The 10 Highest-Grossing Original Movies Of All Time Might Just Surprise You

2. The Lion King (1994) - $987.5 million

Walt Disney Animation's first completely original feature is quite possibly the greatest animated movie of all time, and was the definition of smash-hit when it was released. It became the highest-grossing movie of the year ($200 million ahead of its nearest rival), became the second-highest grossing movie of all time behind Jurassic Park, and remained the highest grossing animation of all time for 16 years until it was surpassed by Toy Story 3. Even the 3D re-release in 2011 saw it claim number one at the domestic box office for two weeks and it grossed a further $170 million worldwide. Everybody loves The Lion King, there's no doubt about that. Development of the story began way back in 1988, and the script went through many different iterations and creative minds before the script we all know and love was finally bashed into shape in the summer of 1992. Surprisingly, the production team were reluctant to work on the movie as they doubted its chances of success, and many senior animators chose to work on Pocahontas instead. That'll teach them! Ultimately, the number of people involved in production of The Lion King was staggeringly over 600. Even the famous wildebeest stampede took nearly three years to complete, as computer technology was such a new tool in the animation process. Although loosely based on Shakespeare's Hamlet, The Lion King is a true original. The iconic opening scene, Tim Rice and Elton John's classic songs and the emotional sucker-punch of Mufasa's death still have the same effects on audiences they did nearly 20 years ago, while the endlessly quotable dialogue, supremely evil villain and memorable supporting characters ensure the movie will be enjoyed by generations to come.