For the sixth time in its history, Pixar has crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office, as “Toy Story 5” has reached the milestone on its sixth weekend in theaters after adding $34 million globally, including $10 million in North America.

It was not a matter of if but when the fifth “Toy Story” film would join its two most recent predecessors — “Toy Story 3” in 2010 and “Toy Story 4” in 2019 — in the $1 billion club after it reached a spectacular global opening weekend of $312 million.

In the weeks that followed, it has proven to be the family film of choice this summer, holding strong against Universal/Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters” and Disney’s own “Moana” remake, which has floundered as it has just passed the $200 million global mark after three weekends in theaters.

The other three non-“Toy Story” films to reach the $1 billion mark are the “Finding Nemo” prequel “Finding Dory” in 2016, the 2018 sequel “Incredibles 2” and the 2024 sequel “Inside Out 2,” which was at one time the highest grossing animated movie ever.

While “Toy Story 5” won’t reach the heights of “Inside Out 2,” it will soon pass the $1.07 billion unadjusted global total of “Toy Story 4” to set a new franchise record 31 years after the original “Toy Story” hit theaters and established Pixar as one of the global titans of feature film animation.

While it seemed like the tale of Woody, Buzz and the gang had been finished with “Toy Story 3,” Pixar has now successfully gone to the well twice more without causing its flagship series to get branded with the “cash grab” reputation among the public that has fallen upon other franchises Hollywood has continued for one film too many.

Tapping into fears of AI and tech taking over childhood at a time when social media bans are being weighed and implemented by world governments, “Toy Story 5” sees Andy’s former toys, now under the leadership of Jessie the Cowgirl, squaring off against Lilypad, a toy tablet given as a gift to their new kid owner, Bonnie.

The film has been a huge success with kids and adults, earning Rotten Tomatoes scores of 92% critics and 94% audience, and has sustained the summer box office as films like “Moana” and “Supergirl” have failed to provide midsummer support. In the process, it has passed the other two billion-dollar hits of 2026, Universal/Illumination’s “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and Lionsgate/Universal’s “Michael” to become the highest grossing film of the year.

But it won’t hold on to that title for long. This Friday, Sony/Marvel Studios’ “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” will arrive in theaters with a strong chance of a global opening even larger than “Toy Story 5,” with domestic projections rising well above a $200 million opening weekend.

PBS SoCal again collected the most trophies at the 78th Los Angeles Emmy Awards, held Saturday night at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, matching its 2025 haul with 8. Also equaling its last year’s tally is KMEX-TV with 7, followed by KVEA (6), ABC7 4, NBC4 (4), Spectrum News 1 and Spectrum SportsNet (2) and LA36, Spectrum SportsNet LA and USC Football (1).

KVEA, which swept all three Regularly Scheduled Newscast categories last year, remained dominant, winning two of the three, with ABC7 taking the 4 AM – 11 AM time period.

Honored at the ceremony, hosted by ABC7’s entertainment reporter George Pennacchio, was coverage of the aftermath from the devastating January 2025 fires and of two of Los Angeles’ top sports teams, LA Lakers and Dodgers,

ABC7’s David Ono was the recipient of the 2026 Los Angeles Area Emmy Governors Award at the event, produced by Bob Bain and Bob Bain Productions.

Here is the full list of winners:

INVESTIGATIVE NEWS STORY
SOCAL FIRESTORMS 6 MONTHS LATER: ABC7
PALISADES FIRE INVESTIGATION
(EYEWITNESS NEWS AT 5PM)
ABC7

HUMAN INTEREST NEWS STORY
KVEA REPARTIDOR DE FRESAS DETENIDO KVEA
(NOTICIAS TELEMUNDO 52 A LAS 6PM)
Enrique Chiabra, Anchor

HEALTH/SCIENCE NEWS STORY
INTELIGENCIA ARTIFICIAL Y LA CIENCIA KMEX-TV
DEL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO
(NOTICIAS 34 6PM)
Gabriela Teissier, Producer, Reporter, Writer
Andres Fernando Pruna, Camera, Editor, Producer

NEWS SERIES
BLACK HERITAGE: ALTADENA NBC4
ROOTS AND RESILIENCE
NBC4

LIVE SPECIAL EVENTS – NEWS
ABC7 PRESENTS THE 40TH ANNUAL ABC7
KINGDOM DAY PARADE
ABC7

BUSINESS/CONSUMER NEWS STORY
AUSENTISMO EN LOS CAMPOS DE CULTIVO KVEA
(NOTICIERO TELEMUNDO 52 A LAS 6PM)
Enrique Chiabra, Producer, Reporter
Luis Enrique Rivera, Producer
Manuel Pineda, Camera
Yolimar Aquino, Editor
Yansily Reyes, Editor

