Highest-grossing media franchises are the entertainment brands that have earned the most money across all their products combined. A media franchise starts as one work — a film, book, video game, comic, or TV show — and grows into many: sequels, toys, clothing, theme parks, and more. This list ranks franchises by their estimated total revenue, counting box office tickets, home video, video games, merchandise, and other licensed products.

One surprise stands out: movies are usually the smallest part of the money. For most giant franchises, merchandise — toys, cards, clothes, and licensed goods — earns far more than theaters ever do. That is why Pokémon, Hello Kitty, and Winnie-the-Pooh rank above famous film series like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and why Japanese character brands appear so often near the top.

All numbers are estimates as of mid-2026. Companies rarely publish complete totals, so figures are pieced together from many reports over decades and should be read as rough sizes, not exact amounts. Some sources publish much higher totals for the biggest franchises depending on what they count.

Franchise	Country	Began	Est. revenue	Original medium	Owner
Pokémon	Japan	1996	$115 billion+	Video game	The Pokémon Company (Nintendo, Creatures, Game Freak)
Mickey Mouse & Friends	USA	1928	$61.2 billion	Animated cartoon	The Walt Disney Company
Winnie-the-Pooh	UK	1924	$50.2 billion	Book	The Walt Disney Company

Pokémon's lead comes mostly from retail sales — over $100 billion in licensed merchandise, including the world's best-selling trading card game — plus more than $10 billion from mobile games like Pokémon Go.

Franchise	Country	Began	Est. revenue	Original medium	Owner
Star Wars	USA	1977	$46.7 billion+	Film	Lucasfilm (Disney)
Disney Princess	USA	2000	$45.4 billion	Animated films	The Walt Disney Company
Anpanman	Japan	1973	$38.4 billion	Picture book	Froebel-kan
Barbie	USA	1987	$36.3 billion	Television special	Mattel
Marvel Cinematic Universe	USA	2008	$35.2 billion	Film	The Walt Disney Company
Wizarding World (Harry Potter)	UK	1997	$34.7 billion	Novel	J. K. Rowling (books), Warner Bros. (films)
Hello Kitty	Japan	1974	$33.5 billion	Cartoon character	Sanrio
Call of Duty	USA	2003	$31 billion	Video game	Activision Blizzard (Xbox)
Batman	USA	1939	$29.9 billion	Comic book	DC Entertainment (Warner Bros. Discovery)
Spider-Man	USA	1962	$26.8 billion	Comic book	Marvel (Disney), Sony Pictures (films)
Transformers	Japan · USA	1984	$25 billion	Toy line	Takara Tomy, Hasbro
Naruto	Japan	1999	$22.8 billion	Manga	Masashi Kishimoto, Shueisha
Dungeon Fighter Online	South Korea	2005	$22 billion	Video game	Nexon, Tencent
Cars	USA	2006	$21.5 billion	Animated film	Pixar (Disney)
Candy Crush	UK	2012	$20 billion	Video game	Activision Blizzard (Xbox)

