10 Highest-Grossing Animated Movie Franchises Of All Time

Box office numbers are from The Numbers. Figures have been rounded up or down to the nearest million.

A beloved and long-running staple of cinema, animated offerings have accounted for some of the greatest movies of all time. While many of these movies are primarily targeted at younger audiences, the innate overall quality, sidesplitting humor, and universal themes that can be found in the best animated movies ever made still make for timeless films that appeal to audiences of all generations. In many cases, the wildfire success of these outings has spawned multi-film franchises that have gone on to become some of the most commercially successful ventures in cinematic history.

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While it’s interesting to note that no animated entries make up the all-time top ten list of highest-grossing movie franchises, cinema’s top fifty is still peppered with standout offerings, ranging from beloved classics like Toy Story to exciting new arrivals like Inside Out. Earning eye-watering commercial returns to rubber-stamp their status as box-office titans, the highest-grossing animated movie franchises of all time encompass some of the most influential and significant movies that popular culture has ever witnessed.

10

Madagascar

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $2.2 Billion

Madagascar

The Madagascar franchise is a popular animated comedy series produced by DreamWorks Animation. The story follows a group of zoo animals—Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe, and Gloria the hippo—who escape their comfortable life in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves in the wilds of Madagascar. The films are known for their humor, vibrant animation, and lovable characters, blending animal antics with heartfelt friendship themes.

Created by

Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Mark Burton, Billy Frolick

First Film

Madagascar

Latest Film

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted

Upcoming Films

Madagascar 4

First TV Show

The Penguins of Madagascar

Latest TV Show

Madagascar: A Little Wild

Cast

Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter, Frances McDormand, Alec Baldwin

Spin-offs

The Penguins of Madagascar, All Hail King Julien, Madagascar: A Little Wild

TV Show(s)

The Penguins of Madagascar, All Hail King Julien, Madagascar: A Little Wild

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Madagascar Franchise Entries by Year	Worldwide Box Office Gross
Madagascar (2005)	$565.5 Million
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)	$599.7 Million
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012)	$746.9 Million
Penguins of Madagascar (2014)	$366.9 Million

The rare example of a series that improved from a critical and commercial perspective with every subsequent release, Madagascar beats out the likes of The Incredibles and Moana to land as the tenth-highest-grossing animated movie franchise of all time (via The Numbers). From a financial perspective, this trend continued until 2014’s spin-off film, Penguins of Madagascar, which regrettably ended up underperforming at the box office.

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However, while Penguins of Madagascar may not have lived up to financial expectations, the movie’s gross of just under $367 million worldwide was still enough to elevate Madagascar above Finding Nemo into cinema’s top ten highest-grossing animated franchises of all time. However, considering Madagascar 4 has failed to materialize more than a decade later, the franchise looks to be dead and buried as of 2025. Accordingly, don’t be surprised to eventually see this long-time top ten fixture overtaken in the coming years.

9

Kung Fu Panda

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $2.3 Billion

Kung Fu Panda

The Kung Fu Panda franchise is a comedic martial arts adventure series centered around the unlikely hero Po, a clumsy panda who dreams of becoming a kung fu master. With a blend of humor, heart, and action, the franchise follows Po’s journey as he overcomes self-doubt and embraces his destiny as the Dragon Warrior.

Created by

Mark Osborne, John Stevenson

First Film

Kung Fu Panda

Latest Film

Kung Fu Panda 4

Upcoming Films

Kung Fu Panda 5

First TV Show

Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness

Cast

Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, David Cross, Lucy Liu

TV Show(s)

Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight

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Kung Fu Panda Franchise Entries by Year	Worldwide Box Office Gross
Kung Fu Panda (2008)	$632.2 Million
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)	$664.8 Million
Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)	$520.2 Million
Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)	$547.8 Million

While rumblings over a potential Kung Fu Panda 5 have yet to be confirmed, the Jack Black-led martial arts comedy series is still one of the most financially lucrative animated offerings that cinema has ever witnessed. Grossing more than $2.3 billion worldwide across four movies to land as the ninth-highest-grossing animated franchise of all time (via The Numbers), the whopping returns from 2024’s Kung Fu Panda 4 saw the series return to cinema’s animated top ten after an absence of nearly a decade.

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One of popular culture’s most well-known and prominent animated offerings for the better part of two decades, Kung Fu Panda’s remarkable box-office returns are a testament to just how much of a fan favorite this franchise remains to this day. The eye-watering returns from the series’ latest installment would indicate that it’s highly unlikely that we’ve heard the last of Po and Company, although it’s worth noting that the franchise risks sullying its sterling wider reputation, should future installments run out of steam.

