Special Report

100 Best Animated Movies for Kids

Courtesy of Laika

Animated films have captivated kids and adults for generations. They have become cultural touchstones and big business; some of the top-grossing films of all time are animated.

Some of these motion pictures are even regarded as national treasures: The Library of Congress has a National Film Registry of culturally, historically and aesthetically significant films that includes such animated classics as “Bambi,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Dumbo,” “Fantasia,” “The Lion King,” “Pinocchio,” “Snow White” and “Toy Story.”

24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of the 100 best animated films of all time. We created an index based on audience ratings from the internet movie database IMDb and critic and audience ratings from the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. The films’ release dates range from 1937 to today, although our list is dominated by releases from the 2000s, which have benefited from the steady advances in computer animation.

Click here to see the best animated movies for kids.
Click here to see our detailed findings and methodology.

Courtesy of Walt Disney Productions

100. The Fox and the Hound
> Release year: 1981
> Starring: Mickey Rooney, Kurt Russell, Pearl Bailey, Jack Albertson
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $63.46 million

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Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation

99. Megamind
> Release year: 2010
> Starring: Will Ferrell, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey
> Major awards: none
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $148.42 million

Courtesy of ITC Entertainment

98. The Last Unicorn
> Release year: 1982
> Starring: Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, Alan Arkin
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.5
> Domestic box office: $6.46 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

97. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
> Release year: 1996
> Starring: Demi Moore, Jason Alexander, Mary Kay Bergman, Corey Burton
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe
> Avg. IMDb rating: 6.9
> Domestic box office: $100.14 million

Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation

96. The Prince of Egypt
> Release year: 1998
> Starring: Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar; Nominations: 2 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.0
> Domestic box office: $101.22 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

95. The Great Mouse Detective
> Release year: 1986
> Starring: Vincent Price, Barrie Ingham, Val Bettin, Susanne Pollatschek
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.2
> Domestic box office: $38.60 million

Courtesy of Laika

94. The Boxtrolls
> Release year: 2014
> Starring: Ben Kingsley, Jared Harris, Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 6.8
> Domestic box office: $50.84 million

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Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation

93. Over the Hedge
> Release year: 2006
> Starring: Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, Wanda Sykes
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 6.7
> Domestic box office: $155.02 million

Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation

92. Kung Fu Panda 3
> Release year: 2016
> Starring: Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.1
> Domestic box office: $143.53 million

 

91. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
> Release year: 2012
> Starring: Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 6.9
> Domestic box office: $216.39 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

90. James and the Giant Peach
> Release year: 1996
> Starring: Paul Terry, Joanna Lumley, Pete Postlethwaite, Simon Callow
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar
> Avg. IMDb rating: 6.7
> Domestic box office: $28.93 million

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

89. Happy Feet
> Release year: 2006
> Starring: Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Robin Williams
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 1 Oscar, 2 Golden Globes, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 6.5
> Domestic box office: $198.00 million

 

88. Hercules
> Release year: 1997
> Starring: Tate Donovan, Susan Egan, James Woods, Josh Keaton
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $99.05 million

 

87. Kung Fu Panda 2
> Release year: 2011
> Starring: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $165.25 million

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

86. Ice Age
> Release year: 2002
> Starring: Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Ray Romano, Goran Visnjic
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.5
> Domestic box office: $176.39 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

85. Anastasia
> Release year: 1997
> Starring: Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd, Kelsey Grammer
> Major awards: Nominations: 2 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.1
> Domestic box office: $58.41 million

 

84. Monsters University
> Release year: 2013
> Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren
> Major awards: Nominations: 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $268.49 million

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Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

83. The Adventures of Tintin
> Release year: 2011
> Starring: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Golden Globe; Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.4
> Domestic box office: $77.59 million

 

82. Brave
> Release year: 2012
> Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations; 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.1
> Domestic box office: $237.28 million

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

81. Horton Hears a Who!
> Release year: 2008
> Starring: Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol Burnett, Will Arnett
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 6.8
> Domestic box office: $154.53 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

80. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
> Release year: 1949
> Starring: Bing Crosby, Basil Rathbone, Eric Blore, John McLeish
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Golden Globe; Nominations; 1 Golden Globe
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.1
> Domestic box office: n/a

