Toy Story 2 currently dominates The Empire Strikes Back 67–33

The Pixar sequel edges the space saga — hidden heartbreak over spectacle.

67% 33%

Based on 12 head-to-head votes across 1 bracket

The Verdict Decade Duel

This matchup has 12 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	67%	33%
Overall Win Rate	46%	55%
Championships	5	15
Budget	$90M	$18M
Return	5.5x	29.9x

The Twist

The Empire Strikes Back wins 55% of its matchups across BingeBracket, compared to 46% for Toy Story 2. The overall record favours The Empire Strikes Back — but not in this head-to-head.

Where This Matchup Sits

Against shared opponents, Paddington 2 splits them: The Empire Strikes Back wins that matchup comfortably, while Toy Story 2 can't get past it.

The Empire Strikes Back has 15 tournament wins to Toy Story 2's 5, but that championship pedigree isn't translating to the head-to-head. Something about this specific pairing overrides the broader record.

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.