8

Inside Out

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $2.5 Billion

Inside Out

The Inside Out franchise explores the inner workings of a young girl named Riley Anderson, focusing on her five primary emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust—that personify her thoughts and actions. Created by Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen, the franchise is praised for its innovative portrayal of emotions and mental processes. It began with the 2015 film Inside Out, which became a critical and commercial success, leading to sequels, a short film, video games, and theme park attractions.

Created by

Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen

First Film

Inside Out

Latest Film

Inside Out 2

Upcoming TV Shows

Dream Productions

Cast

Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Tony Hale, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Liza Lapira, Kaitlyn Dias, Richard Kind, Maya Hawke, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, Ayo Edebiri

Inside Out Franchise Entries by Year	Worldwide Box Office Gross
Inside Out (2015)	$850.3 Million
Inside Out 2 (2024)	$1.7 Billion

Depicting the inner workings of a young girl’s mind through an array of personified emotions, the critically acclaimed Inside Out movies have earned status as one of the most profitable animated franchises of all time in the space of just under a decade. The eighth-highest-grossing animated series ever made (via The Numbers), Inside Out’s box office gross of just over $2.5 billion from two movies is nothing short of staggering.

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While the 2015 original’s return of more than $850 million was nothing to sniff at, 2024’s Inside Out 2 broke multiple box-office records. Taking a little shy of $1.7 billion, Kelsey Mann’s sequel almost doubled Inside Out’s worldwide box office gross to land as the highest-grossing movie of 2024 and the ninth-highest-grossing movie of all time. It was also briefly the highest-earning animated movie ever made, before being surpassed by 2025’s Ne Zha 2.

7

Frozen

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $2.7 Billion

Frozen

Frozen is a multimedia franchise developed within Disney by Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, and Shane Morris. Originally based on the tale by Hans Christian Andersen, the core of Frozen tells the story of the two sisters of the kingdom of Arendelle, the warm-hearted Anna and the stern but kindly Elsa, who has the power to control ice. Together with their friends, the two sisters unravel the mysteries that surround their kingdom as they learn to manage their royal duties.

Created by

Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Shane Morris

First Film

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Frozen

Cast

Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad

TV Show(s)

At Home with Olaf, Olaf Presents

Frozen Franchise Entries by Year	Worldwide Box Office Gross
Frozen (2013)	$1.27 Billion
Frozen II (2019)	$1.45 Billion

A critical and commercial smash hit of the highest order, both of Frozen’s installments to date have broken the $1 billion mark at the box office to complement an array of glowing reviews, prompting the commission of 2027’s upcoming third entry, Frozen 3. As such, don’t be surprised if Frozen’s standing as the seventh-highest-grossing animated franchise of all time (via The Numbers) is subject to change down the line.

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Frozen proved to be the highest-grossing film of 2013, while the sequel landed in the number three spot for 2019. The animated musical fantasy also bears the prestigious distinction of being the only franchise outside of Avatar to have all of its entries listed in the top 25 highest-grossing movies of all time, with Frozen and Frozen II clocking in at the 24th and 15th spots, respectively.

6

Fengshen Cinematic Universe

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $2.7 Billion

Close

Fengshen Cinematic Universe Franchise Entries by Year	Worldwide Box Office Gross
Ne Zha (2019)	$742.7 million
Legend of Deification (2020)	$243.8 million
Ne Zha 2 (2025)	$1.98 billion

An extremely recent addition to the top ten highest-grossing animated franchises of all time, the Fengshen Cinematic Universe is likely the most profitable film series that you’ve never heard of. The Chinese animated fantasy adventure films currently make up the sixth-highest-grossing animated franchise in cinematic history (via The Numbers), charging in ahead of storied names such as Finding Nemo, How to Train Your Dragon, or The Incredibles.

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2019’s Ne Zha had already landed as one of the most successful pieces of Chinese cinema ever made, courtesy of a stellar box office gross of more than $742 million, a state of affairs that wasn’t hurt by 2020’s spin-off entry Legend of Deification taking home just under $244 million a year later. However, it was the release of 2025’s box office titan Ne Zha 2 that has really got people taking notice. Grossing a whopping $1.98 billion to date, the sequel is already the fifth-highest-grossing movie of all time.

