20 movies with the most stacked casts—according to box office figures

- Number of stars: 9
- Combined career box office of stars: $47.9 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $191.1 million
- Franchise: Standalone movie

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to drop a ton of movie stars into the middle of a season of "Survivor," then you'd love the movie "Tropic Thunder." Picture it: Celebrities hired to film a war movie are suddenly dropped into the middle of a jungle and told they're being filmed by hidden cameras. Only it turns out they aren't—they're in the middle of an actual war zone.

It sounds like a horror film, but in reality, this blockbuster was a comedy that featured Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Matthew McConaughey, Nick Nolte, Tom Cruise, Bill Hader, and about a half-dozen other easily recognizable names sprinkled throughout. There wasn't a scene in the film that didn't have viewers saying "Oh hey it's…!" as they watched.

- Number of stars: 10
- Combined career box office of stars: $22.4 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $446.1 million
- Franchise: The Secret Life of Pets

Animated films have huge potential to become blockbuster hits because children love to be entertained and parents love a solid couple of hours to sit in relative peace. When you add those factors to a star-studded sequel featuring a cast like "The Secret Life of Pets 2," you've got a recipe for a box-office smash. Starring Kevin Hart, Patton Oswalt, Tiffany Haddish, Eric Stonestreet, Harrison Ford, Hannibal Buress, Dana Carvey, and a host of others, the film follows a group of pets after their owners leave them for the day. Imagine "Toy Story" but with adorable fur babies who have a penchant for wit and sarcasm.

- Number of stars: 10
- Combined career box office of stars: $23.1 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $399.2 million
- Franchise: Mamma Mia!

There are few musical groups that embody the saccharine-sweet disco era quite so well as ABBA. Their music was so beloved by their fans that it inspired two jukebox musical films with casts that are chock-full of stars. "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" is the second of the films and features a cast that included Academy Award winners Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, and Cher, as well as Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, and Lily James amongst the list of stars.

Somehow acting as both a sequel and a prequel to the original, the film speaks to the love affairs of Donna—played by Streep in the present and James in the flashbacks—as she traveled through Europe after college and the ripple effect each romance had on her life.

- Number of stars: 10
- Combined career box office of stars: $25.6 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $599.7 million
- Franchise: Madagascar

The "Madagascar" franchise, brought to life by DreamWorks Animation, is a series of films based around the meandering misadventures of a group of animals who make their way from the concrete jungle of New York City—or rather its zoos—back to what they assume is a more natural version of their habitats. That group of animals just so happens to be voiced by a jam-packed cast of box office stars such as the late Bernie Mac, Sacha Baron Cohen, David Schwimmer, Cedric the Entertainer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock, and Ben Stiller.

- Number of stars: 10
- Combined career box office of stars: $27.2 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $1.5 billion
- Franchise: Top Gun

More than three decades after the blockbuster success of the original "Top Gun" movie, the story made a triumphant return to theaters in a 2022 sequel that picks up decades after the first film left off. Tom Cruise, aka Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, is back and just as formidable as ever. He's still a top-tier naval aviator refusing to adhere to the rules that dictate he should be behind a desk. To stay in the air, he takes on a training assignment that forces him to confront a ghost from his past—or more like a "Goose" of his past—in the form of Goose's son, Rooster, played by Miles Teller.

The film also features an all-star ensemble cast: Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, and Val Kilmer. Considering the movie only came out a year ago and grossed $1.5 billion dollars worldwide, the nostalgia of the movie seemed to make quite an impact on the film's profits—especially since "Top Gun: Maverick" outsold both Marvel and DC films at the box office that year.

- Number of stars: 10
- Combined career box office of stars: $29.5 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $163.5 million
- Franchise: Standalone movie

Wes Anderson has long been a favorite of cinephiles worldwide, evidenced by the many movies under his belt, all of which seem to feature a star-studded cast. He is known for his quirky, art house-style aesthetic, one that pays particular attention to the symmetry of the shot, which audiences find just as appealing as the stories themselves.

In "The Grand Budapest Hotel," the audience is invited to fall in love with Monsieur Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) as he takes his new mentee Zero (Tony Revolori) through a journey of his stories and experiences at this once grand establishment. These tales are backed by a talented ensemble cast that features Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Saoirse Ronan, and Owen Wilson.

- Number of stars: 10
- Combined career box office of stars: $34.9 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $246.5 million
- Franchise: Standalone movie

Bridging the wonderfully delightful gap between romantic comedy and Christmas movie (a winning combo) is the 2003 British film "Love Actually" starring, well, pretty much everyone you can think of when it comes to U.K. film stars. Colin Firth makes another appearance on our list, along with the late and beloved Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Liam Neeson, Martin Freeman, Rowan Atkinson, and Bill Nighy amongst them.

One of the most beloved holiday films of all time, the film—the oldest on this list—follows the gently intersecting stories of a group of adults as they navigate the tricky business of love, loss, and betrayal during the even trickier holiday season. It feels like a breath of fresh air compared to the more traditional holiday films, but because of its rom-com undertones, it can also be watched obsessively year-round.

