Move Over, Inside Out: Zootopia 2 Just Became Hollywood’s Animated Box Office Champ
It’s official: the animals have taken the crown. Disney’s Zootopia 2 has scampered past a major milestone, officially becoming the highest-grossing animated film to ever come out of Hollywood. With a staggering global haul of $1.703 billion, it’s nudged Inside Out 2’s impressive $1.7 billion from 2024 into second place. Let that sink in for a second. In the furry world of anthropomorphic mammals, there’s a new sheriff in town.
Before we get too carried away, it’s worth noting the ultimate animated king remains a Chinese fantasy powerhouse. Ne Zha 2 and its mind-boggling $2.259 billion global cume still sits comfortably on the throne for the overall animated title. But for Western studios? The game has definitively changed.
A New Titan in the All-Time Rankings
This isn’t just a win for animation; it’s a seismic shift in the all-time box office charts. Zootopia 2 has now clawed its way to become the ninth highest-grossing global release in history. That means it has officially out-earned modern legends like the 2019 live-action The Lion King ($1.663B) and Jurassic World ($1.672B). Its next target? Spider-Man. The film now has Spider-Man: No Way Home’s $1.921 billion in its sights from the number eight spot.
It’s a stunning victory for a sequel that many wondered could capture the magic of the original. Clearly, audiences around the world were more than ready to return to the vibrant, predator-and-prey metropolis.
Disney’s Other Billion-Dollar Behemoth… And Its Uncertain Future
While Zootopia celebrates, the mood over in Pandora might be a little more… cautious. Disney’s other cash cow, Avatar: Fire and Ash, has banked a very respectable $1.319 billion worldwide after five weekends. But let’s be frank—in the Avatar universe, “respectable” can feel like a disappointment.
The film is performing well, but it’s a far cry from the stratospheric heights of its predecessors. The original Avatar (2009) remains the undisputed king of the global box office with $2.9 billion, while The Way of Water (2022) cemented its legacy at $2.3 billion. Fire and Ash seems unlikely to even come close, raising serious questions about the future of the franchise.
The elephant in the room (or should we say, the Na’vi in the Hallelujah Mountains) is cost. These films are monstrously expensive to produce. Director James Cameron has yet to greenlight Avatar 4 & 5, and you have to wonder if this third installment’s performance—while enormous by any normal standard—will be enough to convince Disney to bankroll another decade of Pandoran exploration. The box office watchers are leaning over their spreadsheets, and the signal isn’t as clear as it once was.
Meanwhile, in a Bleakier Cinematic Universe…
Switching genres entirely, the news isn’t so rosy for the long-awaited horror sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Early signs suggest the film is struggling to find its footing with audiences. It seems the rage virus might have met a stronger opponent: audience apathy. In a box office landscape dominated by furry detectives and blue aliens, a gritty horror revival is having a tough time breaking through.
So, what’s the takeaway? The box office is telling a story of extremes. On one end, a vibrant, hopeful animated sequel has broken records and defied expectations. On the other, a legendary sci-fi saga faces a pivotal moment, and a cult horror franchise fights for relevance. One thing’s for sure: in the battle for your wallet, the surprises keep coming.
