'Toy Story 5' rakes in $160m in opening weekend

Disney's 'Toy Story 5' romped to the best opening weekend of the year, earning an estimated $160 million in North America, according to industry estimates released on Sunday. The figure marks a record debut for the beloved Pixar franchise.
Released over Father's Day weekend, the sequel sees Woody, Buzz Lightyear and their fellow toys facing a new challenge as technology, particularly tablets, competes for children's attention.
'This is prime family moviegoing season and 'Toy Story' is delivering', said industry analyst David A Gross, who described the film's launch as 'another sensational opening for a Pixar series sequel'.
Gross noted that 'Toy Story 5' achieved the biggest opening weekend in the franchise's history, surpassing 'Toy Story 4' by an estimated 37 per cent. The film is also expected to rank as the second-largest animated movie opening ever, behind Pixar's 'Incredibles 2', which debuted with $182.7 million in June 2018.
'Family moviegoing has been leading the industry since it came roaring back from the pandemic in 2023', Gross added, pointing to sequels, live-action remakes and hybrid productions as key drivers of the genre's success.
Featuring the return of voice stars Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack, 'Toy Story 5' opened on 4,425 screens across the United States and Canada.
Second place at the box office went to Steven Spielberg's sci-fi thriller 'Disclosure Day', which earned $17 million in its second weekend for a domestic total of $78.2 million.
Focus Features' horror hit 'Obsession' placed third with $14 million, followed by A24's 'Backrooms' with $7.3 million and Paramount's 'Scary Movie' reboot with $6.7 million. — AFP