- Number of stars: 10
- Combined career box office of stars: $37.3 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $209.5 million
- Franchise: The Expendables

What's not to love about seeing your favorite '80s and '90s action stars back in fighting form? "The Expendables" franchise features much-loved celebrities such as Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jet Li. Those are just the recurring characters in the first three installments.

One-off appearances in the third installment widen the casting pool to include Antonio Banderas, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, and Wesley Snipes. In its third outing, the least successful installment at just $209.5 million earnings worldwide, Barney Ross (Stallone) recruits new talent to help him take down Conrad Stonebanks (Gibson), co-founder of the original Expendables team turned evil arms dealer.

- Number of stars: 10
- Combined career box office of stars: $43.9 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $251.5 million
- Franchise: Dr. Dolittle

Not to be confused with the similarly titled 1998 film "Doctor Dolittle," which starred Eddie Murphy, 2020's "Dolittle" stars Robert Downey Jr. in another retelling of the classic story of a physician who can talk to animals. In this version, the dapper Englishman Dr. John Dolittle hides away with his animals after his wife dies, only to be brought back into the world by way of a call from the crown: The young Queen Victoria has fallen ill, and the cure is, of course, hidden away somewhere in the depths of a mythical island.

The film featured a mixture of live actors and voice actors who all have star appeal—Tom Holland, Rami Malek, Selena Gomez, Octavia Spencer, and Marion Cotillard among them. Despite the stacked cast, however, the movie did not receive as high a rating as the Eddie Murphy-helmed '90s movie and was considered a box office flop.

- Number of stars: 11
- Combined career box office of stars: $30.4 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $879.8 million
- Franchise: Ice Age

The "Ice Age" franchise first made a splash at the box office in 2002 and has carried on through a series of movies, including 2012's "Ice Age: Continental Drift," the fourth installment in the series. Starring Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Nicki Minaj, Denis Leary, Peter Dinklage, Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer, Jennifer Lopez, and a host of other well-known stars, the story follows the crew of prehistoric friends as they watch the world around them fall apart. The animated film is another family-friendly favorite that brought comedic wit for adults plus amazing songs and lovable characters for kids.

- Number of stars: 11
- Combined career box office of stars: $40.0 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $1.3 billion
- Franchise: Beauty and the Beast

Depending on when you were born, you may have a very different idea when you think of "Beauty and the Beast." Unlike the 1991 film, the 2017 version was a live-action film blended with CGI that allowed it to visually appear a little more sinister and darker than the animated original. If you've never seen either film, they are driven by the fairy-tale premise that love conquers all—including a curse that turns a wealthy, handsome prince into a beast on the outside to match his horrific treatment of the less fortunate. The live-action version stars Emma Watson of the "Harry Potter" franchise, Stanley Tucci, Emma Thompson, Josh Gad, Audra McDonald, and Kevin Kline among others.

- Number of stars: 11
- Combined career box office of stars: $45.5 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $468.1 million
- Franchise: The Lego Movie

"The Lego Movie" franchise came out of the proverbial box office gates swinging from the very beginning. The successful animated film series has consistently attracted a long list of A-list actors to try their hand at voice-acting in order to be immortalized in Lego form. A star-studded cast was again used in the movie's sequel, "The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part," which also featured 11 stars, but with a lower combined career box office.

In this first installment, it feels like everyone in the Lego world is awesome, except Emmet Brickowski, voiced by Chris Pratt, who is extremely ordinary until he's accidentally identified as the key to the survival of the Lego universe against supervillain Lord Business, voiced by Will Ferrell. The movie also features Morgan Freeman, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Charlie Day, Elizabeth Banks, and Will Arnett.

- Number of stars: 12
- Combined career box office of stars: $28.6 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $872.4 million
- Franchise: DC Extended Universe

The DC Extended Universe is no stranger to the concept of hit-or-miss when it comes to their live-action film franchises, regardless of how many stars are on the roster. Both "Justice League" and "The Suicide Squad" both rivaled "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" when it comes to the number of box office stars with 11 and 10 celebs on board, respectively. "Dawn of Justice," however, managed to combine a large celebrity cast with fairly decent earnings of $872.4 million versus "Justice League" at $656 million and "The Suicide Squad" at a meager $167 million.

In the movie, Superman has become public enemy #1, and it's Batman who is trying to hunt him down. Directed by Zack Snyder—and starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jeremy Irons, Jesse Eisenberg, and Holly Hunter—the film truly answers the question "Who would win in a fight—Batman or Superman?"

- Number of stars: 12
- Combined career box office of stars: $32.6 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $402.2 million
- Franchise: Night at the Museum

Ben Stiller makes another appearance on our list with "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," a fantastical family-friendly film franchise that takes us on a journey through the halls of one of the most renowned museums in the world—only the exhibits come to life at night. Stiller plays the affable night guard Larry, who watches over them all.

