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Best Pixar Movies Ranked

(L to R) Yonas Kibreab and Remy Edgerly in ‘Elio’. Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina, and produced by Mary Alice Drumm, Disney and Pixar’s ‘Elio’ releases in theaters June 20, 2025. © 2024 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Pixar Animation Studios has changed the game when it comes to animated feature films.

For almost 30 years the Northern California studio has delivered some of the most critically acclaimed and beloved animated films of all time including ‘Up‘, ‘WALL-E‘, ‘Ratatouille‘, ‘Soul‘ and ‘Coco‘, as well as such popular franchises as ‘Toy Story‘, ‘Cars‘, ‘Finding Nemo‘, ‘The Incredibles‘ and ‘Inside Out‘.

The studio’s latest movie, ‘Elio‘, which features the voice work of recent Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña, opens in theaters on June 20th.

In honor of Pixar’s new film, Moviefone is ranking every movie Pixar has ever made, including their latest.

Let’s begin!

29. ‘Lightyear‘ (2022)

Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans) in Disney and Pixar’s ‘Lightyear,’ which opens in U.S. theaters on June 17, 2022. © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Legendary Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) embarks on an intergalactic adventure alongside a group of ambitious recruits and his robot companion Sox.
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28. ‘Cars 3‘ (2017)

Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician (Cristela Alonzo) with her own plan to win, inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet (Paul Newman), and a few unexpected turns. Proving that #95 isn’t through yet will test the heart of a champion on Piston Cup Racing’s biggest stage!
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27. ‘The Good Dinosaur‘ (2015)

An epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo (Raymond Ochoa) makes an unlikely human friend.
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26. ‘Cars 2‘ (2011)

Star race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and his pal Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.
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25. ‘Elemental‘ (2023)

Pixar’s ‘Elemental.’ © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

In a city where fire, water, land and air residents live together, a fiery young woman (Leah Lewis) and a go-with-the-flow guy (Mamoudou Athie) will discover something elemental: how much they have in common.
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24. ‘Monsters University‘ (2013)

A look at the relationship between Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sulley (John Goodman) during their days at Monsters University — when they weren’t necessarily the best of friends.
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23. ‘Cars‘ (2006)

Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), a hotshot rookie race car driven to succeed, discovers that life is about the journey, not the finish line, when he finds himself unexpectedly detoured in the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. On route across the country to the big Piston Cup Championship in California to compete against two seasoned pros, McQueen gets to know the town’s offbeat characters.
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22. ‘Onward‘ (2020)

In a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers (Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left out there.
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21. ‘Brave‘ (2012)

Brave is set in the mystical Scottish Highlands, where Mérida (Kelly Macdonald) is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). An unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, Mérida one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom. In an attempt to set things right, Mérida seeks out an eccentric old Wise Woman and is granted an ill-fated wish. Also figuring into Mérida’s quest — and serving as comic relief — are the kingdom’s three lords: the enormous Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), the surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), and the disagreeable Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane).
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20. ‘Elio‘ (2025)

Yonas Kibreab in ‘Elio’. Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina, and produced by Mary Alice Drumm, Disney and Pixar’s ‘Elio’ releases in theaters June 20, 2025. © 2024 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Elio (Yonas Kidreab), a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.
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19. ‘Luca‘ (2024)

Luca (Jacob Tremblay) and his best friend Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) experience an unforgettable summer on the Italian Riviera. But all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water’s surface.
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18. ‘A Bug’s Life‘ (1998)

On behalf of “oppressed bugs everywhere,” an inventive ant named Flik (Dave Foley) hires a troupe of warrior bugs to defend his bustling colony from a horde of freeloading grasshoppers led by the evil-minded Hopper (Kevin Spacey).
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17. ‘Finding Dory‘ (2016)

Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) is reunited with her friends Nemo (Hayden Rolence) and Marlin (Albert Brooks) in the search for answers about her past. What can she remember? Who are her parents? And where did she learn to speak Whale?
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16. ‘Incredibles 2‘ (2018)

Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) springs into action to save the day, while Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) faces his greatest challenge yet – taking care of the problems of his three children.
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15. ‘Inside Out 2‘ (2024)

