The Disney empire has defined generations of kids, young adults, and grown-ups alike. Throughout the entertainment franchise’s history, Disney has expanded into something that has had an absolute hold on the entertainment industry. What started off as an innocent black-and-white animation of a mouse became something that defined the essence of pop culture. Now, the studio encompasses so much, from Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios to Marvel and Star Wars. And with so many huge franchises under its belt, making money is not even a question.
There are many Disney films that have hit the $1 billion mark at the global box office. However, making the most money does necessarily not mean it’s a must-watch. We see the numbers in hits from the MCU or even nostalgic-driven favorites like the Toy Story sequels, but narrowing it down to the best of the best is what we are here for. Make sure you check out our picks for the 10 of the best movies from Disney that have made over $1 billion, from the Avengers films to Zootopia to the Toy Story franchise.
10 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
$1.15 Billion
Captain America: Civil War made an impressive $1.15 billion at the worldwide box office. Despite this film being a Captain America film, we were blessed with the rest of the Avengers as integral parts. In the 2016 movie, Steve Rogers and Tony Stark are at odds looking for a compromise surrounding the Sokovia Accords, wherein, if signed, the Avengers will be giving up full autonomy of their decisions as a team. Members of the team are divided into opposing sides and new heroes are introduced into the mix, including Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther.
What Makes It Great
Often tokened as a bonus Avengers film, Captain America: Civil War is one of the most rewatchable and necessary films in the franchise. All you have to do is take one look at Infinity War and see the immediate impact the effects Civil War had on the Avengers and the state they were in when they had to battle Thanos. Civil War drew a definitive line between Iron Man and Captain America that divided the entire fandom. That in and of itself is what film is all about.
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9 Frozen (2013)
$1.28 Billion
If Disney has been defined by any film or franchise in the last decade, it has to be Frozen. The first Frozen film came out in 2013 and made $1.28 billion at the worldwide box office. The franchise has since taken on a life of its own. Frozen follows two young royal sisters who are forced to take on the burden of the throne when their parents are presumed dead when they get lost at sea. Ana is forced to watch her older sister Elsa navigate becoming queen, while also having to find acceptance and control over her ice powers. With Arendelle trapped in a perpetual winter, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf are left to track down Elsa and melt the ice.
What Makes It Great
Frozen does not follow the typical blueprint of a Disney fairytale, where a princess is rescued by her knight in shining armor. In fact, falling in love with a prince is also thrown out of the window. Along with one of the most recognizable, catchy, and pop culture-defining soundtracks out there, Frozen is a story of sisterhood, familial love, and loyalty. There was always something special laced in this Disney project that makes it just as relevant today as its release.
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8 The Avengers (2012)
$1.52 Billion
Hats off to the film that started the Avengers empire. The Avengers came out in 2012 and could be seen as the launch of how we see the MCU today. After a few standalone films in Phase 1, The Avengers brought together the heroes we grew to care for. When Loki comes in to steal the Tesseract to bring in an army of Chitauri to take over the Earth, the original Avengers, Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk, Black Widow, Thor and Hawkeye, are forced to join forces to take them down.
What Makes It Great
The Avengers is what superhero movies are all about. Marvel already had a massive fanbase from its previous movies and the comics, which all came together to create one of the most expertly crafted fan-service-oriented films out there. You get to see every single Marvel hero to this point establish a team ready to save the world. The film is hilarious, full of epic action sequences, and iconic interactions between the Avengers. What more could you want?
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7 Incredibles 2 (2018)
$1.24 Billion
Before you gear up for an Incredibles 3, let’s check out the iconic sequel. Incredibles 2 takes place right after the events of the first film, with The Incredibles in a full-on battle when, although the bad guy is apprehended, they are left to face the consequences of a destroyed city. In the film, Winston Deavor chooses Elastigirl to save the image of superheroes. When a new villain named Screensaver comes into the picture, the rest of the family, Mr. Incredible, Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack, have to save Elastigirl and other prominent superheroes from imminent defeat.
What Makes It Great
If Disney has any one-up on other franchises, it will be the appeal of nostalgia. Incredibles 2 came out 14 years after the original, and the hype was through the roof when the sequel was announced. This film raises the stakes of the first, but stays true to everything we loved about it. It’s no wonder it made $1.24 billion at the box office.
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6 Toy Story 4 (2019)
$1.07 Billion
When you think of Disney/Pixar, the Toy Story franchise should be front and center. Toy Story 4 is the latest installment of this beloved franchise. The entire gang of toys is now in the possession of a young Bonnie when things go a awry for Woody. Plagued by Bonnie’s affinity for her new toy Forky, Woody finds himself separating from the entire group and reunites with his old friend Bo Peep. She forces him to confront the possibility outside life in the box before he makes his way back to Buzz and the others.
What Makes It Great
The Toy Story franchise has never shied away from heavy emotion, something we have all learned the hard way from Toy Story 3. The fourth film is slowly expanding the world of the toys and how they’re now forging their own paths in the search for a bigger adventure. It presents some intricate and groundbreaking animation that is a feast for the eyes, and effectively utilizes our strong attachment to the toys and their friendships to make every generation of Toy Story fans feel its impact. Proving that there’s no stopping this franchise just yet, Toy Story 4 grossed $1.07 billion.
