As cinema slowly climbed back toward pre-pandemic levels, the gap between winners and losers grew wider than ever in 2025. Films either became massive, culture-dominating hits or struggled badly at the proverbial ticket window, with very little in between. The idea of a moderate success all but disappeared.
What worked at the box office in 2025 also looked very different from past years and earnings made one thing clear: audiences were choosing stories over star power. Animated films with a strong global sensibility pulled in massive crowds, especially when they offered something new instead of leaning on nostalgia. Meanwhile, several high-budget Hollywood releases packed with famous faces failed to spark the same interest.
The biggest hits of 2025
Ne Zha 2
Release date: January 29, 2025
Budget: $110 million
Collection: $2.15 billion
This Chinese animated juggernaut smashed all records when it was released, becoming the first non-English language film to ever breach the $2 billion mark. Its success was fueled by a massive domestic performance and cutting-edge visual effects, proving that non-Western IP can now compete at the highest global tier.
Zootopia 2
Release date: November 26, 2025
Budget: $150 million
Collection: $1.20 billion
The long-awaited sequel brought back Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde for a new investigation that quickly captured the family market during the holiday season. By grossing nearly eight times its production cost, the film cemented Disney’s return to form in theatrical animation after several years of inconsistent performance.
Lilo & Stitch
Release date: May 23, 2025
Budget: $120 million
Collection: $1.04 billion
Disney’s photorealistic reimagining of the 2002 cult classic benefited from intense Millennial nostalgia and a pitch-perfect marketing campaign. It set a new record for the highest-grossing live-action/animated hybrid film, crossing the billion-dollar threshold in under just two months.
A Minecraft Movie
Release date: April 4, 2025
Budget: $150 million
Collection: $958 million
Featuring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, this blocky adventure overcame early trailer backlash to become a must-watch event for the game’s massive global fanbase. The sheer scale of the Minecraft brand ensured that children and parents alike flocked to theaters, making it the most successful video game adaptation to date.
Jurassic World: Rebirth
Release date: July 2, 2025
Budget: $200 million
Collection: $869 million
Leading the charge with a fresh cast including Scarlett Johansson, this soft reboot ditched the previous trilogy’s protagonists for a gritty survival-horror tone. Audiences responded well to the back-to-basics approach, ensuring the franchise remained a top-tier summer blockbuster despite the lack of original legacy characters.
The worst flops of 2025
Snow White
Release date: March 21, 2025
Budget: $270 million
Collection: $205 million
Mired in constant PR controversy and expensive reshoots, the live-action remake of Disney’s first princess failed to even match its production budget. The film’s break-even point was estimated at nearly $600 million, but the disconnect between the modernized script and the core audience’s expectations led to a historic $200 million loss for the studio.
Tron: Ares
Release date: October 10, 2025
Budget: $220 million
Collection: $142 million
Disney’s attempt to revive the Tron brand with Jared Leto fell flat as it failed to attract general audiences outside of a niche cult fanbase. High production costs and a lack of clear vision meant the film earned less than 65% of its budget, proving that some legacy IPs are too specialized for a tentpole budget.
Better Man
Release date: January 17, 2025
Budget: $110 million
Collection: $22 million
This Robbie Williams biopic took a massive creative risk by depicting the singer as a CGI chimpanzee for the entire movie. While critics appreciated the experimental boldness, the general public found the visual concept off-putting and confusing – leading to a disastrous return of less than 20% of its budget.
After the Hunt
Release date: October 10, 2025
Budget: $80 million
Collection: $9 million
Luca Guadagnino’s university-set MeToo drama featured an expensive $20 million salary for lead Julia Roberts but failed to spark any mainstream interest. In an era where adult dramas are struggling in theaters, the $80 million price tag was mathematically unsustainable, resulting in one of the most lopsided financial failures of the decade.
Christy
Release date: November 7, 2025
Budget: $15 million
Collection: $2 million
Despite the star power of Sydney Sweeney, this boxing biopic about trailblazer Christy Martin suffered from minimal marketing and a “biopic fatigue” that swept the winter box office. It earns a spot on this list for its sheer lack of traction, recovering a mere 13% of its production costs during its limited theatrical run.