Pixar’s ‘Inside Out 2’. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Teenager Riley’s (Kensington Tallman) mind headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale) and Disgust (Liza Lapira), who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety (Maya Hawke) shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.
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14. ‘Monsters, Inc.‘ (2001)

Lovable Sulley (John Goodman) and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) are the top scare team at Monsters, Inc., the scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. When a little girl named Boo wanders into their world, it’s the monsters who are scared silly, and it’s up to Sulley and Mike to keep her out of sight and get her back home.
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13. ‘Turning Red‘ (2024)

Thirteen-year-old Mei (Rosalie Chiang) is experiencing the awkwardness of being a teenager with a twist – when she gets too excited, she transforms into a giant red panda.
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12. ‘Toy Story 2‘ (1999)

Andy heads off to Cowboy Camp, leaving his toys to their own devices. Things shift into high gear when an obsessive toy collector named Al McWhiggen (Wayne Knight), owner of Al’s Toy Barn kidnaps Woody (Tom Hanks). Andy’s toys mount a daring rescue mission, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) meets his match and Woody has to decide where he and his heart truly belong.
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11. ‘WALL·E‘ (2008)

What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off? After hundreds of years doing what he was built for, WALL•E (Ben Burtt) discovers a new purpose in life when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE (Elissa Knight). EVE comes to realize that WALL•E has inadvertently stumbled upon the key to the planet’s future, and races back to space to report to the humans. Meanwhile, WALL•E chases EVE across the galaxy and sets into motion one of the most imaginative adventures ever brought to the big screen.
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10. ‘Soul‘ (2024)

Jamie Foxx voices Joe Gardner in Pixar’s ‘Soul’. Photo: Pixar.

Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) is a middle school teacher with a love for jazz music. After a successful audition at the Half Note Club, he suddenly gets into an accident that separates his soul from his body and is transported to the You Seminar, a center in which souls develop and gain passions before being transported to a newborn child. Joe must enlist help from the other souls-in-training, like 22 (Tina Fey), a soul who has spent eons in the You Seminar, in order to get back to Earth.
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9. ‘Toy Story 4‘ (2019)

Woody (Tom Hanks) has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw). But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called “Forky” (Tony Hale) to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy.
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8. ‘Ratatouille‘ (2007)

Remy (Patton Oswalt), a resident of Paris, appreciates good food and has quite a sophisticated palate. He would love to become a chef so he can create and enjoy culinary masterpieces to his heart’s delight. The only problem is, Remy is a rat. When he winds up in the sewer beneath one of Paris’ finest restaurants, the rodent gourmet finds himself ideally placed to realize his dream.
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7. ‘Coco‘ (2017)

Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.
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6. ‘Toy Story 3‘ (2010)

Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), and the rest of Andy’s toys haven’t been played with in years. With Andy about to go to college, the gang find themselves accidentally left at a nefarious day care center. The toys must band together to escape and return home to Andy.
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5. ‘Finding Nemo‘ (2003)

(L to R) Albert Brooks voices Marlin and Ellen DeGeneres voices Dory in ‘Finding Nemo’. Photo: Pixar Studios.

Nemo (Alexander Gould), an adventurous young clownfish, is unexpectedly taken from his Great Barrier Reef home to a dentist’s office aquarium. It’s up to his worrisome father Marlin (Albert Brooks) and a friendly but forgetful fish Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) to bring Nemo home — meeting vegetarian sharks, surfer dude turtles, hypnotic jellyfish, hungry seagulls, and more along the way.
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4. ‘Inside Out‘ (2015)

When 11-year-old Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) moves to a new city, her Emotions team up to help her through the transition. Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith) work together, but when Joy and Sadness get lost, they must journey through unfamiliar places to get back home.
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3. ‘The Incredibles‘ (2004)

Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson) has given up his superhero days to log in time as an insurance adjuster and raise his three children (Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox and Eli Fucile) with his formerly heroic wife (Holly Hunter) in suburbia. But when he receives a mysterious assignment, it’s time to get back into costume.
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2. ‘Up‘ (2009)

Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell (Jordan Nagai)) gives him a new lease on life.
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1. ‘Toy Story‘ (1995)

(L to R) Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in Pixar Animation Studios’ ‘Toy Story.’

