In the end, nothing could top "Barbie."

Greta Gerwig's smash hit ended the year as the highest-grossing film of 2023, having raked in more than $1.4 billion since hitting theaters in July.

It's the first time in years that a non-sequel has topped the year-end box office. Indeed, of the 10 highest-grossing films of the year, half are part of an ongoing series. "The Little Mermaid," meanwhile, is a remake.

But the top two films, "Barbie" and No. 2 "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," are both standalone properties (for now). Christopher Nolan's historical drama "Oppenheimer" rounded out the top three with its $951 million haul.

"I think audiences are really showing what they want are films that are a little different," Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, tells CNBC Make It.

After topping the 2022 box office charts with "Top Gun: Maverick" — "Avatar: The Way of Water" split its $2.3 billion box office haul between 2022 and 2023 — Tom Cruise made another appearance in the top 10 with his latest "Mission Impossible" sequel.

Marvel Studios, which in recent years has topped the year-end box office on multiple occasions with "Spider-Man" and "Avengers" films, claimed two spots in the top 10.

These are the highest-grossing films released in 2023, according to Comscore data pulled on December 18.

10. 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania'

Worldwide gross: $476.3 million

Release date: February 17, 2023

9. 'Elemental'

Worldwide gross: $479.8 million

Release date: June 16, 2023

8. 'Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One'

Worldwide gross: $567.5 million

Release date: July 12, 2023

7. 'The Little Mermaid'

Worldwide gross: $568.8 million

Release date: May 26, 2023

6. 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Worldwide gross: $684.9 million

Release date: June 2, 2023

5. 'Fast X'

Worldwide gross: $707.6 million

Release date: May 19, 2023

4. 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3'

Worldwide gross: $845.4 million

Release date: May 5, 2023

3. 'Oppenheimer'

Worldwide gross: $951.4 million

Release date: July 21, 2023

2. 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie'

Worldwide gross: $1.34 billion

Release date: April 5, 2023

1. 'Barbie'

Worldwide gross: $1.44 billion

Release date: July 21, 2023

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