Franchise	Country	Began	Est. revenue	Original medium	Owner
Honor of Kings	China	2015	$18.7 billion	Video game	Tencent (TiMi Studio)
Looney Tunes	USA	1930	$17.5 billion	Animated cartoon	Warner Bros. Discovery
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	USA	1984	$17.4 billion	Comic book	Nickelodeon (Paramount Skydance)
SpongeBob SquarePants	USA	1999	$16.6 billion	Animated series	Nickelodeon (Paramount Skydance)
The Lion King	USA	1994	$15.9 billion	Animated film	The Walt Disney Company
Dora the Explorer	USA	2000	$15.8 billion	Animated series	Nickelodeon (Paramount Skydance)
Pac-Man	Japan	1980	$15.4 billion	Video game	Bandai Namco
Paw Patrol	Canada	2013	$15.4 billion	Animated series	Spin Master
Toy Story	USA	1995	$14.8 billion	Animated film	The Walt Disney Company
Peanuts	USA	1950	$14.4 billion	Comic strip	Peanuts Holdings (Sony)
Avengers	USA	1963	$14.3 billion	Comic book	Marvel (Disney)
Frozen	USA	2013	$13.9 billion	Animated film	The Walt Disney Company
Space Invaders	Japan	1978	$13.9 billion	Video game	Taito (Square Enix)
Warcraft	USA	1994	$12.4 billion	Video game	Activision Blizzard (Xbox)
Despicable Me (Minions)	USA	2010	$12.3 billion	Animated film	Illumination / Universal (Comcast)
Star Trek	USA	1966	$11.2 billion	Television series	Paramount Skydance
Dragon Ball	Japan	1984	$10.7 billion	Manga	Bird Studio, Shueisha, Toei, Bandai Namco
Street Fighter	Japan	1987	$10.7 billion	Video game	Capcom
Jurassic Park	USA	1990	$10.1 billion	Novel	Universal (Comcast), Amblin
Demon Slayer	Japan	2016	$10.1 billion	Manga	Koyoharu Gotōge, Shueisha, ufotable, Aniplex
Grand Theft Auto	UK	1997	$10 billion	Video game	Rockstar Games (Take-Two)
Rilakkuma	Japan	2003	$10 billion	Manga	San-X
Monster Strike	Japan	2013	$10 billion	Video game	Mixi

Honor of Kings is a special case: it is a single mobile game, not a family of products, yet it has earned more than entire film universes. Nearly all of its money comes from players inside China, where it has been the world's top-grossing mobile game for most of the past decade.

Demon Slayer is the youngest franchise anywhere near this level. Its 2025 film Infinity Castle became the highest-grossing anime movie ever made and pushed the franchise's film total past $1.3 billion — remarkable for a series barely a decade old.

Franchise	Country	Began	Est. revenue	Original medium	Owner
James Bond	UK	1953	$9.8 billion	Novel	Danjaq, Amazon MGM Studios
Mario	Japan	1981	$9.6 billion+	Video game	Nintendo
Angry Birds	Finland	2009	$9.5 billion	Video game	Rovio (Sega Sammy)
Thomas & Friends	UK	1945	$9.1 billion	Book	Mattel
Fortnite	USA	2017	$9 billion	Video game	Epic Games
Super Sentai / Power Rangers	Japan · USA	1975	$8.7 billion	Television series	Toei, Bandai Namco, Hasbro
Middle-earth (The Lord of the Rings)	UK	1937	$8.5 billion	Novel	Tolkien Estate, Middle-earth Enterprises
X-Men	USA	1963	$8.4 billion	Comic book	Marvel (Disney)
Superman	USA	1938	$8.2 billion	Comic book	DC Entertainment (Warner Bros. Discovery)
DC Extended Universe	USA	2013	$8 billion	Film	DC Entertainment (Warner Bros. Discovery)
Fast & Furious	USA	2001	$8 billion	Film	Universal (Comcast)
Lilo & Stitch	USA	2002	$7.9 billion	Animated film	The Walt Disney Company
Pirates of the Caribbean	USA	2003	$7.9 billion	Film	The Walt Disney Company
Ben 10	USA	2005	$7.9 billion	Animated series	Cartoon Network (Warner Bros. Discovery)
Sesame Street / The Muppets	USA	1955	$7.7 billion	Television series	Sesame Workshop, Disney
Ultraman	Japan	1966	$7.4 billion	Television series	Tsuburaya Productions
Sonic the Hedgehog	Japan	1991	$7.4 billion	Video game	Sega (Sega Sammy)
Avatar	USA	2009	$7.3 billion	Film	20th Century Studios (Disney)
Fantasy Westward Journey	China	2001	$7 billion+	Video game	NetEase
Puzzle & Dragons	Japan	2012	$7 billion	Video game	GungHo Online Entertainment
Madden NFL	USA	1998	$7 billion	Video game	Electronic Arts, NFL
Fate	Japan	2004	$7 billion	Video game	Type-Moon, Aniplex
Halo	USA	2001	$6.8 billion	Video game	Xbox Game Studios
Ice Age	USA	2002	$6.4 billion	Animated film	20th Century Studios (Disney)
Genshin Impact	China	2020	$6.3 billion	Video game	miHoYo
Shrek	USA	1990	$6.3 billion	Picture book	Universal (Comcast)
The Phantom of the Opera	UK	1986	$6.2 billion	Musical	Andrew Lloyd Webber
My Little Pony	USA	1984	$6 billion	Toy line	Hasbro
Scooby-Doo	USA	1969	$5.4 billion	Animated series	Warner Bros. Discovery
Yu-Gi-Oh!	Japan	1996	$5.4 billion	Manga	Kazuki Takahashi, Shueisha, Konami
Mamma Mia	Sweden	1975	$5.2 billion	Song	Polar/Epic (Sony), Universal (films)
Mortal Kombat	USA	1992	$5.1 billion	Video game	Warner Bros. Discovery
Gundam	Japan	1979	$5 billion	Anime series	Bandai Namco
The Sims	USA	2000	$5 billion	Video game	Electronic Arts
Bob the Builder	UK	1998	$5 billion	Animated series	Mattel
MapleStory	South Korea	2003	$5 billion	Video game	Nexon

