Franchise record falls as Toy Story 5 hits a box office high

When it comes to iconic animated films, Toy Story is basically the gold standard. And just when you think they've squeezed the last bit of magic out, Disney manages to wring out another hit. After seven years of relative silence, Toy Story 5 crashed back onto our screens and, to be honest, the sheer scale of its box office blowout is mad — even by Disney's standards.

Toy Story 5 is now the highest-grossing film in the franchise, with a current global gross of $1.09 billion.

The funny thing is, this franchise looked finished after three films. Toy Story 3 absolutely stuck the landing, supposedly tying up every emotional loose end. So when Toy Story 4 was announced, plenty of fans rolled their eyes, rightly worried Disney was just milking it. Toy Story 4 wasn't shy about shaking up Woody's storyline, and it caused a bit of chaos in the fandom — especially with how Woody's arc ended. Still, people turned up in droves; the thing made $1.07 billion worldwide and that kind of cash will always keep the printer running.

A Record-Breaking Return

Cut to 2026, and Disney makes us wait seven years for Toy Story 5. Clearly the gap did nothing to dull fan appetite. This latest entry goes out of its way to course-correct after the divisive ending of the last film, bringing back the whole gang and giving Woody's journey a bit of redemption. Notably, the film sets up the possible future of the series without keeping all focus glued to Woody and Buzz — finally, some other toys get a look-in.

The numbers tell the story: opening weekend alone, Toy Story 5 made $310.2 million globally — that's the biggest opener for Pixar, ever. Domestically, it raked in $160 million over those first three days, easily a franchise best. And yes, it broke the billion-dollar barrier in just six weeks, becoming the third film in 2026 to cross that threshold. Apparently, there was just one box office record left to shatter, and over this past weekend, it sailed straight through. Not bad for a series everyone thought was finished a decade ago.

Critical Response and Where Next

You'd expect the returns to slow down after so many sequels, but the reviews have gone the other way: critics landed on a whopping 93% score over on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences close behind at 94%. That, in itself, is a bit of a shock — most people seem to think Pixar managed to get the balance right this time, laying on enough nostalgia without completely retreading old ground. Even some of the series' staunchest critics have been won over, begrudgingly admitting it works for both old fans and a generation of new kids who've gone absolutely mad for it.

Writer Kenna Harris addressed the pressure of following all that fan baggage. Speaking to MovieWeb, Harris said:

"Everyone comes with these feelings about Toy Story, they're very strong, and it's a high bar to pass with Toy Story 5. These movies are all very good. If you are nostalgic for Toy Story in any way, this movie really delivers because it's talking about nostalgia."

No surprises, then, that Disney's eyeing future sequels — director Andrew Stanton is already planting seeds for Toy Story 6 and 7. It’s probably only a matter of time before we're talking about record-breaking opening weekends yet again.

The New Adventure

• Toy Story 5 follows Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and the rest as they deal with tech threatening their beloved playtime — bringing a fresh twist without chucking out what made the originals good in the first place.