Lightyear takes to the stars with $5.2 million at the Thursday box office

Disney and Pixar‘s Lightyear is already going to infinity and beyond at the box office after earning $5.2 million at the Thursday box office. The latest film in Pixar’s luxurious library opens on 4,200 screens in the United States and Canada on Friday, with families anxious to beat the heat while enjoying Buzz Lightyear’s origin story.

Multiple theater arrangements have contributed to Lightyear’s Thursday box office total. The film set up shop across 500 IMAX and PLF auditoriums on Wednesday, while all other previews began at 3 p.m. on Thursday. When the rollout for the film is complete, it will play on 400 IMAX screens, 850 PLFs, 2,200 3-D locations, and 190 D-Box/4-D motion screens. Disney and Pixar spare no expense, my friends. Buzz Lightyear will make his money, dammit.

Analysts predict Lightyear will earn roughly $80 million during its opening weekend, speeding past Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s $72 million opening in the spring.

Lightyear follows the legendary Space Ranger after he’s stranded on a hostile planet 4.2 million lightyears from Earth alongside his commander and crew. As Buzz tries to find a way home through space and time, he’s joined by a group of ambitious recruits and his charming robot Zurg, an imposing presence with an army of ruthless robots and a mysterious agenda.

Disney and Pixar will be watching the box office totals for Lightyear closely. The film cost a generous $200 million to produce and needs to make families happy. Not only to earn good word of mouth but also to prove that Pixar still has a place in theaters. During the pandemic, Disney debuted several films on Disney+ (Soul, Luca, Turning Red), and despite filmmakers feeling cheated out of making a splash on the big screen, the movies have performed well. In other words, if Lightyear fails to deliver the goods, Disney+ could become the platform of choice to release the latest animated films in the Disney and Pixar pantheon.

Do you plan on seeing Lightyear in theaters? Would you be upset if Disney eventually debuted more of its animated films on Disney+? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.