Golden year of animation, earning of films up to Rs 1800 crore: The secret of the characters created on the silver screen, their stories are connecting every age group, even language boundaries have become smaller.

2026 is considered to be very special for animation films. Many big films are being released this year which will have stories of animals, toys and video game characters. Industry experts believe that this year could prove to be the most successful year in the history of animation. It has been started by the animated film Hoppers which released on March 6. The story is based on beavers (animals of the beaver species) living in the American city of Beaverton. The mayor of the city wants to remove the forest and build a freeway. Angered by this, teenage environmental activist Mable experiments with putting her consciousness into a robotic beaver. She befriends the beavers and inspires them to save their forest. The real story is about the boom of animation films. This summer, new movies from famous franchises like ‘Despicable Me’ and ‘Paw Patrol’ are coming. Whereas ‘The Super Mario Galaxy’ and ‘Toy Story 5’ can earn billions of dollars. The film ‘Goat’, released in February, in which hoofed animals enter into sports, has earned around Rs 1200 crore so far. It has become the second highest grossing animation film of the year. Interestingly, animation films are no longer limited to children only, but are attracting audiences of all ages. In 1995, their share in the film market of America and Canada was only 2.8%, which will increase to 23.9% by 2024. In the same year, ‘Inside Out 2’ made a record by earning Rs 15,616 crore. But in the beginning of 2025, the Chinese fantasy film ‘Ne Zha 2’ left it behind and earned more than Rs 18,372 crore. ‘Zootopia 2’, released in November, also reached Rs 17,450 crore. Ordinary experiences of life touch the mind: Olivia Dean of expert media analysis company Empire says, ‘The universality of stories is the biggest reason for the success of animation films. Common experiences of life are shown in these. It can be understood beyond the boundaries of language and culture. The emotions of the characters and the simple plot connect the audience with the story. Additionally, larger studios bring out major films on holidays or festivals. For parents too, cinema is the easiest way to keep children busy. Increasing interest in India too: Indian animation industry is not limited to just outsourcing, but has become a powerhouse of original stories. The film ‘Mahavatar Narasimha’, released at the end of 2025, created a new history by crossing the ₹ 100 crore mark in the country. This story of Narasimha incarnation of Lord Vishnu and devotee Prahlad shows that the confluence of mythology and modern 3D animation can captivate the audience. Meanwhile, Hombale Films has announced six more films under the Mahavatar Cinematic Universe. The expansion of Chhota Bheem on the big screen and the new animated adaptation of Ramayana have also created excitement.



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