#1 of 361 Highest-grossing musical movie ever
2019 · Adventure, Drama
$1.7B worldwide
$543.6M US & Canada · 33% $1.1B elsewhere · 67%
Musical box office
Musical Box Office: Highest-Grossing Musical Movies of All Time & 2026 So Far
The Lion King (2019) is the highest-grossing musical movie in our database, with $1.7B worldwide, ahead of Frozen II (2019) ($1.5B) and Beauty and the Beast (2017) ($1.3B). 361 musical films report a worldwide gross, $27.8B in all, 47% of it from the US & Canada. 5 films crossed $1 billion and 56 crossed $100 million. In 2026 so far, Hadestown: The Musical (2026) leads with $23.7M; 4 releases took $28.4M, down 78% on the same days of 2025 ($127.1M).
- musical films with a gross
- 361
- combined worldwide, all time
- $27.8B
- from 2026 releases so far
- $28.4M
- vs the same days of 2025
- −78%
#1 of 361 All-time records
What Are the 10 Highest-Grossing Musical Movies Ever?
The Lion King (2019) leads with $1.7B, $208.3M ahead of Frozen II (2019). The top 10 took $10.6B together, 38% of what all 361 films earned. 8 of them came out in 2016 or later.
- 1 Jul 19, 2019 US and Canada: $543.6M Rest of the world: $1.1B Worldwide: $1.7B
- 2
Nov 22, 2019 US and Canada: $477.4M Rest of the world: $976.3M Worldwide: $1.5B - 3
Mar 17, 2017 US and Canada: $504.5M Rest of the world: $761.6M Worldwide: $1.3B - 4
Nov 27, 2024 US and Canada: $460.4M Rest of the world: $598.8M Worldwide: $1.1B - 5
May 24, 2019 US and Canada: $355.6M Rest of the world: $698.7M Worldwide: $1.1B - 6
Jun 15, 1994 US and Canada: $425M Rest of the world: $554.2M Worldwide: $979.2M - 7
Apr 15, 2016 US and Canada: $364M Rest of the world: $603.7M Worldwide: $967.7M - 8
Nov 22, 2024 US and Canada: $475M Rest of the world: $289M Worldwide: $764M - 9
Dec 20, 2024 US and Canada: $254.6M Rest of the world: $468.1M Worldwide: $722.6M - 10
Jul 18, 2008 US and Canada: $144.3M Rest of the world: $558.9M Worldwide: $703.2M
2026 so far
What Are the Biggest Musical Hits of 2026 So Far?
Hadestown: The Musical (2026) leads with $23.7M, 83% of the total. The top 4 together took $28.4M, almost all of what the 4 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
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Number 1 -
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
By release month
Which Month of 2026 Was Best for Musical Movies?
July releases took the most, $23.7M from 1 film, led by Hadestown: The Musical (2026). June was the quietest month ($8.1K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May Power Ballad (2026) $4.7M Power Ballad (2026)
- June Jun The Wave (2026) $8.1K The Wave (2026)
- July Jul Hadestown: The Musical (2026) $23.7M Hadestown: The Musical (2026)
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – so far No reported grosses
Biggest years
Which Years Had the Highest-Grossing Musical Movies?
2019 releases earned the most: $4.8B from 16 films, led by The Lion King (2019). The 10 biggest years, each linking to its chart.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 16 films | 16 | $4.8B | The Lion King (2019) $1.7B |
| 2024 14 films | 14 | $2.9B | Moana 2 (2024) $1.1B |
| 2016 15 films | 15 | $2.6B | The Jungle Book (2016) $967.7M |
| 2017 8 films | 8 | $1.9B | Beauty and the Beast (2017) $1.3B |
| 2018 13 films | 13 | $1.6B | The Grinch (2018) $539.3M |
| 2023 15 films | 15 | $1.6B | Wonka (2023) $634.5M |
| 2008 6 films | 6 | $986.7M | Mamma Mia! (2008) $703.2M |
| 1994 2 films | 2 | $979.4M | The Lion King (1994) $979.2M |
| 2007 8 films | 8 | $839.8M | Enchanted (2007) $340.5M |
| 2025 8 films | 8 | $816.9M | Wicked: For Good (2025) $540.8M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Musical Movies Speak?
English-language musical films took $26.1B across 291 films, 94% of the total, ahead of Hungarian-language musical films ($634.3M) and Hindi-language musical films ($174.4M).
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English $26.1B291 films · #1 The Lion King (2019) -
Hungarian $634.3M1 film · #1 Sing (2016) -
Hindi $174.4M13 films · #1 Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016) -
French $48.1M9 films · #1 8 Women (2002) -
German $23.7M3 films · #1 Pina (2011) -
Spanish $16.4M8 films · #1 The Other Side of the Bed (2003) -
Chinese $8.3M1 film · #1 Office (2015) -
Japanese $3.3M3 films · #1 Camp (2003) -
Tagalog $310K1 film · #1 I Do Bidoo Bidoo: Heto nApo sila! (2012)
Archive
Musical Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1929 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $4.8B, led by The Lion King (2019).