5

Ice Age

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $3.2 Billion

Ice Age

The Ice Age franchise is a popular animated film series produced by Blue Sky Studios, centering around a group of prehistoric animals surviving the Pleistocene ice age. Led by a woolly mammoth named Manny, the films feature his adventures alongside a sloth named Sid and a saber-toothed tiger named Diego. Known for its humor, heartwarming themes, and memorable characters, the series has expanded to include spin-offs, short films, and TV specials. The franchise continues to captivate audiences with its colorful animation, family-friendly humor, and ongoing stories of friendship and survival.

Created by

Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha

First Film

Ice Age

Latest Film

The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild

Upcoming Films

Ice Age 6

Cast

Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Simon Pegg, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Keke Palmer, Chris Wedge

Ice Age Franchise Entries by Year	Worldwide Box Office Gross
Ice Age (2002)	$386.1 Million
Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006)	$651. 9 Million
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)	$886.7 Million
Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)	$879.8 Million
Ice Age: Collision Course (2016)	$402.2 Million

After a hiatus that will have lasted a decade, one of the most profitable animated franchises in cinematic history is set to finally make its return when Ice Age 6 is released in 2026. While the series made a comeback of sorts through a standalone spin-off, 2022’s The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild, the upcoming entry will mark the sixth official chapter in the fifth-highest-grossing movie franchise of all time (via The Numbers.)

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It says a lot about Ice Age’s impressive box-office returns that the franchise has retained such a high placing among its peers, despite not having produced a movie from the original series for the better part of a decade. Furthermore, Ice Age is virtually neck and neck with its closest competitor in Toy Story with an approximate worldwide total gross of $3.2 billion. As such, the box office returns from each storied franchise’s upcoming installment will be key in seeing who comes out on top by the time 2026 rolls to a close.

4

Toy Story

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $3.2 Billion

Toy Story

Toy Story is a beloved animated franchise created by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The series centers on the secret life of toys, primarily focusing on the friendship between Woody, a cowboy doll, and Buzz Lightyear, a space ranger action figure. The films explore themes of friendship, loyalty, and growing up, resonating with audiences of all ages. Toy Story is widely credited with revolutionizing animation, as the first film was the first fully computer-animated feature. The franchise is not only a critical success but also a cultural icon, influencing a generation of films and storytelling in animation.

Created by

John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, Joe Ranft

First Film

Toy Story

Latest Film

Toy Story 4

Cast

Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, Joan Cusack, Michael Keaton, Estelle Harris

Spin-offs (Movies)

Lightyear

Toy Story Franchise Installments by Year	Worldwide Box Office Gross
Toy Story (1995)	$365.3 Million
Toy Story 2 (1999)	$511.4 Million
Toy Story 3 (2010)	$1.07 Billion
Toy Story 4 (2019)	$1.07 Billion
Lightyear (2022)	$218.9 Million

Eliciting laughter and tears in equal measure since 1995’s original installment, Toy Story is as close to a universally beloved animated franchise as one is likely to find. Earning consistently outstanding reviews across four installments of the main series, Toy Story held status as the third-highest-grossing animated franchise of all time until as recently as last year, before the success of 2024’s Mufasa: The Lion King bumped it down to fourth spot (via The Numbers.)

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While 2022’s spin-off entry Lightyear didn’t receive the same degree of critical acclaim and bombed at the box office, Toy Story has proved to be such a commercial titan over the years that it did little to affect the wider franchise’s standing. Boasting two entries that have broken the $1 billion barrier at the box office, the franchise could still rise higher in the pecking order yet with the upcoming release of Toy Story 5.

3

The Lion King

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $3.3 Billion

The Lion King

The Lion King is one of Disney’s most iconic animated franchises, beginning with the 1994 film. The story centers around Simba, a lion prince who battles his treacherous uncle Scar for the throne of the Pride Lands. The franchise has expanded into sequels, remakes, and television series.

Created by

Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff, Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton

First Film

The Lion King

Latest Film

The Lion King

Upcoming Films

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Mufasa: The Lion King

First TV Show

Timon and Pumbaa

Latest TV Show

The Lion Guard

Cast

Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Robert Guillaume

Spin-offs (Movies)

The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride, The Lion King 1 1/2

TV Show(s)

Timon and Pumbaa, The Lion Guard

Expand

The Lion King Franchise Entries by Year	Worldwide Box Office Gross
The Lion King (1995)	$988.3 Million
The Lion King (2019)	$1.66 Billion
Mufasa: The Lion King (2024)	$714.1 Million

It speaks volumes to the profitability of The Lion King that it’s still the third-highest-grossing animated movie franchise of all time (via The Numbers), despite the fact that two of its five entries don’t even factor into consideration when it comes to box office results. Two animated sequels to 1995’s original, 1998’s The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride and 2004’s The Lion King 1 1/2 were released direct-to-video, meaning the franchise’s figures didn’t truly take off until the photorealistically animated remake dropped in 2019.

