What is the highest-grossing rom-com of all time?
There was a time when rom-coms were one of the defining genres in Hollywood. During the 1990s and the 2000s, you couldn’t go to a cinema without the option of a romantic comedy, from classics like 1999’s Notting Hill to rather terrible ones like 2008’s The Hottie and the Nottie. It’s a genre that attracted large audiences, predominantly female, and allowed fun stories about romance, female issues, and friendship to dominate.
While there were certainly a large number of rom-coms that leaned on lazy stereotypes or featured a lack of diversity (the most popular typically featured straight white couples), there were many that communicated the kinds of female-centric storylines and themes that had rarely been given space before.
Many women came to identify with heroines like Bridget Jones, 10 Things I Hate About You‘s Kat Stratford or Legally Blonde‘s Elle Woods – and still do – and we often find ourselves resorting back to these films when we need a boost of confidence and a reminder that things do get better.
Romantic comedies have been popular since the early days of cinema, with one of the greatest examples being 1934’s It Happened One Night, which paved the way for the genre. Since then, there have been countless tales of enemies to lovers, friends who realise they’re actually meant to be, childhood best friends reunited, best friend’s brother, and so on. Rom-coms have been constantly evolving over the years, with Annie Hall offering a quirky take on the genre in the 1970s, while When Harry Met Sally… breathed fresh air into rom-coms in 1989 with its time-spanning approach.
Sadly, since the mid-2010s, rom-coms haven’t been as prolific or memorable, although with 2023’s Anyone But You grossing a worldwide total of $220million, it seems as though Hollywood might have realised the profit to be found in reviving the genre. In fact, many rom-coms have garnered very sizable profits in the past, suggesting that people will happily flock to watch these complicated tales of romance.
What is the highest-grossing rom-com of all time?
There are so many rom-coms that you could hazard a good guess at being the highest-grossing rom-com, from Pretty Woman to Sex and the City, but at the top spot, according to Box Office Mojo, is my Big Fat Greek Wedding. The movie has grossed over $368.7 million since it was released in 2002, subsequently spawning a television show, My Big Fat Greek Life, and two sequel movies. None were as successful as the original movie, though, with 2016’s My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 grossing $90.6 million and 2023’s My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 only making $39.1million.
The original film charmed viewers with its tale of love and family, with Nia Vardalos writing it and starring as the main character, Toula. When she meets an American man, played by John Corbett, she must reckon with her Greek family’s disapproving reaction.
Vardalos earned an Academy Award nomination for ‘Best Original Screenplay’, although she lost out to Pedro Almodóvar for Talk to Her. Still, the movie was a worldwide hit, endearing audiences with its equal blend of light hearted humour and romance and its exploration of cultural identity. Despite the many successful rom-coms that have emerged in its wake, none have knocked it from its throne just yet.
