Ne Zha 2Fresh — a Animation standout

The biggest story of the 2025 global box office is a movie most Americans still haven't seen. Ne Zha 2 grossed $2.21 billion worldwide — the highest-grossing film of the year, the highest-grossing non-English language film ever, and the highest-grossing animated film of all time.

It broke Star Wars: The Force Awakens' single-market record by earning over $2 billion in China alone. The second time in history a non-Hollywood production has topped the annual global box office — a tectonic shift in the industry.

Verdict: Seek it out. Spectacular animation, rich mythology, action that rivals anything Pixar or DreamWorks has produced. One of the popular movies 2025 that genuinely deserves the hype.