Box office

Box office news: Disney follows Universal with $4 billion grossed worldwide

By Dan Lawrence

Posted on August 11, 2026

Disney has become the second studio to cross $4 billion at the worldwide box office in 2026.

Disney has become the second studio to cross $4 billion at the worldwide box office in 2026, following Universal.

Universal achieved the coveted first past the $4 billion prize, which it reached as of Sunday, 2 August.

That was built on the success of films like Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Michael.

But how has Disney achieved this feat?

‘Toy Story 5’ boosts Disney box office

Disney crossed the $4 billion mark on Tuesday, 11 August, and a major franchise film from within its suite of subsidiary studios was the key contributor.

Pixar’s Toy Story 5, which has grossed $1.095 billion to date, long held the title of the year’s highest-grossing film before being surpassed by the runaway smash hit Spider-Man: Brand New Day (with Sony taking the spoils).

Disney, meanwhile, has racked up further success with The Devil Wears Prada 2, courtesy of the 20th Century Studios arm of the sprawling House of Mouse.

That legacy sequel generated $692 million worldwide and is currently streaming in people’s homes via Disney+.

A side-by-side split image from Toy Story 5 showing a worried Jessie the cowgirl doll and Bullseye the horse on the left, looking across at a green, frog-shaped tablet computer resting on a bed on the right.

Looking ahead

While Pixar has picked up the baton for Disney in the first half of 2026, Marvel Studios will be the extravagant final act.

That’s due to Avengers: Doomsday releasing in cinemas worldwide on 18 December, in what will undoubtedly be a major theatrical event.

Until then, Disney has the likes of 20th Century Studios’ The Dog Stars, Searchlight Pictures’ Wild Horse Nine and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Hexed arriving in cinemas.

This shows how important a diverse portfolio of studios can be, and perhaps why someone like Paramount chief David Ellison is so obsessed with bullying Hollywood into letting him purchase Warner Bros.

Looking back

With Universal first to cross $4 billion in 2026, Disney will hope the likes of Avengers: Doomsday can help it retain its crown as the top-grossing studio.

That was the prize Disney won in 2025, backed by Zootropolis 2 ($1.87 billion), Avatar: Fire and Ash ($1.49 billion) and the live-action Lilo & Stitch ($1.038 billion), which finished second, third and fourth, respectively, on the worldwide charts behind China’s Ne Zha 2 ($2 billion).