If you grew up as a ’90s kid, then you must remember the special features at the end of a DVD. If it was a live-action film, then some of the bonus content features were bloopers, but on an animated film, you might have been able to see how the movie was made. The artists gave you an in-depth look at how each frame was put together, whether it was hand drawn or digitally put together.
Animated movies, especially those of Disney, and its branch, Pixar, are such a great form of art because of how much time and effort go into them. When they’re a smash at the box office, all that effort is worth it for how many people flock to movie theaters to see it. Let’s take a look at the top ten highest grossing Disney animated movies, and be warned, some of these might genuinely surprise you.
10 Inside Out (2015) – $853 Million
When Inside Out was released, not only was it praised for its stellar cast that voiced the characters, but also for how accurately it portrayed a child’s emotions. The plot follows Riley, a young girl who quickly has to adjust to a big move and a new school. Inside her, five main emotions, anger, fear, disgust, sadness, and joy, try to work together to ease Riley into this big change. This very sweet animated film grossed 853 million at all box office and now, almost 10 years later, a sequel is set to come out.
9 Finding Nemo (2003) – $936 Million
One of the most well-known and celebrated animated films to come out of this huge company, is Finding Nemo. The story that touches just about anyone who watches it, and has a stellar musical score, depicts a father and son relationship that goes from strained to stronger than ever. It follows Nemo, a young fish that gets taken from his fear-filled father, and Marlin, the clown fish, as they go on an intensity-filled journey in order to reunite. Finding Nemo is a great movie for all ages, and it managed to pull in $936 million when it was released.
8 The Lion King (1994) – $968 Million
Another iconic Disney film that has one of the saddest parent deaths featured, is The Lion King. Since its initial release, it has had several sequels, spin-off shows, and a live-action remake. Not only that, but also an extremely successful Broadway musical, signifying that the influence of The Lion King will most likely never end. The plot follows a young cub named Simba, who, after losing his father to his uncle in an act of betrayal, grows up with Timon and Pumbaa; before finally stepping into his role as king. This iconic and timeless movie brought in $968 million from the box office, coming in just under a billion.
7 Zootopia (2016) – $1.004 Billion
Coming in next on this list is a relatively newer movie that recently gained a Disney+ show and made $1.004 billion. Zootopia was a new and fresh story that the audience was craving at the time. Zootopia wasn’t only original but also touched on important topics such as racism, corrupt government, prejudices, and young kids realizing that their past actions were unkind and apologizing in their adult lives.
Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are a great pair and a great set of main characters as they learn to become friends and work together in order to crack the case that this movie revolves around. Zootopia is full of laughs, both for kids and adults, and is an all around enjoyable watch.
6 Finding Dory (2016) – $1.03 Billion
13 years after Finding Nemo was released to theaters, audiences finally got what they wanted: a sequel that featured Dory as the main character. For people who loved the short-term memory-having blue fish that helped Marlin find Nemo in the first movie, Finding Dory was a big deal and was widely celebrated. The plot follows Dory as she struggles to remember who her family was before she was swept away and grew up by herself before she ran into Marlin.
Dory goes on an adventure of her own as she’s determined to find her parents, and meets some great friends along the way, such as a grumpy octopus. The hype for this movie was very real, as was the genuinely great plot line and how sweet it was, and those factors resulted in the movie bringing in $1.03 billion.
5 Toy Story 3 (2010) – $1.07 Billion
Maybe it’s a bit surprising that the first or second Toy Story isn’t included on this list since both movies have been extremely influential for so many people, but the third installment made its way with $1.07 billion. Fans of the first two movies in this franchise waited years for a follow-up, and it finally came in this third movie, seemingly closing the chapter of Andy and his beloved toys.
When Andy heads to college, he decides to leave most of his toys behind but wants to take Woody with him. However, a mix-up in results in Woody and the toys landing in a daycare that’s run by Lotso; a seemingly sweet bear who ends up having sinister qualities. Toy Story 3 is a great movie to watch if you feel yourself wanting to get in touch with your childhood; the film encourages its audience that it’s okay to grow up and start on your next chapter.
4 Toy Story 4 (2019) – $1.07 Billion
Coming in next, with the same gross revenue as its predecessor, is Toy Story 4. This installment was unexpected, seeing as how Toy Story 3 ended in a seemingly perfect way, but nevertheless, it was well received. The plot follows the beloved group of toys on a road trip with their new owner Bonnie, who makes a toy out of a spork named Forky who became the mascot of this fourth installment.
This film brings back all the memorable voices we all know and love that brought these characters to life, and reunites Woody and Bo Beep; which creates tension for Woody as he once again has to choose to either move on or remain with his owner, whom he loves. Toy Story 4 was a fun and enjoyable movie, and with the talks of a fifth film in the works, you might want to plan a re-watch of this franchise soon.
3 The Incredibles 2 (2018) – $1.24 Billion
Sequels seem to be a huge hit for Disney and Pixar, and seemingly know exactly how long to wait until releasing the much-needed follow-up to the original movies. For people who enjoyed the first The Incredibles, when the second one was released, the audience was now adults, but that didn’t stop them from flocking to the theaters to see this highly anticipated film.
The plot is a direct follow-up to the first film, giving the audience a look at happened to the Parr family after they took down The Underminer. Helen Parr gets more of the spotlight this time around as she re-brands herself as a superhero and starts to work with a pair of siblings that want to make her famous and celebrated. Meanwhile, Jack-Jack gets powers, and Bob has to learn how to become a stay at home dad. All-in-all, The Incredibles 2 lived up to the hype and brought in $1.24 billion.
2 Frozen (2013) – $1.26 Billion
Motion Pictures
It might be surprising that Frozen isn’t number one on this list since “Let It Go” is still one of the biggest Disney songs ever, and its influence is still just as strong as it was when it first came out. Frozen depicts two sisters who lost their parents at a young age, and Elsa, the oldest, has to become queen once she’s old enough, even though she harbors ice powers that she’s terrified of.
Anna, the younger sister, just wants to help Elsa be a regular person and queen to her people, but when Elsa’s powers are revealed to her kingdom, Elsa flees, and Anna has to go after her. Frozen has some of the best musical numbers in a Disney film and a great betrayal scene that, genuinely, no one saw coming during their first watch. Frozen is a great movie that depicts sisterhood and love in their truest form, raking in $1.26 billion.
1 Frozen II (2019) – $1.44 Billion
The top spot on this list goes to Frozen II, and it shouldn’t be surprising, since so many people love this story and its characters. Six years after the release of Frozen, the anticipated sequel was released and well-accepted by audiences as they flocked to the theaters to see what Anna and Elsa were getting themselves into.
The plot revolves around Elsa, her finding her way with her powers, and discovering that her kingdom has more to it than meets the eye. This sequel brought in $1.44 billion, and, as of right now, is still the highest-grossing animated movie that Disney has made.
