The box office will head to infinity and beyond when Disney’s “Toy Story 4” hits theaters on June 21. According to early tracking, the latest installment in Pixar’s animated franchise is on pace for an opening weekend between $100 million and $150 million.
Those numbers could fluctuate as the studio ramps up marketing efforts over the next three weeks, but positive reviews and strong word of mouth could propel that figure higher. Fandango and Atom Tickets both reported that advance ticket sales for “Toy Story 4” are already outpacing other animated movies like “Incredibles 2” and “Finding Dory” at the same point in their sale cycle. Disney and Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” currently holds the record for the best animated film debut with $182 million.
“Toy Story 4” arrives on the big screen nine years after “Toy Story 3,” which launched with a massive $110 million. That film went on to earn over $1 billion in box office receipts worldwide. The original “Toy Story,” which launched in 1995, earned $373 million globally, while its follow-up, “Toy Story 2,” collected $497 million in 1999.
Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are reprising their voice roles as the anthropomorphic toys Woody and Buzz Lightyear. Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele and Keanu Reeves are also lending their voices to the animated movie. “Toy Story 4” picks up after the events of the last film, which saw Andy pass along his toy collection to Bonnie. As the crew settles into life with their new owner, they are introduced to Forky (Hale), a spork that Bonnie makes into a toy using art supplies. Josh Cooley, who worked on Pixar’s “Inside Out,” directed the movie.
“Toy Story 4” should continue a strong summer for Disney. The studio kicked off popcorn season with “Avengers: Endgame,” already the second-highest grossing movie of all time with $2.68 billion. “Aladdin,” a live-action remake of the classic Arabian musical, debuted last weekend with $91 million and has since generated $128 million in North America and $139 million overseas. Disney is closing out its summer slate with Jon Favreau’s reimagining of “The Lion King” in mid-July.
A handful of films will open alongside “Toy Story 4.” United Artists Releasing’s Child’s Play,” a remake of the 1988 film about a terrifying voodoo doll named Chucky, is expected to earn $18 million to $24 million, per early tracking estimates. stars Aubrey Plaza, Brian Tyree Henry and Mark Hamill as the voice of Chucky. The horror reboot has already poked some fun at its similarly toy-inspired competitor with a tongue-in-cheek poster.
“Anna,” a crime thriller written and directed by French filmmaker Luc Besson, is on track to make $4 million to $10 million. Newcomer Sasha Luss plays the titular character, while Luke Evans and Helen Mirren also appear in the movie.
The final nationwide release that weekend is Neon’s “Wild Rose,” a musical drama about a country singer on the rise. Directed by Tom Harper and starring Jessie Buckley, the movie garnered rave reviews after premiering at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival.