Making money is not the only reason to release a movie. Timothée Chalamet currently stars in the sports drama Marty Supreme, about an American ping pong player who strives to become the greatest in the world. The movie is doing pretty well for itself at the box office, breaking records for A24, but it’s not anywhere close to landing the top spot. That would probably hurt a lot of movie’s egos, as putting butts in seats is the name of the game. However, Marty Supreme has other goals in mind, including winning a few trophies at the Academy Awards in March. Chalamet, in particular, has been vocal about his aspirations, wanting to be considered one of the best to ever do it.
But the reality is that most movies know that they aren’t cut out for the awards circuit. They know they’re better off making as much as they can in theaters before calling it quits. Thankfully, last year was kind to the films that broke through. Here are the 10 highest-grossing movies of 2025, re-ranked by how good they are.
10) A Minecraft Movie
A Minecraft Movie was a cultural phenomenon during its theatrical run, with adults and children alike wanting to learn more about the legendary Chicken Jockey. All the publicity helped the movie rake in $958 million at the box office, good for fourth place. However, no amount of cash could make up for the film’s faults. At the end of the day, A Minecraft Movie‘s story is hollow and full of more Easter eggs than worthwhile moments.
9) Lilo & Stitch
Disney live-action remakes are incredibly volatile. At the beginning of 2025, Snow White bombed hard, only grossing just over $200 million. Lilo & Stitch didn’t suffer the same fate, bringing in a whopping $1 billion. Unfortunately, while the movie tried to recapture the magic of the original, it failed in a spectacular way, even making a controversial change to the ending that still has people talking.
8) Jurassic World: Rebirth
The summer blockbuster season doesn’t feel right without a Jurassic World movie. After all, dinosaurs and hot weather just go together. Jurassic World: Rebirth proved that once again by becoming one of 2025’s biggest success stories, grossing $869 million worldwide. Of course, the first three Jurassic World movies aren’t critical darlings, and the fourth follows in its predecessors’ footsteps, having its moments but overall being a bit of a drag.
7) How to Train Your Dragon
Universal Pictures decided it was going to get into the live-action remake game in 2025 by having its beloved How to Train Your Dragon series make the leap between mediums. Surprisingly, it worked out well for everyone, with the movie taking home $636 million. What’s even more shocking is that the remake isn’t half bad. The only thing holding it back is that the animated version did everything first.
6) Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
Rarely does an anime movie end up on a list like this. However, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, which grossed $718 million in 2025, beats the odds by being the beginning of the end of one of the most popular series of all time. Infinity Castle is arguably the most action-packed movie of last year, featuring Tanjiro and the rest of the Demon Slayers facing off against countless evil monsters. The movie’s story isn’t much to write home about, but that’s not the end of the world.
5) Avatar: Fire and Ash
When it’s all said and done, Avatar: Fire and Ash will likely be the most successful movie to release in 2025. Since it came out in December, it only had time to make $794 million before the year came to a close. Fire and Ash still qualifies for this list, though, and that’s a good thing because it’s some of James Cameron’s finest work. While it rehashes much of Avatar: The Way of Water‘s story, the visuals and standout performances are worth the price of admission.
4) Zootopia 2
Waiting ten years to release a sequel to an animated movie can be a death sentence, since so many of the kids who watched the originals have grown up. Zootopia 2 still found its audience, grossing $1.4 billion in 2025, which puts it firmly in the number two spot. This time around, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde have to clear their names after being framed for a crime they didn’t commit. The more serious tone works well for Zootopia 2, but the heart that made the first one so memorable is also still beating.
3) Superman
James Gunn had the difficult task of rebooting the DC Universe on the big screen in 2025. To make life easier for himself, he came out of the gates swinging by handing the spotlight to the franchise’s most important character, Superman. The Man of Steel’s solo movie grossed $616 million worldwide, breaking numerous records along the way. What’s so unique about Superman is that it allows its titular hero to be vulnerable and learn not to worry so much about what people think about him.
2) Ne Zha 2
A movie doesn’t take home $2 billion by accident. Ne Zha 2 is a sequel to the 2016 film Ne Zha, which focuses on the Chinese mythological character of the same name. However, the sequel outdoes the original in just about every way, especially in the special effects department. But the only thing people seem to want to talk about after finishing up Ne Zha 2 is the emotional beats, of which there are many.
1) F1: The Movie
F1: The Movie barely earned its spot on this list, only outgrossing the 11th movie by roughly $32 million. How it got here doesn’t matter, though, because it showed up and took the prize for itself. As the movie’s title suggests, it’s about the Formula 1 racing circuit, which recruits the world’s finest racers. A former prodigy has to teach an up-and-comer all he knows and hope that, together, they can save their jobs. While F1‘s story sounds familiar, the way it’s delivered is not, with the performances and racing action coming together to create one of the best sports movies in recent memory.
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