Comparing Mid-List Features

Back in the ancient times, say seven years ago, there were four domestic studio making animated features which were in competition with each other. There was Pixar, there was Disney, Sony Pictures Animation and Blue Sky Studios. Other pretenders to the throne came and went, but those were the main players.

Today, that universe has expanded a bit. Now Illumination Entertainment (very successful) is in the hunt, as is Warner Animation Group (semi-successful, and the key-holder to the Lego franchise).

But here's a look at a recent release and some mid-pack animated features from the recent past: ...

Worldwide Grosses

Storks -- $150,759,612

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs -- $243,006,126

Mr. Peabody and Sherman -- $275,698,039

Turbo -- $282,570,682

Hop -- $183,953,723

Peanuts Movie -- $246,233,113

None of the pictures directly above were breakout smashes like Zootopia or Finding Dory, but several of them moved into profit because production costs were lower and they did relatively well overseas.

Foreign markets loom large for most American animated features.