List of highest-grossing animated films


Included in the list are charts of the top box-office earners, a chart of high-grossing animated films by the 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 enjoying lucrative re-releases prior to the home video era with Walt Disney Animation Studios, who have produced films like Aladdin and The Lion King, both of which were the highest-grossing films of their respective year. Disney Animation also enjoyed later success with both Frozen and Frozen II in addition to Pixar, of which Incredibles 2, the Toy Story films, the Finding Nemo films, and Inside Out have been the best performers; beyond Disney and Pixar, the Shrek, Ice Age, Madagascar, and Despicable Me series have met with the most success. The Peter Pan, Jungle Book, Mickey Mouse, Bambi, and The Lion King series saw successful returns after lying dormant for decades.

Highest-grossing animated films

The chart below lists the highest-grossing animated films. Figures are given in United States dollars. Many films that were released during the 20th century do not appear on this list as figures have not been adjusted for inflation.
98% of the films in the top 50 were released after 2000. 2016 is the most represented year on the list with six films. Despicable Me is the most represented franchises with four films. Pixar is the most represented studio on the list with 15 films.
The top 12 films on this list are also among the top 50 worldwide highest-grossing films of all time, ranking 7th, 10th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 31st, 32nd, 38th, 40th, 43rd, 47th, and 48th, respectively. The top 10 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 $.
The films on this list have all had a theatrical run since 2004. 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.
Films that combine live action and animation 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.
RankPeakTitleWorldwide grossYearReference
11The Lion King $1,657,713,4582019
22Frozen II$1,450,026,9332019
31Frozen$1,290,000,0002013
42Incredibles 2$1,242,805,3592018
52Minions$1,159,398,3972015
65Toy Story 4$1,073,394,5932019
71Toy Story 3$1,067,969,7032010
84Despicable Me 3$1,034,799,4092017
94Finding Dory$1,029,570,8892016
104Zootopia$1,023,784,1952016
112Despicable Me 2$970,766,0052013
121The Lion King $968,483,7771994
131Finding Nemo$962,858,9062003
141Shrek 2$919,838,7582004
152'$886,686,8172009
166'$877,244,7822012
1712The Secret Life of Pets$875,457,9372016
1810Inside Out$857,611,1742015
193Shrek the Third$813,367,3802007
2016Coco$807,082,1962017
217Shrek Forever After$752,600,8672010
229'$746,921,2742012
2311Monsters University$743,559,6072013
246Up$735,099,0822009
2524Ne Zha$728,993,3572019
2620Moana$690,845,5392016
279Kung Fu Panda 2$665,692,2812011
284'$660,998,7562006
2916Big Hero 6$657,827,8282014
3023Sing$634,151,6792016
312Monsters, Inc.$632,316,6492001
327Kung Fu Panda$631,744,5602008
334The Incredibles$631,442,0922004
347Ratatouille$623,726,0852007
3519How to Train Your Dragon 2$621,537,5192014
369'$603,900,3542008
3714Tangled$592,461,7322010
3819The Croods$587,204,6682013
3916Cars 2$559,852,3962011
4017Puss in Boots$554,987,4772011
4114Despicable Me$543,113,9852010
425Madagascar$542,063,8462005
4321Brave$538,983,2072012
4410WALL-E$533,281,4332008
4541Ralph Breaks the Internet$529,323,9622018
4641'$528,583,7742018
4738The Boss Baby$527,965,9362017
488The Simpsons Movie$527,071,0222007
4946$521,799,5052019
5035Kung Fu Panda 3$521,170,8252016

Highest-grossing animated films by animation type

Computer animation

The following chart is a list of the highest-grossing computer animated films. All films in the top 50 were released after 2000. 2016 is the most represented year on the list with six films.
All feature films in the Despicable Me, Kung Fu Panda, Finding Nemo, and Incredibles franchises, as well as the main films in the Madagascar franchise, are on the list while the Toy Story, Shrek, Ice Age, and How to Train Your Dragon franchises feature often. Pixar is the most represented studio on the list with 16 films.
The top 48 films listed are also among the 50 highest-grossing animated films, the top 11 are among the 50 highest-grossing films, and the top 10 have each grossed in excess of $1 billion worldwide.
The films on this chart have all had a theatrical run since 2004, 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.
RankPeakTitleWorldwide grossYearRef
11The Lion King $1,656,943,3942019
22Frozen II$1,450,026,9332019
31Frozen$1,290,000,0002013
42Incredibles 2$1,242,805,3592018
52Minions$1,159,398,3972015
65Toy Story 4$1,073,394,5932019
71Toy Story 3$1,067,969,7032010
84Despicable Me 3$1,034,799,4092017
94Finding Dory$1,029,570,8892016
104Zootopia$1,023,784,1952016
112Despicable Me 2$970,766,0052013
121Finding Nemo$940,335,5362003
131Shrek 2$919,838,7582004
143'$886,686,8172009
155'$877,244,7822012
1611The Secret Life of Pets$875,457,9372016
179Inside Out$857,611,1742015
183Shrek the Third$813,367,3802007
1914Coco$807,082,1962017
206Shrek Forever After$752,600,8672010
218'$746,921,2742012
2210Monsters University$743,559,6072013
235Up$735,099,0822009
2423Ne Zha$728,993,3572019
2519Moana$690,845,5392016
268Kung Fu Panda 2$665,692,2812011
273'$660,998,7562006
2815Big Hero 6$657,827,8282014
2923Sing$634,151,6792016
301Monsters, Inc.$632,316,6492001
316Kung Fu Panda$631,744,5602008
323The Incredibles$631,442,0922004
336Ratatouille$623,726,0852007
3418How to Train Your Dragon 2$621,537,5192014
358'$603,900,3542008
3613Tangled$592,461,7322010
3718The Croods$587,204,6682013
3815Cars 2$559,852,3962011
3916Puss in Boots$554,987,4772011
4013Despicable Me$543,113,9852010
414Madagascar$542,063,8462005
4220Brave$538,983,2072012
439WALL-E$533,281,4332008
4440Ralph Breaks the Internet$529,323,9622018
4540'$528,583,7742018
4639The Boss Baby$527,965,9362017
4744$521,799,5052019
4833Kung Fu Panda 3$521,170,8252016
4943The Grinch$511,595,9572018
5029Rio 2$498,781,1172014

