Fifty Shades of Grey is a little movie that is set to hit the big screen this week and - it may come as no surprise - it will be an 18-certificate film.
Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades of Grey is one of the most anticipated films of 2015, and will see Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson take on the central roles of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele - roles that will rocket both of their stars even higher.
To celebrate the release of the film, we take a look at some of the 18 rated movies that have been hugely successful at the box office - I think it's fair to say that Fifty Shades of Grey is going to be a smash hit movie.
- The Passion of the Christ - $611.9 million
The Passion of the Christ was the most controversial film of 2004, when Mel Gibson returned to the director's chair. The movie depicted the last few hours and crucifixion of Jesus, and was quite rightly given an 18 certificate.
Now I don't know about those who passed or vomited in the cinema, but I have to say, the flocking scene was one that was VERY difficult to watch. To say that this was a brutal look at Jesus' final hours is a bit of an understatement.
However, there is nothing like a bit of controversy to make a movie successful, and The Passion of the Christ was a box office hit. By the end of its theatrical run, the movie had grossed over $611 million worldwide.
In fact, The Passion of the Christ remains the highest grossing R-rated film in U.S. film history as films fans flocked to cinemas to see what all of the fuss was about.
- The Hangover - $467.5 million
The Hangover is one of the most successful comedy franchises of all time, and it was back in 2009 when we were introduced to the characters of Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug for the first time.
The Hangover II and III were both 15 rated movies here in the UK, making The Hangover one of the most successful 18 rated comedies of all time.
The Hangover was one of the big sleeper hits of 2009, and launching the career of leading man Bradley Cooper - he really has gone on to be the hottest property in Hollywood in the last few years.
The movie took over $467 million at the global box office and was the tenth highest grossing movie of 2009, behind the likes of Avatar, 2012, and Sherlock Holmes.
- Django Unchained - $425.4 million
Quentin Tarantino has been behind a whole host of terrific 18 rated movies during his directing career, but it is Django Unchained that is the most successful at the box office.
Django Unchained the big screen back in 2013, and saw Tarantino reunite with Christoph Waltz and worked with Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio for the first time. The movie followed a free slave as he sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner.
As well as being a critical hit, the movie went on to enjoy big box office success. It took over $425 million worldwide and was Tarantino's most successful film at the box office. Tarantino and Waltz won Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor Oscars for their work, while the movie was nominated for Best Picture - losing out to Argo.
- The Wolf of Wall Street - $393 million
The Wolf of Wall Street is one of two 2014 movies that we are going to look at and the second to feature Leonardo DiCaprio.
The Wolf of Wall Street hit the big screen at the beginning of last year and saw DiCaprio reunite with director Martin Scorsese for the first time since Shutter Island back in 2010 - this was their fifth film project together.
DiCaprio took on the real life role of Jordan Belfort, who fell into crime and corruption as a wealthy stockbroker. This comedy biopic was one of the most acclaimed movies of last year, and saw DiCaprio give a terrific central performance.
As well as being a hit with the critics, it also brought in the money at the box office. With $393 million, it became Scorsese's most financially successful film. The movie also went on to pick up five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor for DiCaprio and Jonah Hill.
- Basic Instinct - $352.9 million
It's hard to believe, but it was back in 1992 when Basic Instinct hit the big screen and we got THAT scene.
The movie saw Paul Verhoeven back in the director's chair for the first time since Total Recall as he teamed up with Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone.
Basic Instinct was a movie that was surrounded in controversy, due to the graphic violence and overt sexuality, but that ensured that the movie was going to be a hit.
Basic Instinct went on to gross over $352 million at the box office and remains one of the most iconic movies of the decade.
- Gone Girl - $368 million
Gone Girl is the most recent 18-certificate film on the list, having been released back in October 2014. The movie was a big screen adaptation of the popular novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn, and saw the author adapt her own book into a screenplay.
David Fincher is no stranger to book adaptation projects and was back in the director's chair for the film, which saw him work with Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike for the first time.
The movie follows Nick Dunne, who has to fight for his innocence when his wife suddenly disappears on their wedding anniversary. It is Pike who really steals the show as Amy Dunne and has received Golden Globe, SAG, Bafta, and Oscar Best Actress nominations for her performance.
The movie was a critical hit last year and went on to gross $368 million at the global box office by the end of its theatrical run - the movie toppled the box office in both the U.S. and UK.
- Se7en - $327.3 million
We jump from one David Fincher directed movie to another, as Se7en was another crime hit for the filmmaker. It was back in 1996 when Se7en hit the big screen and saw Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman teams up as detectives on a murder case.
Se7en was a terrific crime drama that followed a killer who was using the seven deadly sins to punish his victims. For me, this remains one of Fincher's best movies - he would go on to team up with Pitt on Fight Club three years later.
Se7en was met well by the critics upon release and topped the U.S. box office. The movie took over $327 million worldwide and was the seventh highest grossing movie of the year.
