The Walt Disney Studios has done something that hasn’t been done since before the pandemic. It has passed $6 billion at the global box office. While this was once not uncommon, since the pandemic, audiences have not returned to theaters with the same gusto as they had before. Currently, domestically, Disney has brought in over $2.3 billion. Internationally, Disney has already earned over $3.65 billion.
The achievement comes on the strength of several films this year that have come out of its different studios. Both Lilo & Stitch and Zootopia 2 have passed the billion-dollar mark at the global box office. Avatar: Fire and Ash is also on track to do the same. Marvel Studios also released several films that helped contribute to the accomplishment. This includes The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Captain America: Brave New World, and Thunderbolts*. Freakier Friday, Tron Ares, Pixar’s Elio, and Predator: Badlands all helped with this milestone as well. In total, Disney released 16 movies this year on its road to the $6 billion club.
Disney is the only studio that has reached $6 billion at the global box office. Its nearest competitor is Warner Bros., which currently has earned $4.3 billion globally. This is the fifth time that Disney has reached the $6 billion mark. Previously, it had done so in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. 2019 was a standout year where the studio earned $13.1 billion globally. To date, this was the only year that a studio surpassed $10 billion at the global box office.
With the momentum that Disney continues to rebuild in an industry that is still being impacted by the reverberations of a global pandemic, next year should also look good. There will be a new Star Wars film with The Mandalorian and Grogu, Marvel Studios will be releasing Avengers: Doomsday, and Pixar will be returning with Toy Story 5. The live-action Moana and Spider-Man: Brand New Day will also be released. Any or all of these films could surpass the $1 billion mark during their runs and help Disney return to the $6 billion club in 2026.
What do you think of this year’s slate of Disney movies? Which one was your favorite? Are you surprised that Disney has reached $6 billion at the global box office this year? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
