The 2025 Hollywood Box Office had no single dominant trend, but it did have clear winners. Big sequels continued to pull audiences in, while animation once again proved its drawing power, and a handful of established franchises reminded studios why theatrical releases still matter.
According to industry tracker Box Office Mojo, and reports from Variety, the year ultimately proved that audiences are still showing up for large-scale cinema – especially when movies tap into deep-seated emotional connections or offer a distinctive visual hook. Here is a look at the top 10 Hollywood films that dominated the global box office this year.
1. Zootopia 2
Global Gross: $1.14 Billion
Returning to the bustling metropolis of Zootopia, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves tracking a mysterious reptile that threatens to upend the city’s harmony. This sequel capitalized on nearly a decade of anticipation, utilizing a massive expansion of the “world” to bring in multi-generational audiences. Its record-breaking run in China and Europe propelled it past the billion-dollar mark in just 17 days.
2. Lilo & Stitch
Global Gross: $1.04 Billion
This live-action reimagining of the 2002 cult classic follows a lonely Hawaiian girl who forms a bond with a destructive extraterrestrial creature. Disney proved that nostalgia is still the ultimate currency; by leaning into “island vibes” and high-quality VFX for Stitch, the film became the first live-action/CGI hybrid to ever cross $1 billion globally.
3. A Minecraft Movie
Global Gross: $958 Million
Four misfits are sucked through a portal into a cubic world where they must master the laws of “the Overworld” to find their way home. Despite skepticism from older critics, the sheer scale of the Minecraft brand drove millions of children and gamers to theaters. It shattered the record for the highest-grossing opening weekend for a video game adaptation, just narrowly missing the billion-dollar milestone.
4. Jurassic World Rebirth
Global Gross: $869 Million
Set five years after Dominion, this soft reboot stars Scarlett Johansson as a covert operations expert leading a team to secure DNA samples from the world’s most dangerous prehistoric giants. Directed by Gareth Edwards, the film’s back-to-basics thriller approach resonated with fans who felt the series had become too sci-fi heavy, leading to a massive summer run.
5. How to Train Your Dragon
Global Gross: $636 Million
The beloved Viking-and-dragon bond was brought to life in this live-action remake of the animated masterpiece. Universal’s strategy was clear: leverage the visual spectacle of dragon-flight in IMAX. The emotional weight of the story ensured that the film had “long legs,” staying in the top five for nearly two months.
6. F1
Global Gross: $631 Million
Brad Pitt starred as a veteran driver coming out of retirement to mentor a young prodigy on the Formula One circuit. Shot during actual Grand Prix weekends, the film’s hyper-realistic racing sequences turned it into a global event. It performed exceptionally well in international markets where F1 is a major sport, making it the highest-grossing racing film of all time.
7. Superman
Global Gross: $617 Million
James Gunn’s highly anticipated reboot followed a younger Clark Kent as he reconciled his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. Eschewing the dark tone of previous iterations for a brighter, more optimistic hero, the film successfully restarted the DC Universe, finding its strongest support in North America.
8. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Global Gross: $599 Million
Ethan Hunt faced his ultimate challenge in a high-stakes race against a rogue AI known as “The Entity.” While it faced stiff competition from family films, Tom Cruise’s insistence on practical stunts and a massive IMAX presence ensured that the IMF’s final outing was a significant financial success.
9. The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Global Gross: $522 Million
Set in a retro-futuristic 1960s, Marvel’s First Family finally made their MCU debut. The stylish, period-piece aesthetic helped it stand out from typical superhero fare, allowing it to recapture the event feel that many Marvel fans had been craving.
10. The Conjuring: Last Rites
Global Gross: $495 Million
Ed and Lorraine Warren returned for one final case involving a sinister presence in a secluded estate. Horror remains one of the most profitable genres in Hollywood; with a relatively low production budget, this final chapter in the main Conjuring timeline became one of the most profitable films of the year.
