Walt Disney studio’s animated films are divided into 7 different periods of time, each of which has its own characteristics in terms of development direction and film production style. Besides the most successful Disney Renaissance with many classic hits such as The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast, the studio’s most recent period – Disney Revival Era also receives a lot of love from the audience.
Disney Revival Era started in 2009 and continues to the present day. It marked Disney returned to its peak with several successful movies in terms of revenue and awards.
Go down the page to discover the best movies in this epoch according to their box office grosses, and feel free to let us know your opinion in the comment section below!
#1 Frozen II (2019) – $1.45 Billion
Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios
The animated film that topped Disney’s box office charts is “Frozen II. Expected to continue the success of its predecessor and become a smash-hit, “Frozen II” took the world by the storm with its compelling storyline and grossed over $1.45 billion, which is pretty huge compared to its $150 million budget.
#2 Frozen (2013) – $1.281 Billion
Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios
Earning $1.281 billion globally against its $150 million budget and even winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, “Frozen” is definitely the first name that pops into our mind when it comes to the film representing Disney Revival Era.
#3 Zootopia (2016) – $1.023 Billion
Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios
Setting in a fictional city where mammals live together and following a journey of an unlikely partnership to uncover a criminal conspiracy involving the disappearance of predators, “Zootopia” dominated the box offices all over the world in 2016 and brought Disney $1.023 billion.
#4 Big Hero 6 (2014) – $657.8 Million
Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios
Based on an underrated Marvel comic, Disney released “Big Hero 6” in 2014. The film achieved success beyond expectations and became the highest-grossing animated film in 2014 with a worldwide total of $657.8 million.
#5 Moana (2016) – $642.3 Million
Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios
The year 2016 is considered a very successful year for Disney. Besides “Zootopia”, Disney also released another successful movie named “Moana. The film follows the journey of a Polynesian princess to restore the heart of Te Fiti to save her people. With its compelling storyline and the meaningful lessons it conveys, “Moana” received a lot of love from the audience and grossed $643.3 million at the global box office.
#6 Tangled (2010) – $592.5 Million
Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios
As the first film used CGI technology for animation, “Tangled” costs Disney $260 million and therefore, is this studio’s most expensive animated film of all time. Disney’s incredible investment paid off as the film ended up earning $582.5 million at the global box office and was the highest-grossing animated film at the time.
#7 Ralph Breaks The Internet (2018) – $529.3 Million
Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios
Following the success of “Wreck-It Ralph”, in 2018, Disney released “Ralph Breaks The Internet” telling the story of the duo Ralph and Vanellope find themselves sucked into the Internet. This fascinating plot captured the attention of many audiences and helped “Ralph Breaks The Internet” become Disney’s next box office success with a total worldwide gross of $529.3 million.
#8 Wreck-It Ralph (2012) – $471.2 Million
Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios
Wreck-It Ralph” tells the story of a villain in an arcade game and his dream of getting rid of his “bad guy” nickname and becoming a hero. With an all-new storyline and gorgeous animation, “Wreck-It Ralph” grossed $471.2 million worldwide and was nominated for numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
#9 Princess And The Frog (2009) – $267 Million
Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios
As the opening film for the Disney Revival Era, “Princess and the Frog” set pretty high standards for what should be expected in this period. Following the traditional Disney formula, the film focuses on the sincere love story between a hardworking waitress and a prince who was turned into a frog. With a compelling storyline, this movie grossed $267 million and became a box office success in 2009.
#10 Raya And The Last Dragon (2021) – $82.5 Million
Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios
In the context of the global pandemic, Walt Disney studio still decided to launch “Raya And The Last Dragon”, which centers on warrior princess Raya as she tries to restore the dragon gem and banish the evil spirits from her beloved country. The film grossed Disney $82.5 million, a feat that should not be underestimated given the time in which it was released.
#11 Winnie The Pooh (2011) – $49.8 Million
Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios
In 2011, Disney decided to produce “Winnie the Pooh” with the main character being the famous Winnie the Pooh. However, the film failed to become a massive hit and only grossed Disney $49.8 million.
