Included on the list are charts of the top box-office earners, a chart of high-grossing animated films by calendar year, a timeline showing the transition of the highest-grossing animated film record, and a chart of the highest-grossing animated film franchises and series. All charts are ranked by international theatrical box office performance where possible, excluding income derived from home video, broadcasting rights and merchandise.
Animated family films have performed consistently well at the box office, with Disney films enjoying lucrative re-releases prior to the home video era. Disney also enjoyed later success with its Pixar brand, of which the Toy Story films, the Finding Nemo films, and Inside Out have been the best performers; beyond Pixar animation, the Shrek, Ice Age, Madagascar, and Despicable Me series have met with the most success. The Peter Pan, Jungle Book, Mickey Mouse, and Bambi series saw successful returns after lying dormant for decades.
DreamWorks Animation has the highest total of any animation studio, with nearly $14.5 billion across 35 films, while Illumination Entertainment films have the best average with $793 million per film across 6 films. John Lasseter's films have grossed the most of any animated director, with a total of $18.5 billion across 47 films, while producer Rich Moore has the best average $763 million per film across 4 films as of September 2017.
Highest-grossing animated films
The chart below lists the highest-grossing animated films. Figures are given in United States dollars (USD). Many films that were released during the 20th century do not appear on this list as figures have not been adjusted for inflation. 88% of the films in the top 50 were released after 2000. 2016 is the most represented year on the list, with six films. Shrek is the most represented franchise, with five films. DreamWorks Animation is the most represented studio, with 15 films on the list.
The top 11 films on this list are also among the top 50 worldwide highest-grossing films of all time and the top six have each grossed in excess of $1 billion worldwide. When adjusted for inflation, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs would appear at the top of the chart with an adjusted gross of $1.819 billion.
The films on this list have all had a theatrical run (including re-releases) since 1993. Films that have not played since then do not appear on the chart due to ticket price inflation, population size, and ticket purchasing trends not being considered.
Animated/live-action films can be considered for this list if they meet the criteria that 75% of footage is animation and a significant number of major characters are animated.
Highest-grossing animated films by animation type
Computer animation
The following chart is a list of the highest-grossing computer animated films. 98% of films in the top 50 were released after 2000. 2016 is the most represented year on the list with seven films.
All feature films in the Despicable Me, How to Train Your Dragon, Rio, Kung Fu Panda and Shrek franchises, as well as the main films in the Cars and Madagascar franchises, are on the list while the Toy Story and Ice Age franchise features often. Shrek is the most represented franchise with five films. DreamWorks Animation is the most represented studio with 15 films on the list.
The top 47 films listed are also among the highest-grossing animated films, the top 10 are among the 50 highest-grossing films, and the top six have each grossed in excess of $1 billion worldwide.
The films on this chart have all had a theatrical run (including re-releases) since 2001, and films that have not played since then do not appear on the chart due to ticket price inflation, population size and ticket purchasing trends not being considered.
Stop-motion animation
The following chart is a list of the highest-grossing stop motion films. 87.5% of the top 40 were released after 2000. 2012 and 2015 the most represented years on the list, with five films each.
Aardman and Laika are the most represented studios with five films each on the list. All stop-motion feature films by Aardman, DreamWorks Animation, Laika, and Tim Burton are on the list. All feature films in the Wallace and Gromit and Solan & Ludvig franchises are on the list.
The films on this chart have all had a theatrical run (including re-releases) since 1986, and films that have not played since then do not appear on the chart due to ticket price inflation, population size and ticket purchasing trends not being considered.
Traditional animation
The following chart is a list of the highest-grossing traditionally-animated films. 44% of the films in the top 50 were released after 2000. 1998, 2000 and 2002 are the most represented years on the list, with four films each.
All films in the main Peter Pan, The Jungle Book and SpongeBob SquarePants series appear in the chart, while the Rugrats, Mickey Mouse and Pokémon franchises feature prominently. All of these five franchises are also the most represented with two films each. Disney is the most represented studio with 26 films on the list.
The top three films on this list are also on the highest-grossing animated films list. Only The Lion King is also on the list of highest-grossing films, ranking in at 34.
The films on this chart have all had a theatrical run (including re-releases) since 1972, and films that have not played since then do not appear on the chart due to ticket price inflation, population size and ticket purchasing trends not being considered.
Highest-grossing animated films by year
Every year since 1994, there has been at least one animated film grossing more than $250 million. 2010 is the year with the most animated films in the Top 10 with five. The years 1937, 1940, 1942, 1950, 1953, 1955, 1961, 1967, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2004, 2010 and 2013 were the top high-grossing films by year. Every year since 2015, there has been at least two animated films in the top 10 highest-grossing films of the year.
Computer-animated films have been the highest earners in 1995 and every year since 1998, while 1975 and 1993 are the only years when a stop-motion animated feature grossed the highest. Traditional animated films has topped every other year.
All films in the Toy Story, The Rescuers, and Finding Nemo were the highest-grossing animated films of the year they were released. Franchises were the highest-grossing animated films of the year they were released. Ice Age and Doraemon have the most high-grossing animated films by year, with four films each. Disney has the most top grossing by year with 31 films.
- ( ... ) Since grosses are not limited to original theatrical runs, a film's first-run gross is included in brackets after the total if known.
- *Canada and U.S. gross only.
- ESSpanish gross only.
- SWSwedish gross only.
- NWNorwegian gross only.
- AUAustralian gross only.
- JPJapanese gross only.
- MXMexican gross only.
- RDistributor rental.
- TBATo be ascertained.
- N/ANot applicable; no animated feature length film was released in that year
- HFilms contain animated/live-action scenes.
Timeline of highest-grossing animated films
At least seven animated films have held the record of highest-grossing animated film at different times. Four of these were Disney films and two by Pixar. Shrek 2, made by DreamWorks Animation, is the only film on the list not produced by Disney or Pixar.
Snow White held the record for the longest, with 55 years, while Aladdin held it for the shortest period of a year. The Lion King was the last non-CG animated film to hold the record. Shrek 2 and Toy Story 3 are the only sequels to hold the record. Finding Nemo was the first CG animated film.
All of these films are still among the highest-grossing animated films, and only Snow White and Aladdin are not also among the highest-grossing films.
Highest-grossing animated franchises and film series
The following chart is a list of the highest-grossing animated film franchises. The top four are among the highest-grossing film franchises of all time and, respectively, are ranked 12th, 14th, 16th, and 24th of all time. The Despicable Me is the highest-grossing animated franchise of all time with $3.7 billion; it is also the only animated franchise with two films grossing over $1 billion worldwide. The Finding Nemo franchise has the highest per-film average, with over $984 million unadjusted. All franchises by DreamWorks Animation, Pixar (both of whom are the most represented studio with four franchises each), Blue Sky and 20th Century Fox, are on the list. A given franchise needs to have at least two theatrically released films to be on this list.
See also
- List of highest-grossing films
- List of highest-grossing openings for animated films
- List of highest-grossing anime films
- List of most expensive animated films
- List of animated box office bombs
Notes
