When it comes to animated movies, Disney is internationally recognized as one of the most groundbreaking and consistently successful studios in the history of cinema. With dozens upon dozens of beloved animated characters, stories, and beautiful worlds of magic and wonder, it's no surprise that the company is a practical powerhouse of the genre. Between Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, the House of Mouse has won dozens of Oscars and grossed billions of dollars at the box office around the world.
Despite the fact that Disney has certainly gone through certain rough decades during its existence, the studio seems as healthy as ever, banking not only on landmark sequels, such as Toy Story 4 and Frozen II, but also on original animated features like Onward and Soul. But whether they're drenched in the magic of Disney or the ingenuity of Pixar, these animated masterpieces have a way of drawing in the box office bucks.
Updated on January 7th, 2023 by Jordan Iacobucci: Disney animation's latest endeavor, Strange World, is now in theaters, inviting viewers to take yet another magical ride through the imagination of its creators. It is no secret that Disney and its affiliate companies, chiefly Pixar, have had incredible success in their animated projects over the last several decades, with certain films earning large profits at the worldwide box office. With the help of the box office tracking website The Numbers, fans can now take a deep dive into the biggest hits in Walt Disney Animation and Pixar history.
Cars 2 (2011) - $560 Million
Cars 2 is the sequel to the hit 2006 film following a world comprised of sentient cars. The sequel takes a surprising turn into the spy genre, following Tow Mater as he is mistaken for a renowned superspy while accompanying his friend, Lightning McQueen, on an international race circuit. The film out-earned its predecessor, making over half a billion dollars at the worldwide box office.
Although Cars 2 was immensely successful from a financial perspective, it is also one of Pixar's worst-reviewed films of all time. Many fans of the animation studio are quick to label the sequel as a pessimistic cash-grab, failing to live up to Pixar's standard for high-quality films.
Monsters, Inc. (2001) - $560 Million
Monsters, Inc. is the fourth film from Pixar Animation, following Mike and Sully, two monsters who accidentally find themselves in the care of a human girl. The film was a critical and financial success, garnering $560 million at the worldwide box office, and becoming Pixar's highest-grossing film at the time of its release.
Even over two decades after its release, Monsters, Inc. remains one of Pixar's most beloved films for its intensity of emotion and the lovable nature of its talented voice cast. The film became a staple in the early days of 3D animation, with its popularity leading to a sequel in 2013, which produced even bigger box office numbers than the original film did.
Tangled (2010) - $583 Million
Tangled is a 2010 animated comedy that re-imagined the classic fairy tale of Rapunzel. Starring Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi, the film also features a score from iconic Disney composer Alan Menken. The film's talented lineup certainly didn't go to waste, as Tangled became an instant classic with a worldwide gross of $583 million.
Unlike many of Disney's other animated hits, Tangled remains a standalone film with no sequels, save for a Disney Channel original series set after the movie's events. And, although Tangled also remains one of Disney's few animated films not yet rebooted in live-action, it is still immensely popular among fans, many of whom still haven't gotten its many iconic songs out of their heads.
Ratatouille (2007) - $626 Million
Ratatouille is the eighth film from Pixar Animation following Remy, a rat who dreams of being a world-renowned chef. Teaming up with the son of his deceased idol, Remy accomplishes his unlikely dream, proving that anyone can cook. Despite its odd subject matter, Ratatouille struck a chord with audiences, earning well over $600 million.
Ratatouille has stood the test of time, due in part to its inherently relatable themes, which suggest that anyone can accomplish their dreams, no matter how unlikely they may seem. This sentiment has kept the film fond in fans' memories, leading to a hilarious parody in the critically acclaimed Everything Everywhere All at Once.
The Incredibles (2004) - $631 Million
The Incredibles is the sixth film from Pixar Animation, following the Parrs, a family of superheroes in a world where those with powers are encouraged not to make themselves known. Despite releasing long before the superhero film craze of recent years, The Incredibles was a massive hit, becoming one of Pixar's highest-earning movies of all time.
Almost two decades after the film's release, The Incredibles is still considered to be one of the best animated superhero movies of all time. Despite dealing with larger-than-life superpowers, the movie is really all about family, making it relatable to audiences of all ages, who lobbied for a sequel for almost fifteen years before finally receiving their wish.
Moana (2016) - $631 Million
Moana is a 2016 film following the eponymous adventurer from the island of Motonui. Thanks to some incredible work from Disney Animation Studios, and an incredible soundtrack featuring Hamilton star, Lin Manuel Miranda, Moana brought in boatloads of box office dollars, raking in around $631 million worldwide.
