‘Toy Story 5’ Is Set to Break Box Office Records This Weekend

The summer of animated blockbusters is in full swing, and Disney and Pixar’s flagship franchise is here to remind everyone what a true cultural phenomenon looks like. ‘Toy Story 5’ marks the fifth installment in a beloved series that has spanned 31 years, and rather than showing any signs of slowing down, it is gaining momentum that has the entire exhibition industry taking notice.

The franchise has consistently shown an upward trajectory, starting from the original film’s domestic debut in 1995 to the record-breaking opening of the fourth entry in 2019.

The backdrop for this latest chapter is significant. Pixar faced a challenging period during the pandemic, with direct-to-streaming releases and underwhelming theatrical performances shaking confidence in the studio’s commercial direction.

However, the tide began to shift when ‘Inside Out 2’ became Pixar’s highest-grossing film, nearing $1.7 billion globally, allowing the studio to rebuild on that success. The domestic box office is currently running 13% ahead of last year, creating a vibrant marketplace just as ‘Toy Story 5’ arrives for a major event.

In this energized environment, the early box office indicators for ‘Toy Story 5’ have been remarkable. The film earned $17.5 million from Thursday night previews in the U.S., marking the highest preview performance of 2026 so far, while also debuting in 28 international markets, bringing its global total to $43.5 million before the first Friday ticket was sold.

Box office analyst @Luiz_Fernando_J reported on X that the film is projected to surpass the $100 million global mark on its opening Friday, with early international numbers from Wednesday and Thursday already exceeding those of both ‘Moana 2’ and ‘Frozen 2’. Mexico has emerged as the largest overseas market with $6.7 million, marking the second-highest opening day of the year there, while Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay have all achieved historic Pixar milestones.

A final domestic forecast from BoxOffice Pro estimates the opening weekend to be between $160 million and $175 million, which would set a new record for the highest domestic debut for any animated film this decade, surpassing ‘Inside Out 2’s $154.2 million, and making it the biggest film of 2026 so far. It would also rank third on the all-time domestic animated opening list, just behind ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Incredibles 2’. Globally, projections from TheWrap suggest a figure exceeding $275 million for the opening weekend, which would be a franchise record by a significant margin.

Directed by Andrew Stanton, known for ‘Finding Nemo’ and ‘Wall-E’, ‘Toy Story 5′ features returning voices from Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack as Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie, respectively. The plot revolves around the toys’ world being disrupted when their owner Bonnie becomes engrossed in a smart tablet called Lilypad, weaving a timely commentary on screen addiction into the franchise’s signature emotional storytelling. Taylor Swift has also contributed an original song for the soundtrack.

As the weekend approaches, the film holds a 95% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and its strategic release during the Juneteenth and Father’s Day holiday stretch is expected to boost family attendance. Across all five films, the ‘Toy Story’ franchise has generated over $3 billion at the global box office and ranks as the most-watched film property on Disney Plus, with over two billion hours streamed worldwide.

With such impressive numbers and strong momentum, the discussion has shifted from whether ‘Toy Story 5’ will be a success to just how historic its run might be. Will Woody and Buzz finally achieve the all-time animated opening weekend record, or will ‘Incredibles 2’ maintain its lead?