After the duo yielded a best picture win with the 1994 film “Forrest Gump,” Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis reunited for an adaptation of the 1985 children’s book “The Polar Express.” Here, Hanks would play not just one character but oodles of them, ranging from a hobo to Santa Claus to even providing the motion capture for the film’s adolescent protagonist. Audiences would get a lot of Hanks for their buck on this feature, not to mention tons of Yuletide cheer and recognizable imagery from the original “Polar Express” book. That was all enough to bring in a sizeable box office haul, even if “The Polar Express” wasn’t quite as profitable as to be expected thanks to its massive budget.

Grossing $312.7 million worldwide, “The Polar Express” was especially popular in North America, where it grossed $162.7 million in its initial run in the territory before amassing a sizeable $25.8 million in the years to come through theatrical re-issues. The problem here, though, was a $170 million budget, which has ensured that “The Polar Express” hasn’t doubled its budget even after years of Christmas-themed re-releases. It also came up short globally compared to other, much cheaper movies starring Hanks, such as “Catch Me If You Can.” Still, even if it wasn’t an immediately profitable enterprise, “The Polar Express” did jangle up quite a few box office dollars around the world.