Toy Story 4 may set a new all-time box office record for largest opening by an animated film. In just a few short weeks, Pixar's flagship property returns to theaters, hoping to add to the incredible legacy of the series and potentially end the franchise on the highest of notes. Upon the initial Toy Story 4 announcement (and even after the first few marketing materials were released), some viewers expressed skepticism over what Toy Story 4 had to bring to the table. The third film, which came out in 2010, is seen by many as the perfect finale. More recently, however, the tide has shifted in a much more positive direction.
With multiple trailers and TV spots teasing all of the heart and humor audiences have come to expect from a Pixar film, Toy Story 4 is definitely one of the most anticipated films of the summer and is poised to be a huge financial hit when it premieres. Just yesterday, the sequel beat Incredibles 2's ticket pre-sales record on Fandango, and that's not the only new mark Toy Story 4 may set.
According to Deadline, some box office analysts believe Toy Story 4 could make $200 million domestically in its first three days. That would break the record for best opening weekend by an animated film, topping Incredibles 2's $182.6 million from a summer ago.
If these projections pan out, Toy Story 4 would score one of the biggest debut of all-time in general. Only seven movies in history have earned $200 million or more in their opening weekends, most recently Avengers: Endgame with a whopping $357.1 million. This once again proves that Pixar films are much more than just "kids' movies" and sport a universal appeal that several of their contemporaries just can't match. If a film grosses $200 million in one weekend, it means people of all ages and demographics felt compelled to see it (not just parents with small children). Since the Toy Story series began back in 1995, there are plenty of adults excited to see the next adventure for Woody and Buzz Lightyear. Nostalgia can be a powerful tool in drawing in older moviegoers.
Right now, Toy Story 4 is clearly the June blockbuster arriving with the most fanfare. Other tentpoles, like Dark Phoenix and Men in Black: International, are expected to post all-time worst openings for their respective brands. With that in mind, it doesn't look like Toy Story 4 is going to face much in the way of competition when it hits the scene. Even fellow animated sequel The Secret Life of Pets 2 will be a couple of weeks old by then and not be a threat at all. And, considering how a few of this year's biggest smashes actually exceeded expectations (including, believe it or not, Endgame), there's always a chance Toy Story 4 soars past $200 million in its opening weekend.
Source: Deadline
