‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
Domestic Gross: $233 million
The MPAA’s R rating system has been in place since 1970, just a few years before “The Exorcist” became the first R-rated film to reach the top of the box office. For 11 years, this horror classic, which tells the story of a young girl’s intense exorcism, held the record for the highest-grossing R-rated film — and R-rated horror films for over 40 years. According to Box Office Mojo, “The Exorcist” is by far the highest-grossing R-rated film in history when ticket sales are adjusted for inflation, grossing over $1 billion in theaters since 1973.
‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
‘Beverly Hills Cop’ (1984)
Domestic Gross: $234.8 million
“The Exorcist,” as the top R-rated film of all time, was torn off until 1984, and it was done by “Beverly Hills Cop,” by a nose. This Comedy Action film by Eddie Murphy was an enormous success, and it was the first R film ever to be the highest film and to earn more income than blockbusters like “Ghostbusters” and “Indiana Jones and the Doom Temple.” Both his two sequences will be considerably less than the one, and “Beverly Hills Cop” will become the highest R-rated movie released before the year 2000.
‘Beverly Hills Cop’ (1984)