All 37 Disney Movies That Broke $1 Billion at the Box Office (The Studio Claims Many It Shouldn’t)

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Disney made a big impact at CinemaCon last week and was widely seen as the event’s biggest success. A lot of this was due to the exclusive trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, which created a lot of excitement. But Disney also emphasized their track record of consistently producing popular movies. This message was particularly important at CinemaCon, which isn’t a fan convention like Comic-Con. Instead, it’s a trade show specifically for movie theater owners and managers – the people who actually show the films.

Disney highlighted during their presentation that they have more films that have grossed over a billion dollars worldwide than any other Hollywood studio. They claim to have 37 such movies, a number showcased at CinemaCon. Universal and Warner Bros. are tied for second place with nine billion-dollar films each, followed by Paramount with four and Sony with three. Even if Warner Bros. and Paramount merge, they would still have 24 fewer billion-dollar movies than Disney. This raises questions about which films make up Disney’s impressive list, whether they fully own all of them, and how they achieved this level of success.

37) Titanic (1997)

Global Box Office in 2026: $2.264 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

It’s important to note that Disney is taking credit for Titanic‘s billion-dollar success, even though they didn’t originally release the film. They acquired it when they bought 20th Century Fox, so while they now own it, the movie didn’t reach that milestone because of Disney’s efforts. In fact, Disney’s re-releases of the film only added a small amount to its total box office earnings.

36) Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.046 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 54%

It’s important to remember Disney didn’t originally create this film. They acquired it through their purchases of Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox. Also, The Phantom Menace didn’t reach $1 billion in box office revenue until thirteen years after it first came out. This total includes money earned from a 2012 3D re-release, which happened just eight months before Disney finalized the 20th Century Fox acquisition.

35) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.066

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 53%

Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest was the studio’s first film to earn over a billion dollars, and it reached that milestone faster than any of their previous hits. Its success was fueled by strong home video sales after its initial theatrical run, and it benefited from the growing importance of international box office revenue for studios. While the third Pirates movie didn’t quite reach the billion-dollar mark, the franchise continued on.

34) Avatar (2009)

Global Box Office in 2026: $2.923 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%

It’s important to remember that Avatar was originally made and released by 20th Century Fox, before Disney bought the company. While Disney has done a good job promoting Avatar since then – including adding it to their parks and re-releasing it in theaters, like in China before the new sequel – the film’s initial success happened under a different studio and shouldn’t be credited to Disney.

33) Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.025 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 51%

A key reason Alice in Wonderland earned over a billion dollars – a fact often overshadowed by the film’s later reputation – is its release during the peak of the 3D movie craze in the early 2010s. Audiences were excited about 3D, and Tim Burton’s unique vision captivated them in a way similar to James Cameron’s Avatar. The film’s success also sparked Disney’s ongoing trend of making live-action versions of its animated classics, a strategy they’ve continued for over sixteen years.

32) Toy Story 3 (2010)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.067 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

Toy Story 3 became the first Pixar film to reach a major financial milestone thanks to a combination of factors. International audiences had become increasingly important to a film’s success, but Pixar also wisely waited eleven years after Toy Story 2 to release the third installment. This long gap allowed excitement and fondness for the original movies to grow, creating a perfect recipe for a hit sequel. The film’s stunning visuals and overwhelmingly positive reviews also played a significant role in its success.

31) Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.046 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 32%

Although the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean movies received a somewhat negative response initially, the series regained its popularity with the release of the fourth film four years later. The success of On Stranger Tides relied on a few things: people still loved Johnny Depp’s performance as Jack Sparrow, international audiences significantly boosted ticket sales, and the movie was shown in 3D.

30) The Avengers (2012)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.520

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

The success of The Avengers demonstrated that the idea behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe could work – that separate movies featuring different heroes could eventually lead to one huge team-up event. While the film’s quality certainly mattered, the real key was Marvel’s long-term planning and willingness to build towards this epic crossover.

29) Iron Man 3 (2013)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.215 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%

As a big Marvel fan, I remember when Iron Man 3 first came out – everyone loved it! But surprisingly, a lot of longtime fans quickly turned on it. Even with that initial negative reaction from some, the huge success of The Avengers kept the momentum going, and Iron Man 3 became only the second MCU film to earn over a billion dollars at the box office.

28) Frozen (2013)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.312 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

Despite being a brand new story, Frozen quickly became a huge box office success thanks to two main reasons. First, it was released at a time when there weren’t any other major family films competing for audiences. This meant families went to see it during Thanksgiving and kept going back for weeks since there wasn’t much else available. Second, the film’s music, especially the song “Let It Go,” became incredibly popular and a major part of pop culture.

27) Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.405 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%

Despite two other Marvel films being released between Age of Ultron and Iron Man 3, neither reached the billion-dollar mark (though Guardians of the Galaxy surprisingly exceeded expectations). Age of Ultron demonstrated that the major team-up movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe were guaranteed blockbusters, attracting audiences even if they hadn’t watched all the previous films. While it received somewhat mixed reviews compared to the first Avengers movie, it still earned a massive amount of money.

26) Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Global Box Office in 2026: $2.071 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

After a decade, a new Star Wars film arrived, and it was the first to feature the original cast in over thirty years. This was enough to make it a billion-dollar success, especially since critics liked it and it was heavily promoted. Similar to Frozen, The Force Awakens dominated the box office, with other studios anticipating its success and adjusting their release schedules accordingly. They were proven right, and the lack of competing films further increased its earnings.

25) Zootopia (2016)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.025 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

When Zootopia was released in March, it benefited from a lack of competing films, which is typical for that time of year. However, its success proved that early spring is actually an excellent time to release a major movie. Domestically, the film earned $341 million and stayed in over 3,000 theaters for more than seven weeks. It was also a huge international success, earning over $236 million in China alone.

24) Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.155 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

While officially the third Captain America film, Civil War is widely considered an Avengers movie due to the inclusion of Iron Man, played by Robert Downey Jr., and the debut of Spider-Man and Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. These elements were key to the film’s popularity.

23) Finding Dory (2016)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.029 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

Similar to the success of Toy Story, Finding Dory followed a proven pattern: building excitement for a sequel by revisiting a beloved original, while also pushing the boundaries of animation technology. Positive reviews also contributed to the film’s success.

22) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.058 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

Even though there was a lot of negative news about re-shooting and revising Rogue One, its success led many to believe that any Star Wars film released by Disney was almost certain to earn a billion dollars. While this wasn’t entirely inaccurate, Disney itself started to believe it, and that turned out to be wrong within two years. One important reason Rogue One did so well was its slightly more mature and darker approach to the Star Wars universe, which many longtime fans had been wanting.

21) Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.266 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%

The success of Beauty and the Beast benefited from a few key factors. Live-action Disney remakes were still popular and hadn’t become overdone, and the film also drew on the audience goodwill built by the Harry Potter series. While Emma Watson had appeared in several films since her time as Hermione Granger, viewers were excited to see her return to the fantasy genre as Belle.

20) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.334 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

Similar to other blockbusters, Star Wars: The Last Jedi reached a billion dollars at the box office thanks to the positive feelings audiences had from previous films like The Force Awakens and Rogue One. However, strong negative reactions from some fans did hurt its performance somewhat. The movie also faced competition from the new Jumanji film starring Dwayne Johnson.

19) Black Panther (2018)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.349 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

The success of Black Panther is a familiar Hollywood tale: the studio had faith in director Ryan Coogler’s unique vision for a blockbuster. The film resonated deeply with Black American audiences, who were key to its becoming the year’s highest-grossing domestic release. Its connection to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe and positive reviews also contributed to its international success.

18) Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Global Box Office in 2026: $2.052 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

Avengers: Infinity War benefited from the strong reputation of the previous Avengers films and the recent success of Black Panther. Even though everyone knew the movie had a dark ending, it still captivated audiences and became a major topic of conversation – something everyone wanted to discuss and experience together.

17) Incredibles 2 (2018)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.243 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

As a huge animation fan, I remember the buzz around Incredibles 2 was incredible! Disney really seemed to learn from the success of Toy Story and Finding Dory – they took their time, built up anticipation, and then delivered a film that critics loved and looked amazing. And it paid off big time – it actually made twice as much money worldwide as the first Incredibles movie!

16) Captain Marvel (2019)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.131 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%

Although opinions were divided, Captain Marvel still earned over a billion dollars at the box office. This was largely because a scene after the credits of Infinity War hinted at her crucial role in the upcoming Endgame.

15) Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Global Box Office in 2026: $2.799 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

As expected, the epic conclusion to over a decade of Marvel movies became the highest-grossing film in the series and one of the biggest blockbusters ever, earning almost $3 billion worldwide.

14) Aladdin (2019)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.054 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 57%

By the time Aladdin came out, people were starting to get tired of Disney’s live-action remakes. However, the film had a major advantage: Will Smith. It was Smith’s return to big-budget blockbusters after three years, and audiences were eager to see him on screen.

