# List of animated feature films of 2025
This is a list of notable animated feature films first released in 2025 in theaters or on streaming platforms, with their principal box-office results and awards. The year's theatrical market was led by three titles, the Chinese sequel *Ne Zha 2*, Disney's *Zootopia 2*, and the Japanese anime *Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle*, while the Netflix release *KPop Demon Hunters* became the most-watched Netflix original movie ever and later won the [Academy Award for Best Animated Feature](https://www.edgepedia.org/academy-award-for-best-animated-feature).[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2025/) • [2](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/netflix-theatrical-efforts-omit-animated-features-analysis/) • [3](https://apnews.com/article/dbb9e8d1a72f5552f3d7841519ab9b59)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Highest-grossing animated film of 2025 | *Ne Zha 2*, $2,270,700,370 worldwide, of which 99.0% came from foreign markets[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2025/) |
| Second | *Zootopia 2*, $1,870,309,291 worldwide; opened November 26, 2025 to $559.5 million in five days, the highest global animated opening of all time[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2025/) • [4](https://www.thewaltdisneycompany.org/news/zootopia-2-highest-grossing-animated-film/index.html) |
| Third | *Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle*, $793,500,039 worldwide, 82.7% international[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2025/) |
| Oscar winner | *KPop Demon Hunters* won Best Animated Feature at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026[3](https://apnews.com/article/dbb9e8d1a72f5552f3d7841519ab9b59) |
| Eligible films | 35 features qualified for the animated feature category at the 98th Academy Awards[5](https://apnews.com/article/7e6a617b4196f1ad01bdf9342c664643) |
| Festival and critics' pick | Ugo Bienvenu's *Arco* won the Annecy festival's top prize and the National Board of Review award for best animated feature[6](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/awards/arco-national-board-of-review-257338.html) • [7](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/culture/article/2025/06/16/annecy-animation-festival-awards-top-prize-to-arco-by-ugo-bienvenu_6742386_30.html) |
| Streaming standout | *KPop Demon Hunters* became the most-watched Netflix original movie ever two months after its platform debut[2](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/netflix-theatrical-efforts-omit-animated-features-analysis/) |
## Highest-grossing animated releases
[Box Office Mojo](https://www.edgepedia.org/box-office-mojo)'s 2025 worldwide chart places *Ne Zha 2* first among all 2025 releases at $2,270,700,370, with only $23,308,176 of that from domestic (United States and Canada) markets.[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2025/) The Animation Ireland industry report cites a record-breaking $2.2 billion for the film, about 90% of which came from Chinese audiences.[8](https://animationireland.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Animation-Report-2025-1.pdf) Directed by [Yu Yang](https://www.edgepedia.org/yu-yang) and made for a reported $80 million, the sequel became the highest-grossing animated film of all time and the highest-grossing non-English-language film in history.[9](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/culture/article/2025/04/28/ne-zha-2-captures-spectacular-transformations-of-a-young-demon-in-search-of-identity_6740711_30.html) • [10](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2025/08/ne-zha-2-chinese-movie-box-office-record/684020/)
**Zootopia 2** was the year's leading Hollywood (MPA) animated release. [Walt Disney Animation Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/walt-disney-animation-studios) reported $1.703 billion in global gross by January 18, 2026, making it the highest-grossing animated MPA film of all time, the #9 biggest film in history worldwide, and the #1 global MPA release of 2025; its five-day opening of $559.5 million was the highest global animated opening of all time and the fastest animated MPA film to reach $1 billion.[4](https://www.thewaltdisneycompany.org/news/zootopia-2-highest-grossing-animated-film/index.html) Box Office Mojo's final 2025 calendar-year figure for the film is $1,870,309,291.[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2025/)
**Japanese anime** supplied the year's third major hit. *Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle*, the first film in its trilogy, grossed $793,500,039 worldwide, 82.7% of it internationally.