Best Animated Movies (Not made by the big 3)
by vrockmccarty | created - 12 Jun 2021 | updated - 2 weeks ago | PublicOur favorite animated movies. (Not made by Disney, Pixar, or Dreamworks)
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1. Despicable Me (2010)
PG | 95 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Gru, a criminal mastermind, adopts three orphans as pawns to carry out the biggest heist in history. His life takes an unexpected turn when the little girls see the evildoer as their potential father.
Directors: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud | Stars: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews
Votes: 584,584 | Gross: $251.51M
2. Robots (2005)
PG | 91 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
In a robot world, a young idealistic inventor travels to the big city to join his inspiration's company, only to find himself opposing its sinister new management.
Directors: Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha | Stars: Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Mel Brooks, Robin Williams
Votes: 162,028 | Gross: $128.20M
3. The Lorax (2012)
PG | 86 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
Directors: Chris Renaud, Kyle Balda | Stars: Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Danny DeVito, Ed Helms
Votes: 129,932 | Gross: $214.03M
4. Anastasia (1997)
G | 94 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
The last surviving child of the Russian Royal Family joins two con men to reunite with her grandmother, the Dowager Empress, while the undead Rasputin seeks her death.
Directors: Don Bluth, Gary Goldman | Stars: Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd, Kelsey Grammer
Votes: 136,109 | Gross: $58.41M
5. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
PG | 90 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A local scientist is often regarded as a failure until he invents a machine that can make food fall from the sky. But little does he know that things are about to take a turn for the worst.
Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller | Stars: Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Bruce Campbell, James Caan
Votes: 258,096 | Gross: $124.87M
6. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013)
PG | 95 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Flint Lockwood now works at The Live Corp Company for his idol Chester V. But he's forced to leave his post when he learns that his most infamous machine is still operational, and is churning out menacing food-animal hybrids.
Directors: Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn | Stars: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Will Forte, Neil Patrick Harris
Votes: 114,791 | Gross: $119.79M
7. Despicable Me 3 (2017)
PG | 89 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Gru meets his long-lost, charming, cheerful, and more successful twin brother Dru, who wants to team up with him for one last criminal heist.
Directors: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin, Eric Guillon | Stars: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Trey Parker, Miranda Cosgrove
Votes: 154,527 | Gross: $264.62M
8. Despicable Me 2 (2013)
PG | 98 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
When Gru, the world's most super-bad turned super-dad has been recruited by a team of officials to stop lethal muscle and a host of Gru's own, he has to fight back with new gadgetry, cars, and more minion madness.
Directors: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud | Stars: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove
Votes: 426,285 | Gross: $368.06M
9. The Book of Life (2014)
PG | 95 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart, embarks on an adventure that spans three fantastic worlds where he must face his greatest fears.
Director: Jorge R. Gutiérrez | Stars: Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum, Ron Perlman
Votes: 78,051 | Gross: $50.15M
10. The Iron Giant (1999)
PG | 86 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A young boy befriends a giant robot from outer space that a paranoid government agent wants to destroy.
Director: Brad Bird | Stars: Eli Marienthal, Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Aniston, Vin Diesel
Votes: 227,638 | Gross: $23.16M
11. The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
PG | 114 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A quirky, dysfunctional family's road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity's unlikeliest last hope.
Directors: Michael Rianda, Jeff Rowe | Stars: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Michael Rianda
Votes: 126,914
12. Invader ZIM: Enter the Florpus (2019 TV Movie)
TV-Y7-FV | 71 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
ZIM discovers his almighty leaders never had any intention of coming to Earth and he loses confidence in himself for the first time in his life, which is the big break his human nemesis, Dib has been waiting for.
Directors: Hae Young Jung, Young Kyun Park, Jhonen Vasquez | Stars: Richard Steven Horvitz, Rikki Simons, Andy Berman, Melissa Fahn
Votes: 6,507
13. Horton Hears a Who! (2008)
G | 86 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Horton the Elephant struggles to protect a microscopic community from his neighbors who refuse to believe it exists.
Directors: Jimmy Hayward, Steve Martino | Stars: Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol Burnett, Will Arnett
Votes: 150,310 | Gross: $154.53M
14. Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
PG | 101 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A young boy named Kubo must locate a magical suit of armour worn by his late father in order to defeat a vengeful spirit from the past.
Director: Travis Knight | Stars: Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson, Matthew McConaughey, Ralph Fiennes
Votes: 138,456 | Gross: $48.02M
15. Wish Dragon (2021)
PG | 98 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Determined teen Din is longing to reconnect with his childhood best friend when he meets a wish-granting dragon who shows him the magic of possibilities.
Director: Chris Appelhans | Stars: Jimmy Wong, John Cho, Constance Wu, Natasha Liu Bordizzo
Votes: 33,512
16. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)
PG | 87 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
SpongeBob takes leave from Bikini Bottom in order to track down, with Patrick, King Neptune's stolen crown.
