The 2025 domestic box office has officially concluded on a high note, posting a total annual gross of $8.87 billion. This represents a 1.5 percent growth over the previous year, a success largely attributed to a late-year surge driven by high-profile sequels and breakout mid-budget hits.
‘ZOOTOPIA 2’ is now on track to earn $1.8B-$2B during its entire theatrical run globally.
• Budget was $150M
• Becoming the 2nd highest grossing animated film of all time, staying behind ‘Ne Zha 2’ pic.twitter.com/E1MTrKPBQE
— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) January 4, 2026
The Battle for the Top Spot
Despite the massive cultural footprint of James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, the title of 2025’s highest-grossing directors currently belongs to Jared Bush and Byron Howard. Their Disney animated sequel, Zootopia 2, has achieved a staggering $1.58 billion at the global box office.
In its sixth week, Zootopia 2 continued its dominance with $81.7 million globally, bringing its domestic total to $363.6 million. While Avatar: Fire and Ash remains a formidable force at the No. 1 weekly spot, it is currently trailing the pace set by its predecessor, Avatar: The Way of Water. The third installment opened at $88 million (compared to The Way of Water’s $134 million) and currently stands at $425.5 million in its release cycle.
Late-Year “Sequelmania” and Specialty Hits
The final quarter of 2025 saw a “volley” of hits that pushed the industry past its year-end goals. While Wicked: For Good and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 provided a massive early boost, the year-end “bronze” positions have seen fresh competition:
- The Housemaid: The psychological thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried has proven to have incredible legs, earning $14.8 million in its third domestic week.
- Marty Supreme: Timothée Chalamet’s ping-pong drama continues to perform strongly, holding the No. 4 spot with a $12.5 million take in week three.
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2026 Outlook
Looking ahead to the second week of January, Avatar’s box office supremacy is expected to remain steady. Upcoming challengers include Paramount’s horror entry Primate and Lionsgate’s apocalyptic sequel Greenland 2: Migration.
Industry analysts suggest that while the “James Cameron effect” is still in play, the 2025 crown belongs to the record-breaking animal kingdom of Zootopia.
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