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The quintessential example of a box-office billion-dollar hit with low Rotten Tomatoes scores, The Lion King raked in an eye-watering $1.6 billion worldwide to land as the second-highest-grossing movie of the year and the eleventh-highest-grossing movie of all time, despite an array of mixed reviews. 2024’s prequel-sequel Mufasa: The Lion King didn’t produce such stratospheric results, but still took home more than $714 million to land as the sixth-highest-grossing movie of 2024, in spite of similar lukewarm reviews to its predecessor.

2

Shrek

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $4 Billion

Shrek

The Shrek franchise is a beloved animated series that began in 2001, centering around an ogre named Shrek who lives in a swamp and embarks on various adventures with a cast of quirky and memorable characters. The franchise is known for its humor, parodies of fairy tales, and heartwarming themes about friendship, love, and self-acceptance. The success of the first film led to multiple sequels, spin-offs, and television specials, making Shrek a pop culture icon.

Created by

William Steig

First Film

Shrek

Latest Film

Shrek Forever After

Upcoming Films

Shrek 5

First TV Show

Shrek the Halls

Cast

Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, John Lithgow, Julie Andrews, Rupert Everett, Jennifer Saunders, John Cleese

Spin-offs

The Adventures of Puss in Boots

Spin-offs (Movies)

Puss in Boots, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

TV Show(s)

Shrek the Halls

Expand

Shrek Franchise Installments by Year	Worldwide Box Office Gross
Shrek (2001)	$492.5 Million
Shrek 2 (2004)	$933.8 Million
Shrek the Third (2007)	$807.3 Million
Shrek Forever After (2010)	$756.2 Million
Puss in Boots (2011)	$554.9 Million
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)	$485.2 Million

The announcement of the upcoming Shrek 5 has signaled the return of one of the most universally beloved and commercially successful animated franchises of all time. While there’s a valid argument to be made that the series focusing on the eponymous ogre has never come close to measuring up to the stellar quality of its first two outings, Shrek’s wild popularity has been underlined by an array of consistently stellar box-office results that place it as the second-highest-grossing animated movie franchise of all time (via The Numbers.)

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The franchise’s standout levels of longevity and marketability have been further highlighted by the success of the Puss in Boots spin-off movies, with both entries led by Antonio Banderas’ swashbuckling feline earning positive reviews to complement strong box-office performances. Simply put, it’s hard to find an animated franchise that can even begin to give Shrek a run for its money.

1

Despicable Me

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $5.6 Billion

Despicable Me

Gru, a villain with ambitions to steal the moon, adopts three orphaned girls to aid his scheme. Unexpectedly, he finds himself growing attached to them, which complicates his plans. As Gru grapples with newfound fatherhood and his villainous aspirations, he discovers that love and family can change even the most hardened hearts.

Movie(s)

Despicable Me 2, Despicable Me 3, Despicable Me 4, Despicable Me, Minions, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Minions 3

Created by

Sergio Pablos

First Film

Despicable Me

Latest Film

Despicable Me 4

Upcoming Films

Minions 3

Cast

Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Elsie Fisher, Russell Brand

TV Show(s)

Saturday Morning Minions

Expand

Despicable Me Franchise Installments by Year	Worldwide Box Office Gross
Despicable Me (2010)	$544.7 Million
Despicable Me 2 (2013)	$975.2 Million
Minions (2015)	$1.16 Billion
Despicable Me 3 (2017)	$1.03 Billion
Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)	$937.7 Million
Despicable Me 4 (2024)	$971 Million

The highest-grossing animated movie franchise of all time (via The Numbers) by a considerable distance, Despicable Me and its spin-off movie series Minions reign supreme at the box office. While this is a state of affairs that seems set to continue with the upcoming 2026 release of Minions 3, the franchise already outstrips its nearest animated competitor in Shrek by more than $1 billion as of 2025.

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Remarkably, the franchise just fails to make wider cinema’s top 10, despite a total return of more than $5.6 billion across six entries, landing as the 13th-highest-grossing movie franchise of all time. These exemplary levels of success are even more surprising when one considers that Despicable Me’s entries have often received a lukewarm critical response, with the sharp contrast in the movies’ reviews and box office returns underlining the franchise’s status as one of popular culture’s most prominent fan favorites.

Source: The Numbers

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