In "Battle of the Smithsonian," Larry has moved on from the night guard life and is working as a successful infomercial star—until he finds out his historical friends have been shipped away. Hilarity and drama ensue as he tries to save them and, as it turns out, the world from history's greatest villains who have come back to life and are trying to take over the world.

- Number of stars: 12
- Combined career box office of stars: $49.2 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $939.6 million
- Franchise: Wizarding World

Before J.K. Rowling came under fire for her comments regarding the transgender community, her beloved "Harry Potter" franchise could do no wrong. Even now, despite some fans eschewing the series due to political beliefs, a new "Harry Potter" TV series has been announced. The "Harry Potter" film franchise came from a series of bestselling novels based on the magical world of a spectacled boy and his mystical powers.

Following the plot of the books, each film drew in a cavalcade of quality stars. While "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" only drew the fourth-largest box office earnings of the eight "Harry Potter" movies (not including the "Fantastic Beasts" movies), it was the film that brought together the largest number of profitable stars. The cast of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"—which includes Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Maggie Smith, Gary Oldman, Imelda Staunton, and Alan Rickman, among others—did equal that of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," but the 12 stars had a combined career box office that was $3 billion less.

- Number of stars: 13
- Combined career box office of stars: $51.4 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $1.5 billion
- Franchise: Fast and Furious

The "Fast & Furious" franchise is one that has had a chokehold on the movie industry for better than 20 years, but when it comes to the combined box office appeal of the stars in the films, none have ranked so high as "Furious 7." It was the last film of the series that featured Paul Walker, who died tragically in a car accident during production and whose brothers—Cody and Caleb—had to stand in as doubles to film the character's last scenes.

The most stacked of the franchise, the film also featured Vin Diesel, Ronda Rousey, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Kurt Russell, Djimon Hounsou, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Ludacris. The next film in the series, "The Fate of the Furious," came in at a close second in terms of stacked casts with 12 stars, but "Furious 7" beat it out by one.

- Number of stars: 14
- Combined career box office of stars: $32.5 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $1.6 billion
- Franchise: The Lion King

The 2019 CGI adaptation of Disney's "The Lion King" was destined to bring in stars after the success of the original 1994 animated feature—though the original only featured six stars. One of the highest-grossing traditionally animated feature films to this day, it would seem like an unwise decision in anyone's career to say no when "The Lion King" rings you up for a casting call. This would explain why this familial melodrama drew in the likes of Beyoncé, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Donald Glover, Billy Eichner, Seth Rogen, John Oliver, Alfre Woodard, Keegan-Michael Key, and not to mention James Earl Jones reprising his original role as Mufasa.

- Number of stars: 16
- Combined career box office of stars: $49.4 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $1.3 billion
- Franchise: Star Wars

"Star Wars" is one of the most recognizable titles in the world. The George Lucas-created science-fiction franchise has spanned more than four decades and has birthed legions of fans across generations. With that kind of popularity, there has been no shortage of box office stars on the cast rosters over the years. "Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi," however, is the film that drew in the most, with 16, followed by "Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker" (15 stars) and "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" (14 stars).

The plot follows Rey (Daisy Ridley), a resistance fighter who appears to be significantly in tune with The Force, as she convinces Luke Skywalker (a role reprised by Mark Hamill) to train her. The film also plays on the heartstrings of fans by bringing back Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia. On top of the legacy characters, the film stars John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Benicio Del Toro, Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis.

- Number of stars: 16
- Combined career box office of stars: $49.5 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $31.2 million
- Franchise: Standalone movie

In life, there are exceptions to every rule, and no film on this list proves that more than "Movie 43." No matter how stacked this cast was with 16 box office stars, it did not stop it from being a full-on bomb of a film. The box office barely cleared $30 million, and the film earned several Razzie Awards, including Worst Picture. The cast list is made up of legends—at least on paper: Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Elizabeth Banks, Gerard Butler, Uma Thurman, Richard Gere, Liev Schreiber, Emma Stone, and Kieran Culkin—but it wasn't enough to save the movie. Filmed in a series of sketches and short stories, there isn't a coherent plotline to follow or thread that connects it.

- Number of stars: 37
- Combined career box office of stars: $279.6 billion
- Movie's worldwide box office (non-inflation adjusted): $2.8 billion
- Franchise: Marvel Cinematic Universe

These days, it feels quite impossible for a Marvel film to not show up on this list. Since its inception, Marvel—and especially "Avengers"—films have managed to draw in A-list stars by the boatload. None of them compare to the "Avengers: Endgame" and the 37 box office stars that were sprinkled throughout the cast.

The world is left reeling after Thanos, played by Josh Brolin, has snapped away half of existence, including half of the superheroes normally tasked with protecting the world—and those left behind are struggling to get back to normal. The film stars Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Don Cheadle, the late Chadwick Boseman, and so many more. To reflect the talent and box office success of its cast, the film could have been named "Avengers: Stacked."

Data reporting by Jared Beilby. Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.