Directors: Stephen Hillenburg, Mark Osborne | Stars: Tom Kenny, Jeffrey Tambor, Rodger Bumpass, Carolyn Lawrence
Votes: 102,140 | Gross: $85.42M
17. Rio (2011)
G | 96 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
When Blu, a domesticated macaw from small-town Minnesota, meets the fiercely independent Jewel, he takes off on an adventure to Rio de Janeiro with the bird of his dreams.
Director: Carlos Saldanha | Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, Karen Disher
Votes: 248,685 | Gross: $143.62M
18. Ferdinand (2017)
PG | 108 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
After Ferdinand, a bull with a big heart, is mistaken for a dangerous beast, he is captured and torn from his home. Determined to return to his family, he rallies a misfit team on the ultimate adventure.
Director: Carlos Saldanha | Stars: John Cena, Kate McKinnon, Bobby Cannavale, Jack Gore
Votes: 63,670 | Gross: $84.41M
19. The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022)
PG-13 | 102 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
When a sinkhole in front of Bob's Burgers threatens the Belchers' plans for a successful summer, Bob and Linda try to keep their business going, while the kids attempt to save the restaurant by solving a mystery.
Directors: Loren Bouchard, Bernard Derriman | Stars: H. Jon Benjamin, Kristen Schaal, Dan Mintz, John Roberts
Votes: 21,408
20. Epic (2013)
PG | 102 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A teenager finds herself transported to a deep forest setting where a battle between the forces of good and evil is taking place. She bands together with a ragtag group of characters to save their world--and ours.
Director: Chris Wedge | Stars: Amanda Seyfried, Josh Hutcherson, Beyoncé, Colin Farrell
Votes: 109,926 | Gross: $107.52M
21. Free Birds (2013)
PG | 91 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A pair of turkeys discover a time machine and decide to use it to travel to the first Thanksgiving, to take turkeys off the menu forever.
Director: Jimmy Hayward | Stars: Woody Harrelson, Owen Wilson, Dan Fogler, Amy Poehler
Votes: 26,014 | Gross: $55.75M
22. The Simpsons Movie (2007)
PG-13 | 87 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
After Homer pollutes the town's water supply, Springfield is encased in a gigantic dome by the EPA and the Simpsons are declared fugitives.
Director: David Silverman | Stars: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith
Votes: 349,961 | Gross: $183.14M
23. Osmosis Jones (2001)
PG | 95 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A policeman white blood cell, with the help of a cold pill, must stop a deadly virus from destroying the human they live in, Frank.
Directors: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly | Stars: Laurence Fishburne, Chris Rock, David Hyde Pierce, Brandy Norwood
Votes: 38,775 | Gross: $13.60M
24. Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001)
G | 82 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
An eight-year-old boy genius and his friends must rescue their parents after the adults are abducted by aliens.
Director: John A. Davis | Stars: Debi Derryberry, Rob Paulsen, Megan Cavanagh, Mark DeCarlo
Votes: 38,046 | Gross: $80.94M
25. Leo (I) (2023)
PG | 102 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A 74-year-old lizard named Leo and his turtle friend decide to escape from the terrarium of a Florida school classroom where they have been living for decades.
Directors: Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel, David Wachtenheim | Stars: Adam Sandler, Bill Burr, Cecily Strong, Jason Alexander
Votes: 34,864
26. Luck (I) (2022)
G | 105 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The curtain is pulled back on the millennia-old battle between the organizations of good luck and bad luck that secretly affects everyday lives.
Directors: Peggy Holmes, Javier Abad | Stars: Eva Noblezada, Simon Pegg, Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg
Votes: 29,251
27. The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019)
PG | 86 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Continuing the story of Max and his pet friends, following their secret lives after their owners leave them for work or school each day.
Directors: Chris Renaud, Jonathan del Val | Stars: Patton Oswalt, Kevin Hart, Harrison Ford, Eric Stonestreet
Votes: 68,950 | Gross: $158.87M
28. Sing (2016)
PG | 108 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
In a city of humanoid animals, a hustling theater impresario's attempt to save his theater with a singing competition becomes grander than he anticipates even as its finalists find that their lives will never be the same.
Directors: Garth Jennings, Christophe Lourdelet | Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson
Votes: 191,341 | Gross: $270.40M
29. The Peanuts Movie (2015)
G | 88 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Snoopy embarks upon his greatest mission as he and his team take to the skies to pursue their archnemesis, while his best pal Charlie Brown begins his own epic quest back home to win the love of his life.
