Most movie franchises fade by the fifth film. Toy Story just did the opposite.
The 31-year-old series opened to about $312 million worldwide. That is its biggest weekend ever.
The total splits into $160 million at home. Another $152 million came from overseas.
That tops the old franchise record. Toy Story 4 set it in 2019 at $120 million.
So the new film cleared the bar by a wide gap. It was also the biggest global opening of any movie in 2026.
It beat Universal's new Mario movie for the year's top domestic start. And it ranks as the second-largest animated debut ever in the U.S.
Only one animated film opened bigger. That was another Pixar movie, 2018's Incredibles 2.
Outside China, it lands as Pixar's second-best opening ever. Only Inside Out 2 did better.
Andrew Stanton directed it. He now leads creative work at Pixar.
His trick is simple. The toys don't age, but the kids do.
The cast came back, too. Tom Hanks returns as Woody, with Tim Allen as Buzz.
Joan Cusack is back as Jessie. This time they meet Lilypad, a new tablet voiced by Greta Lee.
The story leans on a simple idea. Screen time is taking over playtime.
The first film came out in 1995. It changed what cartoons could do.
Each new film has pulled in a fresh crowd. That keeps families coming back.
For investors, this is a Disney story as much as a Pixar one.
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Here's the part Wall Street cares about. A Toy Story opening isn't just ticket sales.
It feeds theme parks, cruises, toys, and the Disney+ app. That web is where the real money sits.
A big movie also sells park trips and toys. In a way, the film markets the whole brand.
The streaming pull was huge before launch. The first four movies drove over 60 million hours on Disney+.
Disney calls that its biggest lift ever for a coming film. The franchise has now made over $3 billion across its films.
Two of them passed $1 billion on their own. The awards stack up, too, with 11 Oscar nominations and 3 wins.
Fans clearly came hungry for more. Many grew up with these toys and now bring their own kids.
Critics liked it as well, which helps a film last. It earned a 93% score from reviewers.
Audiences went further and gave it an "A" grade. They also logged a 95% positive score.
An "A" grade is rare. It usually means strong word of mouth.
That mix tends to keep a movie selling for weeks. A 31-year-old toy just outsold every other opening this year.
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