Disney’s Toy Story 5 has stormed the global box office, delivering a record-breaking opening weekend for the long-running Pixar franchise and helping spark a wider wave of strong international results across Hollywood.
The animated sequel debuted with around €280.8 million globally, making it the strongest ever opening in the Toy Story series and comfortably surpassing its predecessor, Toy Story 4.
The total includes approximately €144 million from North America and €136.8 million from international markets, marking one of the biggest worldwide launches of the year.
(L to R) Woody, Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Buzz Lightyear, Joan Cusack, Jessie and Greta Lee attend the UK Launch Event of Disney and Pixar's 'Toy Story 5.' Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited
For comparison, the previous franchise record-holder, Toy Story 4, opened significantly lower with about €214.2 million worldwide, including roughly €108 million internationally and €103.7 million globally.
Internationally, Toy Story 5 also delivered one of Pixar’s strongest ever overseas debuts, coming in just behind Inside Out 2.
(L-R): Woody and Buzz Lightyear in Disney and Pixar's TOY STORY 5. Photo courtesy of Pixar. © 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Key markets included Mexico (€23.94 million), the United Kingdom (€18 million), China (€16.2 million) and France (€6.48 million), highlighting the continued global appetite for family-friendly sequels.
Industry analysts say overseas audiences have become increasingly crucial to animated blockbusters, particularly following the success of recent titles such as Inside Out 2 and Zootopia 2, which were among the first animated films to surpass €900 million from international markets alone.
(L-R): Bullseye, Jessie, Atlas, Smarty Pants, and Snappy in Disney and Pixar's TOY STORY 5. Photo courtesy of Pixar. © 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 5 was produced on a reported budget of around €225 million, but early projections suggest it is already well positioned to cover its costs, supported not only by box office demand but also the franchise’s massive retail presence.
The broader Toy Story brand continues to generate more than €900 million annually worldwide across merchandising, gaming and publishing.
The latest instalment, directed by Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton, revisits Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Jessie as they face a new kind of rival: modern technology.
The story centres on Bonnie becoming increasingly attached to a new smart tablet known as Lilypad, reflecting the growing tension between traditional play and digital entertainment.
(L-R): Bullseye, Jessie, and Lilypad in Disney and Pixar's TOY STORY 5. Photo courtesy of Pixar. © 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Alongside returning stars Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack, the film boasts a huge voice cast including Greta Lee, Conan O'Brien, Tony Hale, Craig Robinson, Keanu Reeves, Kristen Schaal, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Bonnie Hunt, Alan Cumming and Bad Bunny.
(L to R) Woody, Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Buzz Lightyear, Joan Cusack, Jessie and Greta Lee attend the UK Launch Event of Disney and Pixar's 'Toy Story 5.' Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited
Beyond Pixar’s success, the global box office also saw two breakout horror titles cross major milestones.
Obsession has now reached approximately €299.7 million worldwide, including around €105.3 million internationally and a total global haul of €299.7 million, while Backrooms has surged past €270.9 million globally, with roughly €112.5 million overseas.
Both films, made on relatively low budgets, have become standout success stories with Backrooms following closely behind as one of the year’s most profitable independent hits.
Jaafar Jackson portrayed his uncle Michael Jackson in what has become the most successful biopic of all time. Kathy Hutchins, Shutterstock
Elsewhere, the music biopic Michael is edging closer to the symbolic €900 million milestone, currently standing at around €863.1 million worldwide. While it has performed strongly across international markets, industry insiders suggest it may ultimately fall just short of the coveted billion-euro threshold.
Universal’s Disclosure Day, meanwhile, slipped after a strong debut weekend, taking approximately €16.83 million internationally and bringing its global total to around €144 million after two weeks in cinemas. With a production budget of roughly €103.5 million, the film is still tracking toward profitability but faces pressure to maintain momentum.
Despite mixed fortunes for some releases, the overall box office picture remains buoyant, with major franchises like Toy Story continuing to demonstrate the enduring power of theatrical animation in an increasingly streaming-driven landscape.
For Pixar, however, the focus will be on whether Toy Story 5 can maintain its record-breaking momentum in the weeks ahead and potentially join the studio’s elite group of billion-euro global hits.
