Toy Story 5 is already a box office phenomenon, but before a single ticket was sold this weekend, something remarkable was already happening on Disney+. In the weeks leading up to the film’s June 19 release, fans streamed the first four Toy Story films for over 60 million hours on the platform, according to a press release from The Walt Disney Company. Disney called it the largest streaming lift the company has ever seen tied to an upcoming theatrical release.
That is a staggering number, and it speaks to the unique cross-platform power the Toy Story franchise holds in 2026. Families were not just buying tickets to Toy Story 5, they were going back to the beginning first, revisiting Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the gang across all four previous films before heading to theaters. The result is a franchise moment that played out simultaneously at the multiplex and at home, reinforcing each other in a way few properties can manage.
The Numbers Behind the Surge
Toy Story 5 opened to $160 million domestically and $312 million globally in its debut weekend, the biggest opening in franchise history and the largest of 2026 so far. The film earned an A CinemaScore and a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, meaning audiences who went in primed by rewatching the older films came out satisfied.
Disney also noted that the four existing films in the franchise have generated more than $3 billion globally in their theatrical runs alone, with two of them crossing a billion dollars individually. The 60 million hours of pre-release streaming adds another dimension to that legacy, showing how the franchise has maintained its ability to draw massive audiences across both theatrical and streaming formats even decades after the original film.
What This Means for Disney+
The streaming surge is a significant data point for Disney as it continues to navigate the relationship between theatrical releases and its subscription service. Disney has often pointed to the halo effect that new theatrical releases create on Disney+, with viewers revisiting older titles in a franchise before and after seeing a new installment. Toy Story 5 appears to be the most dramatic example of that effect yet.
All four previous Toy Story films, plus Pixar’s Lightyear spinoff and the full catalog of Toy Story shorts and specials including Toy Story of Terror!, Toy Story That Time Forgot, and Forky Asks a Question, are currently available to stream on Disney+. The franchise has earned 11 Academy Award nominations and three wins across its run, including two for Best Animated Feature.
When Will Toy Story 5 Hit Disney+?
Toy Story 5 is currently playing exclusively in theaters. Based on Disney’s recent theatrical windows for major Pixar films, the film is expected to arrive on Disney+ sometime around late September to October 2026, with a premium digital rental and purchase window likely opening in mid-August. Disney has not yet officially confirmed a streaming date.
For now, the best way to experience Toy Story 5 is in theaters, where it is playing in standard, premium large format, and IMAX screens nationwide. For more on the film’s record-breaking debut, check out our coverage of Toy Story 5’s opening weekend box office.
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