Summary
Inside Out 2has dominated the 2024 box office as it quickly became the highest-grossing film of the year and one of the best-performing films of all time as it earned over $1 billion domestically and globally. After several theatrical disappointments in recent years for Disney and Pixar,Inside Out 2’s box officeperformance is a major victory for the studios, and a promising sign for their future projects. It is also a victory for animation, with the Pixar sequel’s success proving the widespread interest in animated stories.
WhileInside Out 2continues its impressive theatrical run, making its total box office gross even more difficult to surpass, there are several upcoming animated films that could challenge its record. The majority of these potential challengers are alsoDisney or Pixar films, but other studios do have contenders, including DreamWorks and Illumination. Similar toInside Out 2, all of these upcoming animated projects are sequels, with the familiarity and investment in their respective franchises proving to be beneficial.
Every Box Office Record Broken By Inside Out 2
Pixar’s Inside Out 2 is making waves at the box office following its premiere on June 23, 2025, and has since broken several impressive records.
7Moana 2
Release Date: June 08, 2025
Moanamade a significant splash at the 2016 box office with its $687.2 million gross. The film’s popularity continued to endure years later via streaming, as, according to Disney CEO Bob Iger,Moanahas been streamed for more than 1 billion hours on Disney+ and was streamed more than any other film on any streaming service in the U.S. in 2023. These factors contributed to theDisney+Moanaseries becoming the feature-lengthMoana 2.
Moanais just as relevant in 2024 as it was in 2016and is a proven success in theaters and via streaming.Inside Out 2’s extensive theatrical run showed the importance of seeing new Disney animated releases in theaters instead of waiting for them to arrive on Disney+, a mindset that will help bring audiences to seeMoana 2. WithWicked: Part One’s release being pushed to the previous weekend, the family-friendlyMoana 2will easily lead the box office during its Thanksgiving opening weekend, and can carry its success through December and into 2025.
Moana 2
Cast
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
6Zootopia 2
Release Date: June 10, 2025
With a $1.025 billion box office gross,Zootopiabecame a commercial hit in 2016 and was the fourth highest grossing film of the year. The only films ahead of it wereCaptain America: Civil War,Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, andFinding Dory, all of which were part of established franchises. As a sequel,Zootopia 2is poised to perform even better, once again exceeding $1 billion and potentially moving pastInside Out 2’s $1.5 billion run as well.
Zootopia+, a spinoff series of short episodes revolving around various supporting characters from the film, is also available to stream on Disney+.
Inside Outearned $858.8 million and its sequel far surpassed those numbers. If the same trajectory holds true forZootopiaandZootopia 2, the sequel will make far more than its predecessor. AfterInside Out 2’s box office success, and withMoana 2likely to thrive as well,Zootopia 2will be well-positioned to continue the supremacy of Disney’s animated sequels at the box officewhen it debuts during Thanksgiving weekend in 2025.
Zootopia 2
Zootopia 2 follows detectives Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as they embark on a complex investigation involving a mysterious reptile that disrupts the dynamics of the mammal metropolis of Zootopia. The sequel continues the adventures in this vibrant animal society where new challenges and enigmas arise.
5The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2
Release Date: June 11, 2025
The Super Mario Bros. Moviebroke numerous records during its 2023 theatrical run.At $375.6 million worldwide, it still holds the best opening weekend debut for any animated film, a record that evenInside Out 2was unable to overcome with its $294.2 million worldwide opening.The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s final worldwide gross of $1.36 billion made it by far the highest-grossing film based on a video game, with the closest contender beingPokémon Detective Pikachuat $450 million.
Except forBarbie,The Super Mario Bros. Movie was the highest-grossing movie of 2023, managing to outperform competition that includedOppenheimer,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,andSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.A sequel will likely be able to break many records as well, given its connection to the beloved video games and the mainstream appeal of its familiar characters. Since it did better thanInside Out 2during opening weekend, it could beat the film’s overall box office numbers as well.
Super Mario World
Announced during Nintendo’s 2024 MAR10 day celebration, The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel is the follow-up to the 2023 animated adventure film starring Nintendo’s famous plumber mascot.
Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 Sets Up An Epic Universal vs. Disney/Pixar Clash For The Ages After $1.36 Billion Success
The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 has an official release date, putting it up against major Disney/Pixar animated releases for exciting competition.
