10 Highest Grossing Films that Never Topped the Box Office

After Hollywood desecrated some of my favorite childhood television shows like the Dukes of Hazard, Garfield and Underdog I vowed not to watch the Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. Apparently not many people felt the same way because the Chipmunks have brought in a surprising $176 million.

Normally if a movie has $176 million you would think at some point or another it reached #1 in the box office. Alvin and the Chipmunks hasn't though. It had the misfortune of coming out the same time as I Am Legend, which is doing even better. That got me thinking, "What are the highest grossing films to never hit #1 in the box office?" Here are the top 10, including Alvin and the Chipmunks.

10. The Longest Yard ($158 million)
#1 Movie: Madagascar ($193 million)
This is one of those weeks when I wonder what people are thinking. I would never pay to see either of these movies at the theater but both made $150 million.

9. The Polar Express ($162 million)
#1 Movie: The Incredibles ($261 million)
There was no way around Polar Express facing the Incredibles. Polar Express only made $23 million opening week. In order to beat Incredibles they would've had to push Polar Express back four weeks to when Incredibles finally dropped to $9 million in week 5.

8. Catch Me If You Can ($164 million)
#1 Movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers ($340 million)
Humans love Tom Hanks and Leonardo Dicaprio but apparently Hobbits out number humans by a good amount.

7. Casino Royale ($167 million)
#1 Movie: Happy Feet ($197 million)
Casino Royale lost to Happy Feet. There is no God. Actually, there is a God, he just apparently doesn't care about what movie finishes first in the box office.

6. Chicago ($170 million)
#1 Movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers ($340 million)
That's not a typo. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers stopped not one, but two deserving movies from being number one.

5. A Beautiful Mind ($170 million)
#1 Movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring ($313 million)
How dare you! How dare you Hobbits deny Jennifer Connelly of the top box office spot!