13) Toy Story 4 (2019)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.073 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

Pixar and Disney successfully used a similar approach to Toy Story 3, but with an interesting twist: they answered a long-standing question from fans. By bringing back Bo Peep and expanding on a key part of the Toy Story story, the film showed that even Pixar can build narratives around established characters and storylines, much like the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

12) Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.132 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

This movie is a bit different because Disney didn’t directly release it. It was a joint effort between Disney’s Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures, who handled distribution. Both studios shared in the profits from the new Spider-Man films and can claim some of the billion-dollar success – they helped create it, and its popularity was likely boosted by the recent success of the Avengers movie.

11) The Lion King (2019)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.662 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 52%

There are three main reasons why The Lion King was so successful. First, people still love the original movie and its music, so a remake that follows a similar story was likely to do well. Second, Disney’s live-action remakes continue to be popular. But perhaps most importantly, the film featured a star-studded voice cast, including Beyoncé, which drew a lot of attention.

10) Frozen II (2019)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.453 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%

Following the success of the first Frozen movie, Frozen II continued the trend, proving popular with audiences despite receiving mixed reviews. While critics and viewers alike felt the new songs didn’t quite reach the level of “Let It Go,” the film’s strong performance solidified Frozen’s status as a classic Disney franchise. The huge popularity of Frozen merchandise in stores and at Disney parks helped pave the way for two more sequels.

9) Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.077 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 51%

Even though excitement for Star Wars had waned before The Rise of Skywalker came out, the film still earned over a billion dollars thanks to a very simple marketing strategy: emphasizing that it was the end. The movie was promoted as the conclusion not just of the newest trilogy, but of the entire Star Wars saga. This appeal to finality was enough to draw audiences in, even if they weren’t thrilled with the story itself.

8) Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.921 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

Similar to Spider-Man: Far From Home, this film is a collaboration between Disney-owned Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures, who fully own the rights to Spider-Man but partner with Disney for the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. No Way Home stands out as the biggest box office success during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the first movie after the pandemic to earn over a billion dollars – a feat helped by the appearance of Spider-Men from previous films.

7) Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Global Box Office in 2026: $2.334 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 76%

For years, people pointed out that the first Avatar film didn’t have a lasting impact on popular culture. However, The Way of Water quickly became a must-see cinematic event, especially in premium formats like IMAX. The sequel not only earned over a billion dollars worldwide, but surpassed two billion dollars – a rare achievement for any film.

6) Inside Out 2 (2024)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.698 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

Pixar has done it again with another successful film. While the first Inside Out was popular nine years ago, the series has grown in popularity internationally, with the second film earning twice as much at the box office. Remarkably, Inside Out 2 achieved this success without a significant boost from China, where it made $47 million – a feat many other blockbusters rely on.

5) Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.338 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%

Several factors contributed to the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, propelling it towards earning over a billion dollars. First, the movie finally brought Ryan Reynolds’ popular Deadpool character into the main Marvel Cinematic Universe. Second, Hugh Jackman reprised his iconic role as Wolverine after eight years. And third, the film featured exciting surprise appearances, including the return of Wesley Snipes as Blade.

4) Moana 2 (2024)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.059 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 61%

It’s quite remarkable that Moana 2 has achieved this level of success, considering its unusual origins. The film actually started as a TV series planned for Disney+ before being transformed into a movie. This change happened because the Hollywood strikes of 2023 left Disney without a major film to release during the Thanksgiving 2024 window. By turning Moana 2 into a theatrical release and placing it in that slot—with no competing films—Disney positioned it for significant success.

3) Lilo & Stitch (2025)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.038 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73%

For a second time, Lilo & Stitch easily topped the box office. There hadn’t been many family-friendly movies released recently, leaving a gap in the summer movie lineup that helped the film succeed. Disney’s marketing team also used a clever strategy, similar to the original movie’s promotion, by jokingly showing Stitch causing trouble in their other films and even on channels like ESPN to generate buzz.

2) Zootopia 2 (2025)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.866 billion

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

The continued success of Zootopia comes from it being a great movie for families, combined with the filmmakers’ knack for creating a world with animals that appeals to everyone. This is especially clear in China, where Zootopia 2 earned over $650 million – more than twice the amount the first movie made there. This ultimately helped the sequel earn $800 million more worldwide than the original.

1) Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)

Global Box Office in 2026: $1.485

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 66%

Even though Avatar: The Way of Water earned $2 billion, some people still argued that the Avatar films haven’t had a significant impact on popular culture. Negative reviews, which criticized the movie for being predictable, and the shorter wait time between the second and third films contributed to some unfavorable buzz. Nevertheless, it’s the newest movie to reach $1 billion in box office revenue.

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2026-04-25 18:18