Scoring the second highest debut for a family film since the pandemic, Lightyear earned $5.2 million in previews this week. Lightyear is Pixar’s first theatrical release since Onward in 2020 and will hopefully bring Pixar back to the big screen. Lightyear released in 4,255 theaters and according to Deadline, looks to be tracking to a weekend debut of $75-$80 million domestically. However, this number is very flexible as family films are usually walkup heavy. The combination of both Father’s Day and the Juneteenth federal holiday may positively impact the box office. The worldwide debut is looking to be around $135 million.
If Lightyear is able to make around $80 million it would make it the best family opening for the pandemic, a huge win for Disney. It would also make it the 6th highest opening ever for Pixar. However, this is a much lower number than previous Toy Story films which earned over $100 million domestically in their opening weekends. Lightyear also has a lot of competition in its upcoming weekends with Minions: Rise of Gru looking to overtake the family audience.
Lightyear is currently certified fresh with a 79 on Rotten Tomatoes. The film has been shrouded in controversy, with multiple countries banning the film and protests over a same-sex kiss. However, these banning and protests should have very little effect on the box office. They are a loud, but small minority, of those who are viewing the film.
You can read our review of the film here: ‘Lightyear’ Review: A Total Blast Despite The Generic Plot
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