List of highest-grossing openings for animated films

The following is a list of the highest-grossing opening weekends for animated films. The list is dominated by recent films due to steadily increasing marketing budgets, and modern films opening on more screens. Another contributing factor is inflation not being taken into account.

Biggest worldwide openings for an animated film since 2002

This list charts animated films that had openings in excess of $100 million worldwide. Since animated films do not open on Fridays in many markets, the 'opening' is taken to be the gross between the first day of release and the first Sunday. Figures prior to 2002 are not available.

Figures are given in United States dollars (USD). 2013 is the most represented year, with four films. The Ice Age and Despicable Me franchises are the most represented franchises, with three films each. 20th Century Fox is the most represented studio with four films.

This list does not take into account country-by-country variations in release dates. Therefore, in some cases opening weekend grosses from many, or even most countries may not be included.

Rank	Film	Worldwide opening ($ million)	Year	Ref[1]
1	Ne Zha 2	431.3	2025	[2]
2	Moana 2	389.3	2024	[3]
3	The Super Mario Bros. Movie	375.6	2023	[4]
4	Frozen II	358.5	2019	[5]
5	Inside Out 2	294.2	2024	[6]
6	The Lion King (2019)[nb 1]	245.9	2019	[9]
7	Toy Story 4	244.5	2019	[10]
8	Minions: The Rise of Gru	241	2022	[11]
9	Incredibles 2	235.8	2018	[12]
10	Despicable Me 4	229.5	2024	[13]
11	Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	218.4	2009	[14]
12	Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse	208.7	2023	[15]
13	Finding Dory	185.7	2016	[16]
14	The Simpsons Movie	170.9	2007	[17]
15	Jiang Ziya: Legend of Deification	151.7	2020	[18]
16	Despicable Me 2	147.4	2013	[19]
17	Toy Story 3	145.3	2010	[20]
18	Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted	137.6	2012	[21]
19	Monsters University	136.9	2013	[22]
20	Shrek the Third	136.8	2007	[23]
21	Shrek 2	131.1	2004	[24]
22	Minions	128.3	2015	[25]
23	Ralph Breaks the Internet	127	2018	[26]
24	Ice Age: Continental Drift	126.9	2012	[27]
25	The Secret Life of Pets	118.6	2016	[28]

Timeline of biggest worldwide openings for an animated film since 2001

At least eight animated films have held the record of highest-grossing animated film at different times. Pixar has held the record the most of any time with three films in 2001, 2018, and 2019.

Film	Established	Record-setting opening ($ million)	Ref[1]
Monsters, Inc.	2001	84.8	[29]
The Simpsons Movie	2007	170.9	[30]
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	2009	218.4	[14]
Incredibles 2	2018	235.8	[12]
Toy Story 4	June 2019	244.5	[10]
The Lion King (2019)[nb 1]	July 2019	245.9	[9]
Frozen II	November 2019	358.5	[31]
The Super Mario Bros. Movie	2023	375.6	[4]
Moana 2	2024	389.3	[3]
Ne Zha 2	2025	431.3	[2]

Biggest opening weekend in U.S. and Canada for an animated film

This list charts the top 50 highest-grossing opening weekends in the U.S. and Canada for an animated film.

Figures are given in United States dollars (USD). Ninety-eight percent of the films in the top 50 were released after 2000 with 2015 and 2016 being the most represented years, with six films each. Despicable Me is the most represented franchise, with 5 films.

DreamWorks Animation and Pixar are the most represented studios with 17 films each on the list.

Rank	Film	Gross ($ million)	Year	Ref[32]
1.	The Lion King (2019)[nb 1]	191.8	2019	[9]
2.	Incredibles 2	182.7	2018	[12]
3.	Inside Out 2	154.2	2024	[6]
4.	The Super Mario Bros. Movie	146.4	2023	[4]
5.	Moana 2	139.8	2024	[3]
6.	Finding Dory	135.1	2016	[16]
7.	Frozen II	130.3	2019	[5]
8.	Shrek the Third	121.6	2007	[22]
9.	Toy Story 4	120.9	2019	[10]
10.	Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse	120.6	2023	[15]
11.	Minions	115.2	2015	[25]
12.	Toy Story 3	110.3	2010	[19]
13.	Shrek 2	108.0	2004	[23]
14.	Minions: The Rise of Gru	107	2022	[33]
15.	The Secret Life of Pets	104.3	2016	[28]
16.	Inside Out	90.4	2015	[30]
17.	Despicable Me 2	83.5	2013	[34]
18.	Monsters University	82.4	2013	[20]
19.	Zootopia	75.1	2016	[35]
20.	Despicable Me 4	75	2024	[36]
21.	The Simpsons Movie	74	2007	[30]
22.	Despicable Me 3	72.4	2017	[37]
23.	Shrek Forever After	70.8	2010	[38]
24.	The Incredibles	70.5	2004	[39]
25.	Finding Nemo	70.3	2003	[40]
26.	The Lorax	70.2	2012	[41]
27	The Lego Movie	69.1	2014	[42]
28.	Up	68.1	2009	[43]
29.	Ice Age: The Meltdown	68	2006	[44]
30.	The Grinch	67.6	2018	[45]
31.	Frozen	67.4	2013	[46]
32.	Brave	66.3	2012	[47]
33.	Cars 2	66.13	2011	[48]
34.	Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa	63.11	2008	[49]
35.	WALL-E	63.10	2008	[50]
36.	Monsters, Inc.	62.3	2001	[51]
37.	Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted	60.3	2012	[21]
38.	Kung Fu Panda	60.2	2008	[52]
39.	Cars	60.1	2006	[53]
40.	Monsters vs. Aliens	59.3	2009	[54]
41.	Kung Fu Panda 4	57.9	2024	[55]
42.	Toy Story 2	57.4	1999	[56]
43.	Moana	56.6	2016	[57]
44.	Despicable Me	56.4	2010	[58]
45.	Ralph Breaks the Internet	56.2	2018	[26]
46.	Big Hero 6	56.2	2014	[59]
47.	The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water	55.4	2015	[60]
48.	Cars 3	53.7	2017	[61]
49.	The Lego Batman Movie	53	2017	[62]