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5 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
$2.05 Billion
Avengers: Infinity War is an overachiever in more ways than one. Along with making a staggering $2.05 billion at the worldwide box office, Infinity War changed the way audiences watched the MCU. Infinity War follows every single hero in the franchise up to that point as they rally from different points of the world and the universe to try and take down Thanos before he acquires all six Infinity Stones.
What Makes It Great
Avengers: Infinity War was what every fan of the MCU was waiting for. All the phases we had seen so far were utilized to prepare audiences for this inevitable face-off with Thanos. This film shook the foundation of the MCU fandom when it ended with the infamous snap that left so many of our beloved heroes as nothing but a pile of dust. From immaculate storytelling to one of the most compelling villains in the MCU, Infinity War is praised as the best, and even years after its release, it still proves to be a phenomenal Marvel movie.
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4 Black Panther (2018)
$1.34 Billion
After T’Challa was introduced in Captain America: Civil War, the call to have Black Panther lead in his own film could not be louder. Black Panther came out in 2018 and starred Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther, Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger, Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Danai Gurira as Okoye, and Winston Duke as M’Baku. The film follows T’Challa as he prepares to step in place of his late father as the King of Wakanda. However, when a formidable opponent comes to threaten his crown, T’Challa is forced to defend his title as well as the entire country.
What Makes It Great
As one of the most culturally significant and impactful films in the MCU, of course, Black Panther is high on this list. Black Panther drew a significant amount of attention with its focus landing on a predominately Black-leading cast with a leading Black superhero at the forefront. Boseman’s performance as King T’Challa touched the hearts of the entire MCU fandom, and, to this day, continues to inspire generations of young Black folks looking to see themselves as a superhero on the big screen. The stunning visuals, the flawless soundtrack, and the intricate costume design are all things that make this film standout in the entirety of Disney’s filmography. It grossed a whopping $1.34 billion at the box office.
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3 Zootopia (2016)
$1.03 Billion
Zootopia might be one of the most underrated films Disney has ever released. Following the ambitious Judy Hopps, who’s looking to become a big name in the police force, this animated film is a story of defying the odds and not judging others based on how they look. Judy, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, comes across the sly fox Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman, and what was once a predator and prey relationship turns into an unlikely friendship.
What Makes It Great
Zootopia utilizes one of the best themes in children’s media: try anything. Moreover, it does not rely on any reputation or nostalgia. Instead, Disney created an entirely new story that was exciting, perfectly structured, and incredibly complex. Zootopia tells a story of resilience and teaches some valuable lessons about discrimination and prejudice all veiled behind adorable animal animation. It grossed $1.03 billion.
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2 Toy Story 3 (2010)
$1.07 Billion
The debate over which Toy Story film is the best one could go on forever. However, Toy Story 3 is a solid choice in our books. The third Toy Story film marks an important turning point for Andy’s toys. Andy is gearing up to leave for college, and though all the toys are ready to make the big move to the attic, they end up on the curb ready to be thrown away. Woody comes to save the day, but the rest of the toys end up getting donated to a day-care. Now, Woody is in charge of getting the gang out before the rowdy kids tear them apart.
What Makes It Great
Toy Story 3 is one of the most emotionally unforgiving films Disney has ever put out. Talk about Mufasa-level tears! This third film in the franchise forces every single person who grew up watching Toy Story to face the realities of growing up and leaving their childhood behind. The tearful hand-off Andy has with Bonnie, a sort of passing of the torch, was a scene that is permanently engraved in the Disney Pixar Hall of Fame and had audiences in shambles for days. It grossed $1.07 billion at the box office.
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1 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
$2.80 Billion
Avengers: Endgame
Is it that much of a surprise that Avengers: Endgame is at the top of this list? Capping off Phase 3, Avengers: Endgame follows our heroes in the aftermath of the Snap that left half of all living things ceasing to exist. The post-Thanos world is bleak, not just for those who lost people, but for those who were unable to stop it. In one last attempt to bring people back, Tony Stark, the genius that he is, figures out “time travel” in a way that they can visit different timelines in order to retrieve the Infinity Stones. With one more battle against a Thanos variant, the world’s mightiest heroes are in for the fight of their lives that has been building for over 10 years.
What Makes It Great
Avengers: Endgame is THE Marvel movie. Nothing quite shook the film world as Endgame did. As soon as Infinity War ended, and stunned fans walked out of the theater, the countdown to Endgame was on. The hype for this film was something this generation of film fans had never experienced before, and it did not disappoint.
The film did fan service to the max, from a time heist and character interactions to Cap wielding Mjölnir and Tony Stark sacrificing himself. Fans were torn by a whiplash of emotions ,and being in the theater during the film’s opening is an experience that you cannot replicate. The sense of payoff you get after years of Marvel building layers upon layers into this world is something special. Grossing the most on this list, Endgame earned an historic $2.8 billion.
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$1 billion is a huge, even for Disney. Here are the 10 best Disney films that hit this box office benchmark. Read More