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Courtesy of Disney Pixar

79. Cars
> Release year: 2006
> Starring: Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Paul Newman, Larry the Cable Guy
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Golden Globe; Nominations: 2 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.1
> Domestic box office: $244.08 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

78. Fantasia 2000
> Release year: 1999
> Starring: James Levine, Steve Martin, Itzhak Perlman, Quincy Jones
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.2
> Domestic box office: $60.66 million

Courtesy of Aardman Animations/Sony Pictures Animation

77. The Pirates! Band of Misfits
> Release year: 2012
> Starring: Hugh Grant, Salma Hayek, Jeremy Piven, Martin Freeman
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar; Nominations; 1 Oscar
> Avg. IMDb rating: 6.7
> Domestic box office: $31.05 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Productions

76. Peter Pan
> Release year: 1953
> Starring: Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Hans Conried, Bill Thompson
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $87.40 million

 

75. Despicable Me 2
> Release year: 2013
> Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove
> Major awards: Wins: 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 2 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.4
> Domestic box office: $368.06 million

Courtesy of Sony Pictures

74. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
> Release year: 2009
> Starring: Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Bruce Campbell, James Caan
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Golden Globe
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.0
> Domestic box office: $124.87 million

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Courtesy of Warner Bros. Animation

73. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
> Release year: 1993
> Starring: Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany, Hart Bochner, Stacy Keach
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.9
> Domestic box office: $5.62 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

72. The Emperor’s New Groove
> Release year: 2000
> Starring: David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $89.30 million

 

71. The Peanuts Movie
> Release year: 2015
> Starring: Noah Schnapp, Bill Melendez, Hadley Belle Miller, Francesca Capaldi
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Golden Globe
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.1
> Domestic box office: $130.18 million

 

70. The Book of Life
> Release year: 2014
> Starring: Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum, Ron Perlman
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Golden Globe
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $50.15 million

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Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

69. Bolt
> Release year: 2008
> Starring: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 2 Golden Globes
> Avg. IMDb rating: 6.9
> Domestic box office: $114.05 million

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

68. Despicable Me
> Release year: 2010
> Starring: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.7
> Domestic box office: $251.51 million

Courtesy of MGM/UA Entertainment Company

67. The Secret of NIMH
> Release year: 1982
> Starring: Elizabeth Hartman, Derek Jacobi, Dom DeLuise, Arthur Malet
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.6
> Domestic box office: $10.14 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

66. Lilo & Stitch
> Release year: 2002
> Starring: Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.2
> Domestic box office: $145.79 million

Courtesy of Laika

65. ParaNorman
> Release year: 2012
> Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Tucker Albrizzi
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.0
> Domestic box office: $56.00 million

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

64. Arthur Christmas
> Release year: 2011
> Starring: James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Hugh Laurie
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.1
> Domestic box office: $46.46 million

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Courtesy of Warner Brothers

63. Corpse Bride
> Release year: 2005
> Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson, Tracey Ullman
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.4
> Domestic box office: $53.36 million

 

62. Antz
> Release year: 1998
> Starring: Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Sylvester Stallone
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 6.6
> Domestic box office: $90.76 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Productions

61. The Jungle Book
> Release year: 1967
> Starring: Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima, Bruce Reitherman
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.6
> Domestic box office: $141.84 million

 

60. Frankenweenie
> Release year: 2012
> Starring: Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.0
> Domestic box office: $35.29 million

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Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

59. Tarzan
> Release year: 1999
> Starring: Tony Goldwyn, Minnie Driver, Brian Blessed, Glenn Close
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe; Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.2
> Domestic box office: $171.09 million

Courtesy of Nepenthe Productions

58. Watership Down
> Release year: 1978
> Starring: John Hurt, Richard Briers, Ralph Richardson, Michael Graham Cox
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.7
> Domestic box office: n/a

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

57. Winnie the Pooh
> Release year: 2011
> Starring: Jim Cummings, Craig Ferguson, John Cleese, Bud Luckey
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.2
> Domestic box office: $26.69 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

56. Enchanted
> Release year: 2007
> Starring: Amy Adams, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey
> Major awards: Nominations: 3 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.1
> Domestic box office: $127.81 million

