Disney/Pixar's "Toy Story 5" debuted with an impressive $160 million from 4,425 North American theaters, surpassing Universal's "Super Mario Galaxy Movie" ($131.7 million) to claim the biggest domestic opening of 2026. This performance also marked the largest start in the "Toy Story" franchise, exceeding the $120 million achieved by "Toy Story 4" in 2019. Globally, the film achieved a sensational $312 million opening, with an additional $152 million from overseas markets. These figures position "Toy Story 5" as the second-largest animated opening weekend ever, just behind 2018's "Incredibles 2" with $182.7 million.
The film carries a substantial budget of $250 million, not including global marketing expenses. Critical and audience reception has been exceptionally strong, with a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an "A" grade on CinemaScore exit polls. Directed by Andrew Stanton, the sequel features the returning voices of Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), and Joan Cusack (Jessie), with Taylor Swift contributing a new song, "I Knew It, I Knew You," to the soundtrack.
The success of "Toy Story 5" highlights a growing trend in animated sequels, following recent hits like Disney's "Inside Out 2" (2024), which grossed $1.6 billion, and "Zootopia 2" (2025), which earned $1.8 billion. Analysts, such as David A. Gross of FranchiseRe, note that family moviegoing has been a significant driver for the industry's post-pandemic recovery, with Disney and Pixar particularly skilled at expanding their franchises. The film's strong start suggests it is well-positioned to potentially become the highest-grossing film in the franchise, surpassing "Toy Story 4"'s $1.07 billion, and one of the top-performing movies of the year.
The robust performance of "Toy Story 5" contributed to a vibrant summer marketplace, with the North American box office nearing $1.6 billion, the best since 2019. The film's strong debut, coupled with other successful titles like "Obsession" and "Backrooms," has helped the domestic box office to be 13% ahead of last year. Its opening also occurred during a period where animated films like "Inside Out 2" and "Despicable Me 4" have co-existed and prospered, signaling a healthy future for the animation genre and the overall box office.
