Summer 2014 has been another bumper one at the box office we a range of movies proving to be commercial hits worldwide.

We have seen sequels and new franchises hit the big screen, all of the vying to be the #1 film this summer.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier & The Amazing Spider 2 were leading the 2014 box office with their March and April releases... but could they be toppled?

1. Transformers: Age of Extinction - $1,054,492,711

Transformers: Age of Extinction hit the big screen just seven weeks ago and it is already the highest grossing film of the year.

The Transformers franchise has always been a hit at the box office, and this fourth instalment was no different.

Michael Bay was back in the director's chair for the film, and he had brought together a brand new cast. Mark Wahlberg took over the central role, while Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor, and Stanley Tucci were just some of the other names on board.

Age of Extinction is the only 2104 released movie to break $1 billion this year, and is it the 19th film to achieve this feat.

2. X-Men: Days of Future Past - $744,108,064

X-Men: Days of Future Past has been my favourite of all of the summer movies as it brought together a great cast and saw Bryan Singer return to the director's chair.

The movie brought together stars from the original franchise and First Class, as they all came together for the first time.

Days of Future Past was both a critical and commercial hit when it was released and topped the box office in both the U.S. and UK.

I think it is the best X-Men film to date, and it has grossed over $744 million at the box office: making it the second highest grossing film of the year.

3. Maleficent - $743,781,750

It has been a while since we had seen Angelina Jolie on the big screen, but she made a triumphant return this summer with Maleficent.

Jolie took the title role as Disney's most iconic villain was given a movie of her own - they really did show of Maleficent as we had never seen her before.

I have to say, I wasn't sure how this movie was going to perform at the box office, but I am thrilled that it has done so well.

With $743 million, it is the third highest grossing film of the year, the highest grossing none sequel, and the highest grossing female led film of 2014.

Will Disney be tempted to do a sequel off the back of this success?

4. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - $539,348,343

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was one of the most anticipated films of the summer and came three years after the success of Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Matt Reeves is in the director's chair this time around, while Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, and Jason Clake are the new faces on the cast list.

There is more of an epic feel to the film this time around, as the apes find themselves on the brink of war with the humans.

In just five weeks Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has become the sixth highest grossing movie of the year and the fourth most successful of this summer.

5. How to Train Your Dragon 2 - $539,089,807

No summer is complete without a great animation film, and How To Train Your Dragon 2 has been in the film in this genre that has been performing.

Released four years after How To Train Your Dragon, the movie sees Den DeBlois back in the director's chair, while Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Jonah Hill & Christopher Mintz-Plasse were all back.

DreamWorks Animation has released some terrific films in recent years, and with How To Train Your Dragon 2 they have another major hit on their hands.

With $539 million, this is the most successful animation film of the year and has surpassed the box office success of its predecessor. The first film grossed $494 million worldwide.

Other movies that have also performed well this summer include Godzilla ($507 million) Guardians of the Galaxy ($425 million) and Edge of Tomorrow ($364 million).


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