fifty Shades Freed Is The Worst-Reviewed Movie Of The Franchise

Fifty Shades Freed is the closing chapter in the Fifty Shades trilogy, but it’s also the worst-reviewed and lowest-rater movie in the franchise.

Posts

Fifty Shades Freed was an unquestionable box office success all over the world, even though it was technically the lowest-grossing installment of the entire trilogy. Still, sometimes box office success doesn’t necessarily equate to favorable reviews—just like the two previous Fifty Shades movies, Fifty Shades Freed received overall criticism, particularly about its story beats and its acting performances.

6

Fifty Shades Darker (James Foley, 2017)

Total Earnings: $381,545,846

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo

4/10

5/10

50 Shades Darker Poster

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Fifty Shades Darker

R
RomanceDrama

Release Date

February 10, 2017

Runtime

118 Minutes

Director

James Foley

Writers

Niall Leonard

Prequel(s)

Fifty Shades of Grey

Cast

  • Headshot Of Jamie Dornan

    Jamie Dornan

  • headshot Of Max Martini

    Max Martini

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Marcia Gay Harden

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    See All Cast & Crew

The sequel to Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker continues the story of Anatasia Steele and Christian Grey. After leaving Christian in the previous film, Anatasia finds herself inexplicably drawn back to him despite her reservations about their relationship. As the two grow close again, secrets from Christian’s past come back to haunt him, and Anatasia must decide if her love for Christian outweighs everything that comes with being in a relationship with him. The film stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan as Anatasia and Christian, with a further cast that includes Eric Johnson, Bella Heathcote, and Kim Basinger. 

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

The entire Fifty Shades trilogy was a massive box office success, just like the Fifty Shades book series it was based on, so it’s no surprise that all three movies are among the highest-grossing romance dramas of all time. Fifty Shades Darker is the second installment in the series and picks up almost immediately when Fifty Shades of Grey left off, with Anastasia and Christian both coming to terms—quite badly—with their breakup.

Fifty Shades Darker received the same criticisms that were moved against Fifty Shades of Grey and that would be moved against Fifty Shades Freed. The performances were deemed unconvincing and so was the overall story. Mostly, though, all Fifty Shades movies were criticized for misrepresenting what was supposed to be their main selling point—the BDSM relationship between Anastasia and Christian, which was presented with very little concern for the safety and comfort measures that are taken in real life.

5

A Star Is Born (Bradley Cooper, 2018)

Total Earnings: $436,433,122

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo

8/10

11

6.5/10

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

A Star is Born

R
MusicDramaMusical

Release Date

October 5, 2018

Runtime

2h 15m

Director

Bradley Cooper

Writers

Bradley Cooper, Eric Roth, Will Fetters

Cast

  • headshot Of Michael Harney In The 2014 Variety and Women In Film Annual

    Michael Harney

  • Headshot Of Sam Elliott

    Sam Elliott

  • Headshot Of Bonnie Somerville

    Bonnie Somerville

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    See All Cast & Crew

The third remake of the original 1937 film, A Star Is Born stars Bradley Cooper as Jackson Maine, an alcoholic Country musician who discovers and falls in love with a young and aspiring singer named Ally, played by Lady Gaga. As Jack helps Ally become famous, their relationship deepens, but his private demons have devastating consequences on both their lives. The film was also Cooper’s directorial debut.  

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

A Star Is Born was the fourth iteration of its story, which has been produced before, in 1937, 1954, and 1976, as well as Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut. Cooper also starred as the main character Jack Maine, a famous country rock singer, alongside Lady Gaga, who is the movie’s lead actress in the role of Ally, a singer-songwriter who works at the bar that Jack visits after one of his shows.

A Star is Born is a moving (and tear-jerking) love story by way of showbiz melodrama. – Sandy Schaefer – ScreenRant’s A Star Is Born review

A Star Is Born hit the combo of proving itself a box office success, a critical darling, and a pop culture sensation. The movie’s signature song “Shallow,” was playing everywhere in the summer of 2018 immediately after the movie’s release, and it succeeded in winning Best Original Song both at that year’s Golden Globes and Academy Awards. Ultimately, A Star Is Born proved that there is value in remaking timeless stories, but only, of course, when done right.

4

Pearl Harbor (Michael Bay, 2001)

Total Earnings: $449,220,945

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

7.3/10

Pearl Harbor (2001) - Poster - Ben Affleck

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Pearl Harbor

PG-13
ActionDramaRomanceWar

Release Date

May 25, 2001

Runtime

183 minutes

Director

Michael Bay

Writers

Randall Wallace

Cast

  • Headshot Of Ben Affleck

    Ben Affleck

  • Headshot Of Josh Hartnett In The 77th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs)

    Josh Hartnett

  • Headshot Of Kate Beckinsale

    Kate Beckinsale

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    See All Cast & Crew

Two best friends and pilots find themselves caught in a love triangle with a dedicated nurse just as the catastrophic attack on Pearl Harbor plunges America into war. The events of December 7 dramatically change their lives, and the film tells a dramatized tale set during the event that marked the United States’ entry into World War II.

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Pearl Harbor is as classic a romance drama as they come and the perfect example of how romance as a genre can easily mix with pretty much any other genre in the history of storytelling. In the case of Pearl Harbor, the drama-filled love triangle between nurse Evelyn Johnson and best friends Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker is set against the backdrop of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent entrance of the United States into the already raging conflict of World War II.

The main characters of the movie Pearl Harbor over a real picture of the events of Pearl Harbor.

Related

Is Pearl Harbor Accurate? Movie Vs. Real Life True Story Explained

The historical inaccuracies of Pearl Harbor cause it to be a poor representation of history. However, it isn’t a totally false portrayal of events.