Franchise	Country	Began	Est. revenue	Original medium	Owner
The Simpsons	USA	1987	$4.9 billion	Animated series	20th Century Studios (Disney)
Assassin's Creed	France	2007	$4.7 billion	Video game	Ubisoft
Mission: Impossible	USA	1966	$4.7 billion	Television series	Paramount Skydance
Beyblade	Japan	1999	$4.6 billion	Manga	Takao Aoki, Shogakukan
The Big Bang Theory	USA	2007	$4.6 billion	Television series	Warner Bros. Discovery
Seinfeld	USA	1989	$4.6 billion	Television series	Sony Pictures Television
Minecraft	Sweden	2009	$4.3 billion	Video game	Mojang Studios (Xbox)
Twilight	USA	2005	$4.3 billion	Novel	Little, Brown; Summit Entertainment
Gran Turismo	Japan	1997	$4.1 billion	Video game	Sony Interactive Entertainment
Strawberry Shortcake	USA	1979	$4 billion	Greeting card	WildBrain
The Smurfs	Belgium	1958	$4 billion	Comic	Studio Peyo
Cabbage Patch Kids	USA	1982	$4 billion	Television special	Wicked Cool Toys
G.I. Joe	USA	1967	$4 billion	Comic	Hasbro
The Hunger Games	USA	2008	$3.8 billion	Novel	Scholastic (books), Lionsgate (films)
Blue's Clues	USA	1996	$3.6 billion	Television series	Nickelodeon (Paramount Skydance)
Beauty and the Beast	USA	1991	$3.5 billion	Animated film	The Walt Disney Company
Skylanders	USA	2011	$3.5 billion	Video game	Activision Blizzard (Xbox)
Titanic	USA	1997	$3.5 billion	Film	Paramount, 20th Century Studios
Titanfall (Apex Legends)	USA	2014	$3.4 billion	Video game	Electronic Arts
Bratz	USA	2001	$3.2 billion	Doll	MGA Entertainment
Fengshen Cinematic Universe	China	2019	$3.2 billion	Film	Beijing Enlight Pictures
Care Bears	USA	1981	$3.1 billion	Greeting card	Cloudco Entertainment
Hamtaro	Japan	1997	$3 billion	Manga	Shogakukan
Terminator	USA	1984	$3 billion	Film	Skydance (Paramount Skydance)
Astro Boy	Japan	1952	$3 billion	Manga	Tezuka Productions
Thor	USA	1962	$3 billion	Comic book	Marvel (Disney)
Zootopia	USA	2016	$2.9 billion	Film	The Walt Disney Company
Iron Man	USA	1963	$2.9 billion	Comic book	Marvel (Disney)
Guardians of the Galaxy	USA	1969	$2.7 billion	Comic book	Marvel (Disney)
Inside Out	USA	2015	$2.7 billion	Film	Pixar (Disney)
The Elder Scrolls	USA	1994	$2.7 billion	Video game	ZeniMax Media (Xbox)
Godzilla	Japan	1954	$2.6 billion	Film	Toho
Indiana Jones	USA	1981	$2.6 billion	Film	Lucasfilm (Disney)
Madagascar	USA	2005	$2.6 billion	Animated film	DreamWorks (Comcast)
Captain America	USA	1941	$2.6 billion	Comic book	Marvel (Disney)
Kung Fu Panda	USA	2008	$2.5 billion	Animated film	Universal (Comcast)
Winx Club	Italy	2004	$2.5 billion	Animated series	Rainbow S.p.A.
The Powerpuff Girls	USA	1998	$2.5 billion	Animated series	Cartoon Network (Warner Bros. Discovery)
Friends	USA	1994	$2.5 billion	Television series	Warner Bros. Discovery