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

55. Rango
> Release year: 2011
> Starring: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Timothy Olyphant, Abigail Breslin
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar, 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.2
> Domestic box office: $123.48 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

54. The Princess and the Frog
> Release year: 2009
> Starring: Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Oprah Winfrey, Bruno Campos
> Major awards: Nominations: 3 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.1
> Domestic box office: $104.40 million

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53. The LEGO Batman Movie
> Release year: 2017
> Starring: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $175.75 million

 

52. Kung Fu Panda
> Release year: 2008
> Starring: Jack Black, Ian McShane, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.6
> Domestic box office: $215.43 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

51. Mulan
> Release year: 1998
> Starring: Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, Miguel Ferrer
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 2 Golden Globes
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.6
> Domestic box office: $120.62 million

Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation

50. Chicken Run
> Release year: 2000
> Starring: Mel Gibson, Julia Sawalha, Phil Daniels, Lynn Ferguson
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.0
> Domestic box office: $106.83 million

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Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

49. Big Hero 6
> Release year: 2014
> Starring: Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Jamie Chung, T.J. Miller
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar; Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.8
> Domestic box office: $222.53 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

48. Cinderella
> Release year: 1950
> Starring: Ilene Woods, James MacDonald, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton
> Major awards: Nominations: 3 Golden Globes
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $85.00 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Productions

47. Lady and the Tramp
> Release year: 1955
> Starring: Barbara Luddy, Larry Roberts, Peggy Lee, Bill Thompson
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $93.60 million

Courtesy of Disney/Pixar

46. A Bug’s Life
> Release year: 1998
> Starring: Kevin Spacey, Dave Foley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hayden Panettiere
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.2
> Domestic box office: $162.80 million

 

45. Shrek 2
> Release year: 2004
> Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Julie Andrews
> Major awards: Wins: 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 2 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.2
> Domestic box office: $436.47 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

44. Finding Dory
> Release year: 2016
> Starring: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill, Kaitlin Olson
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.4
> Domestic box office: $486.30 million

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Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

43. Wreck-It Ralph
> Release year: 2012
> Starring: John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Sarah Silverman
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.7
> Domestic box office: $189.42 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

42. Tangled
> Release year: 2010
> Starring: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 2 Golden Globes
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.8
> Domestic box office: $200.82 million

Courtesy of United Artists

41. Yellow Submarine
> Release year: 1968
> Starring: Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, John Lennon
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.4
> Domestic box office: n/a

 

40. Paddington
> Release year: 2014
> Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent
> Major awards: Nominations: 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.2
> Domestic box office: $76.22 million

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39. Frozen
> Release year: 2013
> Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad
> Major awards: Wins: 2 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards; Nominations: 2 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes, 3 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.5
> Domestic box office: $400.74 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

38. 101 Dalmatians
> Release year: 1961
> Starring: Rod Taylor, Betty Lou Gerson, J. Pat O’Malley, Martha Wentworth
> Major awards: Wins 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.2
> Domestic box office: $144.88 million

Courtesy of Focus Features

37. Coraline
> Release year: 2009
> Starring: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, John Hodgman, Jennifer Saunders
> Major awards: Wins: 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.7
> Domestic box office: $75.29 million

Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation

36. The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
> Release year: 2005
> Starring: Peter Sallis, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Peter Kay
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar, 2 BAFTA Film Awards; Nominations: 1 Oscar, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.5
> Domestic box office: $56.11 million

Melissa Hillier / Flickr

35. Moana
> Release year: 2016
> Starring: Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison
> Major awards: Nominations: 2 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.6
> Domestic box office: $248.76 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Productions

34. Sleeping Beauty
> Release year: 1959
> Starring: Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $51.60 million

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Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

33. Bambi
> Release year: 1942
> Starring: Hardie Albright, Stan Alexander, Bobette Audrey, Peter Behn
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Golden Globe; Nominations: 3 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $102.80 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

32. Dumbo
> Release year: 1941
> Starring: Sterling Holloway, Edward Brophy, James Baskett, Herman Bing
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar; Nominations: 2 Oscars
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.3
> Domestic box office: $1.60 million

 

31. How to Train Your Dragon 2
> Release year: 2014
> Starring: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Golden Globe; Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.8
> Domestic box office: $177.00 million

Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution

30. Shrek
> Release year: 2001
> Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar, 2 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 2 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 7 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.9
> Domestic box office: $267.67 million

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Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

29. Fantastic Mr. Fox
> Release year: 2009
> Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman
> Major awards: Nominations: 2 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.8
> Domestic box office: $21.00 million

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

28. The Little Mermaid
> Release year: 1989
> Starring: Jodi Benson, Samuel E. Wright, Rene Auberjonois, Christopher Daniel Barnes
> Major awards: Wins: 2 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes; Nominations: 3 Oscars, 4 Golden Globes
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.6
> Domestic box office: $111.54 million

 

27. The Incredibles
> Release year: 2004
> Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee
> Major awards: Wins: 2 Oscars, 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 4 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.0
> Domestic box office: $261.44 million

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

26. The Iron Giant
> Release year: 1999
> Starring: Eli Marienthal, Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Aniston, Vin Diesel
> Major awards: Wins: 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.0
> Domestic box office: $23.16 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures / IMDB

25. Aladdin
> Release year: 1992
> Starring: Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin, Jonathan Freeman
> Major awards: Wins: 2 Oscars, 3 Golden Globes; Nominations: 5 Oscars, 6 Golden Globes, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.0
> Domestic box office: $217.35 million

 

24. Monsters, Inc.
> Release year: 2001
> Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar, 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 4 Oscars, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.1
> Domestic box office: $289.92 million

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Courtesy of Buena Vista Distribution

23. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
> Release year: 1977
> Starring: Sebastian Cabot, Junius Matthews, Barbara Luddy, Howard Morris
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.6
> Domestic box office: n/a

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

22. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
> Release year: 1988
> Starring: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy, Charles Fleischer
> Major awards: Wins: 4 Oscars, 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 7 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes, 5 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.7
> Domestic box office: $156.45 million

 

21. How to Train Your Dragon
> Release year: 2010
> Starring: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Craig Ferguson
> Major awards: Nominations: 2 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.1
> Domestic box office: $217.58 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

20. The Nightmare Before Christmas
> Release year: 1993
> Starring: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey
> Major awards: Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.0
> Domestic box office: $75.08 million

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Courtesy of Topcraft

19. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
> Release year: 1984
> Starring: Sumi Shimamoto, Mahito Tsujimura, Hisako Kyôda, Gorô Naya
> Major awards: None
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.1
> Domestic box office: n/a

 

18. Zootopia
> Release year: 2016
> Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Jenny Slate
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards; Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 3 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.0
> Domestic box office: $341.27 million

 

17. The Lego Movie
> Release year: 2014
> Starring: Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett
> Major awards: Wins: 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.8
> Domestic box office: $257.76 million

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

16. Beauty and the Beast
> Release year: 1991
> Starring: Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Jesse Corti, Rex Everhart
> Major awards: Wins: 2 Oscars, 3 Golden Globes; Nominations: 6 Oscars, 4 Golden Globes, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.0
> Domestic box office: $218.97 million

 

15. Kubo and the Two Strings
> Release year: 2016
> Starring: Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson, Matthew McConaughey, Ralph Fiennes
> Major awards: Wins: 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 2 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.8
> Domestic box office: $48.02 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

14. Toy Story 2
> Release year: 1999
> Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Golden Globe; Nominations: 1 Oscar, 2 Golden Globes
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.9
> Domestic box office: $245.85 million

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13. Fantasia
> Release year: 1940
> Starring: Leopold Stokowski, Deems Taylor, Corey Burton, Walt Disney
> Major awards: Wins: 2 Oscars; Nominations: 2 Oscars
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.8
> Domestic box office: $76.41 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

12. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
> Release year: 1937
> Starring: Adriana Caselotti, Harry Stockwell, Lucille La Verne, Roy Atwell
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar; Nominations: 2 Oscars
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.6
> Domestic box office: $184.93 million

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

11. Ratatouille
> Release year: 2007
> Starring: Brad Garrett, Lou Romano, Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 5 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.0
> Domestic box office: $206.45 million

 

10. The Lion King
> Release year: 1994
> Starring: Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Whoopi Goldberg
> Major awards: Wins: 2 Oscars, 3 Golden Globes, 1 BAFTA FIlm Award; Nominations: 4 Oscars, 4 Golden Globes, 3 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.5
> Domestic box office: $312.90 million

