Blockbusters and Sequels Reign Supreme at the 2024 Box Office

The box office in 2024 was dominated by animated sequels and established franchises, with Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” topping the list by grossing nearly $1.7 billion worldwide. This film made history by becoming the first animated movie to surpass $1 billion in international sales. Other animated sequels such as “Despicable Me 4,” “Moana 2,” and “Kung Fu Panda 4” also performed well, securing spots in the top 10. These films demonstrated the universal appeal and cross-generational themes of animated features.

The success of 2024’s box office was largely driven by established intellectual properties, with most top-grossing films being sequels, spin-offs, or continuations of existing franchises. Notable examples include “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Dune: Part Two,” and “Wicked,” which attracted large audiences by leveraging familiar storylines and characters. Legacy sequels like “Gladiator II” and “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” tapped into nostalgia, underscoring the industry’s strategy of relying on well-known brands to minimize risks and ensure steady revenue.

Among the top 20 grossing films, only two were original, non-sequel productions: “The Wild Robot” by DreamWorks Animation and “It Ends with Us,” the latter being an adaptation of a popular romance novel. This highlights the industry’s focus on existing fan bases to bolster box office performance in a recovering market.

Below, we show the top 20 highest grossing films in the international box office in 2024 and their gross revenue as of Dec. 30, 2024.