2020s 7 years · $5.7B
2010s 10 years · $12.9B
- 2019 $4.8B #1 The Lion King (2019)
- 2018 $1.6B #1 The Grinch (2018)
- 2017 $1.9B #1 Beauty and the Beast (2017)
- 2016 $2.6B #1 The Jungle Book (2016)
- 2015 $69.5M #1 Ricki and the Flash (2015)
- 2014 $528.5M #1 Into the Woods (2014)
- 2013 $60.6M #1 The Sapphires (2013)
- 2012 $534.8M #1 Les Miserables (2012)
- 2011 $82.6M #1 Footloose (2011)
- 2010 $688.7M #1 Tangled (2010)
2000s 10 years · $3.2B
- 2009 $402.2M #1 The Princess and the Frog (2009)
- 2008 $986.7M #1 Mamma Mia! (2008)
- 2007 $839.8M #1 Enchanted (2007)
- 2006 $217.5M #1 Dreamgirls (2006)
- 2005 $99.8M #1 The Producers (2005)
- 2004 $41.4M #1 De-Lovely (2004)
- 2003 $210.1M #1 The Jungle Book 2 (2003)
- 2002 $121.5M #1 8 Women (2002)
- 2001 $188.9M #1 Moulin Rouge! (2001)
- 2000 $68M #1 Dancer in the Dark (2000)
1990s 10 years · $3.1B
- 1999 $95.1M #1 South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)
- 1998 $359.5M #1 The Prince of Egypt (1998)
- 1997 $143.4M #1 Anastasia (1997)
- 1996 $548.6M #1 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
- 1995 $381.4M #1 Pocahontas (1995)
- 1994 $979.4M #1 The Lion King (1994)
- 1993 $143.5M #1 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- 1992 $2.8M #1 Newsies (1992)
- 1991 $451.3M #1 Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- 1990 $28.6M #1 Jetsons: The Movie (1990)
1980s 10 years · $844M
- 1989 $3.9M #1 Earth Girls Are Easy (1989)
- 1988 $88.7M #1 Oliver & Company (1988)
- 1987 $31.7M #1 Ishtar (1987)
- 1986 $194.9M #1 An American Tail (1986)
- 1985 $46.2M #1 The Care Bears Movie (1985)
- 1984 $151.1M #1 Purple Rain (1984)
- 1983 $15.6M #1 The Meaning of Life (1983)
- 1982 $209.6M #1 The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)
- 1981 $31.2M #1 The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
- 1980 $71M #1 Popeye (1980)
1970s 8 years · $809.3M
- 1979 $119.6M #1 The Muppet Movie (1979)
- 1978 $437.7M #1 Grease (1978)
- 1977 $56M #1 Pete's Dragon (1977)
- 1976 $7.8M #1 That's Entertainment, Part II (1976)
- 1975 $150.1M #1 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
- 1974 $26.9M #1 That's Entertainment! (1974)
- 1972 $83.3K #1 Cabaret (1972)
- 1971 $11.1M #1 Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
1960s 7 years · $631.5M
1950s 9 years · $266.2M
- 1959 $51.6M #1 Sleeping Beauty (1959)
- 1957 $2.2K #1 Funny Face (1957)
- 1956 $21.3M #1 The King and I (1956)
- 1955 $4.2K #1 Guys and Dolls (1955)
- 1954 $7.3M #1 A Star Is Born (1954)
- 1953 $87.4M #1 Peter Pan (1953)
- 1952 $2.1M #1 Singin' in the Rain (1952)
- 1951 $1.2K #1 Alice in Wonderland (1951)
- 1950 $96.4M #1 Cinderella (1950)
1940s 7 years · $159.5M
1930s 8 years · $210.9M
1920s 1 year · $270
Other genres
Compare Musical With Another Genre
Musical has 361 films with a gross and $27.8B in all; each of these 20 genres has the same all-time and yearly charts to compare with.
FAQ
Musical Box Office: Questions & Answers
The Musical charts in short: the all-time #1, 2026's leader, the billion-dollar hits and the biggest year, answered from the same 361 films as the charts.
What is the highest-grossing musical movie of all time?
The Lion King (2019) leads with $1.7B worldwide, $543.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Frozen II (2019) ($1.5B) and Beauty and the Beast (2017) ($1.3B).
All-time chart What is the highest-grossing musical movie of 2026 so far?
Hadestown: The Musical (2026) leads 2026 with $23.7M worldwide, 83% of the $28.4M that its 4 releases report. Films of this year are still earning, so the order can change.
2026 chart How much have musical movies earned at the box office?
361 musical films report a worldwide gross, $27.8B in all, or $77.1M per film on average. $13B (47%) came from the US & Canada.
How many musical movies have made $1 billion?
5 films crossed $1 billion worldwide, among them The Lion King (2019), Frozen II (2019), Beauty and the Beast (2017), Moana 2 (2024) and Aladdin (2019). 56 crossed $100 million.
Which year was the biggest for musical movies?
2019 releases earned the most: $4.8B from 16 films, led by The Lion King (2019).
2019 chart How are musical box office numbers counted?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films, is left out rather than shown as a fact, and so are records that list seven or more genres.