Toy Story 5's Budget Officially Sets Franchise Record As Disney Sequel Prepares To Rule Box Office

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Directed by McKenna Harris and Andrew Stanton, the latest installment in the long-running Toy Story franchise is set to hit theaters this week, continuing the story of Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). The previous films have all been well-received critically and been box office hits, and Toy Story 5's release is projected to break new ground for the Pixar property.

A new report from Variety reveals that Toy Story 5 is eyeing a domestic opening of $135 million, with its worldwide haul expected to exceed $275 million. This is a positive sign for the film, as Pixar has bet big on audiences showing up, with the sequel reportedly carrying a budget of $250 million, not including marketing spend.

For context, the acclaimed Toy Story 4 opened to $120 million domestically in 2019, with the global tally coming in at over $248 million. This film currently holds the record for the franchise's biggest opening weekend, and it went on to become the highest-grossing installment, grossing $1.073 billion worldwide. The fourth film achieved this on a sizable budget of $200 million.

This latest report suggests Toy Story 5 could become the new reigning champion of the franchise with its opening weekend, and potentially the highest-grossing installment overall. However, the theatrical landscape of today is quite different from how things were in 2019, and it's not clear if the fifth movie will have the same staying power over weeks and months in theaters.

At a $250 million budget, the latest Toy Story movie could be looking at a break-even point of $625 million, using the standard Hollywood rule of thumb.Though a significant sum, the film seems very likely to achieve this, especially given the critical reception thus far.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the fifth installment, which sees Woody, Buzz, and the gang contending with new electronic toys, currently holds a glowing 93% critics' score. It's unclear if audiences will respond as positively, but the film being good could help to keep its box office drops low during its time in theaters.

ScreenRant's own Toy Story 5 review was glowing, with critic Jordan Williams awarding the film a score of nine out of 10. She praises the film's powerful and emotionally affecting story, and the decision to make Joan Cusack's Jessie a more central character. Williams writes:

Toy Story 5 is a more complete return to form, with its refreshing narrative bolstered by the decision to put Jessie (Joan Cusack) in the lead over Woody and Buzz (Tim Allen). Woody’s story has already been masterfully told, but there was plenty more to explore with Jessie and her struggles with abandonment after losing both Emily and Andy. With the franchise having also maintained a romantic subplot between Jessie and Buzz since Toy Story 2, the Space Ranger gets ample opportunities to continue growing and developing without feeling like he’s taking the backseat.

There are still a few days to go before audiences get their hands on the anticipated sequel, but the film, which also features voice performances from Conan O'Brien, Greta Lee, Bonnie Hunt, and Craig Robinson, is evidently shaping up to be a major win for Pixar and for movie theaters. Toy Story 5 hits theaters on June 19, 2026.