Controversy
Movies that created headlines over their allegedly controversial subject matter, 1980-Present. In parentheses, the movie's issue (perceived or real).
| Row | Rank | Title (click to view) | Studio | Lifetime Gross / Theaters | Opening / Theaters | Date | | 1 |
4 |
Django Unchained
(N-word) |
Wein. |
$162,805,434 |
3,012 |
$30,122,888 |
3,010 |
12/25/12 |
| 2 |
9 |
Zero Dark Thirty
(Torture) |
Sony |
$95,720,716 |
2,946 |
$417,150 |
5 |
12/19/12 |
| 3 |
17 |
Kick-Ass
(Violent/profane child) |
LGF |
$48,071,303 |
3,065 |
$19,828,687 |
3,065 |
4/16/10 |
| 4 |
15 |
Bruno
(Gay panic) |
Uni. |
$60,054,530 |
2,759 |
$30,619,130 |
2,756 |
7/10/09 |
| 5 |
6 |
Angels & Demons
(Anti-Christian) |
Sony |
$133,375,846 |
3,527 |
$46,204,168 |
3,527 |
5/15/09 |
| 6 |
25 |
W.
(Bush) |
LGF |
$25,534,493 |
2,050 |
$10,505,668 |
2,030 |
10/17/08 |
| 7 |
29 |
Religulous
(Religion) |
LGF |
$13,011,160 |
568 |
$3,409,643 |
502 |
10/1/08 |
| 8 |
31 |
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
(Creationism) |
RM |
$7,720,487 |
1,052 |
$2,970,848 |
1,052 |
4/18/08 |
| 9 |
14 |
The Golden Compass
(Anti-Christian) |
NL |
$70,107,728 |
3,528 |
$25,783,232 |
3,528 |
12/7/07 |
| 10 |
13 |
World Trade Center
(9/11) |
Par. |
$70,278,893 |
3,021 |
$18,730,762 |
2,957 |
8/9/06 |
| 11 |
2 |
The Da Vinci Code
(Anti-Christian) |
Sony |
$217,536,138 |
3,757 |
$77,073,388 |
3,735 |
5/19/06 |
| 12 |
22 |
United 93
(9/11) |
Uni. |
$31,483,450 |
1,871 |
$11,478,360 |
1,795 |
4/28/06 |
| 13 |
10 |
Brokeback Mountain
(Gay cowboys) |
Focus |
$83,043,761 |
2,089 |
$547,425 |
5 |
12/9/05 |
| 14 |
38 |
The Brown Bunny
(Oral sex climax) |
Wells |
$366,301 |
19 |
$50,601 |
3 |
8/27/04 |
| 15 |
7 |
Fahrenheit 9/11
(Anti-Bush) |
Lions |
$119,194,771 |
2,011 |
$23,920,637 |
868 |
6/23/04 |
| 16 |
3 |
The Day After Tomorrow
(Global warming) |
Fox |
$186,740,799 |
3,444 |
$68,743,584 |
3,425 |
5/28/04 |
| 17 |
1 |
The Passion of the Christ
(Anti-semitism) |
NM |
$370,782,930 |
3,408 |
$83,848,082 |
3,043 |
2/25/04 |
| 18 |
27 |
Bowling for Columbine
(Gun control) |
UA |
$21,576,018 |
248 |
$209,148 |
8 |
10/11/02 |
| 19 |
11 |
Barbershop
(Anti-black leaders) |
MGM |
$75,782,105 |
2,176 |
$20,627,433 |
1,605 |
9/13/02 |
| 20 |
28 |
Battlefield Earth
(Scientology) |
WB |
$21,471,685 |
3,307 |
$11,548,898 |
3,307 |
5/12/00 |
| 21 |
24 |
Dogma
(Anti-Christian) |
Lions |
$30,652,890 |
1,292 |
$8,669,945 |
1,269 |
11/12/99 |
| 22 |
20 |
Fight Club
(Anarchy) |
Fox |
$37,030,102 |
1,966 |
$11,035,485 |
1,963 |
10/15/99 |
| 23 |
19 |
The Siege
(Anti-Arab) |
Fox |
$40,981,289 |
2,582 |
$13,931,285 |
2,541 |
11/6/98 |
| 24 |
23 |
Powder
(Child molester director) |
BV |
$30,862,156 |
1,621 |
$7,146,973 |
1,592 |
10/27/95 |
| 25 |
32 |
Kids
(Debauched Youth) |
Mira. |
$7,412,216 |
187 |
$85,709 |
2 |
7/21/95 |
| 26 |
35 |
Priest (1995)
(Anti-Christian) |
Mira. |
$4,165,845 |
154 |
$113,430 |
8 |
3/24/95 |
| 27 |
16 |
Natural Born Killers
(Violence, Copycat murders) |
WB |
$50,282,766 |
1,904 |
$11,166,687 |
1,510 |
8/26/94 |
| 28 |
5 |
True Lies
(Anti-Arab) |
Fox |
$146,282,411 |
2,561 |
$25,869,770 |
2,368 |
7/15/94 |
| 29 |
26 |
The Program
(Youth pranks) |
BV |
$23,032,565 |
1,661 |
$6,821,931 |
1,653 |
9/24/93 |
| 30 |
36 |
Bad Lieutenant
(Debauched Cop) |
Aries |
$2,000,022 |
2 |
$47,454 |
2 |
11/20/92 |
| 31 |
8 |
Basic Instinct
(Vagina flash) |
TriS |
$117,727,224 |
1,884 |
$15,129,385 |
1,567 |
3/20/92 |
| 32 |
12 |
JFK
(JFK Conspiracy) |
WB |
$70,405,498 |
1,395 |
$5,223,658 |
1,164 |
12/20/91 |
| 33 |
37 |
The Pope Must Die(t)
(Title Offensive to Christians) |
Mira. |
$582,510 |
169 |
$264,147 |
169 |
8/30/91 |
| 34 |
21 |
Jungle Fever
(Interracial coupling) |
Uni. |
$32,482,682 |
844 |
$5,332,860 |
636 |
6/7/91 |
| 35 |
18 |
Thelma and Louise
(Feminism) |
MGM |
$45,360,915 |
1,180 |
$6,101,297 |
1,179 |
5/24/91 |
| 36 |
30 |
The Last Temptation of Christ
(Anti-Christian) |
Uni. |
$8,373,585 |
123 |
$401,211 |
9 |
8/12/88 |
| 37 |
33 |
Transformers: The Movie
(Animated use of ""S-word"","8087) |
DEG |
$5,849,647 |
990 |
$1,779,559 |
990 |
8/8/86 |
| 38 |
34 |
Inchon
(Moonies) |
MGM |
$5,200,986 |
1,291 |
$2,326,112 |
1,291 |
9/17/82 |
| TOTAL (All Movies): | $2,473,343,857 | - | - | - | - | | AVERAGE (All Movies): | $65,087,996 | 1,833 | $16,002,280 | 1,583 | - | TOTAL
(Wide Releases Only): | $2,415,856,200 | - | - | - | - | AVERAGE
(Wide Releases Only): | $80,528,540 | 2,273 | $21,519,311 | 2,122 | - |
If there are any movies that you think should be on this list, e-mail us at mail@boxofficemojo.com.
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