Director: Steve Martino | Stars: Noah Schnapp, Bill Melendez, Hadley Belle Miller, Francesca Capaldi
Votes: 49,841 | Gross: $130.18M
30. Migration (I) (2023)
PG | 83 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A family of ducks try to convince their overprotective father to go on the vacation of a lifetime.
Directors: Benjamin Renner, Guylo Homsy | Stars: Kumail Nanjiani, Tresi Gazal, Elizabeth Banks, Caspar Jennings
Votes: 24,672
31. Curious George (2006)
G | 87 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The Man in the Yellow Hat is an oddball museum employee who looks after his pet monkey, an inquisitive and wonderful creature whose enthusiasm often gets the best of him.
Director: Matthew O'Callaghan | Stars: Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore, Eugene Levy, Frank Welker
Votes: 18,127 | Gross: $58.64M
32. Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)
G | 84 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Separated by a garden fence and a feud, are blue gnomes on one side and red gnomes on the other. This doesn't stop blue Gnomeo and red Juliet from falling in love with each other. Do they have a future together?
Director: Kelly Asbury | Stars: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Maggie Smith, Ashley Jensen
Votes: 59,696 | Gross: $99.97M
33. An American Tail (1986)
G | 80 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
While emigrating to the United States, a young Russian mouse gets separated from his family and must locate them while trying to survive in a new country.
Director: Don Bluth | Stars: Dom DeLuise, Christopher Plummer, Erica Yohn, Nehemiah Persoff
Votes: 58,094 | Gross: $47.48M
34. Happy Feet (2006)
PG | 108 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Into the world of the Emperor Penguins, who find their soul mates through song, a penguin is born who cannot sing. But he can tap dance something fierce!
Directors: George Miller, Warren Coleman, Judy Morris | Stars: Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Robin Williams
Votes: 200,086 | Gross: $198.00M
35. Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)
PG | 87 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The untold story of one twelve-year-old's dream to become the world's greatest supervillain.
Directors: Kyle Balda, Brad Ableson, Jonathan del Val | Stars: Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Alan Arkin, Taraji P. Henson
Votes: 85,588 | Gross: $369.70M
36. Minions (2015)
PG | 91 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Minions Stuart, Kevin, and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a supervillain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world.
Directors: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin | Stars: Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Pierre Coffin
Votes: 259,870 | Gross: $336.05M
37. Open Season (2006)
PG | 86 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Boog, a domesticated 900lb. Grizzly bear, finds himself stranded in the woods 3 days before Open Season. Forced to rely on Elliot, a fast-talking mule deer, the two form an unlikely friendship and must quickly rally other forest animals if they are to form a rag-tag army against the hunters.
Directors: Roger Allers, Jill Culton, Anthony Stacchi | Stars: Ashton Kutcher, Martin Lawrence, Debra Messing, Gary Sinise
Votes: 105,761 | Gross: $85.11M
38. Planet 51 (2009)
PG | 91 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
An alien civilization is invaded by Astronaut Chuck Baker, who believes that the planet was uninhabited. Wanted by the military, Baker must get back to his ship before it goes into orbit without him.
Directors: Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad, Marcos Martínez | Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Jessica Biel, Justin Long
Votes: 58,618 | Gross: $42.09M
39. Quest for Camelot (1998)
G | 86 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
An adventurous girl, a young blind hermit, and a goofy two-headed dragon race to find the lost sword Excalibur to save King Arthur and Camelot from disaster.
Director: Frederik Du Chau | Stars: Jessalyn Gilsig, Cary Elwes, Andrea Corr, Bryan White
Votes: 18,078 | Gross: $22.72M
40. Storks (2016)
PG | 87 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Storks have moved on from delivering babies to packages. But when an order for a baby appears, the best delivery stork must scramble to fix the error by delivering the baby.
Directors: Nicholas Stoller, Doug Sweetland | Stars: Andy Samberg, Katie Crown, Kelsey Grammer, Jennifer Aniston
Votes: 67,435 | Gross: $72.68M
41. The Nut Job (I) (2014)
PG | 85 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
An incorrigibly self-serving exiled squirrel finds himself helping his former park brethren survive by raiding a nut store, a location that also happens to be a front for a human gang's bank robbery.
Director: Peter Lepeniotis | Stars: Will Arnett, Brendan Fraser, Liam Neeson, Katherine Heigl
Votes: 30,246 | Gross: $64.25M
42. The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
PG | 86 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The quiet life of a terrier named Max is upended when his owner takes in Duke, a stray whom Max instantly dislikes.
Director: Chris Renaud | Stars: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Lake Bell
Votes: 217,486 | Gross: $368.38M
43. Sing 2 (2021)
PG | 110 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Buster Moon and his friends must persuade reclusive rock star Clay Calloway to join them for the opening of a new show.
Directors: Garth Jennings, Christophe Lourdelet | Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Tori Kelly
Votes: 87,162 | Gross: $162.79M
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