Toy Story 5 (2026)

​“Toy Story 5” stars Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Conan O’Brien, Scarlett Spears, Greta Lee, Shelby Rabara, Mykal-Michelle Harris, and Craig Robinson.  Released on June 19, 2026, the film has Woody and the toys confronting the rise of technology, including an electronic tablet.

The film was directed by Andrew Stanton, who co-directed “A Bug’s Life” with John Lasseter.  He’s also known for directing “Finding Nemo”, “WALL-E”, “John Carter”, and “Finding Dory”.  It is the fifth main installment in the “Toy Story” franchise.  Does everyone remember the good old days when our only form of playtime was with our toys?  I remember those moments, too, especially ones where we watch our kids play with them using their imaginations.  Who doesn’t love pretending to be a spaceman or stirring up some drama with our Barbies and Kens?  Unfortunately, thanks to the rise of technology, particularly cell phones and iPads, those moments were all but distant memories.  Right now, today’s kids would rather look at a screen for endless hours than play with their former favorite figures and stuffed animals.  It’s a sad reality to live in, mainly when artificial intelligence has been one of the biggest topics for quite a while.  However, it does leave one to argue whether our past playtimes can actually co-exist with modern technology.

This serves as the concept of the latest chapter in Woody and the gang’s coming-of-age journey that should’ve ended as a trilogy.  But you know us.  We simply couldn’t get enough of those charismatic toys, especially our own children.  Obviously, there’s a good reason for it.  The “Toy Story” films are pinnacles of the animation department that paved the way for CGI to thrive in the industry, for better or worse, and they also shaped Pixar as one of the most successful studios in the business, in both presentation and storytelling.  More importantly, they’re generational cinematic pieces that audiences, young and old alike, can enjoy and cry over repeatedly because of their thematic depth and emotional weight.  They’re experiences that show the characters undergoing different changes in life, similar to how we see them, underscoring the movies’ lasting impact in their narratives, not just the animation.  This latest continuation is no exception, as the toys confront another major change that could mean the end of playtime forever.  Does this sequel retain the charm and emotional depth of its predecessors, or is it time for Pixar to put its toys back in the chest for good?  Let’s find out.  

The story is set after the events of “Toy Story 4”.  Jessie (Cusack) has assumed the role of leader of the toys in Bonnie’s (Spears) room, while Woody (Hanks) stays with Bo Peep (Annie Potts) to help abandoned toys find owners.  As Jessie and Buzz Lightyear (Allen) attempt to fill Woody’s shoes, their goal of helping Bonnie make new friends hits a snag upon the arrival of her new favorite plaything, a frog-like tablet named Lilypad (Lee).  As Bonnie spends more time on Lilypad, the toys are left with no amount of playtime, facing the threat of being donated or worse.  This led them to call upon Woody to return and help them deal with Lilypad, resulting in another journey in which Jessie confronts her past.

It bears repeating that “Toy Story” has been a pinnacle of my life ever since I saw “Toy Story 2” in theaters back in 1999.  These films not only reminded me of the joy and imagination I had while playing with my own toys, but also made me feel as if I were growing up with these toys myself, from a storytelling and emotional perspective.  Looking back at them now, they’re still some of my favorite animated films for their characters, animation, storytelling, and mature themes, particularly “Toy Story 3”.  While I can agree that the franchise should’ve ended with the third film, it retains the rarity of delivering consistent quality that warrants the toys’ return, as is evident in “Toy Story 4”.  Some of us may not enjoy “Toy Story 4” as much as others, but I was part of the group that actually loved it.  Not as much as I did for the first three films, but great enough to admire the care and effort put into its world-building and themes.  So, it left me wondering whether “Toy Story 5” could replicate this success, especially since it now deals with our current predicament regarding children’s playtime: technology.

