Have you ever wondered...
- What kind of Pixar films earn the most worldwide?
- Do the highest-rated films also win the most awards?
- Are sequels more profitable than their originals?
- Has the type of stories Pixar tells changed over time?
- And what about film ratings—have they evolved?
I explored these questions using a dataset of Pixar films, looking into box office earnings, ratings, awards, genres, and release trends. Here's what I found 👇
🎬 Which films have performed best at the box office? Did they have the highest budgets?
Among the top five highest-grossing Pixar films, all had a production budget of $200 million.
But that doesn’t mean high budgets always lead to huge box office returns. In several cases, lower-budget films outperformed more expensive ones, reminding us that storytelling, timing, and audience connection often play a bigger role than budget alone.
🏆 Which films received the most awards? Are they also the best rated?
The five most awarded Pixar films — Coco, Soul, The Incredibles, Toy Story 3, and Up — are all among the highest-rated, each with an average score above 80 across several review platforms.
This shows a strong alignment between critical acclaim and industry recognition.
🔁 How do sequels compare to their originals?
Out of 9 sequels that Pixar has produced, 7 of them earned significantly more at the box office than their original films. This indicates that while sequels often bring in bigger earnings, it's not guaranteed for every franchise.
⏳ Have genres and ratings evolved over time?
Over the last 20 years, Pixar's genre themes have remained consistent, continuing to explore family, adventure, and emotional storytelling.
However, there's been a shift in film ratings. In the most recent decade (2015–2024), there’s been a noticeable rise in PG-rated films, while G-rated films have declined sharply.
This trend is essentially a reversal of the pattern observed between 2005–2014, suggesting changing audience expectations and industry standards.
❓ Questions This Analysis Sparked
Analyzing this data left me wondering:
- Why do some high-budget films underperform at the box office?
- Can a low-budget Pixar film match the success of top earners like Toy Story 3?
- What makes a sequel more successful than its original?
- What’s driving the decline in G-rated content?
📌 Final Thoughts
Pixar films continue to set benchmarks for storytelling, visual innovation, and emotional impact. While budgets and sequels play a role, data shows that success isn't one-dimensional. By looking at earnings, ratings, awards, and trends over time, we can start to understand what makes a Pixar film memorable — or wildly successful.
Tools used: Microsoft Excel
Data source: Maven Analytics
Thanks for reading! Feel free to share your thoughts or favorite Pixar movie in the comments 👇
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