Pixar vs DreamWorks

Animated films are a billion-dollar industry.  The two biggest producers of animated films are DreamWorks and Pixar.  The two have been going head-to-head for more than ten years now. So how do they stack up to each other? Which company is making more money on their films?  According to critics, which company makes the better films?

Conflict arises as students must decide which animated movie company, DreamWorks or Pixar, has been more successful. In this updated activity, students sort and analyse a large real-world dataset in Excel to compare profits, ratings, and more. Depending on grade level, students might compare the two companies using box plots or bar graphs (this is a golden opportunity to get into box plots). For example, middle and high school students can use box plots to compare movie ratings, box office profits, or box office gross earnings, and present a full statistical argument. 

In the solution spreadsheet, you can find several different box plots and bar graphs that students might create to compare DreamWorks and Pixar.  Students may also come up with other ideas for comparing the two companies. 

Consider launching this activity with a few of these Pixar movie trailers and these Dreamworks movie trailers. 

💻Students will need a laptop to sort and analyze the data
📝Suitable for middle to high school; see the solutions to adapt the activity for your grade level.
⏰ Min. 1 hour
 

This activity has been updated in 2026 to include the latest box office data from both studios.