鈥淟ightyear鈥� did not go to infinity (or beyond) in its first weekend in theaters: Pixar鈥檚 first major theatrical release since March 2020 blasted off with $51 million in its debut weekend in North America, according to studio estimates on Sunday.
Not only did it open lower than expected, but it also failed to conquer 鈥淛urassic World: Dominion,鈥� which held on to the first-place spot with $58.7 million its second weekend.
It is a mixed bag for Disney and Pixar as 鈥� ,鈥� an origin story about the movie that inspired the space ranger action figure in the 鈥淭oy Story鈥� movies, is one of the biggest launches for an animated family film over the pandemic. Including international showings, which grossed $34.6 million, 鈥淟ightyear's鈥� global opening weekend totals to $85.6 million.
But expectations were higher for a release this high-profile and based on a beloved, well-known character. Going into the weekend, some analysts had pegged 鈥淟ightyear鈥� for a $70 million North American debut.
鈥淭he expectations are always incredibly high for any Pixar movie, particularly one that has a direct connection to the Toy Story brand,鈥� said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for box office tracker Comscore.
鈥淭oy Story" launched Pixar in 1995 and its four films have made over $3 billion. 鈥淭oy Story 3鈥� and 鈥淭oy Story 4鈥� also both broke the $1 billion mark.
The family audience has proved a little more reluctant than other segments to return to movie theaters. Many studios, including Disney and Pixar, have opted for streaming or hybrid releases for their animated titles. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the company has sent its Pixar titles 鈥� 鈥淪oul,鈥� 鈥淟uca,鈥� and 鈥淭urning Red鈥� 鈥� directly to Disney+ free for subscribers. Disney鈥檚 other big animated titles, 鈥淩aya and the Last Dragon鈥� and 鈥淓ncanto鈥� got hybrid releases.
鈥淭here may have been a little confusion about whether it鈥檚 just in theaters,鈥� Dergarabedian said. 鈥淭his is a movie that is going to have to be marketed in real time as family audiences connect the dots.鈥�
Critics were mostly favorable to 鈥淟ightyear,鈥� which features Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear and a supporting voice cast that includes Keke Palmer and Taika Waititi. Directed by Angus MacLane, it currently holds a 77% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences gave it an A- CinemaScore.
With a reported production budget of $200 million, which doesn't account for the millions spent on marketing and promotion, 鈥淟ightyear鈥� has a long journey ahead of it to get to profitability. But it could also have a slow, steady burn over the summer. And it's the only big family offering playing in theaters until 鈥淢inions: The Rise of Gru鈥� opens July 1.
鈥淟ightyear鈥� opened in 4,255 locations domestically and in 43 markets overseas. Thirteen nations from the Muslim world and the Palestinian territory from playing in their cinemas because of the inclusion of a brief kiss between a lesbian couple.
鈥淛urassic World: Dominion,鈥� meanwhile, has now earned over $622.2 million worldwide with $259.2 million of that coming from U.S. and Canadian theaters. It鈥檚 only the seventh movie released during the pandemic to surpass $600 million.
In its fourth weekend, 鈥淭op Gun: Maverick鈥� dropped only slightly, bringing in an additional $44 million to take third place. Its domestic total is now at $466.2 million. Globally, the high-flying sequel has grossed over $885 million.
Dergarabedian said it's especially notable that there are three movies made over $40 million this weekend.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 seen that in a while,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have a summer movie season here.鈥�
Rounding out the top five are 鈥淒octor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness鈥� with $4.2 million and 鈥淭he Bob's Burgers Movie鈥� with $1.1 million.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. 鈥淛urassic World: Dominion,鈥� $58.7 million
2. 鈥淟ightyear,鈥� $51 million.
3. 鈥淭op Gun: Maverick,鈥� $44 million.
4. 鈥淒octor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,鈥� $4.2 million.
5. 鈥淭he Bob鈥檚 Burgers Movie,鈥� $1.1 million.
6. 鈥淭he Bad Guys,鈥� $890,000.
7. 鈥淓verything Everywhere All at Once,鈥� $959,631.
8. 鈥淒ownton Abbey: A New Era,鈥� $830,000.
9. 鈥淪onic the Hedgehog 2,鈥� $228,000.
10. 鈥淏rian and Charles,鈥� $198,000.
___
Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter:
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
