As the 2024 holiday season, the final major box office period in Western markets, approaches, animated films are once again taking center stage. Disney’s Moana 2 and The Lion King: Mufasa’s Story face tough competition from Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Many media outlets have declared 2024 a “golden year” for global animation.
Disney Defends Its Leadership in Hollywood
According to an AP report on December 23, last weekend in the North American market, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, described as a “half-animated film,” topped the box office with $62 million, outperforming Disney’s The Lion King: Mufasa’s Story, which debuted with $35 million, and Moana 2, now in its third week.
This third installment of the popular video game adaptation introduces Sonic’s expanded three-member team, who face a new adversary voiced by Keanu Reeves and are forced to seek help from their “old friend,” Dr. Eggman, played by Jim Carrey.
With a star-studded cast and an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has exceeded expectations. While The Lion King: Mufasa’s Story underperformed, its global popularity as an IP and extensive fanbase remain undeniable. Meanwhile, Moana 2, another Disney offering, has grossed over $790 million worldwide, solidifying Disney’s position as Hollywood’s animation powerhouse.
Industry outlet The Wrap analyzed the factors behind 2024’s success in animation, especially for Hollywood. Four animated films are among the year’s top 10 box office hits in North America: Inside Out 2 ($652M), Despicable Me 4 ($361M), Moana 2 ($359M), and Kung Fu Panda 4 ($193M). Globally, Inside Out 2 became the highest-grossing animated film of all time with $1.698 billion, surpassing Frozen 2. This success helped Disney achieve over $2 billion in domestic box office revenue, making it the only Hollywood studio to do so in 2024.
In addition, familiar IPs like Garfield’s Family and Transformers: Origins earned $91.95M and $59.05M, respectively, in North America. Meanwhile, Robot in the Wild, a rare semi-original film, grossed $143M domestically and $324M globally on an $80M budget. Its strong critical reception has made it a contender alongside Inside Out 2 for next year’s Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Industry outlet Vulture commented, “This may be one of the most exciting years for the Best Animated Feature Oscar!”
From Silent Animation to Claymation
Beyond the major Hollywood productions, standout animated films from other countries have also impressed audiences and industry professionals. For example, Mimi’s Fantastic Drift, a collaboration between Latvia, France, and Belgium, employed “silent animation” techniques. It earned a spot at the Cannes Film Festival and was shortlisted for the Oscar for Best International Feature.
Australia’s claymation Memoirs of a Snail used modest production methods to deliver heartfelt storytelling. Japan’s visually stunning Your Colors, the French-Japanese collaboration Little Apricot and the Cat Demon, and the UK’s stop-motion classic revival Wallace & Gromit: Revenge of the Penguin showcased diverse artistic styles. Streaming platforms also released unique works such as Ultraman: Rise, Spellbound, and My Shadow Friend, further expanding the imaginative possibilities of animation.
However, not all animated films achieved commercial success. The Lord of the Rings: War of Rohan, which blended anime aesthetics with Western medieval fantasy, failed to win over Lord of the Rings fans, grossing only $12.15M globally with a 46% Rotten Tomatoes rating.
According to The Wrap, global animated films are projected to earn $4.6 billion in box office revenue this year, driven by franchise hits like Inside Out 2 and Despicable Me 4, as well as innovative films like Robot in the Wild.
“If not for animated films, how would this year’s North American box office surpass $8 billion?” said Hollywood media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. He attributed the animation boom to pent-up demand from the pandemic, where extended screen time for children and adults alike created built-in anticipation for big-screen releases.
Yet, Memoirs of a Snail director Adam Elliot noted that the animation industry is at a crossroads: “There are too many sequels and IP-based films. Audiences are growing tired of formulaic stories. We need innovation that resonates emotionally and offers diverse perspectives.”
More Anticipated IPs in 2025
In Japan, a leading force in animation, six of the top 10 box office hits this year were animated films. The highest-grossing title was the latest Detective Conan movie, The Pentagram of a Million Dollars, which earned $157M since its April 12 release. The showdown between Conan and Kaito Kid captivated audiences, making it the only $100M+ hit in Japan this year. The runner-up was Haikyuu!!: The Dumpster Battle, which grossed $115M. Other notable entries included Spy x Family: Operation White (#4) and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom (#6). Hollywood’s Inside Out 2 and Despicable Me 4 rounded out the list at #7 and #9, respectively.
China also saw notable success with animated films. Boonie Bears: Reverse Time and White Snake: Floating Life performed well at the box office. However, critically acclaimed titles like The Heavy Rain and Fallen Dust failed to break out, primarily due to lackluster marketing and their inability to fully integrate imaginative storytelling with cultural narratives.
Looking ahead, 2025 promises an exciting lineup of animated films, including Disney’s Zootopia 2, Pixar’s Elio, and DreamWorks’ The Bad Guys 2. The Wrap predicts, “While we’ll see many familiar IPs, let’s not forget the hidden gems. Bold, creative, and diverse animated works will continue to surprise us.”
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