List of most expensive animated films

The following are lists of animated feature films that were the most expensive to make.

Definition For purposes of awarding Academy Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines an animated film as

Further, at least 75 percent of the film's running time must contain animation. Narrative animated films must also include a significant number of animated major characters.

The Academy defines a feature film as one with a running time of more than 40 minutes.

Most expensive animated feature films The years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2016 are the most represented, with three films each.

Pixar is the most represented studio with fourteen films. Shrek is the most represented franchise with three of its four main films on the list, followed by Cars with two of its three main films.

+ Most expensive animated feature films Rank Title Year Studio Budget () 1Tangled2010Disney$2602The Lion King2019 Disney$250Toy Story 52026Pixar3Toy Story 32010$200Cars 22011Monsters University2013Finding Dory2016Incredibles 22018Toy Story 42019Lightyear2022Elemental2023Inside Out 2202411Brave2012$18512WALL-E2008$18013Monsters vs. Aliens2009DreamWorks Animation$175UpPixarA Christmas CarolDisneyInside Out2015PixarThe Good DinosaurCars 32017CocoRalph Breaks the Internet2018Disney19The Polar Express2004ImageMovers$165How to Train Your Dragon2010DreamWorks AnimationShrek Forever AfterWreck-It Ralph2012DisneyBig Hero 6201425Shrek the Third2007DreamWorks Animation$16026Shrek 22004 $150Chicken Little2005DisneyFlushed Away2006AardmanBee Movie 2007DreamWorks AnimationMeet the RobinsonsDisneyRatatouillePixarBolt 2008DisneyMadagascar: Escape 2 Africa DreamWorks AnimationKung Fu Panda 2 2011Mars Needs MomsDisneyFrozen2013DisneyMoana2016ZootopiaFrozen II2019Soul2020Pixar

Traditional animation

Disney is the most represented studio with 14 films on the list. Winnie the Pooh is the most represented franchise with four films on the list. 2002 is the most represented year with four films.

Title Year Studio(s) Budget () Treasure Planet 2002Disney $140,000,000 Tarzan 1999 $130,000,000 Atlantis: The Lost Empire 2001 $120,000,000 Home on the Range 2004 $110,000,000 The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1996$100,000,000 The Princess and the Frog2009 The Road to El Dorado 2000 DreamWorks Animation $95,000,000 Mulan 1998Disney $90,000,000 Hercules 1997Disney $80,000,000 Fantasia 2000 1999 Titan A.E. 2000 Fox Animation Lilo & Stitch 2002Disney Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron DreamWorks Animation The Simpsons Movie 2007 Gracie $75,000,000 The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water 2015 Nickelodeon Movies $74,000,000 The Prince of Egypt 1998 DreamWorks Animation $70,000,000 Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas 2003 $60,000,000 The Boy and the Heron2023Studio Ghibli>$53,300,000 The Tale of the Princess Kaguya 2013 Anastasia 1997 Fox Animation$50,000,000 The Iron Giant 1999 WB Curious George 2006 Universal Brother Bear 2003 Disney $46,000,000 Piglet's Big Movie Disneytoon The Lion King 1994 Disney $45,000,000 The Little Mermaid 1989 Disney$40,000,000 Stewart, James B. (2005). DisneyWar, p. 104. . Simon & Schuster. Retrieved June 4, 2007. Quest for Camelot 1998 WB The Bob's Burgers Movie202220th Century Studios$38,000,000 The Pagemaster 1994 Hanna-Barbera $34,000,000 Eight Crazy Nights 2002 Happy Madison Ponyo 2008 Studio Ghibli Cats Don't Dance 1997 WB $32,000,000 Oliver & Company 1988 Disney$31,000,000 Balto 1995 Amblimation The Wind Rises 2013 Studio Ghibli Pokémon: The First Movie 1998 Oriental Light and Magic (OLM) $30,000,000 Pokémon: The Movie 2000 1999 Rugrats in Paris: The Movie 2000 Klasky Csupo The Tigger Movie 2000 Disneytoon The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie2004Nickelodeon Movies Winnie the Pooh 2011 Disney Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time 2021Studio Khara $29,992,000Aladdin 1992Disney $28,000,000The Thief and the Cobbler 1993 Completion Bond Company Thumbelina 1994 Don Bluth From Up on Poppy Hill 2011 Studio Ghibli Steamboy 2004 Sunrise / Bandai Visual $26,000,000 Asterix and the Vikings 2006 A. Film A/S / M6 Studio / 2d3D Animations22 million euros in 2006 = 26 millions $. Beauty and the Beast 1991 Disney$25,000,000 The King and I 1999 Rankin/Bass The Wild Thornberrys Movie 2002 Klasky CsupoRugrats Go Wild 2003 FernGully: The Last Rainforest 1992 Kroyer $24,000,000 Howl's Moving Castle 2005 Studio Ghibli Arrietty 2010 $23,000,000My Neighbors the Yamadas1999 The Swan Princess 1994 Rich Animation Studios $21,000,000 Princess Mononoke1997Studio Ghibli$20,000,000Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence2004Production I.G. Recess: School's Out 2001 Disney Television Return to Never Land 2002 Disneytoons The Jungle Book 22003 Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light2004Gallop / 4Kids Entertainment Pooh's Heffalump Movie 2005 Disneytoons

