Toy Story 5, Michael, and Backrooms…The Odyssey? The Biggest Films of 2026
Are the movie theaters back from the dead? 2026 has held the highest grossing box office debuts since the era of COVID - the dark time when everyone preferred to stream their favorite films at home with a mask on. We’ve finally come back to the true essence of watching movies right in the theaters and that collective gathering has raked in over $338,600,000 in domestic box office debuts and over $648,800,000 globally. Thats only covering three films with the biggest film projected still yet to come.
Toy Story 5 tops the year so far with the biggest domestic box office debut coming in at $160,000,000 in the first week. The Pixar series follows the beloved Jessie, Woody, and Buzz Lightyear now confronted with one of their most modern problems yet - a tablet. Their owner, Bonnie, becomes attached to this tablet and the traditional toys face yet again the potential of becoming obsolete. Now the leader of the toys, Jessie, must guide the newest adventure to save Bonnie from digital isolation and being glued to this threat, the Lilypad. Jessie and the crew go out into the real world to make contact with other kids toys in a major attempt to help Bonnie make friends in real life and not just within a digital network. The film features some of Hollywood’s biggest stars including Tom Hanks as Woody, Joan Cusack as Jessie, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, Keanu Reeves as Duke Caboom, Greta Lee as Lilypad, and Ernie Hudson as Combat Carl. We also see voice acting from the likes of Conan O’Brien as Smarty Pants and even Bad Bunny makes an appearance.
Toy Story 5 marked over $312,000,000 for it’s global premier making it the biggest film debut of 2026. In it’s opening Friday, the film grossed over $71,000,000 from over 4,425 North American theaters alone. The film was developed with a $250,000,000 budget and is currently outpacing the previous Toy Story 4, which earned $120,000,000 in it’s opening weekend. Toy Story 5 is also outpacing it’s animated competition, Super Mario Galaxy, which earned around $132,000,000 in it’s opening weekend. Looks like the Jessie and the crew completed their mission, the toys are here to stay.
The one and only, Michael, comes in next and of course broke a few records effortlessly. This new and improved biopic features Michael Jackson’s very own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in full display as his late uncle. The film itself features a stacked cast from the likes of Coleman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Larenz Tate as Barry Gordy, and Kendrick Sampson as Quincy Jones. The film follows a young Michael Jackson and family as they rise to the top of the music charts and global fame. As probably the greatest musical act to ever live, this is a story that is so enigmatic that no matter how many times its told it will always be apart of the story of popular culture and music - and to think this was one man’s real life.
Michael had an incredible first week opening with domestic revenue totaling $97,200,000 from over 3,955 theaters with the global launch total rounding $219,000,000. The film itself also broke two records surpassing all other biopics and also set the highest worldwide opening ever for a musical biopic, beating Bohemian Rhapsody.
The strongest modern thriller this year, directed by the 20-year old Kane Parsons, is a phenomenon based film that places viewers in the triggering effects on liminal spaces. The idea of the movie follows “glitching” out of reality into an area where they don’t belong. These “complexes” trap you into endless empty spaces that are somewhat familiar yet uncanny and uncomfortable. As the story goes, this space is around 600 million square miles of empty mazes and repeating rooms and corridors. To make the environment even more mentally boggling, you’re under constant florescent lights and the color yellow. These spaces are also filled with hostile creatures that also mimic human life. A real brain twister that makes your heart race a little if I must say.
Director Kane Parsons became the youngest director in history to have a No. 1 debut at the box office with an $81,400,000 opening weekend in North America - massively impressive. Working with a $10,000,000 budget, the film grossed around $100,000,000 in just six days, with an astounding $180,000,000 global debut.
As these three movies bring people together in the name of film, movie fans are still waiting for the most anticipated motion picture of 2026 - Christoper Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey'. This adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, and brings us into the king’s adventure back home after the infamous Trojan War. As we know from the epic itself, Odysseus encounters a long journey and must battle through not only the terrains or wild environments, but the mythical beings that stand in his way. He must make it back home to reunite with his beloved wife, Penelope, who is beautifully portrayed by Anne Hathaway. We also see major names such as Zendaya, Tom Holland, Elliot Page, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Travis Scott star in the film. This epic is projected to release July 17, 2026 and is almost certain to smash the box office in it’s opening week.
