2025 Box Office Giants: The Highest-Grossing Movies of the Year (Worldwide Ranking)

Hollywood did not have the global box office to itself in 2025. Chinese animation, Japanese anime, and franchise tentpoles from the US all battled for the same audience — and in many cases, the winners came from outside the traditional Hollywood system.

This updated look at the highest-grossing movies of 2025 worldwide box office is based on worldwide grosses. The rankings may still shift once the big December releases finish their runs, but the core picture of 2025 is already clear: a Chinese animated film sits at the top, and only two titles have crossed the billion-dollar mark so far.

How This List of the Highest-Grossing Films of 2025 Was Ranked

To keep this overview clear and comparable:

• Worldwide grosses are used, not just US or domestic figures.
• Numbers combine domestic + international box office.
• Data is taken from widely used industry box office trackers and updated to November 30, 2025.
• All numbers are in US dollars and rounded to the nearest million where appropriate.

This article focuses on:

• The top 10 highest-grossing films of 2025 worldwide
• Other notable 2025 box office hits outside the top 10
• The broader 2025 global box office rankings and trends
• How late-year releases like Avatar: Fire and Ash could still change the final picture

Top 10 Highest-Grossing Movies of 2025 – At a Glance

These are the top movies of 2025 worldwide by box office, ranked by total global gross:

Together, these biggest blockbusters of 2025 show how diverse the modern box office has become: animation, superhero films, anime, racing drama, and legacy franchises all feature in the top tier.

Film-by-Film Breakdown: What Drove Each 2025 Box Office Hit?

A closer look at the storytelling, marketing, and market factors behind each top-grossing film. Every entry highlights what made the movie stand out at the 2025 worldwide box office.

1. Ne Zha 2 – A Chinese Animated Epic at Number One

Ne Zha 2 is not only the highest-grossing film of 2025 worldwide, but it has also overtaken previous records to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time.

• Worldwide gross: About $1.9 billion
• Market split: Almost all revenue comes from mainland China, with a relatively modest but symbolic run in other territories.
• Genre: Animated fantasy based on classic Chinese mythology.

Why it dominated the 2025 global box office rankings:

• It leveraged the enormous success and goodwill of the first Ne Zha film.
• Visual effects, action, and emotional storytelling matched or surpassed major Hollywood tentpoles.
• The film became a cultural event in China, attracting repeat viewings and very strong word of mouth.

For global box office watchers, Ne Zha 2 is a turning point: one of the year’s biggest hits barely needed North America to lead the worldwide charts.

2. Lilo & Stitch – A Disney Remake That Actually Worked

The live-action / CG Lilo & Stitch reimagines the 2002 animated classic and became one of the top 2025 box office hits.

• Worldwide gross: Around $1.04 billion
• Domestic vs international: Strong US results plus solid performance in Europe, Latin America, and parts of Asia.
• Genre: Family sci-fi comedy adventure.

Key drivers:

• Brand nostalgia: Parents who grew up with the original brought a new generation along.
• Family-friendly positioning helped it own school-holiday and family slots in multiple markets.
• Extensive merchandising and streaming tie-ins kept the title in the conversation.

In a year where not every Disney remake wins, Lilo & Stitch stands out as one of the highest-grossing films of 2025 and a rare live-action remake success.

3. A Minecraft Movie – Gaming IP Goes Global

A Minecraft movie was almost guaranteed attention, but the execution turned that attention into tickets.

• Worldwide gross: About $958 million (just shy of the billion-dollar mark)
• Audience: Kids, families, and gamers across North America, Europe, and Asia.
• Genre: Family adventure based on the hugely popular sandbox game.

What worked:

• The film leaned into recognizable game elements and humor without alienating newcomers.
• A family-friendly rating encouraged repeat group viewings and premium format tickets.
• Cross-promotion with the game, streamers, and social media amplified awareness.

If it continues to play well, A Minecraft Movie still has a chance to join the billion-dollar club and cement game adaptations as some of the top movies of 2025 worldwide.

4. Jurassic World: Rebirth – Dinosaurs Still Sell

The dinosaur franchise remains a reliable engine in the 2025 worldwide box office.

• Worldwide gross: Around $869 million
• Market split: Strong overseas performance, particularly in Europe and parts of Asia.
• Genre: Sci-fi action adventure.

Key ingredients:

• A fresh cast mix plus returning favorites kept the series feeling familiar yet updated.
• Dinosaurs remain a premium format magnet for IMAX and large-screen bookings.
• Marketing emphasized both spectacle and survival stakes, helping to overcome mild franchise fatigue.

Jurassic World: Rebirth may not be the highest earner in franchise history, but it remains one of the biggest blockbusters of 2025.

5. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle

Anime once again proves it is no longer a niche theatrical category.

• Worldwide gross: About $662 million
• Market split: Very strong in Japan and across Asia, with growing numbers in North America and Europe.
• Genre: Anime action fantasy.

Why it hit so big:

• The Demon Slayer brand already had a record-breaking film behind it; fans treated this like a must-see event.
• Limited-time screenings, fan events, and exclusive bonuses encouraged front-loaded attendance.
• The film built on the story arcs of the anime, rewarding invested viewers.