FEATURE SEGMENT
INDISPENSABLES, PERO INVISIBLES: KMEX-TV
MANOS QUE RECONSTRUYEN
(AL PUNTO CALIFORNIA)
Arturo Quezada, Camera, Editor, Producer
Dina Rodriguez, Producer

L.A. LOCAL COLOR
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH – Spectrum News 1
CANDELAS GUITARS
Spectrum News 1

LIVE SPECIAL EVENTS – PROGRAMMING
66TH ANNUAL LA COUNTY PBS SoCal
HOLIDAY CELEBRATION
Taylor Comen, Executive Producer
Letitia Fernandez Ivins, Executive Producer
Michelle Merker, Producer
Jennifer Chang, Writer
Cristina Lucio, Associate Producer
Patrick Traylor, Associate Producer
Madeleine Ciano, Associate Producer
Aloe Blacc, Host
Maya Jupiter, Host

LIVE COVERAGE OF AN UNSCHEDULED NEWS EVENT
BREAKING NEWS: SOCAL FIRESTORMS ABC7
ABC7

LIVE SPORTS COVERAGE
NUESTRA COPA, NUESTRA PASIÓN KVEA
KVEA

SPORTS TEASE
SHOHEI OHTANI: BASEBALL’S Spectrum News 1
SOLAR ECLIPSE
Taylor Schaub, Producer

SPORTS SPECIAL
竜巻 – THE STORY OF NOMOMANIA Spectrum SportsNet LA
Aaron Minderhout, Producer
Greg Taylor, Executive Producer
Erick Vazquez, Producer
Cary Osborne, Associate Producer
Logan Montane, Camera
Matthew Blum, Camera
Joseph Forquer, Camera
Brandon Cervantes, Camera
Margie Carson, Camera

SPORTS FEATURE
AFTER THE FIRE (BACKSTAGE LAKERS) Spectrum SportsNet
Spectrum SportsNet

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS STORY
BOB’S BRUSH WITH FAME NBC4
(NBC4 NEWS AT 5)
Michael Brownlee, Producer, Reporter, Writer

ENTERTAINMENT
COLOR IN MOTION: CHROMATIC PBS SoCal
EXPLORATIONS OF CINEMA (PST ART)
Jaime Morgan Muñoz, Producer
Nic Cha Kim, Producer
Angela Boisvert, Executive Producer
Tamara Gould, Executive Producer
Matt Bass, Director of Photography
Ben Boyd, Editor
Robert McDonnell, Supervising Producer

MUSIC COMPOSITION
ART & SCIENCE COLLIDE PBS SoCal
Dan Deacon, Composer
CRIME/SOCIAL ISSUES NEWS STORY
INFIERNO EN ADELANTO KMEX-TV
(NOTICIAS 34 6PM)
Candela Martinez, Reporter, Writer

CRIME/SOCIAL ISSUES
AGING IN AMERICA: PBS SoCal
SURVIVE OR THRIVE
Neil Steinberg, Director, Executive Producer
Mark Jonathan Harris, Producer
Steve Purcell, Co-Producer, Editor
Karin Hayes, Co-Producer
Martin Sheen, Host
Michelle Merker, Producer

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
EMERGENCY LIGHTS? PULL TO THE RIGHT LA36
Vance Kotrla, Director, Producer, Writer

SHORT PROMO – NEWS
NBC4: PICKING UP THE PIECES NBC4
NBC4

SHORT PROMO – PROGRAMMING
CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT (PBS SOCAL) PBS SoCal
Olivia Cox, Editor, Producer

EDUCATION/INFORMATION
FOR DEAR LIFE: ART, MEDICINE PBS SoCal
& DISABILITY (PST ART)
Angela Boisvert, Producer
Nic Cha Kim, Executive Producer
Tamara Gould, Executive Producer
Matt Pappas, Director of Photography
Suzanne Méjean Pinney, Editor
Robert McDonnell, Supervising Producer

ENVIRONMENT NEWS STORY
CRYO-RESCUE: RACE TO PRESERVE LIFE NBC4
(NBC4 NEWS AT 5PM)
Enrique Roman, Camera
Annette Arreola, Reporter

ART/CULTURAL/HISTORICAL NEWS STORY
L.A. CUMBIA KMEX-TV
(NOTICIAS 34 6PM)
Arturo Quezada, Camera, Editor, Producer
Dina Rodriguez, Producer
Alvaro Corzo Virviescas, Co-Producer

ARTS
ARETHA! WITH SHELÉA AND PBS SoCal
THE PACIFIC SYMPHONY
Maura Daly Phinney, Executive Producer
Andy Trimlett, Producer
Steve Purcell, Director
Keena Levert, Associate Producer
Sheléa Melody McDonald, On-Camera Talent

