#1 of 6 #1 animation movie of December 2008
2008 · Adventure, Fantasy
$87M worldwide · 81% of the chart's total
$50.9M US & Canada · 59% $36.1M elsewhere · 41%
Animation box office · December 2008
Animation Box Office, December 2008: Top-Grossing Releases
The Tale of Despereaux (2008) is the highest-grossing animation movie released in December 2008, with $87M worldwide, ahead of Waltz with Bashir (2008) at $11.2M and Tamagotchi: Happiest Story in the Universe! (2008) at $5.7M. 6 animation films released in December 2008 report a worldwide gross, $107.7M in all, 50% of it from the US & Canada. By language, English leads with $87.7M across 3 animation releases.
- December 2008 releases with a gross
- 6
- combined worldwide
- $107.7M
- The Tale of Despereaux (2008), the #1
- $87M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 50%
#1 of 6 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Animation Hits of December 2008?
The Tale of Despereaux (2008) leads with $87M, 81% of the total. The top 5 together took $107.7M, almost all of what the 6 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Animation Release of December 2008, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in December 2008.
- 1 Dec 19, 2008 US and Canada: $50.9M Rest of the world: $36.1M Worldwide: $87M
- 2 Dec 25, 2008 US and Canada: $2.3M Rest of the world: $8.9M Worldwide: $11.2M
- 3 Tamagotchi: Happiest Story in the Universe! (2008)Dec 20, 2008 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.7M
Dec 20, 2008 · Japanese · Comedy, Fantasy, Animation $5.7M worldwide - 4 Spooky Kitaro: Japan Explodes!! (2008)Dec 20, 2008 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.2M Dec 20, 2008 · Japanese · Fantasy, Animation, Action $3.2M worldwide
- 5 Dec 12, 2008 US and Canada: $694.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $694.8K
- 6
Unstable Fables: Goldilocks and the Three Bears (2008)Dec 16, 2008 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $10.1K
Dec 16, 2008 · English · Animation, Family, Comedy $10.1K worldwide
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 2008?
Of the top 6, Delgo (2008) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Waltz with Bashir (2008) made 80% of its gross abroad. Across all 6 films, $53.9M (50%) came from the US & Canada. 3 films of the top 6 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Tale of Despereaux (2008) $87M $50.9M US & Canada · 59% $36.1M elsewhere · 41%
- 2 Waltz with Bashir (2008) $11.2M $2.3M US & Canada · 20% $8.9M elsewhere · 80%
- 3 Tamagotchi: Happiest Story in the Universe! (2008) $5.7M No US & Canada figure reported
- 4 Spooky Kitaro: Japan Explodes!! (2008) $3.2M No US & Canada figure reported
- 5 Delgo (2008) $694.8K $694.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Unstable Fables: Goldilocks and the Three Bears (2008) $10.1K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of December 2008 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 14–20) took $95.8M, led by The Tale of Despereaux (2008). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 30–Dec 6 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 7–13 Delgo (2008) $694.8K Delgo (2008)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 14–20 The Tale of Despereaux (2008) $95.8M The Tale of Despereaux (2008)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 21–27 Waltz with Bashir (2008) $11.2M Waltz with Bashir (2008)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 28–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 2008 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 2007 earned the most: $421.7M from 10 films, led by Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007). December 2008 took $107.7M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1999 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 2000 3 films | 3 | $170.1M | – | The Emperor's New Groove (2000) $169.7M |
| December 2001 7 films · −31% | 7 | $117.2M | −31% | Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001) $103M |
| December 2002 3 films · −41% | 3 | $69M | −41% | The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002) $60.7M |
| December 2003 4 films · −84% | 4 | $10.9M | −84% | Inuyasha the Movie 3: Swords of an Honorable Ruler (2003) $6.7M |
| December 2004 4 films · −40% | 4 | $6.5M | −40% | Inuyasha the Movie 4: Fire on the Mystic Island (2004) $6.1M |
| December 2005 3 films · +1863% | 3 | $128.4M | +1863% | Hoodwinked! (2005) $110M |
| December 2006 1 film · −100% | 1 | $506.4K | −100% | Desmond & the Swamp Barbarian Trap (2006) $506.4K |
| December 2007 10 films · +83171% | 10 | $421.7M | +83171% | Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) $365.4M |
| December 2008 6 films · −74% | 6 | $107.7M | −74% | The Tale of Despereaux (2008) $87M |
Archive
Animation Box Office in 2008, Month by Month
The months of 2008 with their totals: June leads with $1.2B, led by Kung Fu Panda (2008).
- January $14.2M #1 The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie (2008)
- February $17.1M #1 Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2008)
- March $307.2M #1 Horton Hears a Who! (2008)
- April $24.8M #1 Detective Conan: Full Score of Fear (2008)
- May $957.9K #1 Calabash Brothers (2008)
- June $1.2B #1 Kung Fu Panda (2008)
- July $124.2M #1 Space Chimps (2008)
- August $123.8M #1 Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
- September $55.7M #1 Igor (2008)
- October $3.4M #1 Roadside Romeo (2008)
- November $913.9M #1 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)
- December $107.7M #1 The Tale of Despereaux (2008)
FAQ
Animation Box Office December 2008: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 6 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing animation movie in December 2008?
The Tale of Despereaux (2008) leads with $87M worldwide, $50.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Waltz with Bashir (2008) at $11.2M and Tamagotchi: Happiest Story in the Universe! (2008) at $5.7M.
How much did animation movies released in December 2008 earn?
6 animation films released in December 2008 report a worldwide gross, $107.7M in all, or $18M per film on average.
How many animation movies released in December 2008 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Tale of Despereaux (2008), earned $87M.
How is the December 2008 animation box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in December 2008. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact.
How often is the December 2008 animation box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.