Inside Out 2 is no longer the biggest animated movie ever. The Pixar sequel amazed fans and critics in 2024, earning nearly $1.7 billion worldwide. It beat many blockbuster animated films like Minions, Frozen, Frozen II, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Now, Ne Zha 2 has taken the top spot. According to Reuters, the 2025 film has made 12.3 billion yuan (about $1.69 billion), slightly passing Inside Out 2’s $1.68 billion. This also makes it the eighth highest-grossing movie ever.
Ne Zha 2 broke the record for the highest-grossing animated movie faster than any other film before it. Before Inside Out 2 set the record in 2024, Frozen II held the title for almost five years. Before that, the first Frozen kept the top spot for six years until its own sequel took over. Finding Nemo had the record for a short time before Shrek 2 beat it, but even that record lasted a year.
Advertisement See More: “Ne Zha 2” Is Now Tracking to Be the First Animated Film Ever to Pass $2 Billion.
Ne Zha 2 isn’t just the highest-grossing animated movie—it has broken several other records too. It became the first film of 2025 to cross $1 billion, which usually happens during the summer. It’s also China’s biggest movie ever, beating all previous records by a big margin. Most of its earnings came from China, making it the highest-grossing movie in a single country. Plus, it’s the only non-English movie in the top 20 highest-grossing films of all time.
Ne Zha 2 has made history at the box office, even without a worldwide release. The first Ne Zha movie was a big hit, but its $726.2 million earnings look small compared to the sequel. This success is a big win for China’s film industry, which is bouncing back. If it keeps making money, Ne Zha 2 could end up as 2025’s biggest movie. However, upcoming films like Avatar: Fire and Ash might give it some competition later in the year.
Source: Reuters