From franchise hits like «Toy Story» and «Minions» to musicals like «Frozen,» here are the highest-grossing animated movies of all time.
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.
