Looking over the figures, it's clear that Disney and Pixar know how to produce animated films that bring in prodigious amounts of money — as seven of the top 10 highest-grossing modern animated films at the U.S. box office were produced by one of those two studios.
All of the top 10 highest-grossing animated movies were released in the past 15 years. Here's a look at them:
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1. "Shrek 2"
Grossing $436 million domestically, "Shrek 2" tops the list of highest-grossing modern animated box office hits by a margin of almost $15 million. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and released in 2004, this movie is the second installment of a three-part fantasy-comedy series about an ogre and his eventual marriage to the princess.
According to Ace Showbiz, "Shrek 2" was the highest-grossing animated movie in the world until "Toy Story 3" surpassed it in 2010.
2. "The Lion King"
Produced by Walt Disney Pictures, "The Lion King" won two Academy Awards and one Golden Globe. It was released in 1994, and grossed $423 million nationally.
According to critic review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, "The Lion King" centers on a lion cub's maturation from child to adult and his realization of his destiny.
3. "Toy Story 3"
In the third installment of the "Toy Story" franchise, Andy (the human character from the first two "Toy Story" films) goes to college and his toys get sent to a day care center, where they must grapple with their new surroundings. "Toy Story 3" was Pixar's 11th feature film, according to Pixar Wiki. Grossing $415 million in the U.S., it was released in 2010.
4. "Frozen"
Produced by Walk Disney Pictures and released in 2013, "Frozen" grossed $401 million in the U.S. After opening its most recent market in Japan, "Frozen's" worldwide gross totaled $1.072 billion,
according to Variety. "Frozen" currently holds the title for the highest-grossing animated film ever worldwide.
5. "Finding Nemo"
Walt Disney Pictures' 2003 film "Finding Nemo" tells the story of a clownfish who gets captured by a diver and subsequently plots his escape. The movie grossed a total of $381 million domestically.
According to IMDb.com, the film's sequel "Finding Dory" will be released in 2016.
6. "Despicable Me 2"
Grossing $368 million domestically, "Despicable Me 2" is a comedy about an ex-criminal's attempts to responsibly raise his three children. Produced by Universal Pictures' Illumination Entertainment, the sequel to "Despicable Me" was released in 2013. The "Despicable Me" prequel "Minions" is set for a July 2015 release, according to IMDb.com.
7. "Shrek the Third"
Released in 2007 and produced by DreamWorks Animation, the third installment of the "Shrek" franchise grossed $321 million domestically. "Shrek the Third" centers around Shrek's attempts to find an heir to rule the throne he suddenly inherited. Rotten Tomatoes considers "Shrek the Third" to be inferior to the previous two films, but it did manage to gross over $50 million than the first film in the series.
8. "Up"
Released by Walt Disney Pictures and produced by Pixar, the 2009 film "Up" grossed $293 million in the U.S.,
according to Box Office Mojo. In the film, a grieving widower sets out for South America, accompanied by a young Wilderness Explorer. "Up" received five Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture. It won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
9. "Monsters, Inc."
"Monsters Inc." was, like "Up," released by Walt Disney Pictures and produced by Pixar. It grossed $290 million in the U.S. The film follows monsters that generate a city's power by scaring children, according to IMDb. Released in 2001, it's the oldest movie to crack the list of the top 10 highest-grossing modern animated box office hits.
10. "Monsters University"
The prequel to "Monsters Inc.," "Monsters University" is about the college that turns out the world's best monster "Scarers." It grossed $268 million domestically. Produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures, the movie was released in 2013.
USA Today via Metacritic applauded the film’s stunning visual effects.
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