Toy Story 5 Shatters Box Office Records In 2026'S Best Opening Weekend

‘Toy Story 5’ Dominates Box Office with Record-Breaking Debut

It’s a big win for Disney-Pixar as Toy Story 5 absolutely crushed the competition, debuting as the top-grossing film in US and Canadian theaters last weekend. The film hauled in a staggering US$160 million, making it the best debut of 2026, surpassing even The Super Mario Galaxy Movie from Universal Pictures. This impressive feat was in line with Boxoffice Pro’s prediction of a US$160 million opening, solidifying Toy Story 5 as a blockbuster hit.

A Franchise to Remember

The latest installment marks the most successful opening weekend in the cherished Toy Story franchise, which has been charming audiences since 1995. It's also Pixar's second-best opening weekend ever, only behind Incredibles 2 in 2018. Critics have showered Toy Story 5 with rave reviews, boosting its momentum as it headed into the Juneteenth holiday weekend that culminated with Father’s Day on June 21.

“The film’s nostalgic appeal, combined with a killer soundtrack featuring Taylor Swift’s hit I Knew It, I Knew You, has clearly struck a chord with fans,” remarked a movie analyst.

Pixar’s Triumphant Return

The release of Toy Story 5 further cements Pixar's comeback under the leadership of Jim Morris and Pete Docter, who have been steering the studio back to box office glory. Following the massive success of Inside Out 2 in 2024, which raked in US$1.7 billion globally, Pixar has been on an upward trajectory. Earlier this year, the original film Hoppers brought in US$388.9 million worldwide, showing marked improvement over previous releases.

A Summer for Blockbusters

As Toy Story 5 continues to ride its wave of success, it's joined by other summer heavyweights such as Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Together, these films are predicted to drive summer ticket sales to a projected US$4.1 billion to US$4.3 billion in the US and Canada, reflecting a return to the robust pre-pandemic box office levels, according to industry analysts.