Stop-motion The following films are all stop motion animated films that cost over $10 million to create. 2012 are the most represented years with 3 films each.

Laika is the most represented studio with 5 films. Wallace and Gromit is the most represented franchise with two films on the list.

Title Year Studio Budget () Missing Link 2019 Laika $100,000,000 The Little Prince2015ON Animation Studios$77,500,000Coraline 2009Laika$60,000,000ParaNorman 2012 The Boxtrolls 2014 Kubo and the Two Strings 2016 The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! 2012 Sony Pictures Animation/Aardman $55,000,000 Chicken Run 2000DreamWorks Animation/Aardman $45,000,000 Corpse Bride 2005Tim Burton$40,000,000 Fantastic Mr. Fox 2009 AEP Frankenweenie 2012Tim Burton $39,000,000 James and the Giant Peach 1996 Tim Burton $38,000,000 Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit 2005 DreamWorks Animation/Aardman$30,000,000 Shaun the Sheep Movie 2015Aardman/Liongate $25,000,000 The Nightmare Before Christmas 1993 Tim Burton $18,000,000

Anime

Title Year Studio(s) Budget ( ) Budget ( ) The Boy and the Heron2023Studio Ghibli>¥5,200,000,000>$53,300,000The Tale of the Princess Kaguya2013Stand by Me Doraemon2014Shirogumi / Robot Communications / Shin-Ei Animation$35,000,000Ponyo2008Studio Ghibli$34,000,000Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time2021Studio Khara$29,992,000Space Pirate Captain Harlock2013Toei Animation / Marza Animation Planet The Wind RisesStudio GhibliPokémon: The First Movie1998 Oriental Light and Magic (OLM) $30,000,000Pokémon: The Movie 20001999Steamboy2004Sunrise / Bandai Visual$26,000,000Howl's Moving Castle2005Studio Ghibli$24,000,000Arrietty2010$23,000,000My Neighbors the Yamadas1999Princess Mononoke1997$20,000,000From Up on Poppy Hill2011Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence2004Production I.G.$20,000,000Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light2004Gallop / 4Kids Entertainment$20,000,000Tales from Earthsea2006Studio GhibliSpirited Away2001$19,200,000Pokémon 3: The Movie2000Oriental Light and Magic (OLM)$16,000,000When Marnie Was There2014Studio GhibliMetropolis2001Madhouse$15,000,000Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo2012Studio Khara $13,000,000Weathering with You2019CoMix Wave Films$11,100,000The Red Turtle2016Studio Ghibli / Why Not Productions / Wild Bunch$11,000,000Suzume2022CoMix Wave FilmsAkira1988Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS Entertainment)$5,500,000Ninja Scroll1993Madhouse$10,000,000Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance2009Studio KharaDragon Ball Super: Broly2018Toei Animation$8,500,000Robotech: The Movie1986Tatsunoko Production / Harmony Gold USA / AIC$8,000,000The End of Evangelion1997Gainax, Production I.G.$7,500,000Porco Rosso1992Studio GhibliEvangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone2007Studio Khara$7,000,000Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie1994Group TAC / SEDIC / Sony Music Entertainment Japan$6,000,000Kiki's Delivery Service1989Studio GhibliRoyal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise1987Gainax / Bandai Visual$5,531,000Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade1998Production I.G.$5,000,000Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'2015Toei AnimationCastle in the Sky1986Studio GhibliInterstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem2003Toei Animation / Daft Life / Wild Bunch / BAC Films$4,000,000Eric Ducker, "The Creators" (2007). The Fader, issue 47, pp. 115. Retrieved on April 25, 2009.The Castle of Cagliostro1979Tokyo Movie Shinsha$2,300,000In This Corner of the World2016MAPPA$3,750,000Macross: Do You Remember Love? 1984Studio Nue / Artland / Topcraft / Tatsunoko Production Animage, 1983年12月号, 徳間書店, 1983年, 26頁Nausicaä of the Valley of the WindStudio GhibliYour Name2016CoMix Wave FilmsFarewell to Space Battleship Yamato1978Academy Productions / Group TAC$3,600,000Paprika2006Madhouse$4,000,000Tokyo Godfathers2004$2,400,000Millennium Actress2002$1,200,000The Case of Hana & Alice2015Steve N' StevenPatlabor 2: The Movie1993Production I.GSpace Battleship Yamato1977Academy Productions / Group TAC$745,000Biohazard 4D-Executer2000Visual Science LaboratoryThe Garden of Words2013CoMix Wave Films

