Disney and Pixar's "Toy Story 5" is positioned to set a new franchise record for opening night previews, with box office sources projecting the animated sequel could pull in between $13 million and $14 million Thursday night — a figure that would mark the best previews performance the franchise has ever recorded.

Box office sources indicate that Disney and Pixar's "Toy Story 5" is in play for a franchise record Thursday night when it comes to previews, with projections in the range of $13 million to $14 million, possibly more. Anything higher than $12 million represents a record preview night for the franchise — a mark previously set by "Toy Story 4" back in 2019, off previews that began in select theaters at 5 p.m. followed by a wide 6 p.m. release.

A Strong Showing Among 2026's Biggest Films

If the projected $13 million to $14 million figure holds, it would represent the best preview night any film has posted in 2026 so far, surpassing several other high-profile titles that have opened earlier in the year. That total would top Lionsgate's "Michael" ($12.6 million), Amazon MGM Studios' "Project Hail Mary" ($12 million), and Disney/Lucasfilm's "Star Wars: Mandalorian and Grogu" ($12 million).

It's worth noting that not every major 2026 release followed the traditional preview-night model. Illumination and Universal did not hold previews for the "Super Mario Galaxy Movie," which currently owns the best three-day domestic opening of the year so far with $131.7 million.

Strong Reviews and Advance Ticket Sales Build Momentum

Heading into its opening weekend, "Toy Story 5" has benefited from an enthusiastic critical reception that has helped fuel ticket sales in the days leading up to........

© International Business Times