The latest film to come out of the Toy Story universe, which focused on Buzz Lightyear and what made him so popular at the time, apparently struggled at the box office on its opening weekend as it brought in a total of $51 million. Although “Lightyear” caused some controversy online as many criticized the film for including a gay kiss scene involving two females, coming from an established franchise, some believed the film would overcome the criticism. But with “Lightyear” dropping in the box office when there weren’t many films competing against it, the same critics were quick to point out the obvious. 

While totaling $51 million, it should be noted that on its opening day, “Lightyear” made $20.7 million. On Saturday, that number dropped to $16.3 million. And on Sunday, it should come as no surprise, the film only made $14 million. With the film dropping in the box office each day, Breitbart’s John Nolte mocked Deadline for claiming the low profits were due to an influx of Toy Story films over the last few years. 

Go Ad-Free, Get Exclusive Shows and Content, Go Premium Today - $1 Trial

Giving his thoughts, Nolte said, “Marvel releases two and three movies a year. You mean like that going to the well too soon? The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit came out every year. You mean like that going to the well too soon? Well, three years ago, Toy Story 4 opened to $121 million. If these figures hold, Lightyear won’t do HALF that.”

Nolte added, “Another thing to keep in mind is that there’s no competition. The only kiddie movie still in theaters is The Bad Guys, which opened all the way back in April. After the resounding success of Toy Story 4 and with a wide-open field at the box office, especially during the summer, especially over Father’s Day, there was never a better time to open Lightyear.”

The actor behind Buzz Lightyear, Chris Evans, slammed critics, telling reporters, “The real truth is, those people are idiots. Every time there’s been social advancement as we wake up, the American story, the human story is one of constant social awakening and growth and that’s what makes us good.” He also told Variety, “It’s tough to not be a little frustrated that it even has to be a topic of discussion. That it is this kind of ‘news.’ The goal is that we can get to a point where it is the norm, and that this doesn’t have to be some uncharted waters, that eventually this is just the way it is. That representation across the board is how we make films.”

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of DrewBerquist.com. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.