Highest Grossing Animated Film of All Time: A New Champion Emerge
A New Champion Emerges in the World of Animation
If you had to guess who made the highest grossing animated film of all time, you would probably say Disney and Pixar (basically Disney since its owned the latter since 2006). And until a few days ago, you would have been right. The top three highest grossing animations until this month were Inside Out 2 (2024), The Lion King (2019) and Frozen 2 (2019). But they’ve just been overtaken by the sequel to a film that will have completely passed by many film goers in the west. Chengdu Coco Cartoon’s Ne Zha 2 has grossed around $1.7 billion and counting since its release on 29 January.
The Original Ne Zha: A Success in Its Own Right
The films are based on a 16th century Chinese novel, The Investiture of the Gods, and tell the story of a boy hero with magic power who must save a fortress town. Both movies were directed by Yang Yu, also known as ‘Jiaozi’. The original Ne Zha didn’t do too badly at all, actually. It grossed $726 million, making it the 31st biggest selling animated film in history.
Ne Zha 2: A Global Phenomenon
According to data from ticketing platform Maoyan, Ne Zha 2 has already outstripped that massively thanks to sales over the Lunar New Year holiday. The movie has sparked something of a patriotic frenzy in China, with reports of factories shutting down so workers could go to see it. On social media, some are hailing Ne Zha 2 as a milestone moment marking the end to Hollywood’s hegemony over superhero movies.
Context is Key
Psychologically, there may be something in that. But the numbers should be put into some context. More than 99 per cent of Nezha 2’s box office takings come from mainland China alone, which contrasts starkly with the global income of Hollywood blockbusters. So far, Ne Zha 2 has not achieved the same level of export success that Disney/Pixar has for Hollywood.
Conclusion
Ne Zha 2 could still be remembered as a turning point. It was released in North America on 14 February, and has already taken over $8 million. The fact that it’s now set an international record, and the resulting media attention that generates, is enough to ensure that it will get a lot more viewers outside of China than it would have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who made the highest grossing animated film of all time?
A: Chengdu Coco Cartoon’s Ne Zha 2.
Q: What is the story of Ne Zha 2 based on?
A: The story is based on a 16th century Chinese novel, The Investiture of the Gods.
Q: How much did Ne Zha 2 gross in its first week in North America?
A: Ne Zha 2 grossed over $8 million in its first week in North America.