For 2025, this is a crucial part of the story: anime titles now sit comfortably among the highest-grossing films of 2025, not just in Japan but worldwide.

6. How to Train Your Dragon (2025) – A Return to Berk

DreamWorks brought audiences back to the world of dragons and Vikings with a new How to Train Your Dragon installment.

• Worldwide gross: About $636 million
• Genre: Family animation/adventure.

Why audiences showed up:

• The original trilogy had strong emotional resonance; this film tapped into that nostalgia.
• Visual scale and aerial sequences gave it a clear “see this in theatres” hook.
• Family positioning made it a reliable option throughout school holidays.

This title reinforces the trend of animated movies dominating the 2025 box office, alongside Ne Zha 2, Lilo & Stitch, and Demon Slayer.

7. F1: The Movie – Racing to Global Success

F1: The Movie turned the booming popularity of Formula 1 into box office power.

• Worldwide gross: Around $631 million
• Market split: Strong in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, with solid North American numbers.
• Genre: Racing drama.

Key factors:

• It leveraged years of interest built by racing coverage and docuseries around F1.
• High-speed racing sequences made it a natural fit for premium screens.
• A mix of sports drama and character focus broadened appeal beyond hardcore fans.

For studios, this is a signal that sports-adjacent dramas can join the list of 2025 global box office rankings, not just superhero and comic-book films.

8. Superman – A New Start for DC

DC’s Superman reboot is more than a single film; it is a cornerstone of the studio’s new interconnected universe.

• Worldwide gross: About $617 million
• Genre: Superhero action.

Why it matters:

• It introduces a new on-screen Superman designed for a modern audience while leaning into hopeful, optimistic themes.
• The film had to carry expectations after several uneven DC releases, and box office results show a solid but not explosive performance.
• Strong international numbers helped push it firmly into the top 10 highest-grossing movies of 2025.

While not a record-breaking superhero outing, Superman demonstrates that the character still commands major global interest.

9. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Positioned as a climactic chapter in the long-running spy franchise, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning continued the series’ tradition of big-scale stunts and global stakes.

• Worldwide gross: Around $599 million
• Genre: Action spy thriller.

Why was it delivered?

• The marketing leaned into the promise of “one last impossible mission”, boosting interest among long-time fans.
• Practical stunt work and location shooting gave the film strong visual credibility.
• The franchise has built long-term trust: viewers expect large-scale, cinematic action.

It lands just shy of $600 million but remains one of the standout 2025 box office hits in the action category.

10. The Fantastic Four: First Steps – Marvel’s First Family Arrive

Marvel finally introduced a fully integrated Fantastic Four into its cinematic universe with First Steps.

• Worldwide gross: About $522 million
• Genre: Superhero/sci-fi.

Why it’s significant:

• The Fantastic Four have long been requested by fans as part of the main MCU storyline.
• The film had to balance origin storytelling with setting up future crossovers.
• Box office performance is solid, sitting in the top 10 but below earlier MCU peaks, reflecting a more cautious audience.

Together with Superman and Captain America: Brave New World, First Steps shows how 2025 superhero movies’ box office is still strong, but no longer guaranteed at billion-dollar levels.

Beyond the Top 10: Other 2025 Box Office Heavy Hitters

While the top 10 dominate headlines, several other titles shaped the list of top-grossing movies in 2025.

Horror and Thrillers That Over-Performed

Horror remained a high-ROI genre in 2025, with several films turning modest budgets into global hits.

• The Conjuring: Last Rites – Around $494 million worldwide, continuing one of horror’s most durable franchises.
• Sinners – Roughly $368 million, driven by a strong domestic run.
• Final Destination: Bloodlines – About $316 million, reviving a familiar brand with a fresh angle.
• Predator: Badlands – Around $164 million, giving the Predator series one of its strongest modern showings.

These titles show how 2025 horror and thriller releases can land among the 2025 global box office rankings without matching superhero-scale budgets.

Superheroes, Musicals, and Franchise Mid-Tier Hits

Not every franchise entry reaches the top 10, but several mid-tier titles still played an important role:

• Captain America: Brave New World – Roughly $415 million worldwide, positioning the new Cap era.
• Thunderbolts – Around $382 million, offering a darker team-up story in the MCU.
• Wicked: For Good – About $271 million, turning the Broadway phenomenon into a two-film event, with the second part continuing the story for fans of the first movie adaptation.

Together, these films highlight how superhero and musical projects now exist across a wider performance band, from “solid performer” to “global blockbuster”, rather than dominating the entire curve.

Asian and Regional Hits Reshaping the Rankings

2025 also featured notable regional box office hits that earned most of their revenue outside North America but still appeared in worldwide charts.

• One Battle After Another – Around $202 million worldwide, led by non-US markets.
• Kokuho, Detective Conan- One-Eyed Flashback, and other Asian titles also feature strongly in the mid-range of the global table.

