Deadline Hollywood's latest financial deep dive reveals a striking trend in 2024's most profitable films: animation reigns supreme. While social media commentary bemoans the lack of originality in movies these days, particularly in regard to the number of sequels being produced, their wallets are painting a different picture.
Leading the charge, unsurprisingly, is Inside Out 2. The critically lauded sequel has not only captured hearts but also dominated box office receipts, translating directly into colossal profits and cementing its place as the year's most lucrative release.
Disney's animated dominance continues with Moana 2 securing the coveted second spot. In a fascinating turn of events, this highly profitable sequel was initially conceived as a Disney+ television series. However, a strategic pivot by CEO Bob Iger saw it sail onto the big screen, a decision that has clearly resulted in a treasure trove of box office riches and proves that Iger was right to return and replace Bob Chapek.
Breaking the animated streak (but not Disney's dominance) in third place is Deadpool & Wolverine. While the highly anticipated MCU entry raked in more at the global box office than Moana 2, its higher production budget and marketing spend placed it slightly lower in terms of pure profit.
The mischievous yellow cohorts of Illumination's Despicable Me 4 further solidify animation's dominance, landing in fourth place with a staggering $370 million in studio profit. It's clear that Gru and his ever-growing family continue to be a major draw for audiences and the IP will only continue to grow with new rides and attractions recently opened at Universal Studios.
Proving that good things come to those who wait, DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda 4 has landed in the top ten, securing the 8th spot with a healthy $178 million profit. The eight-year gap since the previous installment clearly hasn't diminished the appeal of Jack Black's lovable panda bear martial artist, Po.
| Film |
Production Budget |
Box Office Total Worldwide |
Profit |
| Inside Out 2 |
$200 million |
$1.699 billion |
$650 million |
| Moana 2 |
$150 million |
$1.059 billion |
$415 million |
| Deadpool & Wolverine |
$200 million |
$1.338 billion |
$400 million |
| Despicable Me 4 |
$100 million |
$969.5 million |
$370 million |
| Wicked |
$150 million |
$753.9 million |
$230 million |
| It Ends With Us |
$25 million |
$351.4 million |
$207 million |
| Dune: Part Two |
$190 million |
$714.6 million |
$184.3 million |
| Kung Fu Panda 4 |
$85 million |
$547.6 million |
$178 million |
| Mufasa: The Lion King |
$200 million |
$722.4 million |
$175 million |
| Sonic the Hedgehog 3 |
$122 million |
$492.1 million |
$123.6 million |
Looking forward to 2025, what films do you expect to see on the list? Will Ryan Coggler's Sinners make the list? The film is enjoying rave reviews and strong IMAX returns but has a relatively high production cost ($90 million) for a horror pic.
Marvel Studios is likely hopeful that Thunderbolts* and Fantastic Four: The First Steps make the cut as box office returns for Captain America: Brave New World were uncharacteristically low, by Marvel standards.
Warner Bros. and DC Studios have a lot riding on Superman, which so far, looks as if it could be a strong contender to rank within the top 3.
Currently, China's Ne Zha 2 is the top-grossing film of 2025 at $2.1 billion worldwide and doesn't figure to be dethroned by the year's end.
Zootopia 2 arrives in theaters just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday and also figures to be a strong contender.