Zootopia Grossed Over $1 Billion In 2016
Disney's first major release of 2016 was Zootopia. As part of Walt Disney Animation Studios, the film had a lot to live up to, yet it was also still trying to get them out of an inconsistent funk. They had put out great movies that were hits like Tangled, Frozen, and Wreck-It Ralph, but they were mixed in with flops.
Meet the Robinsons, Winnie the Pooh, and Bolt were movies that struggled to fully earn enough money to be considered true hits, while other films were met with a mixed response. So, after not releasing a film in 2015, the studio returned with Zootopia in 2016, and it was a bigger hit than expected.
The film became a phenomenon, turning a $150 million into a box office intake of over $1 billion. At the time, only Frozen and The Lion King had ever reached those heights for the studio. The creative movie was also a critical darling, winning Best Animated Feature at the Oscars and holding a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Moana Was A Huge Hit For Disney In 2016
Disney wasn't done with success after Zootopia in 2016. Just before the year wrapped up, they released Moana. In terms of pure numbers, Moana was significantly down from Zootopia, though it still pulled in nearly $650 million. That's two blockbuster hits in one year.
On top of that, while Zootopia grossed more, it seemed like Moana had the more notable cultural presence. The songs, from the mind of Lin-Manuel Miranda, got played over and over by kids everywhere. "How Far I'll Go" and "You're Welcome" became household staples.
It made Moana the kind of movie that families rewatched over and over, giving it a lasting staying power. That's why, despite a smaller box office number than Zootopia, it's a movie that was talked about for much longer after its initial release and often found itself on Disney+'s most watched list.
Both Disney Animated Films From 2016 Spawned Blockbuster Sequels
Zootopia and Moana will forever go down as two of Disney's most profitable original ideas ever, especially once you factor in things like merchandise. That'd be the case if they were standalone films, but the fact that both led to massive sequels further adds to their success.
In 2024, Moana 2 was released and after initially being conceived as something for Disney+, things changed and it was put out in theaters. That was a stroke of genius by Disney because the film went on to cross the $1 billion mark, making it an even bigger success than its predecessor.
Alas, critical reviews for Moana 2 were way down from the original thanks to some disappointing animation and a lackluster soundtrack. That said, its box office intake can't be denied. Plus, it expanded the franchise as a live-action adaptation is also on the horizon. It likely won't be better than the original, but it's sure to make big bucks.
The following year, Zootopia 2 was released and, despite seemingly not having the staying power of Moana, managed to be an even bigger hit. It ended up grossing over $1.8 billion, becoming the second highest-grossing animated film of all time.
Along with Frozen, Zootopia and Moana are the biggest modern animated franchises that Disney has. They've all grossed over $1 billion and are the tentpoles for the studio. It's why another version of Moana is on the horizon and why Frozen III is also coming soon. That makes 2016 especially huge for Disney.
Disney Had Other Major Releases In 2016
Of course, Disney movies go beyond Walt Disney Animation Studios and that's a huge reason why 2016 was such a banner year for them. Several other movies they put out during the year went on to become hits on both a critical and (especially) a commercial level.
For starters, Pixar is part of the Disney umbrella and their 2016 release was Finding Dory. The unexpected sequel to the hit Finding Nemo, this proved that there was an audience for Pixar sequels beyond Toy Story, Cars, and Monsters Inc. Finding Dory was a critical hit that also surpassed $1 billion worldwide.
2016 also saw the release of Disney's second Star Wars movie after acquiring LucasFilm. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, despite being a spin-off prequel, was a monster success to close out 2016, also grossing more than $1 billion. It also remains one of the better-reviewed movies in the franchise.
Of course, Marvel Studios has been a massive part of Disney over the past decade or so. In 2016, they put out the underrated Doctor Strange, which grossed nearly $700 million, and Captain America: Civil War. The third Cap movie was basically filled with Avengers, allowing it to also gross more than $1 billion.
Zootopia, Captain America: Civil War, Finding Dory, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story all pulled in more than $1 billion worldwide for Disney. That gives the distributor the top four highest-grossing movies of 2016 and the only ones to pass that $1 billion mark. Disney was also behind the #5 movie of the year, The Jungle Book.
When you take all those billions, the over $960 million that The Jungle Book made, and the hits that were Moana and Doctor Strange, it's easy to see why 2016 was so special for Disney. From blockbuster hits to setting up future franchises, it's hard to imagine a year better than 2016.
English (US) ·