Transformers 4 named highest-grossing movie of 2014 ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy

Maleficent and X-Men: Days of Future Past also fared well worldwide

Film poster for Transformers: Age of Extinction

Michael Bay’s fourth Transformers instalment, Age of Extinction, has been named the highest-grossing movie of 2014.

The action blockbuster raked in more than $1 billion at the global box office last summer, putting it ahead of the second highest-grossing film, Marvel big-hitter Guardians of the Galaxy.

Part of Age of Extinction’s success comes down to its release in the Chinese market after filming in Hong Kong. It earned $300 million in China to overtake Avatar as the highest-grossing film in the country’s history.

Despite these impressive figures, Dark of the Moon remains the highest-grossing Transformers film, earning over $1.1 million in 2011.

Elsewhere on the highest-grossing 2014 films list, Angeline Jolie’s Maleficent, X-Men: Days of Future Past and Captain America: The Winter Soldier completed the top five, while there were strong takings for The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.

Official figures from Box Office Mojo also placed Christopher Nolan’s space epic Interstellar and How To Train Your Dragon 2 in the top ten.

Transformers: Age of Extinction topped Google's 2014 list of the most searched for films of the year, ahead of American Hustle and The Lego Movie.