Stop motion animation

The following chart is a list of the highest-grossing stop motion films. Films had to surpass $10 million to qualify for this list. 89.5% of the top 18 were released after 2000. 2012 is the most represented year on the list with three films.
Laika and Aardman are the most represented studio on the list with six films. 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, Solan & Ludvig and Shaun the Sheep franchises are on the list, with Wallace and Gromit being the most represented franchises on the list, with three films.
The films on this chart have all had a theatrical run since 1996, 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.
RankTitleWorldwide grossYearRef
1Chicken Run$224,834,5642000
2'$194,111,1712005
3Coraline$124,596,3982009
4The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!$123,057,9282012
5Corpse Bride$117,195,0612005
6The Boxtrolls$109,285,0332014
7ParaNorman$107,139,3992012
8Shaun the Sheep Movie$106,209,3782015
9The Little Prince$97,571,2502015
10The Nightmare Before Christmas$88,171,0911993
11Frankenweenie$81,491,0682012
12Kubo and the Two Strings$77,548,5642016
13Isle of Dogs$64,241,4992018
14Early Man$54,622,8142018
15Fantastic Mr. Fox$46,471,0232009
16' $43,063,8132019
17James and the Giant Peach$28,946,1271996
18Missing Link$26,249,4692019
19The Christmas of Solan & Ludvig$12,345,8812013

Traditional animation

The following chart is a list of the highest-grossing traditionally-animated films. 42% of the films in the top 50 were released after 2000. 1998 and 2002 are the most represented years on the list, with four films each.
All films in the main Peter Pan, Jungle Book, and SpongeBob SquarePants series appear in the chart, while the Rugrats 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 27 films.
The top two films on this list are also among on the 50 highest-grossing animated films. Only The Lion King is among the 50 highest-grossing films, ranking in at 49.
The films on this chart have all had a theatrical run 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.
RankTitleWorldwide grossYearRef
1The Lion King $968,483,7771994
2The Simpsons Movie$536,414,2702007
3Aladdin$504,050,2191992
4Tarzan$448,191,8191999
5Beauty and the Beast$424,967,6201991
6Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs$418,200,0001937
7The Jungle Book$378,000,0001967
8Spirited Away$365,481,1312001
9Your Name$361,024,0122016
10Pocahontas$346,079,7731995
11The Hunchback of Notre Dame$325,338,8511996
12'$325,186,0322015
13Mulan$304,320,2541998
14One Hundred and One Dalmatians$303,000,0001961
15Lilo & Stitch$273,144,1512002
16Bambi$267,447,1501942
17The Princess and the Frog$267,045,7652009
18Cinderella$263,591,4151950
19Hercules$252,712,1011997
20Brother Bear$250,397,7982003
21Howl's Moving Castle$235,184,1102004
22The Little Mermaid$233,000,0001989
23The Prince of Egypt$218,613,1881998
24Ponyo$203,204,8822008
25Weathering with You $193,091,7642019
26The Aristocats$191,000,0001970
27Lady and the Tramp$187,000,0001955
28'$186,053,7252001
29The Emperor's New Groove$169,327,6872000
30The Rescuers$169,000,0001977
31'$163,644,6621998
32Princess Mononoke$159,414,3691997
33Arrietty$145,570,8272010
34Home on the Range$145,358,0622004
35Peter Pan$145,000,0001953
36The Rugrats Movie$140,894,6751998
37The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie$140,161,7922004
38Anastasia$139,804,3481997
39The Wind Rises$136,454,2202013
40The Jungle Book 2$135,703,5992003
41'$133,949,2701999
42'$124,500,0002018
43'$122,563,5392002
44Pinocchio$121,892,0451940
45Oliver and Company$121,000,0001988
46'$119,875,0242019
47Return to Never Land$109,862,6822002
48Treasure Planet$109,578,1152002
49'$108,105,2232018
50$103,291,1312000