Posts

Pearl Harbor has incredible action sequences, especially during the scene of the actual attack, which is obviously the movie’s centerpiece. All its technical aspects, including its soundtrack, were wildly well received upon release, even though the same couldn’t be said for its overall story and performances. Still, that didn’t stop Pearl Harbor from being a box office success as well as one of the most iconic examples of a period romance drama.

3

La La Land (Damien Chazelle, 2016)

Total Earnings: $509,183,536

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo

9/10

8.6/10

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

La La Land

PG-13
DramaMusicalComedy

Release Date

December 9, 2016

Runtime

128 Minutes

Director

Damien Chazelle

Writers

Damien Chazelle

Cast

  • Headshot Of Hemky Madera

    Hemky Madera

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    meagen fay

  • Headshot Of J. K. Simmons

    J. K. Simmons

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    See All Cast & Crew

Written and directed by Damien Chazzelle, the romantic musical La La Land tells the story of Seb Wilder (Ryan Gosling) and Mia Dolan (Emma Stone), a jazz musician and an aspiring actress pursuing their respective dreams in Los Angeles. The pair meet and fall in love, sharing their passions and hopes with one another as they become closer. J.K. Simmons, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Finn Wittrock appear in supporting roles.

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Romances make for some of the best musicals out there and La La Land is no exception. Then again, the homage that La La Land pays to staples of the romance musical is all done with intention by director Damien Chazelle, since the entire movie is a metanarrative reflection on Hollywood, its history, and the dreams of people who flock there to try and make their break in the world of cinema.

La La Land was incredibly well received upon its release, quickly becoming a worldwide success so much so that it’s generally considered one of the best movies to come out of the last decade. La La Land‘s story filled with swoon-worthy romance and bittersweet longing, its incredibly catchy and emotional songs, and the brilliant performances of lead actors Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling all contribute to making it the jewel that it is.

2

Fifty Shades of Grey (Sam Taylor-Johnson, 2015)

Total Earnings: $569,651,467

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo

4/10

5.5/10

Fifty Shades of Grey Movie Poster

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Fifty Shades of Grey

R
DramaRomance

Release Date

February 13, 2015

Runtime

125 Minutes

Director

Sam Taylor-Johnson

Writers

Kelly Marcel

Sequel(s)

Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Freed

Cast

  • Headshot Of Jennifer Ehle In The Los Angeles Premiere Of Paramount+`s `1923'

    Jennifer Ehle

  • Headshot Of Dakota Johnson iN The Premiere of 'Daddio' during the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival

    Dakota Johnson

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Jamie Dorman

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    See All Cast & Crew

Based on the book by E.L. James, Fifty Shades of Grey is the first film in the trilogy that follows naive literature student Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson), whose life changes upon meeting the complicated and tormented billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dorman). Drawn to each other, the two start a romantic relationship where Steele uncovers Grey’s secrets – and explores her own personal desires.

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Fifty Shades of Grey is the movie that started the Fifty Shades franchise, and its plot follows the very beginning of the relationship between recent college graduate Anastasia Steele and billionaire entrepreneur Christian Grey. That relationship soon turns into a sadomasochistic one, introducing Anastasia to the world of BDSM of which Christian is very much an expert.

Fifty Shades of Grey was a box office success pretty much immediately upon its release, which was much anticipated by fans of E.L. James’s original 2011 book who had carefully monitored every step of its production—from the announcement of the movie’s screenwriters, then director, then lead actors. Still, Fifty Shades of Grey received considerable criticism about pretty much everything, and that same criticism would follow its franchise all the way to the end.

1

Titanic (James Cameron, 1997)

Total Earnings: $2,264,750,694

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo

10/10

15

9.1/10

Titanic poster

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Titanic

PG-13
DramaRomance

Release Date

December 19, 1997

Runtime

3h 14m

Director

James Cameron

Writers

James Cameron

Cast

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    David Warner

  • Headshot Of Kathy Bates In The CBS Fall Schedule Celebration At Paramount Studios

    Kathy Bates

  • Headshot Of Billy Zane In The premiere of 'Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1'

    Billy Zane

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    See All Cast & Crew

Titanic is the 1997 blockbuster romantic/disaster epic based on the events surrounding the sinking of the legendary “unsinkable” vessel. Flashing back to the past and forward to the present, the film primarily follows the stories of the well-to-do and somewhat timid Rose and the poor but lively Jack, star-crossed lovers who meet aboard the doomed ship. In addition, the film tells true and fictionalized accounts of the passengers of the RMS Titanic, with an older Rose recounting her tale to the crew of a research ship. 

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

There’s a massive gap between the second highest-grossing romance drama of all time and the first, and that can only be explained by the fact that Titanic is more than a movie—it’s one of those stories that become pillars of pop culture, known and beloved all over the world, with an impact on the rest of its genre and of cinema at large that is never likely to die down.

A composite image features Titanic characters Captain Edwards, Jaco Dawson, Rose Bukater, and Molly Brown over an image of the sinking ship

Related

Titanic: 7 Characters Based On Real People (And 7 Who Are Completely Fictional)

Disaster epic Titanic may be based on a true story, but not every character is taken from the pages of history.

Posts

James Cameron’s retelling of the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912 manages to draw audiences into a story of which they already know the ending by adding the element of the romantic tension between fictional characters Jack and Rose, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, through whose eyes the whole tragedy is told. The romance, seamlessly blended with massive action sets that are reminiscent of Nineties disaster movies, is what makes Titanic the incredible success that it is—as well as the fourth-ever highest-grossing movie ever made in the history of cinema.