[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2025/) Other anime titles performed strongly: *Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback* reached $166,061,012 and *Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc* $162,440,471 worldwide.[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2025/)
**Other theatrical releases** in the 2025 animated chart included *The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants* ($169,269,936), Pixar's *Elio* ($154,291,182), *Dog Man* ($146,099,230), *Smurfs* ($124,157,356), the faith-based CG musical *David* ($91,079,580, 88.3% domestic), and *The King of Kings* ($83,612,781).[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2025/) *David*, released by Angel in just over 3,100 theaters, outperformed early industry expectations and set a new opening-weekend record for the distributor.[11](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/box-office-report/box-office-david-spongebob-zootopia-avatar-257773.html) Box Office Mojo's 2025 worldwide chart ranks [Ne Zha 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/ne-zha-2) first, [Zootopia 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/zootopia-2) second, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle seventh, while the Deseret News year-end survey placed Zootopia 2 fourth behind [A Minecraft Movie](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-minecraft-movie) at the time of writing.[12](https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2025/12/08/best-animated-movies-of-2025/) • [1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2025/)
## Streaming releases
Netflix led the 2025 feature-animation slate with seven releases, including its first Korean-language animated film, *[Lost in Starlight](https://www.edgepedia.org/lost-in-starlight)*, and [Sony Pictures Animation](https://www.edgepedia.org/sony-pictures-animation)'s *KPop Demon Hunters*.[13](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/upcoming-animated-movies-a-look-at-2025-feature-animation-releases-244717.html) *KPop Demon Hunters*, a musical-action film in which the Korean girl group HUNTR/X battles otherworldly demons, a rival boy band, and its lead singer's own shame, became the most-watched Netflix original movie ever two months after its November 14 debut and spent three weeks in Netflix's Global Top 10.[2](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/netflix-theatrical-efforts-omit-animated-features-analysis/) • [12](https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2025/12/08/best-animated-movies-of-2025/) It also received a qualifying theatrical run in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco in June, arriving on about 1,700 screens and making close to $20 million, more than any previous Netflix theatrical release.[5](https://apnews.com/article/7e6a617b4196f1ad01bdf9342c664643) • [2](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/netflix-theatrical-efforts-omit-animated-features-analysis/) Other 2025 streaming animated titles included Netflix's *[In Your Dreams](https://www.edgepedia.org/in-your-dreams-film)* and Aardman's *Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl*, which premiered on Netflix on January 3.[5](https://apnews.com/article/7e6a617b4196f1ad01bdf9342c664643) • [13](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/upcoming-animated-movies-a-look-at-2025-feature-animation-releases-244717.html)
## Awards
The 98th Academy Awards, held on March 15, 2026 and honoring films released in 2025, named *KPop Demon Hunters* (Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans, and Michelle L.M. Wong) the winner of Best Animated Feature, over nominees *[Arco](https://www.edgepedia.org/arco-film)*, *Elio*, *[Little Amélie or the Character of Rain](https://www.edgepedia.org/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain)*, and *Zootopia 2*.[14](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2026) Thirty-five features were eligible for the category; eligibility required a qualifying theatrical run, which *KPop Demon Hunters* met through its June run even though its UK theatrical run was not enough to qualify for the BAFTAs.[5](https://apnews.com/article/7e6a617b4196f1ad01bdf9342c664643)
