Wikipedia has a list of the highest grossing films of this decade so far, and somebody noticed that of the top 20 films at the box office, only one movie was not based on a past film or tv show (remake/sequel), or an adaptation of an established property (be it a comic, book, play, toy…etc).
In fact, out of the top 50 grossing films of this decade, there are only 9 movies based on original properties. And five of those nine films were created by Pixar Animation Studios. How sad…
The full list, with the original material in bold.
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
- The Dark Knight (2008)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
- Shrek 2 (2004)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
- Spider-Man 3 (2007)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
- Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
- Finding Nemo (2003)
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
- Spider-Man (2002)
- Shrek the Third (2007)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
- Spider-Man 2 (2004)
- The Da Vinci Code (2006)
- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
- The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
- Transformers (2007)
- Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Kung Fu Panda (2008)
- The Incredibles (2004)
- Hancock (2008)
- Ratatouille (2007)
- The Passion of the Christ (2004)
- Mamma Mia! (2008)
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa(2008)
- Casino Royale (2006)
- War of the Worlds (2005)
- Quantum of Solace (2008)
- I Am Legend (2007)
- Iron Man (2008)
- Night at the Museum (2006)
- King Kong (2005)
- Mission: Impossible II (2000)
- The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
- Madagascar (2005)
- The Simpsons Movie (2007)
- Monsters, Inc. (2001)
- WALL-E (2008)
- Meet the Fockers (2004)