The toys are back, and the box office is bracing for impact. Pixar’s ‘Toy Story 5’ opens June 19 with tracking that points to a $150-175 million domestic debut — a figure that could set a franchise record and the biggest opening of 2026 so far.

The record projection

Forecasts have only climbed as release nears, landing in the $150-175 million range for the June 19-21 weekend. That would top every previous ‘Toy Story’ opening and cap a strong first half of the movie year. The pedigree backs it up: across four films since 1995, the franchise has grossed nearly $2.9 billion globally, and Pixar has never missed with a direct ‘Toy Story’ sequel.

The returning team

Continuity is the franchise’s superpower. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen return as Woody and Buzz, with Andrew Stanton — of ‘Finding Nemo’ and ‘WALL-E’ — writing and directing, and an ensemble that reportedly includes Keanu Reeves, Joan Cusack and Conan O’Brien. After a seven-year gap since ‘Toy Story 4,’ the creative consistency that defines the series is expected to be its strength again.

Riding the sequel wave

The timing is favorable. Recent post-pandemic animated sequels — ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘Moana 2,’ ‘Zootopia 2’ — have been among the most bankable films of the era, proving that family audiences return in force for beloved franchises. ‘Toy Story 5’ is positioned to extend that streak and reaffirm animation’s box-office muscle.

A loaded June

It does not arrive alone. DC’s ‘Supergirl,’ starring Milly Alcock with Jason Momoa as Lobo, opens June 26 on $55 million-plus tracking, and ‘Scary Movie’ already scored a franchise-record $55 million debut. Pixar’s juggernaut anchors a month stacked with tentpoles, part of a summer some insiders believe could top $4 billion.

Why it matters

A ‘Toy Story 5’ blowout would be more than nostalgia cashing in. It reinforces that theatrical animation remains a reliable draw, encourages studios to keep investing in family films, and provides the kind of cultural event that pulls casual moviegoers back into cinemas — lifting the whole theatrical business.

The bottom line

With record projections, a returning dream team and a sequel-hungry audience, ‘Toy Story 5’ is set to be one of 2026’s defining box-office moments. If it hits the high end of tracking, Woody and Buzz will prove, once again, that some franchises only get bigger.

Photo: Nivrae / BY via flickr