The aspect I loved most about the franchise, especially the sequels, is that it provided narratives that seem simple on paper but are actually more well-rounded in their themes.  When you thought it went in one direction, they took an immediate turn that makes their approach not only earned but also thematically resonant with kids and even adults.  Even after rewatching the first four films, these stories still feel rewarding for how they showcase their characters' growth, especially Woody's.  With “Toy Story 5”, Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris were given the daunting task of retaining that timeless formula for its technological concept without telling audiences that “tech is bad”.  Given our strong attachment to cell phones, tablets, and video games, representing this concept may not be as straightforward as it appears, due to concerns about seeming preachy or “anti-technology.”  Thankfully, they managed to accomplish that mission almost flawlessly, emphasis on the “almost”.  Even with the understandable argument of its existence, “Toy Story 5” shows that the term “franchise fatigue” isn’t enough to pull the plug on its playtime anytime soon.

Now, what do I mean by “almost flawlessly”, you may ask?  Well, to put it bluntly, it is still another great sequel that highlights the franchise’s thematic resonance regarding change and purpose from a toy’s perspective.  In this case, we have toys facing the possible end of their time as children stare at screens all day long, raising the question of how they would adapt to this evolution of playtime.  Even though I thought all five movies were fantastic for various reasons, including the fourth one, believe it or not, I can see that they’re also far from perfect.  “Toy Story 5” is no different, particularly for its structure.  If I were to name a couple of issues that kept it from being another perfect sequel, it would be the pacing and the character roster.  The first act of “Toy Story 5” galloped as fast as Bullseye, hoping to get to the “toys vs tech” dilemma straightaway.  On the one hand, it helps draw kids’ attention away from their own screens, and it offers giggle-worthy humor stemming from the characters and Bonnie’s imagination.  On the other hand, it can get a bit too speedy, leaving little time for a cooldown to appreciate the depth of its visuals and character moments.  But hey, it’s a movie for families involving talking toys, so it’s not a big deal for me as long as the story is good, which it was.

Another element worth pointing out is the character roster, mainly for the toys.  The “Toy Story” films have been known for introducing new characters in each installment.  We got Jessie and Bullseye from “Toy Story 2”, Bonnie’s toys in “Toy Story 3”, and Forky (Tony Hale) in “Toy Story 4”.  “Toy Story 5” introduces audiences to the tech toys: Lily, Smarty Pants (O’Brien), Snappy (Rabara), and Atlas (Robinson).  There’s also an army of malfunctioning high-tech Buzz Lightyears that may seem like pointless filler akin to the Minions until the third act.  It has all these toys under the same cinematic roof, especially those introduced in previous installments.  The problem is that there were too many of them to keep track of.  Some of the older side characters, including Dolly (Bonnie Hunt), Rex (Wallace Shawn), and the Potato Heads, were pushed aside to focus more on the main characters.  Heck, even Woody’s role was reduced to highlight Jessie’s role as the “sheriff”.  He’s basically there because he’s one of the main faces of the franchise.  While some characters do have their moments, I feel like the story wouldn’t be affected if they were removed from the script or given more to do.  At least have Bo Peep rejoin the gang on this adventure.

But as I said, even with those small issues, I really love “Toy Story 5”, not just for its storytelling and visuals, but also for the relatability of its characters and themes.  One aspect that’s worth noting about the premise is that “Toy Story 5” is Jessie’s movie.  With Woody helping Bo find more abandoned toys, the movie gets its due by focusing more on Jessie’s arc, which began in the second film.  Long story short, I thought Jessie was one of the best parts of “Toy Story 2” regarding Joan Cusack’s delightful performance and the character’s poignant past.  “Toy Story 5” brings everything full circle regarding her past, resulting in a very satisfying and genuinely heartwarming closure she deserves, especially for those who grew up with Jessie.  Joan Cusack continues to convey the character’s well-rounded personality through her effective vocal performance in this movie.  However, there were a few moments when her voice started to wear itself out compared to the spunky energy she delivered in its predecessors.  Besides that, Cusack’s charismatic performance remains one of the reasons I appreciate Jessie as a character, especially given her background.

