Eight of the 10 highest-grossing animated movies in the U.S. come from Walt Disney Studios. Despite Disney’s theatrical dominance, other studios have produced their own popular animated features that contend for box office glory. DreamWorks studios was an early Disney rival at the box office, with the younger Illumination more recently vying for top box office billing.
When Disney is removed from the equation, some surprising animated features stand out as sweeping successes at the United States box office.
Sing (2016)
Illumination is one of the largest Disney competitors when it comes to modern animated films. The studio starts the top 10 non-Disney animations with its 2016 film, Sing.
Sing made $35.2 million during its domestic opening and went on to gross $270.3 million throughout its initial run. The film was re-released ahead of its sequel in 2021 and ultimately earned $270,578,425 in the U.S. box office.
Sing 2 had the potential to beat the original film’s box office showing, but a short theatrical window dashed those hopes. Despite boasting slightly higher ratings than its predecessor, the sequel did not turn heads at the box office. Just three weeks after its theatrical debut, Sing 2 was released onto VOD, where it has received consistent viewership.
The Grinch (2018)
Christmas movies are a steady box office performer as regular holiday re-releases boost their numbers.
Illumination and Universal Pictures released The Grinch in November 2018, offering a perfect family outing for the holiday season. The movie made $67.5 million during its domestic opening and grossed over $272.5 million throughout its domestic release.
Following multiple seasonal re-releases in the 2020s, The Grinch amassed a total of $272,504,456 at the U.S. box office and over $552.9 million worldwide. This box office performance made The Grinch the highest-grossing holiday movie of all time, a title formerly held by Home Alone. As of writing, 2018’s The Grinch still holds this holiday honor.
Shrek The Third (2007)
DreamWorks is a formidable box office opponent to Disney, and the Shrek franchise is one of its strongest competitors.
Following the success of Shrek 2, audiences rushed to theaters for the next installment of the franchise. Shrek the Third made $121.6 million during its 2007 domestic opening, surpassing Shrek and Shrek 2‘s opening numbers.
However, by the end of its domestic release, the third Shrek did not live up to the performance of the second. Shrek the Third accumulated a total of $322,719,944 at the U.S. box office, $118.8 million less than Shrek 2.
The movie did not receive the same acclaim as its predecessors and has not been re-released, leaving its total domestic figure at $322 million.
Minions (2015)
The Minions captured cultural attention when they debuted in 2010’s Despicable Me. Illumination’s 2015 installment in the franchise treated fans to an all-Minions feature. These yellow creatures proved to be a box office draw.
Minions grossed $115.7 million during its domestic opening. By the end of its theatrical release, the animated feature had accumulated $336,045,770 at the U.S. box office.
While Minions performed more than admirably at the U.S. box office, it found its most fervent audience outside the U.S. 71% of the movie’s whopping $1.1 billion worldwide box office total came from international markets. Internationally, Minions made more than the U.S.’s highest-grossing animated feature of 2015, Inside Out.
Despicable Me 2 (2013)
Launched off the success of the first film, Illumination’s Despicable Me 2 was a box office hit.
During its July opening, Despicable Me 2 made $83.5 million at the domestic box office. The box office darling went on to gross $368,065,385 domestically. That is over $116 million more than the original Despicable Me.
Although Despicable Me 2 had an outstanding performance at the U.S. box office, it was most successful internationally. The family film grossed $602.7 million outside the U.S. This international box office figure made up over 60% of the movie’s worldwide earnings: $970.7 million.
Ultimately, Disney’s Frozen took the crown as the highest-grossing animated film of 2013. Still, Despicable Me 2 was just the beginning of the franchise’s ongoing, meteoric success.
The Secret Life Of Pets (2016)
Illumination’s The Secret Life of Pets was one of the top summer blockbusters in 2016. The film was the third-highest-grossing movie of the summer and the fourth-highest-grossing movie of the year.
The computer-animated feature brought $104.3 million to the U.S. box office during its opening alone. Throughout its release, The Secret Life of Pets grossed $368,623,860 at the U.S. box office and $875.6 million worldwide.
Despite this achievement, Disney-Pixar’s Finding Dory ultimately dominated the 2016 domestic box office—becoming the top movie of the summer and year. While Finding Dory saw the most ticket purchases at the time, The Secret Life of Pets has enjoyed substantial viewership on streaming services.
Minions: The Rise Of Gru (2022)
Illumination’s Despicable Me franchise consistently tops the box office. The fifth installment, Minions: The Rise of Gru, broke records and helped solidify Despicable Me as the Highest-Grossing Animated Movie Franchise Of All Time.
The Rise of Gru made $107 million domestically during its July 4th opening weekend. By the end of its release, the blockbuster had racked in a total of $370,549,695 at the U.S. box office and $940.4 million worldwide.
Some explain The Rise of Gru box office success by pointing to the film’s lengthy theatrical window. The film’s box office performance may also have received a boost from the viral “The Gentleminions” meme. A trend in which people ironically dressed in their finest suits to see the movie.
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (2023)
Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation domestically released the second Miles Morales Spider-Man movie in June 2023. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is suitable for kids but draws audiences of all ages.
The film surpassed the box office numbers of its 2018 predecessor, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. The highly anticipated second installment of the trilogy made $120.6 million during its U.S. opening. Well received among audiences and critics, the movie grossed a total of $381,593,754 at the U.S. box office.
Across the Spider-Verse broke Super Mario Bros’ record for best opening day of 2023, with $51.7 million. Despite this victory,
Across the Spider-Verse did not ultimately beat The Super Mario Bros‘ domestic opening or total U.S gross.
Shrek 2 (2004)
Shrek 2 was the U.S. highest-grossing non-Disney animated feature for nine years. Coming off the success of Shrek, the sequel was given a slightly wider release and outperformed the original.
Shrek 2 opened to a $108 million domestic box office showing. Throughout its domestic run, Shrek 2 grossed $441.5 million. In 2004, the film broke the standing record for single-day ticket sales, making $44.8 million. This was at a time when tickets cost about $6. Shrek 2 stands as the highest-grossing movie of 2004.
The film has enjoyed a loyal cult following and has had multiple well-attended re-releases, including a 20th anniversary release in 2024. Shrek 2 currently boasts a domestic box office total of $444,978,202. Adjusted for inflation, that is $807.6 million.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the top-grossing non-Disney animated feature in the U.S. box office of all time. The Mario Brothers franchise and the film’s big-name stars drew initial audiences, while the entertaining plot and visuals kept them coming back.
The 2023 film made an astounding $146.3 million during its domestic opening and sped to the top of the box office. Following its successful release, the movie amassed a total of $574,934,330 at the U.S. box office.
The second installment, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, opened in theaters on April 1, 2026. The movie is reportedly aiming for a $180 million opening (via Variety). Although the movie’s early ratings are lower than the original’s, some people remain confident that The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel will surpass the original at the box office.