Opening weekend record holders in U.S. and Canada since 1982

These are the films that, when first released, set the opening three-day weekend record after going into wide release.

At least 14 animated films have held the record of highest-grossing animated film at different times since 1982. Two of these were in the DreamWorks animations Shrek franchise. Disney and Pixar held the record five times each as of 2018.

Film	Established	Record-setting opening ($ million)	Ref[63]
The Secret of NIMH	July 1982	1.4	[64]
The Last Unicorn	November 1982	2.3	[65]
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs	1983	6.0	[66][67]
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs	1987	7.51	[68][67]
The Land Before Time	1988	7.52	[69]
Aladdin	1992	19.3	[70]
The Lion King	1994	40.9	[71]
Toy Story 2	1999	57.4	[56]
Monsters, Inc.	2001	62.6	[72]
Finding Nemo	2003	70.3	[73]
Shrek 2	2004	108.0	[74]
Shrek the Third	2007	121.6	[75]
Finding Dory	2016	135.1	[16]
Incredibles 2	2018	182.7	[12]
The Lion King (2019)[nb 1]	2019	191.8	[9]

Biggest opening week in U.S. and Canada for an animated film

This list charts animated films that had openings in excess of $70 million in their first week.

Figures are given in United States dollars (USD). 42.8% of the films in the top 35 were released after 2010, 2016 is the most represented year, with four films. Shrek, Madagascar, and Despicable Me are the most represented franchises with three films. All films in Cars, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Madagascar main film series, and Despicable Me franchises are on the list. Pixar is the most represented studio with 14 films on the list.

rank	film	gross ($)	year	ref[76]
1	The Lion King (2019)[nb 1]	275.2	2019	[9]
2	Incredibles 2	269.4	2018	[12]
3	Inside Out 2	255.2	2024	[6]
4	The Super Mario Bros. Movie	240.2	2023	[4]
5	Moana 2	239.4	2024	[3]
6	Finding Dory	213.3	2016	[16]
7	Frozen II	202	2019	[77]
8	Toy Story 4	179	2019	[78]
9	Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse	170	2023	[15]
10	Toy Story 3	167.6	2010	[79]
11	Minions	166.5	2015	[80]
12	Minions: The Rise of Gru	164.5	2022	[81]
13	The Secret Life of Pets	152.6	2016	[82]
14	Shrek the Third	149.4	2007	[75]
15	Shrek 2	143.8	2004	[74]
16	Inside Out	132.8	2015	[30]
17	Despicable Me 2	124.9	2013	[83]
18	Monsters University	124.8	2013	[84]
19	The Simpsons Movie	102.9	2007	[85]
20	Brave	97.7	2012	[86]
21	Finding Nemo	97.5	2003	[73]
22	WALL-E	94.7	2008	[87]
23	Up	93.1	2009	[88]
24	The Incredibles	93	2004	[89]
25	Zootopia	92.6	2016	[90]
26	Cars 2	90.9	2011	[91]
27	Shrek Forever After	89.8	2010	[92]
28	The Grinch	88.4	2018	[45]
29	Moana	87.6	2016	[57]
30	Despicable Me	85.6	2010	[93]
31	Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted	85	2012	[94]
32	Kung Fu Panda	83.7	2008	[95]
33	Cars	83.3	2006	[96]
34	The Lorax	82.9	2012	[97]
35	Ice Age: The Meltdown	81.9	2006	[98]
36	Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa	81.8	2008	[99]
37	Ratatouille	80.5	2007	[100]
38	Monsters, Inc.	80.3	2001	[72]
39	Frozen	76.1	2013	[46]
40	Big Hero 6	75.6	2014	[101]
41	Cars 3	74.7	2017	[102]
42	Madagascar	72.3	2005	[103]
43	Monsters vs. Aliens	72.2	2009	[104]
44	Kung Fu Panda 2	70.3	2011	[105]

Biggest opening day in U.S. and Canada for an animated film

This list charts animated films that had openings in excess of $16 million on their first day of release in the U.S. and Canada. Figures are given in United States dollars (USD). 64% of the films in this list were released after 2010. 2018 is the most represented year on the list with 4 films.

