On a $200 million budget, Toy Story 4 grossed over $1 billion worldwide, becoming the 8th highest-grossing film of 2019. Like its predecessor, the movie received universal acclaim and won numerous awards, including the Best Animated Feature Oscar. Though intended as the final installment, Pixar producer Mark Nielsen said there could be a fifth film. In 2023, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed a fifth installment in development, the first without John Lasseter’s involvement. Andrew Stanton, who co-wrote the first four movies, signed on to direct the film alongside storyboard artist Kenna Harris. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, and Tony Hale all confirmed their return alongside Conan O’Brien and Greta Lee. With a $250 million budget, this would be Pixar’s costliest film and one of the most expensive animated films ever. After premiering at the Dolby Theater, Toy Story 5 hit theaters in June 2026.
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Synopsis
After her parents notice she’s having trouble making friends, Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) gets a new Lilypad to try connecting. With the toys feeling threatened, Jessie (Joan Cusack) tries reasoning with Lily (Greta Lee), who claims she can help Bonnie. Lily succeeds in getting Bonnie invited to a sleepover, but Jessie and Bullseye decide to stowaway in her suitcase. Unfortunately, Bonnie abandons them after her new friends initially make fun of her for playing with toys. Through a series of accidents, Jessie and Bullseye end up at her original owner’s address and must get back home. Meanwhile, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) reunites with Woody (Tom Hanks) to try rescuing Jessie and reunite her with Bonnie. While there, Jessie meets 9-year-old Blaze (Mykal-Michelle Harris), whom she believes would be a perfect match for Bonnie. Will Jessie succeed and prove Lily wrong, or will she be discarded yet again?
Review
While it’s debatable whether or not we needed Toy Story 5, it’s still a solid entry in the series. This movie still hits the same emotional beats as the others and even manages to convey an important message. Sure, children becoming addicted to tech isn’t anything new, but the way this movie tackles it is solid. It would’ve been easy to promote a “tech bad, toys good” message, but this movie shows the benefits of technology. It shows how tech, when used responsibly, can help connect people while also allowing children to use their imagination. The film also shows how tech can manipulate children, making them more isolated and hostile towards one another. Plus, it shows how even tech can be discarded and forgotten like toys once new tech becomes available. The film delivers a great message that kids can learn from and would be beneficial for families.
Giving Jessie the spotlight over Woody and Buzz was certainly a choice, but I think they succeeded. It helps that Joan Cusack does a great job in the role once again, injecting plenty of snark and heart. That’s not to say Woody and Buzz have nothing to do, as each has a role that affects the story. Plus, Tim Allen and Tom Hanks add new layers to their characters through their performances, showing how they’ve grown. Greta Lee is perfectly cast as Lily, her voice calm and soothing yet strangely manipulative and passive-aggressive. Conan O’Brien is an absolute scene stealer as Mr. Smarty Pants, a toilet training toy with tons of charisma. Scarlett Spears also excels as Bonnie, who’s given more character development and feels more fleshed out than before. While other long-standing characters don’t have much screen time, the performances are still solid all around.
As you would expect from any Pixar movie, the animation is stellar, and the character designs are all charming. Interestingly, there are fantasy sequences rendered in a watercolor style that feel like they’re from a children’s coloring book. Given the franchise history, there are plenty of callbacks to the other movies, but they feel earnest rather than forced. Admittedly, I would’ve preferred either “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” or “When She Loved Me” over Taylor Swift’s song. Also, a few subplots, like a story about high-tech Buzz Lightyears, don’t amount to much and could’ve been dropped. At an hour and 42 minutes, the movie moves at a solid pace, feeling neither slow nor fast. As debatable as the film’s existence is, Pixar still killed it with this installment and showed there’s still some life. Overall, Toy Story 5 isn’t necessary, but it’s still a solid entry in the series.
Toy Story 5 is in theaters.
Where to watch Toy Story 5 (2026)
