‘Toy Story 5’ rakes in biggest box-office debut of the year with a franchise-best $160 million

"Toy Story 5" has captured moviegoers' attention, debuting with a franchise-best $160 million in domestic ticket sales and securing the biggest opening weekend of the year, according to studio estimates. The film's international performance was equally strong, adding $152 million for a worldwide total of $312 million.

Released 31 years after the original "Toy Story," the fifth installment significantly surpassed the previous series record of $120 million set by "Toy Story 4" in 2019. The "Toy Story" franchise remains a highly profitable venture for The Walt Disney Co., having collectively grossed over $3 billion before this latest release, with billions more generated from merchandising.

“

The fifth installment in the Pixar series debuted with $160 million in domestic ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday, easily setting a new franchise record and notching the biggest opening weekend of the year.

Although the series appeared to conclude with "Toy Story 3" in 2010, the decision to revive it has proven extremely lucrative. "Toy Story 4" exceeded $1 billion in global ticket sales, and "Toy Story 5" is widely expected to achieve the same milestone. Among animated films, only "Incredibles 2" in 2018 had a larger opening weekend ($182.7 million).

“

The "Toy Story" franchise is one of the most profitable for The Walt Disney Co.

The production of "Toy Story 5" came with a substantial cost of $250 million, excluding marketing expenses. The film features the return of its iconic voice cast, including Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, and Joan Cusack as Jessie. The plot sees the toys sidelined when their owner, Bonnie, gets a new tablet. The movie is directed by Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton, known for "Finding Nemo" and "WALL-E," and includes a new song by Taylor Swift titled "I Knew It, I Knew You."

Critical and audience reception has been overwhelmingly positive. "Toy Story 5" garnered excellent reviews and received an "A" CinemaScore from audiences, suggesting it will likely maintain strong box office performance in the coming weeks. In contrast, Steven Spielberg's "Disclosure Day" slipped to second place in its second weekend, earning $17 million, a 61% drop from its opening. The film, budgeted at $115 million, has grossed $160.4 million globally in two weeks. Meanwhile, A24's "The Death of Robin Hood" and Neon's "Leviticus" had disappointing debuts, earning $2.6 million and $2.7 million, respectively.

“

Reviews have been very good and audiences gave “Toy Story 5” an “A” CinemaScore, suggesting it should remain a force in theaters for weeks.