Highest-grossing animated films by year

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.
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 have topped every other year.
All films in The Rescuers, Finding Nemo, and Lion King franchises were the highest-grossing animated films of the year they were released. The Ice Age and Doraemon franchises have had the most entries be the high-grossing animated films by year, with four films each. Disney has the most top grossing by year, with 31 films.
YearTitleWorldwide grossBudgetRef
1937Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs+
1938
1939Gulliver's Travels
1940Pinocchio
1941Dumbo
1942Bambi –2000000
1943Victory Through Air Power
1944The Three Caballeros
1945'
1946Make Mine Music
1947Fun and Fancy Free
1948Melody Time
1949The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
1950Cinderella
1951Alice in Wonderland
1952The King and the Mockingbird
1953Peter Pan –4000000
1954
1955Lady and the Tramp
1956
1957
1958
1959Sleeping Beauty
1960
1961One Hundred and One Dalmatians–4000000
1962
1963The Sword in the Stone
1964Hey There, It's Yogi Bear–2438233
1965
1966The Man Called Flintstone
1967The Jungle Book –4000000
1968Out of an Old Man's Head
1969A Boy Named Charlie Brown
1970The Aristocats
1971Daisy Town
1972Fritz the Cat
1973Robin Hood
1974Dunderklumpen!
1975The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix
1976The Smurfs and the Magic Flute
1977The Rescuers
1978The Lord of the Rings
1979Galaxy Express 999¥1,650,000,000
1980'¥1,550,000,000
1981The Fox and the Hound
1982The Secret of NIMH
1983Harmagedon: Genma Wars¥1,060,000,000
1984'¥1,650,000,000
1985The Care Bears Movie –4500000
1986An American Tail
1987'¥1,500,000,000
1988Oliver and Company+ +
1989The Little Mermaid
1990The Rescuers Down Under
1991Beauty and the Beast
1992Aladdin
1993The Nightmare Before Christmas
1994The Lion King
1995Toy Story
1996The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1997Hercules
1998A Bug's Life
1999Toy Story 2
2000Dinosaur
2001Monsters, Inc.
2002Ice Age
2003Finding Nemo
2004Shrek 2
2005Madagascar
2006'
2007Shrek the Third
2008Kung Fu Panda
2009'
2010Toy Story 3$
2011Kung Fu Panda 2
2012
2013Frozen$
2014Big Hero 6
2015Minions$
2016Finding Dory$
2017Despicable Me 3$
2018Incredibles 2$
2019The Lion King $
2020Onward $–200000000

At least eight animated films have held the record of highest-grossing animated film at different times. Five 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 Finding Nemo held it for the shortest period of a year. The original 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 except Snow White, and only Snow White, Aladdin and Shrek 2 are not also among the highest-grossing films. The Lion King is the only franchise to hold the record twice.
TitleEstablishedRecord-setting grossRef
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1938$8,500,000
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1993$418,200,000
Aladdin 1993$504,050,219
The Lion King 1994$768,000,000
The Lion King 2002$783,841,776
Finding Nemo2003$867,893,978
Shrek 22004$919,838,758
Toy Story 32010$1,066,969,703
Frozen2014$1,287,000,000
Frozen2017$1,290,000,000
The Lion King 2019$1,656,943,394

Computer animated

The following is a Timeline of highest-grossing computer animated films.
Toy Story is the only franchise to hold the record on multiple occasions doing so with the first three movies, Pixar is the only studio to hold the record on multiple occasions doing so six times while A Bug's Life and Finding Nemo both hold the record the shortest less than a year.
TitleEstablishedRecord-setting grossRef
Toy Story1995$361,958,736
A Bug's Life1998$363,258,859
Toy Story 21999$485,015,179
Monsters, Inc.2002$525,373,250
Finding Nemo2003$867,893,978
Shrek 22004$919,838,758
Toy Story 32010$1,066,969,703
Frozen2014$1,287,000,000
Frozen2017$1,290,000,000
The Lion King 2019$1,656,943,394

Stop motion

At least three stop motions animated films have held the record of highest-grossing animated film at different times.
Chicken Run held the record for the longest, with 19 years, while The Nightmare Before Christmas held it for the shortest period of 6 years.
Both Chicken Run and The Nightmare Before Christmas are still among the highest-grossing stop motion animated films.
TitleEstablishedRecord-setting grossRef
The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix1975$6,439,069
The Nightmare Before Christmas1993$50,003,043
The Nightmare Before Christmas1994$58,019,461
Chicken Run2000$224,834,564

Highest-grossing animated franchises and film series

The following chart is a list of the highest-grossing animated film franchises.
The top six are among the highest-grossing film franchises of all time and, respectively, are ranked 15th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 22nd, and 23rd of all time. Despicable Me is the highest-grossing animated franchise of all time with $3.7 billion; it is also one of three animated franchises with two films grossing over $1 billion worldwide, the others being Toy Story and Frozen. Frozen is the only animated franchise where every installment grossed $1 billion; it has the highest per-film average, with nearly $1.4 billion unadjusted. All franchises by Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, 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.

Per decade

Franchise and series sources