动画电影正从儿童细分市场转变为票房主力：其在美国和加拿大电影市场中的份额已从1995年的2.8%升至2024年的23.9%，增至原来的约8.5倍。2026年可能成为该类型迄今最强劲的一年，因为《超级马力欧银河大电影》和《玩具总动员5》都预计票房将超过10亿美元，而《Goat》自2月上映以来已收获1.3亿美元，成为今年迄今票房第二高的电影。

票房上限也已迅速抬升：2024年的《头脑特工队2》以17亿美元成为当时史上票房最高的动画片，但在2025年初被《哪吒2》反超，后者现已超过20亿美元，而跨过20亿美元门槛的电影此前只有另外6部。《疯狂动物城2》于11月上映，已拿下19亿美元，显示动画片如今能够与全球最大片种正面竞争。

这一增长反映了三种统计性优势：题材具有广泛吸引力、跨文化传播力强，以及发行时机更精准。发行策略尤其明显，顶级美国电影公司直接上线流媒体的动画片比例已从2022年的44%降至2025年的8%，说明院线窗口正被重新视为家庭观影的高价值选择，而《玩具总动员》31年后的怀旧拉力也帮助扩大了成年观众群。

Animated films have shifted from a children’s niche to a box-office force: their share of the film market in America and Canada rose from 2.8% in 1995 to 23.9% in 2024, an increase of about 8.5 times. 2026 may become the genre’s strongest year yet, with both “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Toy Story 5” expected to top $1bn, while “Goat” has made $130m since its February release and ranks as the second-highest-grossing film of the year so far.

The revenue ceiling has also risen fast: 2024’s “Inside Out 2” became the highest-grossing animated film ever at $1.7bn, but it was overtaken in early 2025 by “Ne Zha 2”, which has now earned more than $2bn, a level previously reached by only six other films. “Zootopia 2”, released in November, has already made $1.9bn, suggesting that animation can now compete directly with the biggest global blockbusters.

That growth reflects three measurable advantages: broad thematic appeal, strong cross-border portability, and sharper release timing. The timing shift is especially clear, as the share of animated films from top American studios going straight to streaming fell from 44% in 2022 to 8% in 2025, showing that theatrical windows are again being treated as a high-value family option, while nostalgia such as “Toy Story” returning 31 years later helps widen the adult audience.

Source: Triumph of the toons: how animation came to rule the box office

Subtitle: This may be the genre’s most successful year yet

Dateline: 3月 05, 2026 04:15 上午