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Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

9. Pinocchio
> Release year: 1940
> Starring: Dickie Jones, Christian Rub, Mel Blanc, Don Brodie
> Major awards: Wins: 2 Oscars; Nominations: 2 Oscars
> Avg. IMDb rating: 7.5
> Domestic box office: $84.25 million

Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

8. Finding Nemo
> Release year: 2003
> Starring: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar; Nominations: 4 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.1
> Domestic box office: $380.84 million

 

7. Up
> Release year: 2009
> Starring: Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai, John Ratzenberger, Christopher Plummer
> Major awards: Wins: 2 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes, 2 BAFTA Film Awards; Nominations: 5 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes, 4 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.3
> Domestic box office: $293.00 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

6. Coco
> Release year: 2017
> Starring: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Golden Globe; Nominations: 2 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.6
> Domestic box office: $204.91 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

5. WALL·E
> Release year: 2008
> Starring: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 6 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes, 3 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.4
> Domestic box office: $223.81 million

Courtesy of StudioCanal/Heyday Films

4. Paddington 2
> Release year: 2018
> Starring: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Grant, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins
> Major awards: Nominations: 3 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.2
> Domestic box office: $36.67 million

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3. Toy Story
> Release year: 1995
> Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar; Nominations: 4 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes, 1 BAFTA Film Award
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.3
> Domestic box office: $191.80 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

2. Inside Out
> Release year: 2015
> Starring: Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling
> Major awards: Wins: 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 2 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 2 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.2
> Domestic box office: $356.46 million

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

1. Toy Story 3
> Release year: 2010
> Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty
> Major awards: Wins: 2 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 1 BAFTA Film Award; Nominations: 5 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe, 3 BAFTA Film Awards
> Avg. IMDb rating: 8.3
> Domestic box office: $415.00 million

The list is also dominated by three studios: Disney, DreamWorks, and Pixar. Disney was the pioneer in animation and has been a consistent producer of hits for 80 years. The studio produced some of the oldest entries on our list — “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Pinocchio,” and “Fantasia” — and some of the most recent — “Moana,” “Zootopia,” and “Frozen.”

Pixar was founded by George Lucas in 1979 to develop computer technology for the film industry. It was acquired by Disney in 2006. Pixar has been an equally reliable hitmaker, from the first-ever computer-animated feature film, “Toy Story,” to the recently released “Coco.”

Formed in 1997, DreamWorks Animation was bought by NBCUniversal in 2016. The studio’s productions, including the “Kung Fu Panda” and “Shrek,” have together grossed about $15 billion, with an average gross of more than $400 million each.
Animated movies don’t just generate revenue at the box office — they also produce revenue from tie-in products such as toys, games, and other merchandise. Some, such as the Lego films, are based on toys, while others, notably the Toy Story trilogy, feature them as characters.

These films don’t just appeal to children. Many are targeted at the adults who accompany the kids to theaters and include jokes and double-entendres children may not get. Many films feature the voices of big stars such as George Clooney, Meg Ryan, Johnny Depp, Will Ferrell, Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep, Mel Gibson, Tom Hanks, Charlize Theron, Eddie Murphy, and Chris Rock.

Reflecting their universal appeal, some of the movies on our list, including “Beauty and the Beast,” ”Up,” and “Toy Story 3,” were nominated for Best Picture Oscars. These films have even found favor with high-brow audiences: Pixar’s artwork has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and “Up” was the first animated feature to open the Cannes Film Festival.

To determine the best animated films of all time, 24/7 Wall St. created an index based on each film’s Rotten Tomatoes average critic rating, Rotten Tomatoes average audience rating, and the Internet Movie Database average user rating. To be considered, each film needed to have at least 10,000 total user votes between IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes as well as 10 approved tomatometer critic reviews. Under the major awards category, nominations include the total number of nominations, including wins.

We averaged the user ratings from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb, weighted by the number of votes for each. The combined user rating was then averaged with the Rotten Tomatoes critic rating. Domestic box office data comes from Box Office Mojo and is not adjusted for inflation.

To be considered, a film needed to have a Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) film rating of G or PG.

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