To infinity, beyond…and apparently, straight to the bank.
Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story franchise is celebrating 30 years of toys, tears, friendship, and some seriously massive numbers. Ahead of the release of Toy Story 5, Disney has shared new economic data showing just how powerful Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang have been for the company, and the impact goes way beyond the box office!
According to a new economic study commissioned by Disney and provided exclusively to Axios, the Toy Story franchise has driven $16 billion in total revenue for Disney over the past three decades. The report was compiled by impact advisory firm Steward Redqueen, and it found that nearly half of that revenue came from domestic audiences, while the rest was generated globally.
But that is not even the biggest number in the report.
The study also found that Toy Story has generated nearly $50 billion in overall global economic impact. That figure includes a wide range of business activity connected to the franchise, including employment, movie ticket sales, merchandise, streaming, licensing revenue, and sales margins for manufacturers, retailers, and other distributors.
And here is the really interesting part: according to the report, 81% of the franchise’s total economic impact has gone to non-Disney entities. That includes suppliers, retailers, small businesses, service providers, and other companies that have benefited from the continued popularity of the Toy Story brand.
This data arrives just ahead of an advanced screening for Toy Story 5, with the full economic report expected to be released in the coming weeks. The new Pixar sequel is currently set to premiere on Friday, June 19, and early predictions suggest it could have a huge opening weekend.
Current projections for Toy Story 5 estimate a domestic opening weekend between $150 million and $175 million. If that happens, the film could become a major box office moment not only for the Toy Story franchise but potentially for Pixar as a whole. The last Pixar film to open above $150 million domestically was Inside Out 2 in 2024, which earned $154.2 million during its opening weekend.
For a franchise that began with a cowboy doll, a space ranger, and one very stressful moving day, Toy Story has become one of Disney and Pixar’s most valuable entertainment brands. From movies and merchandise to theme park lands, streaming, toys, and licensing, the franchise continues to prove that these characters still have plenty of pull with fans around the world.
With Toy Story 5 almost here, all eyes are now on whether Pixar’s next big sequel can live up to these massive expectations.
Keep checking back for more Disney movie news, Pixar updates, box office predictions, and theme park entertainment updates as they are announced.
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