Toy Story 2 currently beats The Empire Strikes Back 56–44
The Pixar sequel edges the space saga — hidden heartbreak over spectacle.
Who do you think should win?
The Verdict Decade Duel
This matchup has 16 votes. The picture may shift as more people weigh in.
Both films are sequels that dared to deepen rather than just repeat. Toy Story 2 takes a toy-store adventure and threads real melancholy through it — the fear of being outgrown, the question of whether it's better to be loved and then lost than never opened at all. Empire takes a rousing space adventure and lets its heroes fail, stranding them on a cliffhanger that stings. The narrow edge goes to Toy Story 2 for hiding such genuine sorrow inside something kids beg to rewatch. Empire is the grander, more mythic film. Toy Story 2 is the one that ambushes you with a feeling you didn't sign up for, in a movie about toys.
The Numbers
| Toy Story 2 | The Empire Strikes Back | |
|---|---|---|
| Head-to-Head | 56% | 44% |
| Overall Win Rate | 34% | 65% |
| Championships | 6 | 47 |
| Budget | $90M | $18M |
| Return | 5.5x | 29.9x |
The Empire Strikes Back wins 65% of its matchups across BingeBracket, compared to 34% for Toy Story 2. The overall record favours The Empire Strikes Back — but not in this head-to-head.
Where This Matchup Sits
They come from different genres — Toy Story 2 is in the bottom quarter of Animation, while The Empire Strikes Back is in the top quarter of Adventure.
Against shared opponents, Paddington 2 splits them: The Empire Strikes Back wins that matchup comfortably, while Toy Story 2 can't get past it.
Toy Story 2 has the lower TMDB score (7.6 vs 8.4), but voters here keep picking it. There's a difference between a film people respect and a film people reach for.
Adjusted for what they cost, The Empire Strikes Back (1980) returned 29.9x its budget while Toy Story 2 (1999) managed 5.5x. Despite the ROI gap, Toy Story 2 wins the head-to-head on BingeBracket.
Where to Watch
Availability may vary by region.
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