With a worldwide box-office gross of over $2.8 billion, Avatar is proclaimed to be the "highest-grossing" film, but such claims usually refer to theatrical revenues only and don't take into account home video and television income, which can form a significant portion of a film's earnings. Once revenue from home entertainment is factored in it is not immediately clear …

The film has also surpassed Independence Day (1996) to become the highest-grossing film of Will Smith's career. The film also became the highest-grossing Disney film ever in South Korea, not including films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In June, Toy Story 4 set the record for the biggest opening for an animated film, with $244.5 million.