It also helped that her journey blended well with its relevant themes, which both kids and adults can understand.  The screenplay of “Toy Story 5” explores the relatability of children’s excessive screen time on their phones and tablets and how technology has impacted the existence of toys.  However, it’s not technically about the dangers of children's reliance on tech; rather, it uses that aspect to convey its true message: the power of human connection.  Rather than just exposing the bad parts of technology, “Toy Story 5” addresses both the good and the bad aspects of technology's role in helping people make new friends.  It displays that connection matters when it happens to be the right friends they choose, as evidenced in Bonnie’s arc.  Stanton and Harris have crafted a worthy script that handles these tough topics with wit and warmth, without making them uncomfortable for younger kids or too preachy for adults.  At the same time, it retains the usual charm, heart, and emotional resonance the franchise is known for, even if it doesn’t reach the heights of its predecessors, especially 2 and 3.  It’s this type of balance that identifies the “Toy Story” films as family movies and even animated treasures that people of all ages can enjoy, and “Toy Story 5” is clever enough to be a part of this group.

Regarding the voice cast, almost all the actors from the previous films have returned to reprise their roles, including Tom Hanks and Tim Allen.  However, the movie also left enough room for the newcomers to shine, which is enough to excuse the film’s stuffed lineup.  I already mentioned that Joan Cusack did another great job with her role as Jessie, despite her voice sounding exhausted at times.  Another actor worth noting is Greta Lee, who went from confronting the Grid to voicing an electronic frog-like tablet following her breakout role in “Past Lives”.  This is a much-needed improvement over her underwhelming performance in “Tron: Ares”, as Lee effectively portrayed Lily’s antagonistic, snarky persona through her range.  I would even say that Lily is comparable to Anxiety from “Inside Out 2” in terms of their respective roles in helping their humans.  Conan O’Brien also made a strong impression on me with his performance as Smarty Pants regarding his toilet humor.  It’s another instance where potty humor in a kids’ movie is actually amusing rather than forced or cringeworthy.  I may not watch O’Brien much on his late-night shows, but I respect him for knowing how to bring his brand of humor to his cinematic roles.  I would also credit Scarlett Spears for bringing humanity and spunkiness to Bonnie’s arc through her vocal performance, especially in that one scene where I wanted to jump on the screen and hug her.  I’m pretty sure you’ll feel the same way when you watch it yourself.  By the way, Spears also played young Glinda in “Wicked: For Good”—just a fact to share for all of you “Wicked” fans out there.

Finally, we have the film’s animation.  There’s no doubt that the “Toy Story” movies shine for their animation, blending realism with childlike imagination.  But it’s also worth noting that the animation for the franchise has come a long way since the first film.  Like, the difference is largely noticeable.  Anyway, the animation in “Toy Story 5” looks just as beautiful and vibrant as in the other installments, but it shines most in the playtime sequences.  These scenes switched up the presentation by foregoing the real-world elements in favor of a more watercolor-like, imaginative approach that combines 2D with CGI.  In a way, they uniquely capture the imagination of playtime as if we’re seeing it from a child’s perspective, especially Bonnie’s.  The animation in “Toy Story 4” still looked the best in terms of shading, lighting effects, and scope.  Despite that, “Toy Story 5” truly understands how a child’s mind functions when they’re playing with their favorite toys, especially when the studio makes the most of different styles.

Overall, “Toy Story 5” keeps the beloved animated saga fully charged with a sequel that explores the “toys vs. tech” premise with wit, heart, and relatability.  While initially seen as a difficult task to accomplish, especially with its “franchise fatigue”, the film turns out to be another rare occurrence where its continuation outside a franchise’s true conclusion is more rewarding than unnecessarily drawn out.  Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris not only kept the spirit of “Toy Story” alive through its charm and massive heart but also delivered a smart and genuinely emotional reflection on human connection amid the modern age of technology.  Its abundance of characters and some rushed moments kept it from matching the similar heights of its predecessors.  Besides that, the quality of the “Toy Story” brand remains supreme, which is enough to keep its batteries from dying out too soon.  Regarding its voice cast, great animation, thematic weight, and captivating emotion, the film shows that cinematic playtime has evolved in the best way.

A-