List of Universal Pictures theatrical animated feature films
This is a list of theatrical animated feature films released by Universal Pictures, the film division of Comcast's NBCUniversal.
Universal Pictures releases films from Universal-owned and non-Universal owned animation studios. Most films listed below are from Illumination which began as the feature animation department of Universal, producing its first feature-length animated film Despicable Me in 2010. Beginning with How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World in 2019, Universal also released animated films by DreamWorks Animation, which was acquired by NBCUniversal in 2016.[1][2][3] Other studio units have also released films theatrically, including Universal Animation Studios, which now focuses mainly on animating television shows and direct-to-video films.
The studio's distribution unit acquires film rights from outside animation studios to release films under the Universal Pictures or Focus Features film labels. For example, Laika's stop-motion animated features were released by Universal through its Focus Features label. Other studios globally have released films through Universal Pictures which maintains distribution rights in certain territories.
Films
Amblimation (1991–95) | |
Universal Animation Studios (2006–present) | |
Illumination (2010–present) | |
DreamWorks Animation (2019–present) | |
Other Universal studio | |
Third-party studio | |
Live-action/animation hybrid | S |
Distribution only | D |
An adult animated production | A |
US releases
Upcoming
Title | Intended theatrical release date by Universal Pictures |
Animation studio | |
---|---|---|---|
Dog Man | January 31, 2025[35][38] | DreamWorks Animation and Scholastic Entertainment | |
The Bad Guys 2 | August 1, 2025[35][39] | ||
Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie[S] | September 26, 2025[35][40] | DreamWorks Animation | |
The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 | April 3, 2026[41][42] | Illumination and Nintendo | |
Shrek 5 | July 1, 2026[43][44][45][46][47] | DreamWorks Animation | |
LarryBoy | 2026[48][49] | Big Idea Entertainment and Kingstone Studios | |
Minions 3 | June 30, 2027[50] | Illumination | |
Untitled live-action/animated Lego film[S] | TBA[51] | The Lego Group and Rideback |
International releases
Title | Original theatrical release date[rls 4] | Animation studio | |
---|---|---|---|
Small Soldiers[A][S] | July 10, 1998[st 1] | DreamWorks Pictures and Amblin Entertainment | |
The Abrafaxe – Under The Black Flag[D] | October 25, 2001 (German)[st 1] | Abrafaxe Trickfilm | |
Momo[D] | December 21, 2001 (Italy)[st 1] | Taurus Produktion | |
Coraline[D] | February 6, 2009 | Laika[st 2] | |
9[A] | September 9, 2009 | Starz Animation[st 2] | |
Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! | July 10, 2009 (Denmark)[rls 5] | Universal Animation Studios and Imagine Entertainment | |
Nikté[D] | December 18, 2009 (Mexico)[st 1] | Animex Producciones | |
ParaNorman[D] | August 17, 2012 | Laika[st 2] | |
Underdogs[D] | July 18, 2013 (Argentina)[st 1] | Prana Studios and 100 Bares Producciones | |
Moshi Monsters: The Movie[D] | December 20, 2013[st 1] | Spider Eye Productions | |
Song of the Sea[D] | September 6, 2014 (Ireland)[st 1] | StudioCanal and Cartoon Saloon | |
The Seventh Dwarf[D] | September 25, 2014 (Germany)[st 1] | Zipfelmützen Film GmbH & Co. KG | |
The Boxtrolls[D] | September 26, 2014 | Laika[st 2] | |
Yellowbird[D] | October 11, 2014[st 1] | TeamTO | |
Ratchet & Clank[D] | April 29, 2016 | Rainmaker Entertainment and Blockade Entertainment[st 3] | |
Kubo and the Two Strings[D] | August 19, 2016 | Laika[st 2] | |
Ethel & Ernest[D] | October 28, 2016[st 1] | Cloth Cat Animation | |
The Breadwinner[D] | September 8, 2017 (Canada)[st 1] | Elevation Pictures, StudioCanal, and Cartoon Saloon | |
Woody Woodpecker[S] | October 5, 2017 (Brazil)[rls 5] | Universal Animation Studios and Cinemotion | |
The Boss Baby | March 21, 2018 (Japan)[st 4] | DreamWorks Animation | |
The Addams Family[D] | October 11, 2019[st 1] | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Cinesite[st 5] | |
The Addams Family 2[D] | October 1, 2021[st 1][52][53] | ||
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On[D][S] | February 17, 2023 (United Kingdom)[54] | A24, Cinereach, You Want I Should, Human Woman, Sunbeam Television & Films, and Chiodo Bros. Productions[st 2] | |
Mavka: The Forest Song[D] | March 29, 2023 (France)[st 1][55] | Animagrad Animation Studio and Film.UA | |
Piece by Piece[D] | October 11, 2024[56] | The Lego Group, Tremolo Productions, and I Am Other[st 2] |
Highest-grossing films
- † indicates films playing in theaters around the world in the week commencing 6 December 2024.
This list does not include films combining live-action with animation.
Rank | Film | Worldwide gross | Studio | Year | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The Super Mario Bros. Movie | $1,363,298,473 | Illumination and Nintendo | 2023 | [57] |
2 | Minions | $1,159,398,397 | Illumination | 2015 | [58] |
3 | Despicable Me 3 | $1,034,799,409 | 2017 | [59] | |
4 | Despicable Me 2 | $970,761,885 | 2013 | [60] | |
5 | Despicable Me 4 | $968,240,710 | 2024 | [61] | |
6 | Minions: The Rise of Gru | $939,628,210 | 2022 | [62] | |
7 | The Secret Life of Pets | $875,457,937 | 2016 | [63] | |
8 | Sing | $634,151,679 | [64] | ||
9 | Kung Fu Panda 4 | $546,362,086 | DreamWorks Animation | 2024 | [65] |
10 | Despicable Me | $543,113,985 | Illumination | 2010 | [66] |
See also
- List of Universal Pictures films
- List of DreamWorks Animation productions
- List of Illumination productions
- List of unproduced Universal Pictures animated projects
Notes
Release Notes
- ^ Listed are the original theatrical release dates in the United States (or other non-U.S. territories) when the film was contributed by Universal. Different distributors are attributed and credited for distributing each film throughout the history of Universal.
- ^ Original Soviet release date was November 15, 1957
- ^ Released by Universal Pictures in North America
- ^ Listed are the original theatrical release dates in the United States (or other non-U.S. territories) when the film was contributed by Universal. Different distributors are attributed and credited for distributing each film throughout the history of Universal.
- ^ a b Not released theatrically in the United States, released as DTV film
Studio/Production Notes
Rights Notes
References
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- ^ McNary, Dave (August 22, 2016). "Comcast Completes $3.8 Billion Purchase of DreamWorks Animation". Variety. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
- ^ a b c Kroll, Justin (January 25, 2017). "'Sing 2' Set for Christmas Day 2020 Release". Variety. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (March 26, 2014). "DreamWorks Adopts FLIX for Story Development". Animation Magazine. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
Culton, who made her directorial debut with Sony's Open Season, is currently writing and directing a film about a young girl and a Yeti for DWA with the working title Everest.
- ^ "Two in One Interview: NY Illustrators – Character Designers". ctnanimationexpo.com. CTN Animation Expo. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2013.
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- ^ "Minions". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "Despicable Me 3". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "Despicable Me 2". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "Despicable Me 4". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "Minions: The Rise of Gru". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "The Secret Life of Pets". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "Sing". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda 4". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "Despicable Me". Box Office Mojo.