Toy Story 5 Is Tracking for the Biggest Animated Opening in Years... and It's Actually Good

Pixar has had a rough few years. A string of streaming-only releases, a couple of films that underwhelmed even the most loyal fans, and a general vibe that the studio had lost its magic. Then came Toy Story 5, which opens in Australian cinemas this weekend... and things are looking very different.

Critics have given it 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, calling it "nimble, moving and irresistible." In the US, it's tracking for a $150 million-plus opening weekend, which would make it one of the biggest animated debuts in history. The franchise record is basically guaranteed – Toy Story 3's $110 million debut is toast.

The plot is genuinely clever: no one plays with toys anymore because kids are glued to their screens. So the toys have to figure out what they're even for. Jessie (Joan Cusack) steps up as leader while Woody (who has aged, noticeably) takes a backseat. Tim Allen returns as Buzz, but this time as the villain, leading an army of demo-mode Buzz Lightyears. Keanu Reeves, Bad Bunny and Conan O'Brien are among the new additions to the cast, which somehow works.

The nostalgia is real and the internet is leaning into it hard. TikTok is full of childhood-to-adulthood carousels set to the Toy Story score. If you have not cried to this franchise before, prepare yourself.

Pixar needed a win. They've got one.