The $1 billion club has grown rapidly in recent years, but it remains the magic barrier to surpass at the global box office.
In cinema history, there are only on twenty movies to have achieved this feat... the most recent being Fast & Furious 7.
Some of the biggest films to hit the big screen in recent years have joined the billion dollar club, but just how fast have some of these movies achieved this?
- Fast & Furious 7 - 17 days
Fast & Furious 7 has become the first of 2015 to break the $1 billion barrier - it has also done it in the quickest time in history... taking an impressive seventeen days.
Fast & Furious 7 was expected to do well at the box office as it gave fans a chance to say farewell to actor Paul Walker, who was killed in a car accident whilst filming. However, it has surpassed all expectations and has become the first Fast & Furious movie to reach $1 billion.
By doing so, Fast & Furious 7 has become the highest grossing film in the franchise - surpassing the total of $788 million set by Fast & Furious 6 in 2013 - and it is set to be one of the most successful films of the year.
It has become the twentieth film to break the $1 billion barrier and is currently the seventh highest grossing movie of all time.
While the future of the Fast & Furious franchise is still unknown, if this was to be the final film, they have certainly gone out with a bang. Having said that, I think we may just see an eighth film given the green light.
- Avatar - 19 days
It was back in 2009 when Avatar hit the big screen and went on to be a critical hit and a major commercial smash. James Cameron was back in the director's chair and his film took us to the world of Pandora and introduced us to the Na'vi for the first time.
Avatar broke just about all box office records and become not only the highest grossing film, but also broke $1 billion the quickest. In just nineteen days, the movie was part of the $1 billion club.
However, the movie kept going and going, finally surpassing Titanic as the highest grossing film of all time and the first movie to gross over $2 billion - breaking the record previous set by Cameron with Titanic.
Avatar is not the only member of the $2 billion club; the film has been joined by Titanic - which reached that milestone with a re-release. However, not film has come close to rivalling Avatar's worldwide gross of $2,7 billion.
It will be interesting to see just how successful the Avatar sequels will be at the box office when we finally do get to see them - that could be some time away yet.
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 - 19 days
The Harry Potter franchise is one of the most successful of all time and the film series came to an epic close back in 2011.
Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was the eighth film in the Harry Potter series and was to close the franchise with a bang. It not only became the highest grossing Harry Potter film, but it became the only film in the series to break $1 billion.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone did come close in 2001 but just missed out - however, it remained the highest grossing Harry Potter film until Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was released.
Deathly Hallows - Part 2 smashed through the $1 billion barrier equalling the nineteen-day record that had been set by Avatar in 2009. Deathly Hallows - Part 2 remains the fourth highest grossing film of all time, behind Avatar, Titanic, and Avengers Assemble.
- Avengers Assemble - 19 days
Marvel had already enjoyed box office success prior to 2012, but it was Avengers Assemble that was to kick off the run of major box office success that the studio has been enjoying of late.
Avengers Assemble was the first time that Iron Man, Captain America. Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Hulk had been brought together in one movie, and Joss Whedon balanced all these strong characters and big named actors beautifully.
There was huge anticipation surrounding the film... and it didn't disappoint. Avengers equalled the nineteen-day record set by Avatar and Deathly Hallows Part 2, as it became the first Marvel film to break $1 billion.
By the end of its theatrical run, Avengers Assemble had grossed over $1.5 billion and is the third highest grossing movie of all time.
However, Avengers Assemble may not be Marvel's highest grossing film by the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron's theatrical run - the films look set to go head to head.
- Iron Man 3 - 22 days
A year after the success of Avengers Assemble, Iron Man 3 became the second Marvel film to join the billion-dollar club. The movie saw Robert Downey Jr return to the title role, while Shane Black took over the director's chair from Jon Favreau.
Iron Man 3 blasted into cinemas in April 2013 and saw the character of Tony Stark dealing with the fall out of events from Avengers Assemble. It was a critical and commercial hit and continued Marvel's huge success at the box office. It reached the $1 billion mark in just twenty-two days.
It topped the box office in both the U.S. and the UK and went on to be the second highest grossing movie of the year - second only to Disney animation film Frozen.
Iron Man 3 grossed over $1.2 billion and is the sixth highest grossing movie of all time and the second most successful Marvel film at the global box office.
Iron Man 3 was the last time that we saw a solo film for this popular character and there are no current plans for a fourth instalment.
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon - 35 days
It was back in 2007 when the Transformer franchise hit the big screen for the first time, but it would be four years later when it the franchise would break the $1 billion barrier for the first time.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon was the third film in the popular franchise, saw Michael Bay back in the director's chair, and would be the last time that we would see Shia LaBeouf take on the role of Sam Witwicky.
Despite not being a huge hit with the critics, Transformers: Dark of the Moon went on to be a massive box office smash as it grossed over $1 billion in just thirty five days.
Dark of the Moon was one of three movies to break $1 billion in 2011 - the others being Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
It finished the year as the second highest grossing film - behind Harry Potter - and is currently the eighth highest grossing film of all time. It remains the most successful Transformers film in the series, but Age of Extinction has followed in its footsteps and joined the $1 billion club.