Led by Woody (Tom Hanks), Andy’s toys live happily in his room until Andy’s birthday brings Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) onto the scene. Afraid of losing his place in Andy’s heart, Woody plots against Buzz. But when circumstances separate Buzz and Woody from their owner, the duo eventually learns to put aside their differences.
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June 25, 2025
‘Ghostbusters’ Ernie Hudson joins ‘Toy Story 5’
Ernie Hudson Jr. at the London photocall of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ on March 21, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Columbia Pictures.

Preview:
- Ernie Hudson will be the voice of Combat Carl in ‘Toy Story 5.’
- Carl Weathers previously played the role.
- The new ‘Toy Story’ is due out next year.
While ‘Elio’ is the next Pixar project to hit the big screen (June 20th, in case you were wondering), there is naturally a lot of attention on the company’s next dive into franchise territory, and one of its biggest hitters returning to theaters with ‘Toy Story 5’ due next year.
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With Woody, Buzz and the gang back for more adventure, word arrives via TMZ of all places that there has been some necessary recasting among the voice ranks for the new movie.

Carl Weathers is Greef Karga in ‘The Mandalorian,’ season two, exclusively on Disney+

Following the sad death last year of Carl Weathers, the role of Combat Carl –– which Weathers performed in the 2013 TV special ‘Toy Story of Terror!’ and the most recent big screen outing, ‘Toy Story 4,’ genre stalwart Ernie Hudson will instead report for duty to provide the voice for the military man.

It’s not the first piece of re-casting in the ‘Toy Story’ world, since Blake Clark took over the role of Slinky Dog from the late Jim Varney a few years ago.

Related Article: Ernie Hudson Talks ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ and the Franchise’s Legacy

What’s the story of ‘Toy Story 5’?

(L to R) Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in Pixar Animation Studios’ ‘Toy Story.’

In case you forgot (since it was released back in 2019), ‘Toy Story 4’ ended with Woody and Buzz parting ways when the former joined Bo Peep (Annie Potts) to live a life as a “lost toy,” free from the constraints of being owned by a child.

Throughout the film, Woody struggled to find his place with Bonnie, as she no longer needed him as much as Andy did. Buzz, understanding Woody’s choice, assured him that Bonnie would be okay without him and supported Woody’s decision to start a new chapter.

Meanwhile, Buzz stayed with Bonnie, continuing to live with Jessie, Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and other toys, including the new addition of Forky (Tony Hale).

Director Andrew Stanton, returning to the franchise for the first time in years, revealed at the last D23 that the central conflict of the latest film will involve the toys grappling with staying relevant in the age of technology.

The concept art revealed at the same event shows the toys looking sadly at their owner engrossed in a tablet, hinting at the emotional and humorous struggles they will face as they try to reclaim the child’s attention.

And Tim Allen has also been talking about the new movie.

This is what he told Collider:

“It’s a very, very clever story. I don’t really believe it’s about the money. I’m sure they want it to be a success, but that’s not why they did it. Had they not come up with a brilliant script, they wouldn’t have done it. It’s really clever. It was really a struggle to get, and then maybe two hours in, I was doing Buzz. I’m so blessed to be Buzz Lightyear, to be honest. It’s gonna be fun. I think we’re a year out. I’ve gotten up to the third act. We’ll do the third act. And then, we’ll go back and clean it. And then, I’ll do it about five more times. It’s a really good story, guys. It’s really good.”

Here’s what he told news channel WIVB 4:

“I can tell you that it’s a lot about Jessie,” he said. “Tom [Hanks] and I do — Woody and I — do realign. And there’s an unbelievable opening scene with Buzz Lightyears. I can give you that, but I can’t give you much more.”

Who else is working on ‘Toy Story 5’?

(L-R) Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear, Buzz Lightyear, and Woody from ‘Toy Story 3.’ ©Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Few other details have been revealed about the new movie for either side of the camera.

We do know that McKenna Harris, who has worked on several other Pixar titles in various capabilities, is co-directing the movie with Stanton, and the latter worked on the script.

Beyond Allen and now Hudson, there has been no confirmation on the cast, but Hanks will return and word on Jessie surely points to Joan Cusack already having recorded some material.

We’d be shocked if most of the main voice cast –– at least those whose characters feature prominently –– wouldn’t be back.