Though it might not be as impressive as some other features that Disney has released in recent years, it is impossible to say that Moana's adventures with her heavily tattooed demigod, Maui, weren't a success. While it tried to give Arendelle's pair of royals a little competition with some heat from the Polynesian islands, Moana still couldn't take Elsa's crown from her.
Big Hero 6 (2014) - $648 Million
Who would have guessed that a nearly-forgotten Marvel miniseries could have spawned one of the most successful Disney features in history? Big Hero 6 could practically exist in the highly beloved MCU, Stan Lee cameo included! Pair those elements with a message about handling grief, mental health, and the importance of emotional well-being, and the result is worthy of being called a comic-book-movie masterpiece.
Bringing in around $648 million will definitely grab the attention of cinema and Disney fans alike, but it's still less than what the movie truly deserves. With such poignant subject matter handled in such a creative and imaginative way, audiences were certainly more than satisfied with their care.
Up (2009) - $731 Million
Up told a better love story in ten minutes than most authors can in 100 pages. The tale of Carl and Russell's adventure to Paradise Falls in a flying house is certainly one Pixar movie that stands out above the rest. With its emotional storytelling, absurdist humor, and delightful soundtrack by Michael Giachino, one can understand why it was given such amazing acclaim.
Bringing in around $731 million, Up was a high-flying success when it first premiered. This film garnered new respect for directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson, while also setting itself up as an example of what truly gifted writers and animators can do.
Monsters University (2013) - $743 Million
Monsters University was the long-awaited sequel to Pixar's hit animated classic, Monsters, Inc., and what easily could have been a solid but simple cash grab to satisfy a fan base turned into its own adventure with funny jokes and memorable characters that felt worthy of the original's legacy.
At $743 million dollars, Monsters University was a bona fide success, proving that the love for the original film had not died down with time. It even out-earned its predecessor by almost $200 million, continuing Pixar's trend of finding incredible financial success in its sequels.
Coco (2017) - $797 Million
Not since Up has there been a Pixar movie been so emotionally gripping. For a film about cartoonish skeletons and bright and colorful musical numbers, there is seriously a lot of heart and soul in Coco. The movie features Miguel and his loyal dog Dante as they embark on a journey into the afterlife in search of a forgotten family member and a way back to the land of the living.
With just under $800 million at the box office and an incredibly warm reception from Pixar's fan base, Coco has certainly earned its buzz. Even today, the film is still one of the most talked-about Pixar films in its impressive catalog. From the soundtrack to its big twist ending, there's no doubt as to why Coco saw such a large return.
Inside Out (2015) - $853 Million
It is no secret that 2015’s Inside Out was a very hard animated feature to pull off. After all, having human emotions as film protagonists seemed like a stretch, even for an animated studio as celebrated as Pixar. Thankfully, director Pete Doctor and screenwriters Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley were able to get the movie made, capturing the hearts and minds of many fans around the world in such a way as to warrant a sequel nearly a decade later.
To this day, Inside Out is still one of Disney-Pixar’s highest-grossing animated films of all time, having reached a worldwide gross of $853 million at the box office. Additionally, the movie was incredibly well-received by critics. Besides the usual Academy Awards' Best Animated Feature win that Pixar is used to receiving, Inside Out was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay, an honor that rarely takes animated features into consideration.
Finding Nemo (2003) - $936 Million
In 2003, Pixar was very invested in making movies that would appeal not only to children but also to their parents and other adults. With Finding Nemo, the studio proved that it was very capable of doing just so, releasing one of the most beloved and emotionally gripping projects in the history of animation as it followed a clownfish who desperately traverses the ocean to find his missing son.
Around the world, Finding Nemo has grossed $936 million at the box office, coming very close to entering the billion-dollar club. However, it is important to note that it seemed inconceivable for animated features to make over a billion dollars in 2003, meaning that Nemo’s box office gross was definitely considered a major success for Disney and Pixar, remaining as Pixar's highest-grossing film of all time for well over a decade, until it was topped by 2010's Toy Story 3.
The Lion King (1994) - $968 Million
1994’s The Lion King is one of Disney's most iconic films of all time, featuring an immensely talented voice cast, and a soundtrack filled to brimming with classic songs from Tim Rice, Elton John, and Lebo M., as well as a score by Hans Zimmer himself. With so many talented filmmakers attached to the film, it is fitting that The Lion King is one of Disney's most successful movies of all time.