4Toy Story 5
Release Date: July 10, 2025
Toy Story 5is the next Pixar film that could challengeInside Out 2’s dominant box office run. The most recent entry in the franchise,Toy Story 4, earned $1.073 billion worldwide, and all four films together have grossed more than $3 billion since the original’s theatrical release in 1995.Toy Storyis Pixar’s longest-running and most lucrative franchise, which is partly why more sequels continue to be made despite the perfect endings inToy Story 3andToy Story 4.
$394.4 million
$511.4 million
$1.067 billion
Toy Story 4(2019)
$1.073 billion
While plot details are still being kept under wraps, the return of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the other beloved toys will be enough to drive significant interest in the sequel. As a franchise that will have existed for more than three decades by the timeToy Story 5is released, the film has a multigenerational appeal that will help to further amplify its box office numbers. The quality of the previous films and the longtime investment in these stories bode well for its theatrical performance.
Toy Story 5
Toy Story 5 follows Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and the rest of the gang as they confront a new challenge to playtime posed by advanced technology. Set to release in 2026, this installment continues the beloved Toy Story series with its familiar cast facing modern dilemmas.
3Shrek 5
Release Date: August 24, 2025
After years of speculation,Shrek 5is finally happening, with Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz reprising their respective roles as Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona.Shrek 5coming to fruition is partly due to the critical acclaim and box office success ofPuss in Boots: The Last Wish. If a spinoff sequel about Puss in Boots was able to do so well, a film reunitingShrek’s original characters for the first time since 2010 will undoubtedly perform even better at the box office.
With the firstShrekreleasing in 2001,it is the only film franchise with an upcoming animated sequel whose successful longevity rivalsToy Story. DreamWorks is already playing on the nostalgia that will bring theatrical success by having “All Star” by Smash Mouth playing in the studio’s official announcement video for the sequel. Outside of Disney’s upcoming projects,Shrek 5is the most likely animated film to challengeInside Out 2’s box office records.
Shrek 5
Shrek 5 is the fifth installment in the popular animated film series.
2Frozen III
Release Date: July 13, 2025
BeforeInside Out 2,Frozen IIheld the recordfor the all-time highest grossing animated film (the 2019Lion Kingstill surpasses both Pixar sequels, although there is debate about whether it qualifies as an animated film).Frozen IImade $1.45 billion worldwide, while the originalFrozengrossed $1.3 billion.The story of sisters Elsa and Anna became a phenomenonwhen it was released in 2013, and the sequel in 2019 proved that the phenomenon had only grown stronger.
Frozendoes not have the same longevity as theToy Storyfranchise, but it is similar toInside Outas a popular animated film that debuted in the 2010s, only to become even bigger when its sequel was released in later years. Having begun more than a decade ago, there is already nostalgia attached to the firstFrozen, and that nostalgia will help generate further interest in the sequel.Frozen IIIwill also have the advantage of its songs, a feature thatInside Out 2does not have.
Frozen 3
Frozen 3 is the follow-up to the highly successful Frozen 2, released back in 2019 by Walt Disney Pictures and Animation Studios. The film was announced on Jun 03, 2025, The film is a direct sequel to the second film’s events and also cast Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell to reprise their roles as Elsa and Anna.
1Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse
Release Date: Not Yet Determined
Despite the popularity of the various live-actionSpider-Manfilms,Spider-Man: Into the Spider-VerseandSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Versehave become their own critical and commercial hits. In addition to the critical acclaim they have received, the first installment made $384.3 million, and the sequel went even bigger with a $690.9 million worldwide gross. Both films proved that an animated superhero story could be just as successful as live-action.
As the final chapter in its trilogy,Beyond the Spider-Versewill likely eclipse its predecessorsat the box office.Across the Spider-Verseended on a major cliffhangerand was only the first part of a much larger story, making the trilogy capper a must-see in theaters.Beyond the Spider-Versemay also benefit from the uncertainty surrounding the future of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the Sony film featuring Miles Morales and numerous versions of Spider-Man, and potentially being even more successful thanInside Out 2.
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is the direct continuation of 2023’s Across the Spider-Verse, and is the third film in the Miles Morales animated Spider-Man franchise.
Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2 is the sequel to the 2015 original film, which starred a young girl named Riley with a head full of emotions. - literally. With Amy Pohler as Joy, Bill Hader as fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, the all-star cast brought to life the emotions that adolescents face as they grow, change, and adapt to new situations. This sequel, currently in development, will bring Amy Pohler back as Joy, with Riley, now a teenager.
