Disney’s success in 2024 has been monumental when it comes to animated films, and I can’t help but feel like they may finally revisit one of their best films after a decade has already passed by. Disney has always had a presence in the animation space. Evidently, that is where they started, and while the initial growth was slow and steady, recent decades have seen the company advance from being a notable presence, to pretty much dominating the market.
With entirefranchises like the MCU, Star Wars, and plenty of other IPs under their belt, there are plenty of projects to keep the Disney cash flowing. But 2024 in particular saw their animated features racking up some impressive figures. And with both of the biggest hits, it was asequel to a property that Disney launched years earlier.
Earning More Than $2.5 Billion Combined
Moana 2earned just shy of a billion dollars (viaBox Office Mojo), andInside Out 2earned a whopping $1.7 billion (viaBox Office Mojo). But what’s interesting about both of these releases is the fact that the original movies earned between half and two thirds of the total figure that the sequels managed to pull in. And, on top of that, both of the original movies were released nearly 10 years earlier, which helps tohighlight the fact that these IPs have grown in popularitysince they were released.
$643,332,476
$992,125,307
$859,976,254
Inside Out 2 (2024)
$1,698,863,816
Applying thesame logic to other Disney animated films, especially with the Disney+ platform making these earlier releases so accessible, it makes sense whyDisney is retreading their greatest hits in order to attract more loyal fans. It also helps because the people who watched the original films likely shared the passion for these stories with younger viewers when the sequel is released, which means Disney ultimately has more people returning, and new fans growing up with these franchises.
Big Hero 6 Really Deserves A Sequel (Still)
It’s Been More Than A Decade Since Big Hero 6 Came Out
But if Disney could just put some of their live-action remakes to one side for a moment, there is one movie that’s just passed the 10-year anniversary that I would love to see revisited by the studio,Big Hero 6. In 2014, this inspiring and emotional film deliveredone of the most captivating and exciting stories in Disney animation, and it came on the heels of their acquisition of Marvel. Owning the rights to the Marvel Comics properties, Disney looked to some lesser known titles to work on outside the MCU, and thus,Big Hero 6was born.
The film isbased on Marvel Comics and follows a Japanese team of heroes, and thanks to some Disney magic, the animated style was the perfect way to take this beautiful story of loss and bravery, and make it accessible to everyone. And interestingly enough,Big Hero 6managed to pull in a little morethanMoanaat the box office two years earlier (viaBox Office Mojo), which means that when taking inflation into account, it actually exceededMoana’sbox office by tens of millions of dollars.
Disney’s 2024 Animation Success Proves A Big Hero 6 Sequel Could Succeed
2024 Proved What Disney Is Capable Of Doing With Animated Sequels
I understand that nothing is a guarantee, but looking at Disney’s track record for this past year, and seeing how well movies of about the same age, and in a similar bracket of earnings have done with sequels, I can’t help but think itmakes sense to bringBig Hero 6back for another round. But there is one slight issue that could cause the film to have slightly different results toMoanaandInside Out:Big Hero 6actually already has a sort of sequel. In 2017, an animated TV series that expanded on the events of the movie was released.
Big Hero 6 Producer Reveals The One Condition For A Sequel Getting Made
Exclusive: Big Hero 6 producer Roy Conli reveals his one condition for making a sequel to his 2014 hit animated Disney superhero movie.
Since then, the series was expanded to three seasons, and as great as that may be, it doesn’t beat getting a movie on the big screen. For characters like Baymax and Hiro Hamada, it’s worth doing the film big, because the visuals are absolutely stunning, and if 2024 proved anything, it’s that Disney can make good money from their animated theatrical sequels. Of course, it also requires the former cast and crew to return, but assumingDisney can meet their conditions, there is no reason why aBig Hero 6sequelshouldn’t get made and expand on the incredible world that was introduced in 2014.
Big Hero 6
Cast
In Walt Disney Animation Studios' Big Hero 6, the child genius Hiro Hamada works with his brother Tadashi’s inflatable robot, Baymax, to assemble a superhero team in the fictional city of San Fransokyo. The titular group of geeky heroes, composed of Honey Lemon, Go Go Tomago, Wasabi, and Fred, help Hiro and Baymax take down a masked villain powered by nanobots.