Where else have we seen Ernie Hudson?

(L to R) Winston (Ernie Hudson) and Peter (Bill Murray) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo By Jaap Buitendijk. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hudson needs little introduction, though among his more famous genre credits are the likes of ‘Ghostbusters’ [1984], ‘The Crow’ [1994], ‘Miss Congeniality,’ ‘Congo,’ ‘The Hand that Rocks the Cradle,’ and ‘The Jazz Singer.’

On the small screen, he’s been seen in shows including the more recent take on ‘Quantum Leap,’ ‘Grace and Frankie’ and voiced a character in ‘Transformers Prime.’

When will ‘Toy Story 5’ be in theaters?

Disney and Pixar’s latest entry in the ‘Toy Story’ franchise will be on screens on June 19th, 2026.

‘Toy Story 5’. Photo: Disney.

List of Movies in the ‘Toy Story’ Franchise:
- ‘Toy Story‘ (1995)
- ‘Toy Story 2‘ (1999)
- ‘Toy Story 3‘ (2010)
- ‘Toy Story of Terror!‘ (2014)
- ‘Toy Story 4‘ (2019)
- ‘Lightyear‘ (2022)
Buy ‘Toy Story’ Movies On Amazon
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April 22, 2025
Tim Allen To Reprise His Role As Buzz Lightyear
(L-R) Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear, Buzz Lightyear, and Woody from ‘Toy Story 3.’ ©Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

To infinity and beyond … again!

A ‘Toy Story’ sequel was recently announced by Disney CEO Bob Iger during the Q1 earnings call, along with ‘Frozen’ and ‘Zootopia’. “We’ll have more to share about these productions soon, but this is a great example of how we’re leaning into our unrivaled brands and franchises”. This will mark the fifth installment for the Pixar franchise, the third for ‘Frozen,’ and the second for ‘Zootopia.’

Shortly after the announcement, actor Tim Allen took to his personal Twitter account to express his excitement and hinted at the reunion with Tom Hanks:

“See ya soon Woody, you are a sad strange little man and you have my pity. And off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond!”
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Allen originated the voice of the space commander action figure in 1995 alongside actor Tom Hanks, who plays Woody. Since then, Allen has been a part of every ‘Toy Story’ sequel except for ‘Lightyear’, the origin story of how the Buzz Lightyear toy came to be.

‘Lightyear’ cast Chris Evans to voice the title character, mainly because that Buzz isn’t exactly the same Buzz that we know in ‘Toy Story.’ Spoilers ahead, so you’ve been warned. ‘Lightyear’ is about space ranger Buzz Lightyear who is trying to find his way home after being lost in space travel and his adventure along the way. The “fictional” movie is the movie that Andy saw as a child, and that movie inspired the toy version of the Buzz Lightyear we see in ‘Toy Story.’

The movie opened domestically at $50.5 million and has grossed $226.4 million worldwide. Many fans were disappointed that Allen was not cast as the voice for Buzz in ‘Lightyear’. The actor finally broke his silence on the topic in an interview with Extra:

“The short answer is I’ve stayed out of this ’cause it has nothing to do (with my Buzz Lightyear).”

Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans) in Disney and Pixar’s ‘Lightyear,’ which opens in U.S. theaters on June 17, 2022. © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Related Articles: ‘Frozen’ ‘Toy Story,’ and ‘Zootopia’ Sequels Are In The Works

A Look At Toy Story’s Success

The first ‘Toy Story’ opened in November 1995 to $223.2 million. It was the first feature film by Pixar, and also the first film to use computer animation entirely. The toys belonged to Andy, a boy who loved playing with his toys but especially Woody – a pull-string cowboy (voiced by Tom Hanks). When new toy Buzz Lightyear was introduced to the group, chaos ensued because Buzz did not believe he was a toy but in fact, a real Space Ranger. Being the new toy with all the bells and whistles, Buzz got a lot of attention from Andy and fellow toys making Woody jealous.

‘Toy Story’ received three Academy Award nominations including Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song, and Best Original Score. The film was a hit across the board and today, it remains at a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The follow-up ‘Toy Story’ films continue to receive praise and win awards, including Academy Awards for ‘Toy Story 3‘ (Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song).