All films in the main series Cars, Despicable Me, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles are present on this list and Despicable Me is the most represented franchise with 4 films. Pixar is the most represented studios with 13 films on the list.

rank	film	gross ($million)	year	Ref[106]
1	The Lion King (2019)[nb 1]	77.95	2019	[9]
2	Incredibles 2	71.3	2018	[12]
3	Inside Out 2	63.5	2024	[107]
4	Moana 2	57.9	2024	[3]
5	Finding Dory	54.77	2016	[16]
6	Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse	51.8	2023	[108]
7	Minions: The Rise of Gru	48.23	2022	[109]
8	Toy Story 4	47.42	2019	[10]
9	Minions	46.07	2015	[25]
10	Frozen II	42.23	2019	[110]
11	Toy Story 3	41.14	2010	[19]
12	The Secret Life of Pets	38.5	2016	[28]
13	Shrek the Third	38.45	2007	[22]
14	Despicable Me 2	35.005	2013	[34]
15	Inside Out	34.3	2015	[111]
16	The Super Mario Bros. Movie	31.7	2023	[112]
17	Monsters University	30.59	2013	[20]
18	Despicable Me 3	29.02	2017	[37]
19	Despicable Me 4	27.2	2024	[113]
20	Cars 2	25.78	2011	[48]
21	Brave	24.7	2012	[47]
22	WALL-E	23.26	2008	[50]
23	Ice Age: The Meltdown	21.83	2006	[44]
24	Up	21.51	2009	[43]
25	Despicable Me	21.3	2010	[58]
26	Shrek Forever After	20.83	2010	[38]
27	Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted	20.77	2012	[21]
28	The Incredibles	20.59	2004	[39]
29	Kung Fu Panda	20.33	2008	[52]
30	Finding Nemo	20.2	2003	[40]
31	Cars	19.74	2006	[53]
32	Cars 3	19.66	2017	[114]
33	Zootopia	19.5	2016	[35]
34	Kung Fu Panda 4	19.4	2024	[115]
35	The Grinch	18.68	2018	[45]
36	Ralph Breaks the Internet	18.53	2018	[26]
37	How to Train Your Dragon 2	18.5	2014	[116]
38	Monsters, Inc.	17.83	2001	[29]
39	Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa	17.69	2008	[117]
40	Dr. Seuss' The Lorax	17.55	2012	[118]
41	The Lego Movie	17.1	2014	[119]
42	Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation	16.98	2018	[120]
43	Monsters vs Aliens	16.82	2009	[121]
44	Ice Age Continental Drift	16.77	2012	[122]
45	Ratatouille	16.51	2007	[123]

Biggest opening weekends outside the United States for an animated film since 2002

This list charts the biggest opening weekends outside the United States for an animated film since 2002. Figures are given in United States dollars (USD). 75% of the films in the top 12 were released after 2010. 2011 are the most represented years on the list with 4 films. Films must exceed $40 million.

Pixar is the most represented studios with 5 films on the list.

rank	film	overseas gross ($million)	year	Ref[124]
1	Frozen II	228.2	2019	[31]
2	The Super Mario Bros. Movie	171	2023	[4]
3	Moana 2	163.8	2024	[3]
4	Jiang Ziya: Legend of Deification	151.7	2020	[18]
5	Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	151.7	2009	[14]
6	Inside Out 2	140	2024	[6]
7	Toy Story 4	123.6	2019	[10]
8	Despicable Me 4	106.9	2024	[125]
9	The Simpsons Movie	96.9	2007	[30]
10	Nezha	94.9	2019	[126]
11	Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse	88.1	2023	[15]
12	Ice Age: Continental Drift	80.3	2012	[127]
13	Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted	77.3	2013	[21]
14	Kung Fu Panda 3	75.7	2016	[128]
15	The Adventures of Tintin	56.2	2011	[129]
16	Kung Fu Panda 2	55.5	2011	[105]
17	Rio	54.9	2011	[130]
18	Monsters University	54.5	2013	[84]
19	The Lion King (2019)[nb 1]	54.2	2019	[131]
20	Incredibles 2	53.1	2018	[12]

See also

• List of highest-grossing animated films
• List of highest-grossing openings for films
• Most expensive animated films

Notes

1. Disney, which produced The Lion King (2019), considered the film to be live-action despite most of the film (aside from its opening shot) being made with photorealistic computer animation.^[7] Others, such as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (presenter of the Golden Globe Awards), deemed it to be animated based on specified criteria.^[8]