CULTURE/HISTORY
SOMOS DE AQUÍ KMEX-TV
William Negrón, Executive Producer
Julio Octavio Valdez, Anchor
Carlos Leonardo Gonzalez, Camera
Juan Ramirez, Editor
Marco A. Flores, Executive Producer
SPORTS SERIES – PROGRAMMING
BACKSTAGE: LAKERS Spectrum SportsNet
Spectrum SportsNet

SHORT PROMO – SPORTS
WAR TIME USC Football
Eric Michael, Camera, Director, Executive Producer
Sanay Saboo, Director, Editor, Producer
Luke Cuellar, Graphic Designer
Mic Ferrante, Editor
Michael Malara, Editor
Geo Robinson, Editor
Ezekiel Wagner, Editor
Zahir Martin, Editor
Douson Yuan, Editor
George Tyler Heffley, Editor
Radmen Niven, Associate Producer

Cody Worsham, Associate Producer

SPORTS NEWS STORY
LA HUELLA DEL FÚTBOL KVEA
(NOTICIERO TELEMUNDO 52 A LAS 5:30PM)
Alejandro Navarro, Anchor

INFORMATIONAL SERIES (MORE THAN 50% STUDIO)
AL PUNTO CALIFORNIA KMEX-TV
KMEX-TV

INFORMATIONAL SERIES (MORE THAN 50% REMOTE)
TU VOZ LA KMEX-TV
KMEX-TV

INFORMATION SEGMENT
COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE PBS SoCal
WITH TREES (EARTH FOCUS)
Daniel H. Birman, Director of Photography, Executive Producer, Producer,
Writer, Director
Megan E. Chao, Editor, Executive Producer, Producer
Angela Boisvert, Executive Producer
Tamara Gould, Executive Producer
Clarissa Guy, Co-Producer
Jaime Morgan Muñoz, Co-Producer
Susy Garciasalas Barkley, Co-Producer
Jason Janocko, Director of Photography
Erik C. Andersen, ACE, Editor
Robert McDonnell, Senior Supervising Producer

REGULARLY SCHEDULED DAILY MORNING NEWSCAST: 4:00AM-11:00AM
EYEWITNESS NEWS AT 6AM ABC7
ABC7

REGULARLY SCHEDULED DAILY DAYTIME NEWSCAST: 11:00AM-4:00PM
NOTICIERO TELEMUNDO 52 AL MEDIODÍA KVEA
KVEA

REGULARLY SCHEDULED DAILY EVENING NEWSCAST: 4:00PM-12:00AM
NOTICIERO TELEMUNDO 52 A LAS 11PM KVEA
KVEA

After years of massive Comic-Con panels with full Avengers casts, it didn’t seem possible that Marvel Studios could go bigger. But, boy, did they.

In a first for Hall H, the studio surprised the 7,000-strong crowd by revealing a hidden stage in the back of the cavernous room, with castmembers from Thunderbolts* and the 2000s X-Men movies appearing.

After giving brief speeches, the actors made their way from the back, through the entire hall, high-fiving fans along the way and the crowd screaming like it was a Beatles or BTS concert. They joined the main stage already populated by Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, and the star attraction, Robert Downey Jr.

It was just one part of supersized panel, that included the startling revelations that Alien: Romulus breakout David Jonsson would play the son of T’Challa (the late Chadwick Boseman) in Black Panther 3 for a Dec. 15, 2028 release. He will take the mantle of the Black Panther.

Another bombshell: not only would Ryan Gosling play Ghost Rider in a new movie, but Deadpool & Wolverine and Gosling’s Star Wars: Starfighter director Shawn Levy would direct for a 2028 release.

Even Ryan Reynolds, who had not attended Apple TV’s presentation of his upcoming action comedy Mayday earlier in the day, crashed the proceedings — in costume as a cosplayer named Ricky, but really as Deadpool. He pointedly asked if production had begun. (Apparently he wasn’t invited.) Downey was having none of it, jokingly seeming annoyed with the Merc with the Mouth.

“It’s in the can, bro. Look around you. Did you bump your head?” Downey told Deadpool, who then asked about possible additional photography to add new people to the mix. The crowd “awwed” in sadness.

On some level, there had been pressure all week for Marvel to pull out all the stops for its Comic-Con presentation. On Monday, it released the trailer for Doomsday, and while it racked up record views showing a lot of interest, reaction was not enthusiastic. And with a checkered slate since 2019’s mega-event Avengers: Endgame, the company needed to show that Doomsday isn’t a grasp at past glories. And while not indicative of future quality, Saturday’s panel demolished any negativity from days prior.

In addition to the big news drops and the sheer force of actors, it was a massive spectacle with light shows and pop music. And, oh yes, costumes. Each attendee received a Doom mask and cape that they donned when asked by Downey, who in his Doom accent, asked the assembled legion to join his cause. Marvel, with this panel, continued to up the ante. The crowd was continually on its feet; every time it would sit down, some reveal would jolt them back up, to see, to yell, to record on their phones.