No word yet on who else will return to ‘Toy Story 5‘ or when the film will begin production.

See ya soon Woody, you are a sad strange little man and you have my pity. And off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond! pic.twitter.com/bwRzE487Vi

— Tim Allen (@ofctimallen) February 9, 2023

Other Movies Similar to ‘Toy Story 5:’
- ‘Toy Story‘ (1995)
- ‘Toy Story 2‘ (1999)
- ‘Toy Story 3‘ (2010)
- ‘Toy Story 4‘ (2019)
- ‘Lightyear‘ (2022)
Buy ‘Toy Story’ Movies On Amazon
February 13, 2023
‘Toy Story 4’ Crosses $1 Billion, Pushes Disney to New Record

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

It’s to a billion and beyond for “Toy Story 4,” and that’s huge news for Disney.

The latest installment in the beloved Disney-Pixar movie series has officially surpassed the $1 billion mark at the global box office, making Disney the first studio to have five films accomplish that feat in the same year, Variety reports. “Toy Story 4” follows in the footsteps of “Avengers: Endgame,” “The Lion King,” “Captain Marvel,” and “Aladdin.” The only other film to cross $1 billion so far this year is Sony’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” per Box Office Mojo data.

With its new record, Disney beats … Disney. The studio previously had four billion-plus-grossing films in 2016, as Variety pointed out. Those films were “Captain America: Civil War,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Finding Dory,” and “Zootopia.”

It’s not surprising to see “Toy Story 4” bring home the new record for Disney. The beloved franchise added “Toy Story 3” in 2010, and that was another box office juggernaut. It also grossed more than $1 billion worldwide and was the top film in North America that year, according to Box Office Mojo.

Disney has earned the right to celebrate, and the year still isn’t even over. The studio has more movies coming — “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” “Frozen 2,” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” are all due out before the end of 2019.

[via: Variety]

August 15, 2019
Box Office: ‘Toy Story 4’ Rules For Second Weekend

Pixar

Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Bo Peep, and Forky are still ruling the box office, easily fending off the possessed doll from “Annabelle Comes Home” and Chucky from the “Child’s Play” reboot.

“Toy Story 4” took in $58 million, boosting its domestic haul to $237 million. After only two weekends in theaters, “Toy Story 4” is already the fourth-highest grossing movie of the year. The Pixar sequel now has a global tally of $496 million.

Warner Bros.

Landing in second place was “Annabelle Comes Home,” the seventh installment in the Conjuring Universe and the third film about the evil doll. It earned $20 million over the weekend and $31.2 million since debuting on Wednesday. That’s considerably behind the first two “Annabelle” films, which each took in more than $35 million in their opening weekend.

Universal

Close behind in third place was “Yesterday,” in which a man (Himesh Patel) becomes a pop sensation because he’s the only one who remembers the Beatles. It took in $17 million from 2,603 venues. It was directed by Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”) and written by Richard Curtis (“Love Actually”).

The musical pulled in $7.7 million overseas, bringing its weekend total to $24.7 million globally. It has a middling 60% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences gave it an “A-” CinemaScore.

Disney/Marvel

“Avengers: Endgame” returned to the top 10 after being re-released with an unfinished deleted scene that didn’t make the original cut. The new version, which also includes a video introduction from co-director Anthony Russo and a sneak peek at “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” added another $5.5 million in its 10th weekend of release. That’s nearly a 200% jump in ticket sales from last week.

Its total sales now stand at $841 million in North America and $2.76 billion worldwide. That’s still about $26 million behind “Avatar,” which remains the highest-grossing film of all time with $2.78 billion in global ticket sales.

Disney

In fourth place, Disney’s “Aladdin” earned $9.3 million in its sixth weekend, crossing the $300 million mark at the domestic box office. It’s currently the third highest-grossing film of 2019.

Lionsgate

In another box office milestone, “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” just crossed $300 million worldwide. The sequel picked up $3 million this weekend, taking its domestic tally to $161 million. It’s the sixth highest-grossing film of the year so far.