Sailor Moon	Japan	1991	$2.5 billion	Manga	Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha, Toei
The Incredibles	USA	2004	$2.4 billion	Animated film	The Walt Disney Company
Kumamon	Japan	2010	$2.4 billion	Cartoon	Kumamoto Prefecture
Aladdin	USA	1992	$2.3 billion	Animated film	The Walt Disney Company
Black Panther	USA	1966	$2.3 billion	Comic book	Marvel (Disney)
Planet of the Apes	France	1963	$2.3 billion	Novel	20th Century Studios (Disney)
Jumanji	USA	1981	$2.2 billion	Picture book	Sony
The Little Mermaid	USA	1989	$2.2 billion	Animated film	The Walt Disney Company
The Conjuring Universe	USA	2013	$2.2 billion	Film	Warner Bros.
Ghostbusters	USA	1984	$2.2 billion	Film	Sony
Finding Nemo	USA	2003	$2.2 billion	Animated film	The Walt Disney Company
Rocky	USA	1976	$2.1 billion	Film	MGM (Amazon)
MonsterVerse	USA	2014	$2.1 billion	Film	Warner Bros., Legendary, Toho
Yo-kai Watch	Japan	2013	$2.1 billion	Video game	Level-5
The Matrix	USA	1999	$2.1 billion	Film	Warner Bros.
The Chronicles of Narnia	USA	2005	$2.1 billion	Film	Netflix
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial	USA	1982	$2 billion	Film	Universal (Comcast)
Robert Langdon (The Da Vinci Code)	USA	2000	$2 billion	Book	Doubleday, Sony
Bourne	USA	1980	$2 billion	Novel	Universal (Comcast)
Men in Black	USA	1990	$2 billion	Comic book	Sony
Resident Evil	Japan	1996	$2 billion	Video game	Capcom
Guitar Hero	USA	2005	$2 billion	Video game	Activision Blizzard (Xbox)
Lego (video games)	UK	1995	$2 billion	Video game	TT Games (Warner Bros. Discovery)
NBA Jam	USA	1993	$2 billion	Video game	Electronic Arts, NBA
Neon Genesis Evangelion	Japan	1994	$2 billion	Anime	Khara
Farm Heroes Saga	UK	2014	$2 billion	Video game	King (Xbox)

A few patterns jump out. Japan dominates the top. Pokémon, Hello Kitty, Anpanman, and dozens of other Japanese franchises earn most of their money from character merchandise, a business Japan has perfected for fifty years. Disney owns much of the list. Counting Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and its classic characters, The Walt Disney Company controls more entries than any other company. Video games are the fastest climbers. Franchises like Fortnite, Genshin Impact, and Candy Crush reached billions in under a decade, while film franchises typically need several movies and many years to get there. China is rising fast. Honor of Kings, Genshin Impact, Fantasy Westward Journey, and the Fengshen films (home of Ne Zha 2, the highest-grossing animated movie ever) are all Chinese — and most of them got here through games, not merchandise. Many earn the bulk of their money inside China alone, which means they can grow huge while staying nearly invisible to audiences elsewhere.

• List of highest-grossing media franchises at Wikipedia