Disney animated movies have shaped the childhoods of generations, bringing magic, adventure, and unforgettable characters to the big screen. Since its first feature-length animated film release in 1937, Disney has established a reputation for adapting classic fairy tale stories and novels. However, over the years, the studio has also crafted original stories that not only resonated with audiences but also became massive Box Office hits.
From hand-drawn classics to groundbreaking computer animation, Disney’s track record at the Box Office is hard to rival. With over 60 feature-length animated movies released since 1937, more than half of them have been original stories. As surprising as it may seem, these original Disney animated movies are among the studio’s most successful films. Some of these iconic original movies, which wouldn’t make the top 10, include Fantasia (1940), A Bug’s Life (1998), Ratatouille (2007), WALL-E (2008), Up (2009), and Encanto (2021). Here’s a look at the highest-grossing original Disney animated movies
10. The Lion King
The 1990s began successfully for Disney with the release of Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). However, all three had been adapted from fairy tale stories and poems. The Lion King (1994) was an original story conceived from conversations between several Disney executives. Its credited screenplay was eventually written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. The Lion King went on to gross $978.8 million at the Box Office, against its $45 million budget. Beyond its 1994 success, The Lion King spawned a multibillion-dollar franchise and has had a photorealistic remake and prequel.
9. Zootopia
The 2010s have been another successful decade for Disney. Zootopia added to its success story as another billion-dollar hit. With a cast led by Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman, Zootopia was an original story conceived from six of Byron Howard’s story idea pitches. Howard sought to create an anthropomorphic film which, unlike others of its kind, was set in a modern animal world. Having worked with several others to create the story, Zootopia’s screenplay was written and credited to Jared Bush and Phil Johnston. The animated buddy cop comedy Zootopia was an instant hit, grossing $1.025 billion against its $150 million budget. A sequel, Zootopia 2, is scheduled for release in November 2025.
8. Wreck-It Ralph & Ralph Breaks the Internet
The idea for a Wreck-It Ralph animated movie was born as far back as the late 1980s. At the time, it had a working title of High Score, which underwent several changes in the decades that followed. The movie was based on an arcade game villain who just wanted to be the hero. Wreck-It Ralph was produced with a budget of $165 million and became a critical and commercial success. Although it only grossed $496.5 million, its 2018 sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet, was another Box Office hit, with earnings of $529.3 million. Collectively, this original Disney story has grossed $1.0258 billion at the Box Office.
7. Monsters, Inc. & Monsters University
The idea for what became Monsters, Inc. was conceived by Filmmaker and animator Pete Docter at lunch in 1994. It was not until 1996 that he began developing the movie, working on the story with Jill Culton, Jeff Pidgeon, and Ralph Eggleston. Actor John Goodman co-led the voice cast as James P. “Sulley” Sullivan, alongside Billy Crystal, who voiced Mike Wazowski. Besides the critical acclaim it received, Monsters, Inc. was a commercial success, grossing $579.7 million against its $115 million budget. Its 2013 sequel Monsters University was another hit, grossing $743.6 million. This original Disney animated movie has earned over $1.3 billion at the Box Office.
6. Moana
The idea for Moana came after John Musker and Ron Clements failed to secure the film rights to Terry Pratchett’s Mort. What eventually became Moana was one of three pitches they gave to Disney executive John Lasseter. The musical adventure was an instant hit, grossing $687.2 million against its estimated $150–175 million production budget. It spawned a sequel, Moana 2, which outgrossed its original film, raking in a whopping $1.059 billion at the Box Office. As an original story, Moana has collectively made $1.7 billion at the Box Office.
5. Cars
The Cars film series is one of the original Disney animated movies that has been a success since the first film. Development of the film began in 1998 under the title “The Yellow Car.” Interestingly, the inspiration for Cars came from John Lasseter after a cross-country trip with his family. Since 2006, the film has spawned a franchise with two sequels and two spin-offs. So far, the Cars franchise has grossed over $1.79 billion at the Box Office.
4. The Incredibles
While Disney fans eagerly await the release of the second sequel, Incredibles 3, its original movie, The Incredibles, was one of the studio’s most successful films of the 2000s. It is one of the franchises produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Disney. Brad Bird conceived the idea for The Incredibles as far back as 1993. Given the way the story resonated with his personal life, it’s no surprise that he was hired alone to write and direct the movie. The first film was produced on an estimated budget of $92 million to $ 145 million. So far, both films have raked in $1.87 billion at the Box Office.
3. Finding Nemo
The 2003 Finding Nemo movie was yet another collaboration between Pixar and Disney. The inspiration for the movie stemmed from Andrew Stanton‘s childhood and various life experiences. Produced on a $94 million budget, Finding Nemo is one of Disney’s success stories, with Box Office earnings of $940.3 million. Over a decade later, in 2016, a sequel, Finding Dory, was released. The sequel outgrossed its predecessor, surpassing the billion-dollar mark. This original idea made $1.969 billion at the Box Office.
2. Inside Out
One of the most recent original Disney movie hits is the Inside Out film series. The idea for the film came from Pete Docter, who was inspired by his daughter’s new withdrawn and quiet behavior. Seeking to know what was happening inside her head, it formed the foundation of Inside Out’s plot. With the first film just shy of a billion, its 2024 sequel Inside Out 2 broke records to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time and 2024. Both films grossed an impressive $2.55 billion after their theatrical run.
1. Toy Story
Thirty years since its first film premiered, Disney’s Toy Story remains the most successful original animated film. It was also the first time Pixar produced a movie for Disney. Having grossed $394.4 million, it spawned a successful franchise. These include shorts, animated series, and theater presentations. With four released feature-length films and two spin-off films, the Toy Story franchise has grossed $3.27 billion at the Box Office.