Over the years, The Lion King has grossed a total of $968 million around the world, making it one of the most successful non-Pixar animated features from Disney. With so much money behind it, it comes as no surprise that this film inspired Broadway shows, theme park attractions, and even a 2019 remake which, despite becoming the seventh-highest-grossing film ever at the time of its release, failed to live up to the original's magic.
Zootopia (2016) - $1.004 Billion
2016’s Zootopia presents a world made up of anthropomorphic animals, with predators and prey who sometimes struggle to live side-by-side. The film follows a young detective and her new con artist friend as they attempt to unravel a gripping mystery that could threaten the existence of their society.
After grossing $75 million during just its opening weekend, Zootopia went on to make just over $1 billion internationally, solidifying the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ return to its original form. However, it is important to note that Zootopia was not the first-ever animated film to reach the billion-dollar mark. Instead, this movie simply proved to Hollywood that the animation genre could continuously make a lot of money without relying on sequels to do so.
Finding Dory (2016) - $1.03 Billion
Released in 2016, Finding Dory is the long-delayed sequel to Finding Nemo, following Ellen DeGeneres' iconic character as she is separated from Marlin and Nemo and the film grossed $1.029 billion across the globe. On its opening weekend alone, Dory made $135 million at the box office, proving immediately that it would be a colossal success.
It certainly feels like the 13 years between Finding Nemo and Finding Dory didn’t mean a thing for Disney fans, who flocked to theaters and quickly made the sequel Pixar's second-highest-grossing film at the time of its release. While there are no reports regarding a third installment yet, fans simply have to look at the success of the four Toy Story movies to figure out that Pixar is keen on keeping its franchises going if a good new story can be told.
Toy Story 3 (2010) - $1.07 Billion
Toy Story 3 was the first-ever animated movie to make over a billion dollars, grossing a worldwide total of $1.07 billion at the box office. This 2010 movie not only established Lee Unkrich as a blockbuster director and Pixar as a major Hollywood studio, but it also set entirely new expectations for the animation genre.
Despite the fact that Toy Story 3 seemed like the logical conclusion to one of the most beloved franchises in Disney’s history, it didn’t take very long for a fourth installment to be considered. In fact, actor Tom Hanks, who voices the character of Woody, revealed in 2011 that Toy Story 4 was already in development, likely as a result of the third film's unprecedented success.
Toy Story 4 (2019) - $1.07 Billion
With a gross of $1.073 billion worldwide, it looks as though there was still at least one adventure left for Woody and the gang. While the third film in the series tied everything up in a neat bow, Toy Story 4 brings back Woody's beloved Bo Peep, as well as introduces the world to the scatterbrained mess that is Forky, the living spork.
Love it, hate it, or live with it, Toy Story 4 might not be the best sequel in the bunch, but it certainly made the most money out of all the films in the franchise. The film is currently Pixar's second-highest-grossing film of all time, implying that there may be other installments in the franchise down the road, so long as audiences continue to show up in theaters.
The Incredibles 2 (2018) - $1.24 Billion
For a long time, it really felt like The Incredibles was going to be one of the few Pixar properties that would never actually get a sequel, despite the film’s cliffhanger ending. What’s more, after Disney acquired Marvel Studios, it didn’t seem as important to develop more superheroes under the House of Mouse. Fortunately, however, Pixar eventually did release Incredibles 2, which catered to old and new fans and proved that this franchise deserved renewed attention.
This second installment was worth the wait for Disney and Pixar, grossing $1.24 billion at the box office around the world, becoming Pixar's most successful movie of all time. Surprisingly, there has been no word on a third installment of the franchise, though fans certainly shouldn't count a continuation out, given the second film's immense success.
Frozen (2013) - $1.26 Billion
It is hard to imagine that an animated movie can get any bigger than 2013’s Frozen. Many Disney fans do not realize that Frozen actually started off with a slow $67 million weekend and that it steadily grew over time. This is largely because, in 2013, the Walt Disney Animation Studios was still struggling to regain its reputation as a studio that could compete with the likes of Pixar, DreamWorks, and Illumination.
In any case, fans around the world now all know the success that Frozen went on to become, accumulating a global $1.276 billion gross at the box office. But Arendelle's royalty didn't just stop there. In 2019, lightning struck twice and the film world was once again dominated by a pair of royal sisters and a talking snowman.