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According to a recent report from movie business research firm Gower Street Analytics (cited by box office analyst Luiz Fernando), the global box office in 2025 was estimated at $33.55 billion, marking an 11.8% jump from 2024. The year delivered a diverse theatrical slate, ranging from the Chinese animated fantasy phenomenon Ne Zha 2 to big-ticket Hollywood spectacles like Brad Pitt’s F1, Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Jurassic World: Rebirth, and James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash.
But despite the packed release calendar, only four films from 2025 managed to cross the coveted $1 billion mark worldwide. And that brings us to the question: which of these billion-dollar titles delivered the best return on its budget? Let’s break down the numbers.
2025 Films That Earned Over $1 Billion Worldwide
These are the only four films released in 2025 that crossed the coveted $1 billion milestone at the worldwide box office, along with their current global totals (via Box Office Mojo) and estimated production budgets:
1. Ne Zha 2
- Worldwide Gross: $2.260 billion
- Estimated Production Budget: $80 million
2. Zootopia 2
- Worldwide Gross: $1.595 billion
- Estimated Production Budget: $150 million
3. Avatar: Fire and Ash
- Worldwide Gross: $1.101 billion
- Estimated Production Budget: $400 million
4. Lilo & Stitch
- Worldwide Gross: $1.038 billion
- Estimated Production Budget: $100 million
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Earnings-to-Budget Performance
Using the above figures, here’s how these four billion-dollar blockbusters compare in terms of earnings-to-budget ratio:
- Ne Zha 2: 28.25x
- Zootopia 2: 10.63x
- Lilo & Stitch: 10.38x
- Avatar: Fire and Ash: 2.75x
As the numbers clearly show, Ne Zha 2 delivered the biggest return on budget, posting a staggering 28.25x earnings-to-budget performance. It is followed by Zootopia 2 (10.63x), Lilo & Stitch (10.38x), and Avatar: Fire and Ash (2.75x). That said, Avatar: Fire and Ash is still playing in theaters and is tracking to finish at around $1.5-$1.7 billion worldwide. Assuming it reaches the upper end of that range ($1.7 billion), its earnings-to-budget ratio would rise to 4.25x, which would be behind the other three films on the list.
Ne Zha 2 – Box Office Summary
- North America: $23.3 million
- International: $2.237 billion
- Worldwide: $2.260 billion
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Must Read: 2025 Global Box Office Ends At $33.55 Billion: How Does It Compare To 2023, 2024 & 2026 Projections
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