The Most Successful Movies of the 21st Century (Stream Graph Visualization)

Not only is this visualization by Alex Varlamov incredibly vibrant and captivating, it is packed with juicy knowledge that any movie buff or even casual entertainment consumer would enjoy. The interactive element invites you to explore the successes and failures of each distributor, and you can pinpoint specific movies to see how they fared against other films. The format lends itself brilliantly to the topic of “Movie Waves in the 21^st Century”.

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This type of visualization is called is called a stream graph. A stream graph is a type of stacked area graph which spreads out of a central axis, resulting in a flowing, organic silhouette that is appealing to the eye. They are excellent mediums for conveying a more general view of data so you can gather an impression quickly. For example, you can quickly see that Disney dominates the box office every year because of the copious amounts of baby blue. Stream graphs became popular after being used by Lee Bryon in the 2008 New York Times article on movie box office revenues. If you do not have the proper flash player to view the visualization, you can check it out here.

According to this chart, the highest grossing film in the 21^st century is Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. Despite how polarizing it was among fans, it is now considered a legendary and iconic film that launched the new generation of Star Wars films. It may come as no surprise to Avengers fans that Avengers: Endgame has the second highest domestic box office earnings in the 21^st century. Disney’s Marvel Studios ranks highly across the entire visualization which is a testament to the storytelling, casting, pacing, and action abilities of the franchise.

We hope you enjoy browsing this dazzling visualization – it may inspire a rewatch or two, or you might discover a film you had previously slept on to explore.