Animated movies have always been big box office earners. From Disney classics like “The Lion King” to a slew of Pixar titles, animated movies have wide appeal, often making ideal outings for the whole family.
This was evident in a post-pandemic world, as titles like “Minions: The Rise of Gru” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” got families to return to the theaters in droves after a dry period that was devastating to theater owners.
Animation’s power to devour the box office continued in the summer of 2024, when “Inside Out 2” crossed the $1 billion mark in 19 days, the fastest rate ever for an animated movie.
It joins titles like “Toy Story,” “Despicable Me,” and “Frozen” in sharing the distinction of being one of the highest-grossing animated movies of all time.
Below are the top 15, not adjusted for inflation.
15. “Minions: The Rise of Gru” (2022)
Worldwide gross: $940,203,765
Chronicling the antics of a young Gru turned out to be box office gold. Minions: The Rise of Gru” earned over $100 million at the domestic box office in its opening weekend, even though audiences were still hesitant to return to movie theaters following the pandemic.
14. “Finding Nemo” (2003)
Worldwide gross: $941,637,960
Pixar had already grabbed the attention of kids thanks to “Toy Story,” but when this aquatic story hit screens, the animation studio became even more beloved.
13. “Despicable Me 2” (2013)
Worldwide gross: $970,766,005
That’s right — you’ll see a lot of movies involving Minions on this list. The beloved “Despicable Me” franchise from Illumination has only grown in popularity over the decades.
12. “The Lion King” (1994)
Worldwide gross: $978,922,717
This beloved Disney movie is the oldest on this list, and that’s a testament to just how well it performed when it opened 30 years ago. Though ticket prices have continued to climb in the years since, Simba and the gang are still safely in the top 15.
11. “Zootopia” (2016)
Worldwide gross: $1,025,521,689
Here marks our first billion-dollar earner.
Chronicling Judy Hopps’ adventures in “Zootopia” was a big lift for Walt Disney Animation, which had been searching for another megahit after “Frozen.”
10. “Finding Dory” (2016)
Worldwide gross: $1,029,266,989
Pixar created a new story for our favorite forgettable fish, which turned out to be a cash cow for the studio.
9. “Despicable Me 3” (2017)
Worldwide gross: $1,034,800,131
Introducing Gru’s brother in the third movie gave the “Despicable Me” franchise its first billion-dollar earner. It wouldn’t be the last.
8. “Toy Story 3” (2010)
Worldwide gross: $1,067,316,101
Regarded by many as the best movie in the “Toy Story” franchise, Woody and the gang’s journey that leads to them almost being incinerated was a winning mix of drama and lighthearted fun for an audience that grew up with the franchise.
7. “Toy Story 4” (2019)
Worldwide gross: $1,073,841,394
Almost a decade after “Toy Story 3” came the fourth installment. Though it wasn’t as memorable as the previous release, that clearly didn’t matter at the box office.
6. “Minions” (2015)
Worldwide gross: $1,159,457,503
Illumination knew the Minions were popular. But the studio didn’t know just how much of a hit the babbling yellow things were until this stand-alone movie made a killing at the box office.
5. “Incredibles 2” (2018)
Worldwide gross: $1,243,225,667
Fourteen years after Pixar released the hit original, “Incredibles 2” came to theaters and delivered a story that in some ways surpassed the Oscar-winning first title.
A main reason for that is its deeper examination of the superhero family (“Why did they change math?!?”), which touches on female empowerment and the rigors of caring for a growing child… that has zany powers.
4. “Frozen” (2013)
Worldwide gross: $1,306,000,529
From its hit song “Let it Go” to Olaf becoming the latest beloved Disney character, “Frozen” was a grand slam for Disney Animation Studios.
3. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (2023)
Worldwide gross: $1,361,992,475
For decades, Illumination was known mostly as the studio that released the “Despicable Me” movies and created the Minions characters. But taking the Super Mario Bros. IP and turning it into a box office smash has made it an animation house that rivals Pixar.
2. “Frozen II” (2019)
Worldwide gross: $1,453,683,476
Though not as memorable as the first “Frozen,” that didn’t matter at the box office. The first movie was such a sensation that audiences returned in droves to see the story continue.
1. “Inside Out 2” (2024)
Worldwide gross: $1,462,000,000
After years of being a box office behemoth, Pixar hit a snag during the pandemic. Relegating titles like “Luca” and “Turning Red” to direct-to-streaming led to frustration and low morale within the company.
But those down times are over.
“Inside Out 2” hit the $1 billion global mark in 19 days, the fastest ever for an animated movie. It’s also the only movie released in 2024 so far that has crossed the $1 billion mark.
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