Here are the top 10 estimates for June 21-23, 2019

1. “Toy Story 4,” $57,932,000
2. “Annabelle Comes Home,” $20,370,000
3. “Yesterday,” $17,000,000
4. “Aladdin” (2019), $9,344,000
5. “The Secret Life of Pets 2,” $7,090,000
6. “Men in Black: International,”$6,550,000
7. “Avengers: Endgame,” $5,537,000
8. “Child’s Play” (2019), $4,276,607
9. “Rocketman,” $3,870,000
10. “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,” $3,175,000

[Via Variety]

June 30, 2019
Box Office: ‘Toy Story 4’ Bows With $118 Million, ‘Child’s Play’ Is a Distant Second

Disney/Pixar

“Toy Story 4” easily dominated the box office this weekend with an $118 million debut. While that’s nothing to sneeze at, it’s still well below projections that were closer to $140 million.

It did bow with slightly more than “Toy Story 3″‘s $110 million in 2010. Excellent reviews, winning new characters, and a solid “A” CinemaScore should keep the sequel powering through the summer.

“Toy Story 4” had the fourth-biggest launch for an animated movie, behind “Incredibles 2” ($182 million), “Finding Dory” ($135 million) and “Shrek the Third” ($121 million). And it’s only the third movie this year to make more than $100 million in its opening weekend. The other two were, not surprisingly, Disney properties as well: “Captain Marvel” and “Avengers: Endgame.”

United Artists

In distant second place was the reboot of “Child’s Play,” in which the murderous doll is voiced by Mark Hamill. It took in $14 million, not bad for a movie that only cost $10 million to produce. Aubrey Plaza and Gabriel Bateman of “Lights Out” star. Audiences gave it a “C+” CinemaScore.

Sony

In its second weekend, “Men in Black: International” had a steep 65% decline from its debut, taking in $10 million to land in fourth place. The fourth “MIB” film has earned $52 million so far.

Lionsgate

Debuting outside the top 10 was the latest Luc Besson action film, “Anna,” another “hot chick assassin movie” from the director of “La Femme Nikita” and “Lucy.” It took in a dismal $3.5 million from 2,114 screens. Russian model Sasha Luss, who previously appeared in Besson’s “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets,” stars.

Here are the top 10 estimates for June 21-23, 2019

1. “Toy Story 4,” $118,000,000
2. “Child’s Play” (2019), $14,055,540
3. “Aladdin” (2019), $12,200,000
4. “Men in Black International,” $10,750,000
5. “The Secret Life of Pets 2,” $10,290,000
6. “Rocketman,” $5,650,000
7. “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,” $4,075,000
8.”Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” $3,700,000
9. “Dark Phoenix,” $3,600,000
10. “Shaft” (2019), $3,555,000

[Via Variety]

June 23, 2019
11 Times Disney Movies Made Us Cry

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June 15, 2019
‘Toy Story 4’ Cast Includes Comedy Icons Betty White, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Carol Burnett

Pixar

The voice cast of “Toy Story 4” is already chock-full of Hollywood mega stars — but they’ll have to make room for four comedy icons.

USA Today reveals that Betty White, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Carol Burnett are adding their voices to the toy box. They join returning stars Tom Hanks and Tim Allen.

Their characters all have punny names that reflect the legends (below, from left to right): the kid seat Chairol Burnett; purple Melephant Brooks; teething tiger toy Bitey White; and pink Carl Reineroceros;

Pixar

“It was wonderful the way they incorporated our names into the characters,” White told USA Today. “And I’m a sucker for animals, so the tiger was just perfect!”

In the movie, Woody and the gang settle into their new owner Bonnie’s home and meet the now-discarded baby toys, who reminisce about their time in the spotlight.

The whole toy crew then welcomes a new member to the fold: Forky (Tony Hale). But when Forky runs away, Woody follows and finds himself lost … until he runs into old gal pal Bo Peep (Annie Potts). Bo opens his eyes to a whole new world — and sets Woody to reconsidering his future.

The movie will feature several other new toy characters, including a menacing pull-string doll (Christina Hendricks); Duke Caboom, a motorcycle-riding stuntman action figure (Keanu Reeves); a two sassy carnival prizes (Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele).

“Toy Story 4” opens in theaters June 21.

