With a global box office haul of $1.7 billion, Zootopia 2 has crossed a threshold no Hollywood animated film had reached before. Known as Zootopia 2 in some territories, After becoming Disney’s highest-grossing animated film, the sequel has now officially become Hollywood’s highest-grossing animated movie of all time — a landmark achievement that reshapes how animation is measured within the theatrical ecosystem.
This is not simply a children’s-movie success story. It is an industry statement—one that places animation firmly alongside live-action spectacles as event cinema capable of competing at the very top of the global box office.
Beating Inside Out 2: A Record That Fell Fast
The record Zootopia 2 has claimed belonged until recently to Inside Out 2, which closed its run at $1.69 billion following its 2024 release. The margin may appear slim, but its significance is enormous. Within Disney’s own ecosystem, the baton has passed from Pixar to Walt Disney Animation Studios, underscoring the studio’s continued dominance across animation labels.
More importantly, the overtake reflects a broader trend. Animation has not merely recovered in the post-pandemic theatrical landscape—it has surged. Sequels with strong world-building and cultural familiarity are no longer playing support to live-action tentpoles; they are setting the pace.
An Animated Film in the All-Time Top 10
By reaching $1.7 billion, Zootopia 2 now stands as the ninth highest-grossing film in global box office history, a list traditionally dominated by live-action behemoths. It sits behind titles such as Avatar, Titanic, Avengers: Endgame, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens—films that defined entire eras of theatrical spectacle.
The significance of this placement cannot be overstated. An animated sequel has not just joined this elite group; it has done so by appealing across demographics and territories, reinforcing the idea that animation can deliver scale without sacrificing accessibility.
The Global Reality Check: Why Ne Zha 2 Still Leads
There is, however, an important distinction to maintain. While Zootopia 2 holds the Hollywood crown, it is not the highest-grossing animated film globally. That title belongs to Ne Zha 2, which amassed an extraordinary $2.2 billion last year, driven largely by China’s massive domestic market.
This contrast adds necessary perspective. Hollywood animation has reached unprecedented heights, but global box office hierarchies are no longer Hollywood-exclusive. China’s animation market has proven it can generate numbers that rival—and surpass—traditional Western benchmarks, signaling a more multipolar future for animated cinema.
Why Zootropolis 2 Connected So Widely
The roots of this success trace back to Zootropolis, a film that blended vibrant world-building with sharp social allegory. The sequel builds on that foundation, offering familiarity without stagnation and themes broad enough to resonate across cultures. Animation’s inherent advantage—its ability to travel without language barriers—has once again proved decisive, amplified by repeat family viewing and premium-format engagement.
Zootropolis 2 also benefited from timing and trust. Audiences showed up not just out of nostalgia, but with confidence in the franchise’s ability to balance entertainment with relevance. In a crowded theatrical calendar, that trust is increasingly rare—and increasingly valuable.
What This Moment Says About Animation Today
This milestone reinforces a larger industry shift. Animation is no longer positioned as counterprogramming to live-action tentpoles; it is the tentpole. High-concept sequels now command premium screens, extended theatrical windows, and global marketing pushes typically reserved for superheroes and sci-fi epics.
For Disney, the result strengthens negotiating power with exhibitors and validates a strategy that treats animation as flagship theatrical content even in an era shaped by streaming.
Hollywood’s Ceiling—And the One It Hasn’t Broken Yet
Zootropolis 2 has set a new Hollywood benchmark, but it has also clarified the next challenge. The highest global animation record remains beyond Hollywood’s reach—for now. As international markets continue to assert themselves, the next seismic box office moment may arrive from outside the traditional centers of power.
Animation Is No Longer the Undercard
The achievement of Zootopia 2 is not just about a number on a chart. It is evidence of a structural change in how audiences engage with animation in theaters. These films no longer compete in a separate lane; they race on the same track as the biggest live-action spectacles—and increasingly, they win.
In today’s box office landscape, animation isn’t the alternative. It’s the main event.