At the national level, films like Ne Zha 2 in China and Kantara: Chapter 1 in India dominate their home markets, underlining how global box office power is increasingly multi-polar, not US-led only.

Box Office Trends That Defined 2025

Looking across the highest-grossing films of 2025, several patterns emerge.

1. Animation and Family Films Lead the Charge

Multiple top-tier titles are animated or family-focused:

• Ne Zha 2
• Lilo & Stitch
• Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle
• How to Train Your Dragon
• Zootopia 2 and other animated releases are also building momentum outside the top 10.

Family films proved once again to be reliable theatrical anchors, with strong legs and broad four-quadrant appeal. This is why phrases like “animated movies dominating 2025 box office” are not just marketing lines; they reflect the year’s actual numbers.

2. Asia’s Growing Power in the Global Box Office

The highest-grossing movies of 2025 worldwide box office list cannot be understood without Asia:

• Ne Zha 2 achieved its record-breaking gross primarily through Chinese audiences.
• Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and other anime titles rely heavily on Japan and Asian regions.
• Local hits in India and other markets contribute significantly to the overall 2025 box office revenue.

For global studios, this continues a trend: growth opportunities increasingly come from China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia, not just North America and Western Europe.

3. Franchises Still Dominate, But Not All Are Untouchable

The top 10 and mid-tier ranks are filled with franchise entries:

• Jurassic World, Mission: Impossible, The Conjuring, Final Destination, Predator, Captain America, Fantastic Four, and Superman all appear.

However:

• Only two films have crossed the $1 billion mark so far: Ne Zha 2 and Lilo & Stitch.
• Several superhero titles performed well, but not at earlier franchise peaks.

Audience behavior suggests:

• Franchises still matter, but brand alone is no longer enough.
• Strong concepts, real stakes, and freshness are required for a film to become one of the highest-grossing films of 2025 rather than just a solid performer.

4. The Theatrical–Streaming Balance

Another background trend in 2025:

• Family films and big tentpoles often enjoy a longer exclusive theatrical window before streaming, driving more box office.
• Some mid-budget dramas and thrillers rely on a mix of limited theatrical runs plus strong streaming launches.

The titles in this list show that when studios commit to theatrical, especially for large-scale stories, audiences still respond, particularly for films marketed as big-screen events.

What Could Still Change Before 2025 Ends?

As of November 30, this is an “as of now” list. December remains a live variable.

Major upcoming releases include:

• Avatar: Fire and Ash – The third Avatar film, scheduled for December 19, 2025, with early projections pointing to a very strong global opening. If it breaks out, it could rapidly climb into the top movies of the 2025 worldwide list, even in a short window.
• Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 – Opening December 5, 2025, this horror sequel targets a passionate fan base and could become one of the year’s biggest genre hits.
• A new Anaconda film and several other December titles are poised to make some impact, especially in specific regions or genres.

Realistically:

• Films opening in mid-to-late December will have part of their earnings counted into early 2026.
• Avatar: Fire and Ash is the one title most likely to challenge the upper ranks if its early performance is strong enough.

FAQs: Highest-Grossing Movies of 2025

1. What is the highest-grossing movie of 2025 worldwide?

As of November 30, 2025, the highest-grossing movie of 2025 worldwide is Ne Zha 2, a Chinese animated fantasy film with roughly $1.9 billion in global box office.

2. How many 2025 movies have crossed $1 billion at the global box office?

So far, two 2025 films have crossed the $1 billion mark:

1. Ne Zha 2
2. Lilo & Stitch (live-action / CG remake)

A Minecraft Movie is just below that threshold but remains one of the year’s most successful releases.

3. Which 2025 animated film earned the most worldwide?

The top animated film of 2025 is Ne Zha 2, which has also become the highest-grossing animated film in history, overtaking previous record holders and establishing a new benchmark for animated cinema.

4. Which 2025 movie earned the most in China and in North America?

• In China, Ne Zha 2 dominates the 2025 box office, with the vast majority of its global revenue coming from the domestic market.
• In North America, traditional Hollywood tentpoles like Lilo & Stitch, A Minecraft Movie, and Jurassic World: Rebirth have led the 2025 box office hits.

5. Are superhero films still dominating the box office in 2025?

Superhero films like Superman, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps are still important parts of the 2025 global box office rankings, but they no longer dominate alone. Animation, anime, horror, and non-US franchises now share the top of the chart.

6. Could December releases still change the 2025 highest-grossing list?

Yes. Avatar: Fire and Ash and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 are likely to move up the rankings once they open. However, with limited time left in the year, it will be challenging for any newcomer to catch Ne Zha 2 or even Lilo & Stitch by December 31. Most of the impact from late-December releases will be felt in early 2026 tallies.

Final Word

From a Chinese animated epic to anime mega-events and familiar Hollywood franchises, the highest-grossing movies of 2025 worldwide box office tell a story of a film industry that is now fully global.

This landscape offers rich ground for ongoing coverage: tracking how Avatar: Fire and Ash performs, how Asian markets reshape future slates, and whether 2026 will see more billion-dollar movies than 2025.