• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Features

10 animated movies that scored big at the box office

By
Daniel Bukszpan
Daniel Bukszpan
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Daniel Bukszpan
Daniel Bukszpan
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 23, 2015, 5:34 PM ET

Big Hero 6 was the big winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature on Oscar night Sunday. The story of an inflatable personal healthcare robot with a heart of gold, it’s already taken in $220 million at the domestic box office, according to Box Office Mojo, making it the 20th highest grossing animated movie of all time.

All fine and good, but after you adjust box office totals for inflation, its haul is a lot less impressive. Fortune combed through Box Office Mojo’s list of highest-grossing animated movies and adjusted their domestic totals for inflation, and some of the movies that now appear in the top 10 may be surprising. It’s also worth noting that all box office totals are adjusted to 2014 dollars, because the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks inflation, doesn’t release its 2015 figures until the end of this week.

Having said that, Fortune presents a list of the highest-grossing animated movies of all time.

10. Toy Story 2

The 1999 sequel to 1995’s critically and commercially acclaimed Toy Story, this second installment finds Buzz Lightyear and the gang trying to rescue their pal Woody from the clutches of a remorseless toy dealer.

While the first movie had won accolades from critics and audiences alike, the sequel was a huge step forward in terms of story and characterization, and raised the bar for what a children’s movie could do. It took in $246 million as the 20th Century wrapped up, for a total of $350 million after inflation.

9. Shrek

Shrek

In 2001, a hideous ogre with a Scottish accent voiced by Mike Meyers made his big-screen debut. Children everywhere were delighted, and the flagship effort in a highly profitable franchise was born.

Full of tongue-in-cheek references to other films, it kept mom and dad amused while junior reveled in the glorious fart humor. It raked in $268 million at the domestic box office, or $358 million today.

 

8. Shrek the Third

By 2007, the Shrek franchise had already proven itself a highly profitable commodity, making a third trip back to the well mandatory. Featuring the voices of Monty Python alumni John Cleese and Eric Idle, as well as that of radio host Larry King as Doris the Ugly Stepsister, the third installment did even better than the original, with domestic box office receipts of $323 million, or $369 million today.

 

7. Despicable Me 2

Released in 2010, the original Despicable Me took in $252 million. Naturally, this meant that there had to be a sequel, which was delivered to salivating children in the summer of 2013.

Adorable tykes across this great nation returned to the multiplexes to delight in the antics of Gru (Steve Carell) and the Minions, who could be seen gracing pajamas, cookies and other merchandise everywhere you looked. The movie earned $368 million, or $374 million in today’s dollars, and was also nominated for a Best Animated Feature Oscar. It lost, but the filmmakers could console themselves by crying into a pillow made of money.

6. Monsters, Inc.

Monsters, Inc. is the story of two creatures that help power their hometown of Monstropolis with the screams of the children they scare. It features the voices of John Goodman, Billy Crystal and Steve Buscemi, and is the rare children’s film that parents could actually enjoy along with their kids.

It opened to huge box office totals in November 2001, with only the first Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings movies able to knock it off its lofty perch. It earned $290 million in its theatrical run, or $388 million in today’s dollars.

5. Frozen

If you are the parent of a girl under age 10 or so, then you do not need the plot of 2013’s Frozen encapsulated for you. The musical fantasy, which raked in $400 million ($406 million today), is the subject of maniacal fandom, and your daughter – or maybe even your son – has probably been more than happy to talk your ear off about it since its release.

Frozen reached its box office total through repeat viewings, and it spawned sing-along events at theaters that became the kiddie equivalent of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The plethora of Frozen-themed birthday parties and little girls dressed up as Princess Elsa at Halloween should be a big hint to parents that their children are not about to “let it go” any time soon.

4. Toy Story 3

Coming 11 years after Toy Story 2, moviegoers could have been forgiven for wondering what more the franchise could possibly have to say. However, critics and moviegoers alike were stunned to find that the third installment was in fact the best of the series, and it took in $415 million, the equivalent of $451 million today.

Like Big Hero 6, it won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Also like Big Hero 6, there may have been more than a few parents in the theater who did not expect it to be as tearful as it was. Despite the movie ending on a note that seemed to rule out another sequel, a fourth installment is currently scheduled for 2017.

 

3. Finding Nemo

Finding Nemo is like Bambi, in that it belongs to the long, proud tradition of Disney films in which the main character’s mother gets killed, thereby necessitating years of therapy for the little children who saw it.

The story of a lost clownfish from the Great Barrier Reef, the 2003 film took in $380 million at the domestic box office, or $489 million after inflation. It was the highest-grossing G-rated film ever made until Toy Story 3 conquered it with its unadjusted box office gross.

