Zootopia 2' Officially Becomes the Highest-Grossing Hollywood Animated Film Ever
History in the Making: 'Zootopia 2' Officially Becomes the Highest-Grossing Hollywood Animated Film Ever
The box office crown has a new owner, and it wears rabbit ears. Disney’s Zootopia 2 has officially leaped into the record books this weekend, surpassing Inside Out 2 to become the highest-grossing Hollywood animated film in cinematic history.
As of Sunday evening, the high-stakes sequel has raked in a staggering $1.703 billion at the global box office. The milestone comes just eight weeks after its pre-Thanksgiving debut, ending the short-lived reign of Pixar’s Inside Out 2 ($1.69 billion), which held the title for less than a year.
The Global "Zootopia" Phenomenon
While the original 2016 film was a massive success, the sequel has reached heights previously reserved for superhero juggernauts. The film’s path to the top was paved by an unprecedented international performance, particularly in China, where it has become a cultural juggernaut.
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Global Total: $1.703 Billion
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Domestic (US): $390 Million
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International: $1.313 Billion
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China Contribution: $619 Million (nearly matching the record for any American film in the region).
“This milestone belongs first and foremost to the fans around the world,” Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman said in a statement. “We’re incredibly proud of the team at Walt Disney Animation Studios for creating a film that connects so deeply with audiences everywhere.”
Where It Stands in History
With this latest haul, Zootopia 2 now sits as the 9th highest-grossing film of all time (unadjusted for inflation), trailing just behind Spider-Man: No Way Home ($1.9 billion).
However, there is one final boss left to defeat for the absolute worldwide title. While Zootopia 2 is the #1 Hollywood animated film, the global all-time animation record is still held by the Chinese fantasy epic Ne Zha 2, which earned a massive $2.25 billion earlier in 2025.
The Formula for Success
Industry analysts attribute the film’s "leggy" box office run to its broad appeal across generations. Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, the sequel successfully expanded the buddy-cop dynamic between Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) while introducing Ke Huy Quan as the charismatic reptile fugitive, Gary De’Snake.
The film also set the record as the fastest animated film to reach the $1 billion mark, achieving the feat in record time for a PG-rated release.
A Busy Year for Disney
The victory is an "intra-studio" win for Disney, which now owns the top three highest-grossing Hollywood animated films:
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Zootopia 2 ($1.703B)
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Inside Out 2 ($1.69B)
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Frozen II ($1.45B)
As Zootopia 2 continues its theatrical run, eyes are now turning to Disney’s other 2026 heavy-hitters, including Toy Story 5 and Moana, to see if they can challenge the new "Alpha" of the animation world.
