The top grossing animated movies of all time

With Oscars to their names, award-winning scores, and laughs all around, these films have touched the hearts of children and adults alike. It's fascinating to see the ingredients that make up the best films in the animated genre. We take a look at those that really tugged on heartstrings to make millions - even billions - at the box office.

Let's start with a truly astonishing record. 'Toy Story 3' was the first animated movie to make over a billion dollars, grossing a worldwide total of $1.07 billion at the box office.

Photo: Toy Story / Disney/Pixar

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'Toy Story' was always a huge success worldwide but with Andy getting ready to leave for college, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and the rest of the toys prepare themselves for a future in the attic and accidentally wind up on the curb with the rest of the rubbish. Woody's quick thinking saves the toys from disaster, but then they are donated to a day-care center. So Woody and the gang make plans for a great escape.

Photo: Toy Story / Disney/Pixar

Two movies within the same franchise hit the top earners' charts, with 'Frozen' and 'Frozen II' earning Disney a combined $2,740,026,933. Do you wanna build a snowman... out of gold?

When their kingdom becomes trapped in a never-ending winter, Anna joins forces with mountain hunk Kristoff and his reindeer to find Anna's sister, Queen Elsa, and break her curse. Their journey leads them to encounters with trolls, a funny snowman, obviously severe weather conditions, and magic along the way.

Photo: Frozen / Disney

Across the world, 'Finding Nemo' grossed $936 million at the box office, coming ever so close to joining the billion-dollar club. Quotes and comments from this film are often recited in households and it has a great moral to the story. So important in fact that it had a display at 'Pixar, 25 Years of Animation' exhibition (photo).

Marlin is a clownfish and overly protective of his son, Nemo. When Nemo swims too close to the surface to prove his bravery, he is caught by a diver, and his father must set out to find him. A blue reef fish named Dory, who has an extremely short memory, joins Marlin on his quest but isn't always much help. Along the way, they encounter sharks, jellyfish, and a host of ocean dangers, as Nemo plots his escape from a dentist's fish tank.

Since its release 'The Lion King' has grossed a total of $968 million around the world, making it one of the most successful non-Pixar animated features from Disney and that’s without sequels and the magnificent stage show. Believe it or not, they never even thought it would be a hit.

This animated film follows the adventures of the young lion Simba, who will one day inherit the throne from his father, Mufasa. However, Simba's wicked uncle, Scar has other plans and wants the throne for himself. Luring both father and son into a stampede of wildebeests he kills the King but Simba escapes. Simba returns as an adult to take back his homeland from Scar with the help of his friends Timon and Pumbaa.

Photo: Disney

Pixar, run by Disney since 2006, released 'Incredibles 2' in 2018 and it grossed more than 1.24 billion dollars worldwide.

Evil genius Winston Deavor has a plan for Elastigirl to fight crime and make superheroes popular once again. However, that leaves Mr. Incredible with one of his greatest fights ever: He has to stay home and take care of three out-of-control children. Meanwhile, a cybercriminal named Screenslaver creates a dastardly plan - hypnotizing the world through computer screens. And there we were thinking TikTok had already done that...!

Photo: Incredibles 2 / Disney/Pixar

With a worldwide gross profit of $1,025,521,689 and a unique story, this wonderful journey about following your dreams gave Disney yet another global hit.

The city of Zootopia is an animal metropolis where various animals live and work. When Judy Hopps becomes the first rabbit to join the police force, she learns just how difficult it is to enforce the law when nobody takes her seriously. Determined to prove herself, she takes on a mysterious case. Unfortunately, that means working with Nick Wilde, a wily fox who makes her job even more challenging.

Though 'Finding Dory' grossed far more than 'Zootopia' in the same year (a worldwide total of $1.029 billion), this hit animation proved that Disney didn't necessarily have to rely on producing sequels to be successful.

Dory is a wide-eyed, blue-tang fish who suffers from extreme memory loss. However, she can remember that she was separated from her parents when she was young. With help from her friends Nemo and Marlin, Dory sets out on an adventure to find them. Her journey brings her to the Marine Life Institute. Dory discovers that her precious family reunion can only happen by saving her mom and dad from captivity.

Photo: Finding Dory / Disney/Pixar

'Frozen II' exceeded expectations as the highest-grossing Disney animated movie of all time. ($1.22 billion). The film begins three years after the end of the original.

Elsa has a special gift: the ability to create ice and snow. She finds herself strangely disturbed after hearing an unknown voice that begins to talk to her. Elsa then travels to the enchanted forest and across the dark seas, way beyond her kingdom, learning many things along the way.

Photo: Frozen II / Disney

With worldwide box-office earnings of $1,072,817,964, this film hit similar numbers to 'Toy Story 3'. It really is a truly remarkable franchise.

Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang embark on a road trip with Bonnie and a new toy named Forky. This toy suffers from an existential crisis and the others must convince him how important he is to Bonnie. The journey takes a turn with a surprise reunion as Woody encounters his long-lost friend Bo Peep.

Photo: Toy Story 4 / Disney/Pixar

This magnificent recent box office hit reached 1,359,875,592 dollars worldwide. In its opening weekend, it made $146,361,865 (25.5% of total gross). Everyone knew it would be a success, but they really knocked it out of the park.

Branching out on their own while working underground to fix a water main, plumber brothers Mario and Luigi are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. When the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on a quest to find Luigi, all while trying to save the Mushroom Kingdom with Princess Peach from the dastardly and hilarious Bowser.

Photo: Super Mario Bros. Movie / Universal Pictures

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