Walt Disney is one of the top international conglomerates in the world. Whether it’s animation, live-action or superhero films, Disney is synonymous with engaging content and great storytelling. Moreover, the company accounts for a large share of the total theatrical returns each year. Undoubtedly, it has the most number of films among the highest grossing movies at the worldwide box office, whether it is a production company or a distributor. While Inside Out 2 and Deadpool and Wolverine are making waves at the box office, take a look at the 7 highest-grossing Disney movies of all time.
7 highest-grossing Disney films at the worldwide box office
1. Avengers: Endgame
Released in 2019, Avengers: Endgame has become the world’s highest-grossing film of all time with a global gross of $2.79 billion. The superhero action film marked the end of Marvel’s Phase 3 and has gone on to become the highest-grossing film of all time worldwide.
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios, Avengers: Endgame, directed by the Russo Brothers, holds a special place among MCU fans. It was made on an estimated budget of $400 million and tops the charts as the highest-grossing Disney film worldwide.
Two sequels, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, are currently in the works and will release in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Directed by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is one of the most famous films of all time. It is the sequel to the epic sci-fi saga Return of the Jedi (1983). Made on a production cost of approximately $447 million, the film grossed over $2.07 billion at the worldwide box office, making it the second-highest-grossing Disney film of all time.
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios, the film is the seventh installment in the Skywalker saga.
3. Avengers: Infinity War
Released in 2018, Avengers: Infinity War is the third highest-grossing Disney film of all time. Infinity War is the 19th film in the popular Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Directed by the Russo Brothers, the superhero film is a sequel to The Avengers (2012) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).
Infinity War was distributed by Walt Disney Studios and produced by Marvel Studios on an estimated budget of around $400 million. The film proved to be very profitable for the makers as it collected a total worldwide gross of $2.05 billion.
4. The Lion King
Walt Disney’s production venture The Lion King ranks fourth among the highest-grossing Disney films of all time. This much-loved animated musical-drama grossed $1.66 billion worldwide during its theatrical run. This 2019 film was directed by Jon Favreau and cost around $260 million to produce.
The prequel titled Mufasa: The Lion King is set to hit theaters on December 20. It is expected to break several records and set new benchmarks at the box office.
5. Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2, currently playing in theaters, is a coming-of-age animated film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney. This fun comedy-drama is a box office smash and has made its place among the highest-grossing Disney films of all time in a short time.
Inside Out 2’s total global gross currently stands at $1.59* billion. It will be interesting to see how much more it adds to the global box office.
6. The Avengers
The superhero film The Avengers, released in 2012, was a huge box office success. The film was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney. Directed by Joss Whedon, The Avengers was the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It was made on an estimated budget of $225 million, which, in turn, grossed a massive $1.52 billion at the worldwide box office by the end of its theatrical run. The Avengers became the sixth-highest-grossing Disney film of all time.
7. Frozen 2
Financed by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Frozen 2 is an animated musical fantasy drama. This 2019 film is the sequel to Frozen (2013), which grossed over $1.45 billion at the worldwide box office during its lifetime. Acclaimed by audiences, Frozen 2 held the title of the highest-grossing animated film for three years.
Currently, Frozen 2 ranks seventh among the highest-grossing Disney films of all time. In addition, the studio has already announced its sequel, Frozen 3, which will be released in 2027.
List of highest-grossing Disney films at the worldwide box office:
| Rank | Movies | Box Office |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avengers: Endgame | US$2.79 billion |
| 2 | Star Wars: The Force Awakens | US$2.07 billion |
| 3 | Avengers: Infinity Wars | US$2.05 billion |
| 4 | The Lion King | US$1.66 billion |
| 5 | inside out 2 | US$1.59* billion |
| 6 | the Avengers | US$1.52 billion |
| 7 | frozen 2 | US$1.45 billion |
These are the 7 highest-grossing Disney movies of all time at the worldwide box office. Apart from the movies mentioned above, some other Disney movies that made a mark at the box office include Deadpool and Wolverine, Beauty and the Beast, Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4, and more.
Which one of these is your favourite? Let us know in the comment section. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates!
Disclaimer: The box office figures are compiled from various sources and our own research. The figures may be approximate, and Pinkvilla makes no claims about the authenticity of the data. However, they are a fair indication of the box-office performance of the respective films.
Also read: 7 highest grossing comedy films worldwide: Deadpool and Wolverine in second place
