And Episode I sold less than half as many tickets at Episode IV, despite the US population being only 220 million people in 1977 versus over 270 million in 1999.

Episode IV sold 194 million tickets to a population of 220 million. The mind reels at that number. It's unfathomable today.

On the other hand, Gone with the Wind sold 224 million tickets to a population of 130 million. *head explodes*

Episode I was lucky to sell as much as it did.

Ep IV is the true phenomenon...the best word of mouth a movie ever had and will probably ever have. 

Gone With The Wind was re-released like 11 times though...once every decade or something.

If we look at just "first runs" then I actually think Titanic is the leader in ticket sales. 

I know GwtW was re-released a ton of times and Episode IV was obviously re-released as well. Still, those numbers are mind-boggling.

Titanic wouldn't be the all-time leader, though. According to the site I found, ET sold 161 million tickets to Titanic's 121 million. ET may have seen re-releases (I honestly can't remember) but if it did, the releases were not on the scale seen with Ep IV or GwtW. Not enough to counter 40 million tickets, anyway.

Either way, The Avengers isn't going to touch any of those movies. It won't even hit the numbers seen by Ep V or VI, which are nearly tied at 100 million apiece.

A movie we're all forgetting is The Lion King, which sold 118 million tickets (compared to 78 for Avatar). I'm surprised that no one has mentioned it. That movie was crazy-popular back in 1994. I saw it two or three times in the theatre.

I thought ET was at 140. 

Those numbers are mind boggling...but those were defining films...moviemaking changed as a result of those films, especially Star Wars (had it not been there James Cameron wouldn't have given up his job as a truck driver and started making movies for example)....

Honestly is any film in recent times deserving of the success Ep IV saw in 1977? Not really...and I think that's why no film has seen as high ticket sales. Not because it's impossible in this time of other entertainment streams but because nothing has been as phenomenol as it.

The Lion King is always overlooked as it's animation I guess...but those are some awesome ticket sales.

Avengers won't even cross Avatar in ticket sales let alone Ep V/VI. 

I'm not sure where this site is drawing its information. That could explain any discrepancy you and I are seeing with the numbers.

http://mrob.com/pub/film-video/topadj.html

I think other entertainment streams heavily affects movie ticket sales. Anything released before 1985 or so had to be seen in the theatre or you're stuck waiting for it to air on television. After that, VHS took over and the home theatre market was born.

On the other hand, you also have to factor in the US' much larger population, over 310 million now. Compare that to the 220 million in 1977 and you realize just how many more people can go to the theatre to see a movie now versus the 70s or early 80s. It's close to 50% more people.

So, I think it's a factor of all these things.

I will keep reminding you.

You can't ignore SUPERCHUNK!!!!!111!