“Lightyear” didn’t go infinite (or beyond) its first weekend in theaters: Pixar’s first major theatrical release since March 2020 hit $51 million in its first weekend in North America on Sunday, according to studio estimates .
Not only did it open lower than expected, but it also failed to win over “Jurassic World: Dominion,” which took first place with $58.7 million in its second weekend.
It’s a mixed bag for Disney and Pixar as to “Lightyear,” an origin story about the film that inspired the Space Ranger action figure in the “Toy Story” movies, the biggest launch for an animated family film on the pandemic. is one of. Including international performances, which grossed $34.6 million, “Lightyear’s”‘s global opening weekend totaled $85.6 million. But expectations were high for this high-profile release based on a beloved character.
Family audiences have proved a bit more reluctant than in other regions to return to theatres. Many studios, including Disney and Pixar, have opted for streaming or hybrid releases for their animated titles. Since the start of the pandemic, the company has shipped its Pixar titles — “Soul,” “Luca,” and “Turning Red” — directly to Disney+ for free to subscribers. Disney’s other big animated titles, “Rae and the Last Dragon” and “Encanto”, received hybrid releases.
Critics were mostly favorable to “Lightyear”, which featured Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear and a supporting voice cast that includes Keke Palmer and Taika Waititi. Directed by Angus MacLean, it currently holds a 77% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience gave it an A- CinemaScore.
Meanwhile, “Jurassic World: Dominion” has now grossed over $622.2 million worldwide, of which 259.2 million came from US and Canadian theaters. It is only the seventh film to cross $600 million during the pandemic.
And in its fourth weekend, “Top Gun: Maverick” dropped only slightly, bringing in an additional $44 million. Its domestic total now stands at $466.2 million. Globally, the high-flying sequel has grossed over $885 million.
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