Disney and Pixar's "Toy Story 5" is poised to break franchise records at Thursday night previews, with box office sources reporting the film could earn between $13 million and $14 million. Any total exceeding $12 million would surpass the previous franchise record, set by "Toy Story 4" in 2019.
The strong preview performance signals robust audience appetite for the fourth sequel in the computer-animated series that began in 1995. The original "Toy Story" fundamentally transformed animation and launched Pixar as a creative force, establishing Woody and Buzz Lightyear as cultural touchstones. The franchise has remained commercially resilient through theatrical windows and streaming releases on Disney+.
"Toy Story 4" grossed $1.1 billion globally and won the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The film marked Pixar's return to the characters after a nine-year gap following "Toy Story 3" in 2010. Now, five years after "Toy Story 4," the studio once again resurrects the beloved IP for what appears to be a confident commercial bet.
Thursday night previews serve as an early indicator of opening weekend performance. Strong preview numbers typically correlate with substantial Friday-through-Sunday totals, particularly for family-oriented animated releases with multigenerational appeal. The preview surge for "Toy Story 5" suggests the film could dominate the box office during its opening weekend.
The performance reflects enduring fan attachment to the characters and Pixar's established brand strength in animated storytelling. Though the franchise has shown signs of creative exhaustion with diminishing critical reception in recent installments, commercial appeal remains intact. The preview performance indicates audiences remain willing to revisit Woody's world despite the narrative redundancy that plagued "Toy Story 4."