DreamWorks Animation’s 17 Highest-Grossing Movies – Adjusted for Inflation
DreamWorks has always taken a slightly cheekier approach to animation than its rivals, blending pop culture humor with heartfelt storytelling and stunning visuals. From fairy-tale parodies to martial arts pandas and dragon-riding adventures, the studio has delivered global hits that continue to entertain families everywhere. Here’s the full ranking of their 17 highest-grossing films, adjusted for 2025 inflation.
17) Shark Tale (2004)
This underwater comedy brought together a star-studded voice cast – Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, and Robert De Niro – in a mobster-inspired story about life under the sea. While critics were lukewarm, kids loved it, and its bright visuals and catchy humor made it a box office success that proved DreamWorks could compete with Pixar on sheer star power.
Worldwide gross in 2004: $371,741,123
Adjusted for 2025: $630,979,038
16) How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)
The final chapter in the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy gave fans a bittersweet farewell as Hiccup and Toothless discovered the fabled Hidden World. With breathtaking visuals and an emotional ending, it was praised for sticking the landing on one of DreamWorks’s most beloved franchises.
Worldwide gross in 2019: $522,136,743
Adjusted for 2025: $654,836,458
15) The Boss Baby (2017)
What started as a quirky idea about a baby in a suit turned into a full-blown franchise. Alec Baldwin’s hilarious vocal performance made The Boss Baby a family favorite, and while critics were divided, kids couldn’t get enough of its zany humor, pushing it to big box office success.
Worldwide gross in 2017: $527,965,936
Adjusted for 2025: $690,610,916
14) Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)
Po reunited with his long-lost family while facing off against supernatural villain Kai. With stunning visuals, Chinese-inspired settings, and heartfelt family themes, the trilogy closer cemented Kung Fu Panda as one of DreamWorks’s biggest franchises.
Worldwide gross in 2016: $521,170,825
Adjusted for 2025: $696,245,612
13) How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
This original film turned DreamWorks from an underdog into a storytelling powerhouse. Hiccup’s unlikely bond with Toothless gave audiences a tale of friendship and bravery that rivaled Pixar’s emotional highs. It was the start of something special, and fans instantly fell in love.
Worldwide gross in 2010: $494,870,992
Adjusted for 2025: $727,516,111
12) The Croods (2013)
Set in a prehistoric world, The Croods followed a family discovering the meaning of change, survival, and adventure. Its mix of slapstick comedy and heartfelt moments resonated with audiences, and it later spawned sequels and spin-offs, proving DreamWorks could still create fresh, original worlds.
Worldwide gross in 2013: $573,068,425
Adjusted for 2025: $788,745,689
11) Puss in Boots (2011)
Everyone’s favorite swashbuckling cat stepped out from Shrek’s shadow and into his own starring role. Antonio Banderas’s charismatic performance, combined with stylish action and fairy-tale parody, made this spin-off a huge hit and showed that side characters could carry entire franchises.
Worldwide gross in 2011: $554,987,477
Adjusted for 2025: $791,225,019
10) How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
Bigger, darker, and more emotional, the sequel expanded the dragon world and introduced a heartbreaking family storyline for Hiccup. Critics hailed it as one of DreamWorks’s finest sequels, and audiences turned out in droves, cementing the franchise as an all-time great.
Worldwide gross in 2014: $614,586,270
Adjusted for 2025: $832,386,124
9) Shrek (2001)
The one that started it all. Shrek was a revolution in animation, poking fun at Disney fairy tales while telling a surprisingly heartfelt love story. With Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz voicing the leads, it became a cultural phenomenon and won the first-ever Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
Worldwide gross in 2001: $491,812,794
Adjusted for 2025: $890,404,906
8) Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)
The zoo animals left New York behind for Africa, where they reconnected with their roots in hilarious ways. With bigger action, a more emotional story, and plenty of laughs, this sequel built on the success of the first movie and proved the Madagascar gang still had box office power.
Worldwide gross in 2008: $599,680,774
Adjusted for 2025: $893,063,580
7) Madagascar (2005)
Audiences fell in love with Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Gloria the hippo, and Melman the giraffe as they found themselves in the wild after escaping the zoo. Its mix of humor, music (“I Like to Move It”), and quirky characters made it a global smash.
Worldwide gross in 2005: $556,559,566
Adjusted for 2025: $913,725,387
6) Kung Fu Panda (2008)
Jack Black’s lovable Po transformed from noodle-shop worker to kung fu hero in one of DreamWorks’s most crowd-pleasing adventures. With stunning action sequences and heartfelt themes of self-belief, it became a worldwide phenomenon.
Worldwide gross in 2008: $631,910,531
Adjusted for 2025: $941,061,154
5) Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
Arguably even better than the first, the sequel gave Po a personal story about identity and belonging while raising the stakes with an unforgettable villain. Critics praised its emotional depth and epic scale, making it DreamWorks’s most successful Kung Fu Panda film.
Worldwide gross in 2011: $664,837,547
Adjusted for 2025: $947,834,181
4) Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012)
The zoo crew’s circus-themed finale delivered vibrant visuals, nonstop comedy, and one of the most memorable animated chase sequences ever. It ended the trilogy on a high note, becoming the series’ biggest success.
Worldwide gross in 2012: $746,921,271
Adjusted for 2025: $1,043,059,847
3) Shrek Forever After (2010)
Billed as the “final chapter” for Shrek, this film showed the ogre navigating an alternate reality where he never existed. Its mix of nostalgia, family themes, and humor made it a billion-dollar-level success, proving fans weren’t done with the swamp just yet.
Worldwide gross in 2010: $756,244,673
Adjusted for 2025: $1,111,764,869
2) Shrek the Third (2007)
Despite mixed reviews, audiences showed up in massive numbers for Shrek’s third outing, where he faced the challenge of becoming king. Its sheer popularity made it one of DreamWorks’s biggest hits, firmly keeping the franchise in the cultural spotlight.
Worldwide gross in 2007: $807,330,936
Adjusted for 2025: $1,248,701,335
1) Shrek 2 (2004)
The crown jewel of DreamWorks Animation. Shrek and Fiona’s honeymoon sequel expanded the cast with Puss in Boots and turned the fairy-tale parody up to eleven. A perfect blend of humor, heart, and pop culture, it remains DreamWorks’s all-time box office champion.
Worldwide gross in 2004: $935,253,978
Adjusted for 2025: $1,587,464,016
With fairy-tale parodies, martial arts pandas, dragon epics, and quirky animal comedies, DreamWorks Animation has carved out its own kingdom at the box office. Their films continue to prove that when it comes to animated adventures, they’re a studio audiences can’t resist.
