Laura Carollo
Research expert covering cinema and film
Animation industry - statistics & facts
Cartoons have made for a very animated industry. The size of the global animation market was forecast to exponentially grow within the following years, with continuous expansion across multiple media. These estimates reflect the rising demand for this type of content. Seven of the ten highest-grossing animated feature films in the history of the North American movie market – an industry term that includes Canada and the United States and excludes Mexico – were released during the second half of the 2010s.
With strong markets such as the United States, Japan, China, and France, the animation industry is more dynamic than ever. Despite rising production and demand, the industry, however, faces many challenges. In a general context of layoffs in the media industry, affecting even main players, such as Pixar, the question of the impact on the workforce is increasingly raised. On top of that, the introduction of AI cast an unpredictable shadow as to its effect on the whole industry.
Animated brands
As of February 2024, the highest-grossing animated productions in the United States and Canada belonged to Disney or its subsidiary Pixar. 2018’s “Incredibles 2” collected 608.58 million U.S. dollars at the domestic box office, followed by the 3D reimagining of “Lion King,”, released the following year. According to a report published in March 2024, Disney's most profitable franchise has been "Frozen,", which has recorded 9.9 times return on investment since the release of the first movie in 2013. However, there is more to the genre than box office figures. Electronic entertainment is another recurring source material for animation. As of March 2024, the ranking of highest-grossing video game movies worldwide included blockbusters such as the fully animated "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" (2023), or "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" (2022).GenAI, the market disruptor
Animation and technology have always been deeply intertwined. Recently, the introduction of generative artificial intelligence has thrown the animation industry into turmoil. If AI promises the implementation of new cost-saving processes, it will also undoubtedly disrupt numerous jobs. A survey led in December 2023 among industry leaders showed that 44 percent of them had already incorporated GenAI technology for the creation of 3D models, while around 40 percent of jobs associated with character and environment design are expected to be impacted. Last year, another study reported that 46 percent of consumers expressed concern about artificial intelligence replacing TV shows and movies animators. According to the same survey, more than half of respondents agreed that government restrictions should be placed on AI's ability to replace humans in entertainment writing and animation jobs.With strong markets such as the United States, Japan, China, and France, the animation industry is more dynamic than ever. Despite rising production and demand, the industry, however, faces many challenges. In a general context of layoffs in the media industry, affecting even main players, such as Pixar, the question of the impact on the workforce is increasingly raised. On top of that, the introduction of AI cast an unpredictable shadow as to its effect on the whole industry.