June 3, 2019
‘Toy Story 4’ Will Finally Answer the Question of What Happened to Bo Peep

Pixar

There’s a scene in 2010’s “Toy Story 3,” when Woody (Tom Hanks) makes the case that the toys should stick together, no matter what. He concedes that the gang had lost some friends along the way – Wheezy, the squeaky penguin voiced by animation legend Joe Ranft, and the Etch A Sketch seen at the beginning of the very first “Toy Story.” Woody pauses and Rex (voiced by Wallace Shawn) interjects, “Bo Peep.” Woody is visibly shaken. “Yeah, even, even Bo,” Woody stutters. His eyes don’t meet any of the other characters. “All good toys who have gone on to new owners,” Woody continues enthusiastically. But it’s clear that he isn’t so sure.

In “Toy Story 4,” out June 21^st (tickets are on sale now), we finally get an answer of what happened to Bo (voiced again by Annie Potts) and we get to see her for the first time in 20 years (the last time she appeared was 1999’s “Toy Story 2”). And it seems like she’s been through … a lot.

We were shown some footage, where Woody and Bo meet up for the first time since whatever that moment he alludes to in “Toy Story 3” was. This isn’t the Bo as you remember her; her transformation is akin to Sigourney Weaver going from “Alien” to “Aliens.” She’s tough. She’s a survivor. She has one arm bandaged (was it broken?) and has turned her polka-dotted skirt into a cape that would make Batman envious.

“It was what excited me about coming onto the project. It was like, Oh she’s back!? What are we going to do with her? What’s she like? She was a blank slate. I think it was super essential that we stayed true to her but we were able to redefine her. It took a while to nail that down,” story artist Carrie Hobson told us. She even said that the movie was so centered around the character that its production codename was “Peep.” This was her movie.

Pixar

But finding out what made her tick proved to be something of a challenge. Hobson said it involved a lot of brainstorms. “We would rehash what had happened to her as a starting point. And then because of that, what would her personality be and what would it mean to her to see Woody again?” Hobson explained. It turns out that figuring out what Woody’s arc would be in the new film helped them also decide where Bo should go. “If she’s a lost toy, that’s great, because it contrasts Woody,” Hobson said. In “Toy Story 4,” Bo is a lost toy who has embraced her independence and the adventurousness that goes along with being beholden to no one. (Don’t worry, her sheep are still around.) And Woody is desperately clinging to the idea of belonging to a child; he spends much of the early part of the movie convincing a new character, Forky (Tony Hale) not only that he’s an actual toy but that he is Bonnie’s toy. It’s a fascinating dichotomy and one that you can tell took a lot of finessing.

Technically, figuring her out was also a huge challenge. Directing animator Becki Tower said, “The idea that she’s porcelain and a superhero are totally contradictory was an interesting play from day one. We did our best to just break that down and try to be as fair as possible to have enough pliability to really have emotional depth to be able to admit all those feelings.” Emotional depth, obviously, is what sets Pixar films apart from most animated fair and from the footage that we have been screened of “Toy Story 4,” this one will be just as emotional as the rest.

And with the reemergence of a beloved character, perhaps slightly marginalized in the original films, that hasn’t been on screen in 20 years, there are a lot of question marks still, even for those that helped bring her to life. “I’m just curious how she’ll be taken,” Tower admitted. As for Hobson? She’s just ready for the spin-off. “I would love to see Bo’s movie. I think she, we worked really hard to giving her her own drive and this movie and build a her out. So hopefully it gives audiences enough of a taste that they just want to know everything about her and would love to know where she goes.”

Us too.

“Toy Story 4” is in theaters everywhere on June 21^st (tickets are on sale now!)

May 30, 2019
‘Toy Story 4’ Might be the Most Beautiful Animated Film Ever Made

Disney•Pixar

When the first “Toy Story” was released in November 1995, it was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. It was, with its scant 81-minute-runtime, the first full-length computer-generated feature film. Watching the film was like seeing “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” for the first time or maybe watching “Steamboat Willie,” the first animated film with synchronized sound (and the moment that Mickey Mouse went atomic). Looking back on the original “Toy Story,” it occasionally feels stiff, the plasticine rigidity of the toy characters extending to the humans too, but there’s no denying how cutting-edge it seemed back in 1995 and how the narrative, largely overseen by a bunch of computer technicians with little experience in storytelling, is just as rich and affecting today as it was then. (The screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award.) And I bring up seeing “Toy Story” for the first time, because when I was up at Pixar recently and got to screen about a half-hour of footage from “Toy Story 4,” my mind was blown just like it was in 1995. “Toy Story 4,” out June 21, might be the most beautiful-looking animated film ever.

