List of most expensive animated films

The following films are all animated films that cost over $150 million,^[1] ranking them among the most expensive films ever made. 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2016 are the most represented years with 3 films each. Pixar is the most represented studio with 10 films. Shrek is the most represented franchise with 2 films.

An animated feature film is defined as a motion picture with a running time of more than 40 minutes, in which movement and characters’ performances are created using a frame-by-frame technique. Motion capture by itself is not an animation technique. In addition, a significant number of the major characters must be animated, and animation must figure in no less than 75 percent of the picture’s running time.

—Rule Seven - Special Rules For The Animated Feature Film Award : I. Definition

Most expensive animated films

Rank	Title	Year	Cost (est.) (millions)	Refs & notes
1	Tangled	2010	$260	[2][3][4][5]
2	Toy Story 3	2010	$200	[6][7]
	Cars 2	2011	$200	[8][9][10]
	Monsters University	2013	$200	[11]
	Finding Dory	2016	$200	[12]
6	Brave	2012	^*$185	[13]
7	WALL-E	2008	$180	[14][15]
8	Monsters vs. Aliens	2009	$175	[16][17][18]
	Up	2009	$175	[19][20]
	A Christmas Carol	2009	$175	[21][22]
	Inside Out	2015	$175	[23][24]
	The Good Dinosaur	2015	$175	[25][26]
13	How to Train Your Dragon	2010	$165	[27][28][29]
	Wreck-It Ralph	2012	$165	[30]
	Big Hero 6	2014	$165	[31][32]
16	The Polar Express	2004	$160	[33][34]
	Shrek the Third	2007	$160	[35]
18	Mars Needs Moms	2011	$150	[36]
	Bee Movie	2007	$150	[37]
	Bolt	2008	$150	[38]
	Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa	2008	$150	[39]
	Ratatouille	2007	$150	[40]
	Frozen	2013	$150	[41][42]
	Kung Fu Panda 2	2011	$150	[43]
	Chicken Little	2005	$150	[44]
	Shrek 2	2004	$150	[45]
	Zootopia	2016	$150	[46]
	Moana	2016	$150	[47][48]

^* Officially acknowledged figure.

See also

• List of highest-grossing animated films
• List of highest-grossing openings for animated films
• List of highest-grossing anime films
• List of most expensive films

References

1. https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/most-expensive-animated-movies-of-all-time/
2. Chmielewski, Dawn C.; Eller, Claudia (November 21, 2010). "Disney Animation is closing the book on fairy tales". Los Angeles Times. p. 2. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
3. Corliss, Richard (November 28, 2010). "Box Office: Harry Potter Gets Tangled Up". Time. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
4. Frankel, Daniel (November 23, 2010). "Box Office: Disney's Princess to Get Tangled Up by 'Harry'". The Wrap. p. 1. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
5. Fritz, Ben (November 24, 2010). "'Harry Potter' to work box-office magic again over holiday weekend". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
6. Corliss, Richard (June 24, 2010). "TIME's Review of Toy Story 3: 'An Instant Classic'". Time. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
7. Lovell, Glenn (June 13, 2010). "In the beginning Pixar had Woody and Buzz and the gang—who are now back for a third go-round". The Boston Globe. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
8. Smith, Ethan (June 20, 2011). "Disney's 'Cars 2' a Hit Already—in Stores". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
9. Fritz, Ben (June 27, 2011). "'Cars 2' races past the competition". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
10. Graser, Marc (June 24, 2011). "Cars 2: Int'l deals on wheels". Variety. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
11. "2013 Feature Film Production Report" (PDF). FilmL.A. 2014. p. 8. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
12. Grover, Ronald. "Disney Banks on 'Finding Dory' Swimming Past Soggy Openings of Recent Movie Sequels". TheStreet.com. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
13. Smith, Grady (June 23, 2013). "Box office report: 'Monsters University' scares up $82 million, 'World War Z' shatters expectations". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
14. Onstad, Katrina (June 22, 2008). "'Pixar Gambles on a Robot in Love". The New York Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
15. Verrier, Richard (June 30, 2008). "Animated 'Wall-E' keeps streak alive". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
16. Barnes, Brooks (10 January 2010). "Taking Aim at the Big Names in Animated Film". The New York Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
17. Verrier, Richard (March 30, 2009). "'Monsters vs. Aliens' is a hit in three dimensions". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
18. LaPorte, Nicole (March 24, 2009). "'Monsters' Has More to Fear Than Aliens". The Wrap. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
19. Barnes, Brooks (5 April 2009). "Pixar's Art Leaves Profit Watchers Edgy". The New York Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
20. Wloszczyna, Susan (May 25, 2009). "Pixar moves on 'Up' with its 10th movie". USA Today. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
21. Barnes, Brooks (October 25, 2009). "Disney Hopes 'Christmas Carol' Lives Up to Its Blockbuster Marketing". The New York Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
22. "Disney studio executive Mark Zoradi resigns". USA Today. Associated Press. November 9, 2009. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
23. Lang, Brent (June 17, 2015). "Box Office: 'Inside Out' Won't Stop 'Jurassic World' Rampage". Variety. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
24. Cunningham, Todd (June 20, 2015). "'Inside Out' Rocks 'Jurassic World' with $34 Million Friday at Box Office". The Wrap. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
25. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-thanksgiving-preview-good-843104
26. http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-85137624/
27. Horn, John (14 March 2010). "'How to Train Your Dragon' and a baptism of fire". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
28. Stewart, Andrew (March 28, 2010). "'Dragon' flies to top of box office". Variety. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
29. Frankel, Daniel (March 25, 2010). "Friday Box Office: Drag Opening for 'Dragon'". The Wrap. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
30. Stewart, Andrew (November 4, 2012). "Box Office: 'Wreck-It Ralph' smashes record". Variety. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
31. McNary, Dave (November 7, 2014). "Box Office: 'Interstellar,' 'Big Hero 6′ Soar in Thursday Previews". Variety. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
32. Hamedy, Saba (November 9, 2014). "Disney's 'Big Hero 6' wins weekend over 'Interstellar'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
33. Lippman, John (October 1, 2004). "The Other November Showdown". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
34. Kehr, Dave (October 24, 2004). "A Face That Launched a Thousand Chips". The New York Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
35. Bloomberg News (July 17, 2007). "Fifth 'Shrek' may be the last". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
36. Kaufman, Amy (March 10, 2011). "Movie Projector: 'Battle: Los Angeles' will rule, 'Mars Needs Moms' will bomb". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
37. "Bee Movie (2007)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
38. "Bolt (2008)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
39. "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
40. Michael Cieply (April 24, 2007). "It's Not a Sequel, but It Might Seem Like One After the Ads". The New York Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
41. Smith, Grady (November 27, 2013). "Box office preview: "Frozen" ready to storm the chart, but it won't beat "Catching Fire"". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
42. "Frozen (2013)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
43. Kaufman, Amy (May 25, 2011). "Movie Projector: Memorial Day weekend to soar with Hangover, Kung Fu Panda sequels". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
44. "Chicken Little (2005)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
45. "Shrek 2 (2004)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
46. "zootopia". New York Times. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
47. Brent Lang (November 21, 2016). "Thanksgiving Box Office: Disney's 'Moana' to Feast on Brad Pitt's 'Allied,' 'Bad Santa 2'". Variety. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
48. "Will 'Moana' Slay 'Fantastic Beasts' Over The Thanksgiving Stretch?". Deadline.com.

External links