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Toy Story 5 Debuts Strong as Jessie Leads a Tech‑Vs‑Play Story

Strong preview and opening‑day box office point to a major commercial rebound for Pixar.

Overview

  • The film opened in theaters on Friday, June 19, and posted franchise‑best Thursday previews and a very large opening day that industry trackers say could produce the biggest domestic debut in Toy Story history.
  • Early box office figures include roughly $17.5 million in Thursday previews and an estimated $71 million for the first full day, with weekend projections in the $140–170 million range.
  • Toy Story 5 centers on Bonnie’s new kid‑friendly tablet, Lilypad, which the movie frames as a modern threat to unstructured imaginative play rather than a simple villain.
  • Joan Cusack’s Jessie is elevated to the emotional lead while Tom Hanks and Tim Allen return as Woody and Buzz; the film is directed by Andrew Stanton with co‑writer/co‑director McKenna Harris and features new voices including Greta Lee and Conan O’Brien.
  • Critics generally praise the film’s timely tech theme and Jessie‑focused story but remain divided about sequel necessity, and Disney/Pixar’s heavy marketing including a Taylor Swift end‑credits song underscores the high financial stakes given the film’s large production costs.