Animated movies have become some of the biggest box office successes in Hollywood, turning beloved franchises like Toy Story, Frozen, Minions and Spider-Verse into global hits enjoyed by audiences of all ages.
And in recent years, the genre has only gained traction: eight of the 25 highest-grossing animated films of all time were released after 2020, providing that animation isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
2026 is shaping up to be another huge year for animation. With The Super Mario Galaxy movie already hitting record-breaking numbers at the box office, Toy Story 5 set for a major summer release and Coyote vs. Acme finally bringing Looney Tunes back to the big screen, several upcoming releases could crack the all-time rankings.
Here’s a look at the highest-grossing animated films ever made, plus a preview into the biggest animated films still to come in 2026.
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Highest Grossing Animated Movies of All Time
Here are the highest-grossing animated films of all time, ranked by global box office revenue. Notably, eight of the top 25 were released after 2020, proving that animation continues to grow in popularity and commercial success with each passing year. Another surprising note: the top four highest-grossing animated films happen to be sequels!
| # | Film | Director(s) | Worldwide Gross |
| 1 | Ne Zha 2 (2025) | Yang Yu (Jiaozi) | $2,260,176,370 |
| 2 | Zootopia 2 (2025) | Byron Howard & Rich Moore | $1,866,647,514 |
| 3 | Inside Out 2 (2024) | Kelsey Mann & Meg LeFauve | $1,698,863,816 |
| 4 | Frozen II (2019) | Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee | $1,453,683,476 |
| 5 | The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) | Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc & Fabien Polack | $1,360,879,735 |
| 6 | Frozen (2013) | Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee | $1,312,075,093 |
| 7 | Incredibles 2 (2018) | Brad Bird | $1,243,225,667 |
| 8 | Minions (2015) | Kyle Balda & Pierre Coffin | $1,159,457,503 |
| 9 | Toy Story 4 (2019) | Josh Cooley | $1,073,841,394 |
| 10 | Toy Story 3 (2010) | Lee Unkrich | $1,067,316,101 |
| 11 | Moana 2 (2024) | David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand & Dana Ledoux Miller | $1,059,242,164 |
| 12 | Despicable Me 3 (2017) | Kyle Balda & Pierre Coffin | $1,034,800,131 |
| 13 | Finding Dory (2016) | Andrew Stanton | $1,029,266,989 |
| 14 | Zootopia (2016) | Byron Howard & Rich Moore | $1,025,521,689 |
| 15 | The Lion King (1994) | Roger Allers & Rob Minkoff | $979,161,632 |
| 16 | Despicable Me 4 (2024) | Patrick Delage & Chris Renaud | $972,021,410 |
| 17 | Despicable Me 2 (2013) | Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud | $970,766,005 |
| 18 | Finding Nemo (2003) | Andrew Stanton & Lee Unkrich | $941,637,960 |
| 19 | Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) | Kyle Balda, Jonathan del Val & Brad Ableson | $940,482,695 |
| 20 | Shrek 2 (2004) | Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury & Conrad Vernon | $932,542,462 |
| 21 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) | Aaron Horvath & Michael Jelenic | $894,223,934* |
| 22 | Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) | Carlos Saldanha & Michael Thurmeier | $886,686,817 |
| 23 | Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) | Steve Martino & Michael Thurmeier | $877,244,782 |
| 24 | The Secret Life of Pets (2016) | Chris Renaud | $875,698,161 |
| 25 | Inside Out (2015) | Pete Docter & Ronnie Del Carmen | $859,076,401 |
*Box office data through May 4, 2026
Animated Movies in 2026 That Could Join the All-Time Box Office Rankings
The year 2026 has a lineup of beloved characters and new worlds that could very well rank among the highest-grossing animated films of all time. Here are the biggest films we’re looking forward to this year.
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ (April 2026)
Box office as of May 4, 2026: $894,223,935
After hitting theaters worldwide in March, the follow-up to The Super Mario Bros. Movie — which currently ranks among the highest-grossing animated films of all time — achieved massive success at the global box office.
The latest installment in the franchise also introduces fan-favorite Yoshi in his animated feature film debut, adding even more excitement for longtime Nintendo fans.
‘Toy Story 5’ (Jun. 2026)
Seven years after the release of Toy Story 4, Toy Story 5 picks up where Woody, Buzz and the gang left off with a whole new cast of characters slated to join the world.
This film finds the toys battling a new enemy: a tablet named Lilypad.
‘Minions & Monsters’ (Jul. 2026)
The newest installment in the Minions franchise transports audiences to the early 20th century, where the Minions embark on a quest to discover monsters for their own monster film.
‘Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie’ (Aug. 2026)
The third film in the PAW Patrol movie series hits theaters this summer. This time, the PAW Patrol find themselves in an uncharted world filled with dinosaurs. With their new friend Rex, they will attempt to save an endangered species from a secret plan to kidnap them.
‘Coyote vs. Acme’ (Aug. 2026)
A live action animated legal comedy, perhaps the first of its kind, finally hits theaters this summer after being shelved multiple times over the last eight years. The film got its match with Ketchup Entertainment, who will release the film for a theatrical run this summer.
In the film, Wile E. Coyote brings a lawsuit against the Acme Corporation after all of the products that he used to hunt down the Road Runner backfired on him.
‘Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender’ (Oct. 2026)
The premiere release of Avatar Studios, Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender picks up the story of Aang in the years after the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai.
Aang discovers a surviving airbender, Tagah, and learns of a way to restore his culture. With Tagah and his friends in tow, Aang sets out on a quest to bring back his culture and restore the peace they fought for.
‘The Cat in the Hat’ (Nov. 2026)
The second feature-length adaptation of The Cat in the Hat, this time entirely animated, features Bill Hader as the titular Cat in the Hat alongside Xochitl Gomez, Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson, Paula Pell, Giancarlo Esposito, America Ferrera, Bowen Yang and Tituss Burgess.
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