Now, let me explain, and keep in mind I’ll be keeping it light with the plot specifics: “Toy Story 4” begins with a flashback. It’s a dark and stormy night and there’s a toy in trouble. Woody (Tom Hanks) needs help and gets that assistance from Bo Peep (Annie Potts, returning to the franchise for the first time since 1999’s “Toy Story 2”), and some things are established that had never really been established before, like how Bo is the leader of Molly’s room like Woody leads Andy’s room. Anyway, the shots in this sequence outside, in the rain, are truly astonishing. This is the first “Toy Story” installment presented in widescreen and the rain drops give the entire sequence a menacing, almost surreal atmosphere. The way the lighting is so aggressively amped up is also astonishing. It’s like the old “Toy Story” you know and love but more muscular and stylistically fearless.

It will leave you absolutely gob smacked and it goes a long way in justifying why there should even be a fourth movie, given how perfectly the series seemingly wrapped up with “Toy Story 3” (one of only three animated features to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar) and if you actively discount the three short films and two TV specials that followed (I will not; I love them all – and some are referenced in this movie!). You don’t need to grouse about the need for another “Toy Story” film; there’s another one and it’s here and it’s gorgeous.

The filmmakers, led by the wonderful Josh Cooley (he was a writer on “Inside Out” and directed the terrific “Riley’s First Date?” spin-off short), have taken the responsibility of contributing to the legacy of “Toy Story” by cranking up the visuals to 11 and going full on. The two other sequences we were shown, one which introduced the movie’s big bad, an antique doll named Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) in the halls of a dusty antique store and another that took place inside a pinball machine (where they meet Keanu Reeves’ Canadian stuntman Duke Caboom along with Tinny, the titular “Tin Toy” from the Pixar short that helped inspire the first “Toy Story”) are equally ravishing on a visual level but also an idea one. There’s the sense of adventurousness here, about taking the audience places they’ve never been before, even though this world has been thoroughly explored many times before. You get the sense that the filmmakers are saying, “So you think you’ve seen it all? Well…”

And the overwhelming beauty of “Toy Story 4” goes further when it comes to the design of the characters. Every time Pixar comes back to a property they’ve already engaged with, they do (mostly) subtle updates. Usually enough years have passed that an improved rigging system is required, stylistic refinements are more a matter of preference. (For an indication of how subconscious this can be, look at the characters from “Incredibles 2” versus the original.) But with “Toy Story 4” many of the characters look brand new. I don’t mean to say that you won’t recognize them because you will. These are the characters you know and love. But they are so much more expressive and lifelike and, particularly when it comes to Bo Peep, so radically altered as to give them fresh life and spirit. Again: the animators are giving you a reason to come back to this universe and soak up all the detail.

Just look at this comparison:

Disney•Pixar

And trust me, that’s the tip of the iceberg. The two primary locations for this movie, the carnival and the antique store, are positively overflowing with detail. Not detail that takes you out of the movie and says, “wow, look at the amount of particulate dust floating in the background of this scene,” but one that just makes the movie feel more real and lived in.

More than a few times during our press visit, various filmmakers said that they didn’t want things to be too realistic, perhaps reiterating a criticism that befell “The Good Dinosaur,” a movie in which the cartoon-y main characters clashed with the photo-real backdrops a little too aggressively.

In the footage that we saw, any chance of “Good Dinosaur” syndrome is nowhere to be found. The toys themselves are heightened and expressive, the human characters have gotten a nice refresh (there’s a flashback to Andy where he no longer looks like a wax figurine come to horrifying life), and the backgrounds and environments have appropriately upped their game as well. Everything feels essential and new and gives you that excitement of jumping back into this world and with these characters. Whatever you’re expecting from “Toy Story 4,” just know that this might end up being the most beautiful animated movie you’ve ever seen.

“Toy Story 4” opens on June 21st, everywhere.

May 1, 2019