**Festival and critics' honors** went to independent and international work. Ugo Bienvenu's debut feature *Arco* won the top prize at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June 2025 and later the [National Board of Review](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-board-of-review)'s best animated feature award.[7](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/culture/article/2025/06/16/annecy-animation-festival-awards-top-prize-to-arco-by-ugo-bienvenu_6742386_30.html) • [6](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/awards/arco-national-board-of-review-257338.html) Annecy's 2025 edition received more than 3,900 films from a hundred countries, and its feature selections, including *Arco*, *Amélie et la Métaphysique des tubes*, and *Planètes*, had also drawn significant attention at Cannes in May.[15](https://www.annecyfestival.com/en/the-festival/official-selection-2025) • [7](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/culture/article/2025/06/16/annecy-animation-festival-awards-top-prize-to-arco-by-ugo-bienvenu_6742386_30.html)
## Context for the year
The 2025 results continued a recovery in theatrical animation. Worldwide admissions to animated films had returned to their pre-pandemic level in 2024, exceeding 880 million, and European animation films between 2022 and 2024 drew average admissions 38% higher than live-action films, with 42% of European animation titles produced between 2017 and 2024 being international co-productions.[16](https://www.obs.coe.int/en/web/observatoire/-/global-admissions-to-animation-films-have-climbed-back-up-to-their-pre-pandemic-level-reaching-over-880-million-in-2024) In China, besides *Ne Zha 2*, the 2D film *[Nobody](https://www.edgepedia.org/nobody-2025-film)* became the highest-grossing Chinese 2D animated feature of all time in late August 2025 at $172 million.[8](https://animationireland.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Animation-Report-2025-1.pdf) Industry commentary also noted that a small number of family-friendly animated films emerged in 2025 amid decreased staffing and shifting studio priorities in the U.S. sector, making each successful release, theatrical or streaming, stand out.[12](https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2025/12/08/best-animated-movies-of-2025/)
## References
1. [2025 Worldwide Box Office, Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2025/)
2. [Why Doesn't Netflix Think About Theatrical Animated Experiences?, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/netflix-theatrical-efforts-omit-animated-features-analysis/)
3. ['KPop Demon Hunters' wins Oscar for best animated film, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/dbb9e8d1a72f5552f3d7841519ab9b59)
4. ['Zootopia 2' Becomes the Highest-Grossing Animated MPA Film of All Time Globally, The Walt Disney Company](https://www.thewaltdisneycompany.org/news/zootopia-2-highest-grossing-animated-film/index.html)
5. ['KPop Demon Hunters' is officially eligible for the Oscars, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/7e6a617b4196f1ad01bdf9342c664643)
6. ['Arco' Named Best Animated Feature By National Board Of Review, Cartoon Brew](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/awards/arco-national-board-of-review-257338.html)
7. [Annecy animation festival awards top prize to 'Arco' by Ugo Bienvenu, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/culture/article/2025/06/16/annecy-animation-festival-awards-top-prize-to-arco-by-ugo-bienvenu_6742386_30.html)
8. [Animation Report 2025, Animation Ireland](https://animationireland.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Animation-Report-2025-1.pdf)
9. ['Ne Zha 2' captures spectacular transformations of a young demon in search of identity, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/culture/article/2025/04/28/ne-zha-2-captures-spectacular-transformations-of-a-young-demon-in-search-of-identity_6740711_30.html)
10. [Why a Chinese Animated Film Has Made More Money Than Any Star Wars Sequel, The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2025/08/ne-zha-2-chinese-movie-box-office-record/684020/)
11. [Animation Box Office: 'David,' 'SpongeBob,' 'Zootopia,' 'Avatar', Cartoon Brew](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/box-office-report/box-office-david-spongebob-zootopia-avatar-257773.html)
12. [What happened with animated films in 2025?, Deseret News](https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2025/12/08/best-animated-movies-of-2025/)
13. [Upcoming Animated Movies Calendar: A Look At 2025 Feature Animation Releases, Cartoon Brew](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/upcoming-animated-movies-a-look-at-2025-feature-animation-releases-244717.html)
14. [The 98th Academy Awards, Oscars.org](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2026)
15. [Official selection 2025, Annecy Festival](https://www.annecyfestival.com/en/the-festival/official-selection-2025)
16. [Global admissions to animation films have climbed back up to their pre-pandemic level, European Audiovisual Observatory](https://www.obs.coe.int/en/web/observatoire/-/global-admissions-to-animation-films-have-climbed-back-up-to-their-pre-pandemic-level-reaching-over-880-million-in-2024)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Awards and screen reference › Box office records and number-one lists*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license