Animated films are a popular genre amongst both children and adults, introducing themes that anyone can relate to. Cohesive storylines, dynamic plot, and comedic characters all compose what makes an animated film so great. The first animated film was created in 1908 by a French cartoonist and it is called Fantasmagorie. Like many of these early animations, the pictures were hand drawn and created frame-by frame.
In 1928, nearly two decades after Fantasmagorie, Walt Disney introduced the world to what would become one of the most iconic cartoon characters ever created: Mickey Mouse, the character that would become famous for the animated short, Steamboat Willie, and become one of the first sound cartoons ever made. According to BBC News, Mickey wasn’t Walt Disney’s first creation, but rather a replacement for a figure that was lost named Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Throughout time, animated films have held their place at the box office and are some of the most anticipated releases year after year. Here are six of the highest-grossing animated movies of all time.
6 Finding Dory — $1.02B
Walt Disney Pictures
Nearly 13 years after the release of the instant Disney hit, Finding Nemo, the film’s sequel, Finding Dory hit theaters and blew the box office numbers out of the water. Grossing $1.02 billion worldwide, the film follows Dory, who is voiced by Ellen Degeneres, as she embarks on a journey to find her parents. With the help of her trusted chosen family, Dory must face the deep waters of the ocean and test her limits to successfully release her mom and dad from captivity. Finding Dory flips the original’s script, making the adult-child rescue her parents instead, leading to another heartwarming ocean classic.
5 Toy Story 4 — $1.07B
Pixar
There is no other group of toys in film that have been on more adventures than the crew in the Toy Story franchise. The Disney-Pixar collaboration was first released in 1995, and has withstood the tests of time. Currently, the franchise houses four films in total, and surprisingly Toy Story 4 ranks number five on The Numbers’ list of worldwide highest-grossing animated films of all time. In this film, the gang finds themselves on yet another journey as they set out on a road trip with their new owner Bonnie. On their trip, Woody, who has been voiced by Tom Hanks throughout the franchise, runs into his old friend Bo Peep (voiced by Annie Potts). While the two are catching up, they realize how much has changed for them and how very different they have become.
4 Incredibles 2 — $1.24B
Pixar
It is not uncommon for some sequels to out-perform their originals at the box office, and Incredibles 2 is one of those movies. It wasn’t hard for viewers to fall in love with the Incredible Family after the release in 2004. The animated quintet encompassed everything that the American Dream stands for, and the sequel decided to shake things up. Leaving Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) on the home front, the movie follows Elastigirl (voiced by Holly Hunter) as she embarks on a journey of her own. Incredibles 2 grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide at the time of release in 2018, ranking it at the number three highest grossing animated film of all time.
3 Frozen — $1.26B
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures has left an untouchable watermark on the film industry, especially when it comes to original animations. However, most people don’t know that Disney has had seven different eras of films, and it just so happens that Frozen is regarded to be in what is considered the “revival era.” Frozen was released in 2013, and launched a box office success for the film conglomerate, grossing over $1.2 billion worldwide. Unlike its predecessors, Frozen focuses on two sisters who lost their parents when they were young, and although their relationship has suffered from the loss, the love that they have for each other is enough to save them in the end. The film debuted without an abundance of likable songs from the soundtrack and even spawned a musical.
2 Frozen II — $1.45B
Nearly six years after the release of the original, Frozen II hit theaters and surpassed the original’s box office numbers, while introducing the world to a whole new soundtrack. Once again, Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel) must dive deep within herself on a journey of self-discovery, but this time she doesn’t embark on that journey alone. She is companied by Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and their reindeer Sven. The second film focuses in on the sisters’ relationship yet again, but also gives a reason as to why their parents ventured out before their ship wrecked. Frozen II ties up the open ends of Frozen and provides a happy ending for all involved.
1 The Lion King — $1.65B
According to IMDB, 1994’s The Lion King sits at number two on the list of the one hundred best animated movies ever made, making it clear as to why Disney revisited it over 20 years later in a live-action format. 2019’s The Lion King follows the same exact story as the original, but instead of lovable cartoon lions trotting across the screen, audiences were amazed by a mix of both live-action images and CGI animation. Coupled with the beautiful African landscape, the film is a visual masterpiece. There is no question as to why the 2019 remake ranks number one as the highest-grossing animated film of all time, raking in .