+ Back-to-back film productions Title(s) Year(s) Studio Budget ( ) Budget ( ) Fist of the North Star: The Legends of the True Savior20062008TMS EntertainmentMy Neighbor Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies1988Studio Ghibli

Timeline of most expensive animated films

The following is a timeline of the most expensive animated films since 1937.

Title Established Budget () Studio Ref Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937 $1.49 Disney Pinocchio 1940 $2.29 Cinderella 1950 $2.9 Peter Pan 1953 $4 Sleeping Beauty 1959 $6 The Black Cauldron 1985 $44 The Lion King 1994 $45 Pocahontas 1995 $55 The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1996 $100 A Bug's Life 1998 $120 Pixar Tarzan 1999 $130 Disney Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 2001 $137 Square Pictures Treasure Planet 2002 $140 Disney Shrek 2 2004 $150 DreamWorks Animation The Polar Express 2004 $165 ImageMovers WALL-E 2008 $180 Pixar Toy Story 3 June 2010 $200 Tangled November 2010 $260 Disney

Timeline of most expensive computer–animated films Title Established Budget () Studio Ref Toy Story 1995 $30 Pixar Antz October 1998 $42 DreamWorks Animation A Bug's Life November 1998 $120 Pixar Dinosaur 2000 $127.5 Disney Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 2001 $137 Square Pictures The Polar Express 2004 $165 ImageMovers WALL•E 2008 $180 Pixar Toy Story 3 June 2010 $200 Tangled November 2010 $260 Disney

Timeline of most expensive traditionally animated films

Title Established Budget () Studio Ref Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937 $1.49 Disney Pinocchio 1940 $2.29 Cinderella 1950 $2.9 Peter Pan 1953 $4 Sleeping Beauty 1959 $6 The Black Cauldron 1985 $44 The Lion King 1994 $45 Pocahontas 1995 $55 The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1996 $100 Tarzan 1999 $130 Treasure Planet 2002 $140

Timeline of most expensive stop-motion animated films The following is a timeline of most expensive stop-motion animated films of all time. Laika is the most represented studio with four films.

Title Established Budget () Studio Ref The Nightmare Before Christmas 1993 $18 Tim Burton Chicken Run 2000 $45 Aardman Coraline 2009 $60 Laika ParaNorman 2012 $60 The Boxtrolls 2014 The Little Prince 2015 $77.5 ON Missing Link 2019 $100 Laika

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

Notes

References