Shrek 2
After storming to the top of the US box office in it's opening weekend Monsters vs Aliens is released here in the UK on Friday.
From the team behind Shrek and Kung Fu Panda the film follows Susan Murphy is unwittingly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk on her wedding day, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches tall. Alerted to the threat of this new monster, the military jumps into action and Susan is captured and secreted away to a covert government compound.
There, she is renamed Ginormica and placed in confinement with a ragtag group of other monsters: the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; the macho half-ape, half-fish The Missing Link; the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B.; and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus.
Their confinement is cut short, however, when a mysterious alien robot lands on Earth and begins storming the country. In a moment of desperation, The President is persuaded by General W.R. Monger to enlist the motley crew of Monsters to combat the Alien Robot and save the world from imminent destruction.
Over recent years the animation genre of film has been one of the most ferociously fought at the box office with Dreamworks and Pixar going head to head for supremacy so FemalFirst has taken a look at some of animation's biggest box office earners.
Shrek 2 - $919,838,758
And in this particular instance it is Dreamworks that has the biggest grossing animation movie of all time. Released back in 2004 Shrek 2 was the sequel to the 2001 computer animated movie.
Shrek 2 picked up the story of Shrek and Fiona as they settle into married life before they are invited to a royal ball by Fiona's parents. The film went on to be nominated for an Oscar and is the 11th largest grossing movie of all time.
Finding Nemo - $864,625,978
Close behind is Pixar's Finding Nemo which was released in 2003 and really set the standard for Pixar movies and the rest that tried to compete with them.
Directed by Andrew Stanton the film followed Marlin, an over protective father who goes on the hunt for his son Nemo. As well as critical acclaim Finding Nemo won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Shrek the Third - $798,958,162
2007 brought the third movie in the Shrek franchise and, although it wasn't as well met by the critics, it went on to be a box office smash, cementing Dreamworks as a real force in this genre of film.
The film follows Shrek's search for Arthur Pendragon to take over the throne of Far Far Away after Fiona's father falls ill.
The Lion King - $783,841,776
Released in 1994, yes it really was almost fifteen years ago, The Lion King was the thirty second movie from Disney and it's highest grossing of all time.
It still remains the highest grossing traditionally animated film in history. The film's music also proved popular and it received four Oscar nominations in music categories, going on to win Best Original Score.
Ice Age: The Meltdown - $651,899,282
Ice Age: The Meltdown was the 2006 sequel to the 2002 movie and saw Carlos Saldanha return to directing duties. Manny's belief that he is the last mammoth are shattered when he meets Ellie. But with the melting ice caps the floods aren't far away.
The film was a massive success and this unexpected franchise proved that it had real legs and a third movie is due for release later this year.
Kung Fu Panda - $631,908,951
Dreamworks' Kung Fu Panda is one of the most recent movies on this countdown of biggest grossing animation movies having only been release last summer.
Boasting some voice talent of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and Dustin Hoffman the film follows a bumbling panda who aspires to be a kung fu master.
Kung Fu Panda won the box office battle with Pixar, who released Wall-E at the same time, but lost out at the Oscars as it failed to pick up the Best Animated Feature gong.
The Incredibles - $631,442,092
The Incredibles was the sixth film from Pixar in 2004 and had the unenviable task of trying to replicate the success of Finding Nemo.
The film followed the Parr family who have superpowers but are trying to adjust to a normal life.While it didn't quite scale those heights the film was a massive hit and brought more Oscar success for Pixar.
Ratatouille - $631,908,951
From a critical perspective Ratatouille was Pixar's most acclaimed movie when it was released back in 2007.With Brad Bird back on directorial duties it was Pixar's eighth movie.
Remy the rat dreams of becoming a chef and to achieve that he helps a garbage boy in a Parisian restaurant to learn how to cook. Bagging five Oscar nominations it was Best Animated Feature again for studio.
Madagascar Escape 2 Africa - $586,909,384
Madagascar Escape 2 Africa was a surprise sequel after the first movie wasn't a massive blockbuster hit however Paramount Pictures' belief in the franchise was rewarded as it topped the box office.
Picking up where the first left off and the animals have decided to return to New York but they crash land in Africa, where they encounter there own species. A third movie is in the pipeline.
Wall-E - $534,767,889
Wall-E was released last summer and went up against Kung Fu Panda at the box office, but losing that battle as the Dreamworks movie did better at the box office.
Much like Ratatouille Wall-E was a massive critical hit, with many arguing that it should have been nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.
The film followed Wall-E, a robot who cleaned up the waste that covers earth in the future. Nominated for five Oscars it may not have been recognised for Best Picture but it did scoop Best Animated Feature.
Monsters vs Aliens is released 3rd April.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Finding Nemo Shrek