2. Shrek 2

Shrek 2 was released in 2004 and followed the adventures of the unsightly ogre and his newly betrothed wife Fiona. It parodies such well-known children’s stories as The Wizard of Oz and The Little Mermaid, and also introduced Puss in Boots, a swashbuckling Mexican cat voiced by Antonio Banderas.

The most popular film in the entire franchise, it earned $441 million at the domestic box office, the equivalent of a staggering $553 million today. A fourth film, Shrek Forever After, was released in 2010, but the status of a much hinted-at fifth film remains shrouded in mystery.

1. The Lion King

It should come as no surprise that The Lion King is the highest-grossing animated film of all time. A stone cold classic beloved by children for over 20 years – and maybe a few of their parents too – the 1994 movie inspired three video games and a musical now in its 18th year on Broadway.

The movie’s domestic box office take of $423 million is impressive even before it’s adjusted for inflation, at which point it reaches a Titanic-esque $676 million. It leaves every other animated movie on this list in its dust, with the cruel and unrelenting force of a wildebeest stampede.

About the Author
By Daniel Bukszpan
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Features

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Features

Meta and YouTube just took a crushing legal blow over tech addiction. At this rehab for addicted teens and adults, it’s treated like heroin
MagazineSocial Media
Meta and YouTube just took a crushing legal blow over tech addiction. At this rehab for addicted teens and adults, it’s treated like heroin
By Kristin StollerMarch 24, 2026
8 days ago
Cursor’s crossroads: The rapid rise, and very uncertain future, of a $30 billion AI startup
MagazineCoding
Cursor’s crossroads: The rapid rise, and very uncertain future, of a $30 billion AI startup
By Allie GarfinkleMarch 21, 2026
11 days ago
For CEOs, it’s time for a wartime mindset
MagazineIran
For CEOs, it’s time for a wartime mindset
By Geoff ColvinMarch 20, 2026
12 days ago
This photograph taken in Le-Perreux-sur-Marne, outside Paris on February 9, 2026 shows undated pictures provided by the US Department of Justice on January 30, 2026 as part of the Jeffrey Epstein files
C-SuiteJeffrey Epstein
How Jeffrey Epstein pulled Bill Gates and Microsoft into a web of sex, money, and secrets
By Eva Roytburg and Jim EdwardsMarch 10, 2026
22 days ago
Target’s new CEO lays out a $6 billion plan to revive ‘Tarzhay’
C-SuiteRetail
Target’s new CEO lays out a $6 billion plan to revive ‘Tarzhay’
By Phil WahbaMarch 6, 2026
26 days ago
Exclusive: How Becky Kennedy built a leadership playbook for parenting—and a $34-million-a-year business
SuccessMost Powerful Women
Exclusive: How Becky Kennedy built a leadership playbook for parenting—and a $34-million-a-year business
By Claire ZillmanFebruary 27, 2026
1 month ago

Most Popular

Jerome Powell says the $39 trillion national debt is ‘not unsustainable,’ but warns the trajectory ‘will not end well’
Economy
Jerome Powell says the $39 trillion national debt is ‘not unsustainable,’ but warns the trajectory ‘will not end well’
By Fortune EditorsMarch 30, 2026
2 days ago
Markets cheer as Trump threatens to abandon Iran war, but Jamie Dimon sides with allies: ‘Win this thing and clean up the straits’
Energy
Markets cheer as Trump threatens to abandon Iran war, but Jamie Dimon sides with allies: ‘Win this thing and clean up the straits’
By Fortune EditorsMarch 31, 2026
1 day ago
Kevin O'Leary says if you earn $68,000 a year and follow this rule, you'll retire a millionaire
Personal Finance
Kevin O'Leary says if you earn $68,000 a year and follow this rule, you'll retire a millionaire
By Fortune EditorsMarch 31, 2026
1 day ago
A man used AI to call 3,000 Irish bartenders to track the cost of Guinness. Now pubs are lowering their prices to compete
AI
A man used AI to call 3,000 Irish bartenders to track the cost of Guinness. Now pubs are lowering their prices to compete
By Fortune EditorsMarch 30, 2026
2 days ago
Two-thirds of parents say their adult Gen Z kids still rely on them financially  for support—even though it's putting them under strain
Success
Two-thirds of parents say their adult Gen Z kids still rely on them financially  for support—even though it's putting them under strain
By Fortune EditorsMarch 31, 2026
1 day ago
Hiring just hit a level not seen since the economy was ‘closed down literally’ during COVID, top economist says
Economy
Hiring just hit a level not seen since the economy was ‘closed down literally’ during COVID, top economist says
By Fortune EditorsMarch 31, 2026
24 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.