Surprise Animated Hit Joins Avengers & Avatar In Rare Box Office Club

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In the years leading up to the 2010s, it was unusual for a film to gross over $1 billion globally; only a few movies managed this feat. However, in the past 15 years, $1 billion box office totals have become more commonplace. A total of 57 films have surpassed that milestone. Although $1 billion is no longer extraordinary, reaching $2 billion remains challenging. Only monumental cultural phenomena, such as Avatar, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Avengers: Endgame, have achieved this figure. Now, some unexpected blockbuster hits join their ranks. One of the year’s most surprising box office sensations has become the newest movie to exceed $2 billion.

The animated sequel “Ne Zha 2” has achieved an impressive global box office collection of $2 billion, making it one of the seven films to ever reach this milestone in cinema history. Interestingly, most of its earnings – approximately $1.977 billion – have been generated outside of China, with domestic collections totaling just $23.2 million. Here’s a list of films that have grossed over $2 billion worldwide:

* Avatar (2009)
* Avengers: Endgame (2019)
* Titanic (1997)
* The Lion King (2019)
* Furious 7 (2015)
* Jurassic World (2015)
* Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

  1. Avatar ($2.923 billion)
  2. Avengers: Endgame ($2.717 billion)
  3. Avatar: The Way of Water ($2.320 billion)
  4. Titanic ($2.223 billion)
  5. Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($2.056 billion)
  6. Avengers: Infinity War ($2.048 billion)
  7. Ne Zha 2 ($2.000 billion)

Will Ne Zha 2 Be the Highest-Grossing Film of 2025?

In simple terms, the Chinese animated film “Ne Zha 2” currently holds the title of the highest-earning movie of 2025, having grossed more than any other film this year. So far, only one American release, Disney’s live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch,” has surpassed the $1 billion mark, with earnings of $1.033 billion. The next closest in global earnings is “A Minecraft Movie” at $953.7 million. No other film has yet reached the $900 million mark, which means that for now, “Ne Zha 2” maintains a significant lead in box office earnings.

As we move towards fall and winter, several high-profile movies are expected to do well financially. However, it’s unlikely they’ll earn $2 billion, especially when considering the impressive earnings of their predecessors. For instance, Wicked: For Good needs to surpass the global box office success of its original (which made $756 million) substantially in order to compete with Ne Zha 2. Similarly, Disney’s Zootopia 2, a sequel to one of the 57 films that grossed over $1 billion, would also need to make a significant leap as its prequel peaked at $1.025 billion.

The film most likely to claim the top spot is “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” set to be released in December. The first two installments of James Cameron’s science fiction series garnered over $2 billion globally, a feat achieved by only a few films to date. While it’s risky to assume any movie will earn such an impressive sum, it’s worth noting that three of those high-grossing films were directed by Cameron. His box office success is in a league of its own, often outperforming other films. Though he’s faced skepticism in the past, Cameron has consistently proven his mettle, leading some to predict that “Fire and Ash” will outshine “Ne Zha 2.”

It’ll be intriguing to watch how the movie, “Fire and Ash“, performs at the box office. Its success seems assured, but the question lies in the extent of that success. The original Avatar captured audiences with groundbreaking visual effects that made it a must-see spectacle, while The Way of Water profited from the lengthy gap between installments. On the other hand, “Fire and Ash” is being released just three years after The Way of Water, so the demand may not be quite as high. Still, it’s unlikely that “Fire and Ash” will flop; reaching $2 billion is a significant goal. Even if Avatar 3 manages to reach $2 billion, it might still fall slightly behind Ne Zha 2, depending on the final tally of the animated sequel’s earnings. There could be a situation where “Ne Zha 2” finishes the year as the highest-grossing film.

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2025-09-02 22:37