Product Info

Studio

Disney/Pixar

Director

Andrew Stanton

Genre

Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family

Rated

PG

Theatrical Release Date (NA)

Jun 19, 2026

Film Length

1hr 42min

Purchase From

Toy Story 5 continues the long-running movie franchise and somehow manages to tell a successful story with its animated toys and the challenges they face against technology.

Jesse Takes Center Stage

© 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Previous Toy Story films mostly followed Wood, voiced by Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump, Cast Away) and Buzz Lightyear, voiced by Tim Allen (Home Improvement, Galaxy Quest), with Jessie, voiced by Joan Cusack (In & Out, Working Girl), being mostly an important sidekick. This time Jessie takes the center stage from the toys as she confronts the latest toy entering Bonnie’s life, Lilypad, voiced by Greta Lee (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Past Lives). Most of the other toys are sidelined and play minor roles in the dialogues.

The tablet device, Lilipad, is presented as the film’s antagonist, positioning itself as the only toy capable of helping Bonnie make friends as she is having difficulty finding one, while other toys are depicted as obsolete and suitable only for babies. Struggling with the confrontation with Lilipad, Jesse secretly calls Woody through a walkie-talkie, where she finds out the technology devices are consuming children’s lives as more toys are found abandoned. Those who remember Toy Story 4 know Woody stays back with Bo Beep and her group to help lost toys that were abandoned by their kids. When Woody appears, his presence makes a difference, but his role is much smaller than previous films. The film includes humorous references to Woody’s age, highlighting his bald spot and the occasional protrusion of his cotton belly.

Buzz is considered a secondary character to assist Jessie as she tries to outsmart Lilipad, showing that “old toys” can help Bonnie make friends. We’re also given a side plot of a large set of Buzz Lightyear toys marching to find their “Star Command,” which turns into hilarious scenes and a welcoming plot while the film’s main story is being developed. The Buzz Lightyears have a clear purpose for their journey, and their seamless integration into the film’s plot is commendable.

© 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Smarty Pants, voiced by Conan O’Brien (The Lego Batman Movie, Now You See Me), is the standout character. A new character, who is playful and sarcastic towards Jessie during their travels, incorporates technology into this toy. Jessie, who is highly against technology toys, is apprehensive about working with toys that have some technology installed in them. Over the course of their adventure, their relationship grows and showcases that all toys can help their kid grow. Showcasing that just because a toy is different doesn’t mean it can’t be beneficial and working together can help solve problems.

What’s fascinating is that Pixar captures the technology issues children and parents have today. Parents giving children too much technology time affects their sleep, attitudes, and general communication. The film won’t give you answers on how to fix it, but it’s amusing to see the animated film showcase the issue while Jessie and the toys try to solve some of the problems.

Jessie continues to grapple with her past abandonment issues, but Toy Story 5 ultimately provides closure, allowing her to finally move on. It’s surprising that Pixar can still produce a strong Toy Story movie, especially considering how effectively Toy Story 3 wrapped up the series. If you had to compare it to the previous film, Toy Story 5 felt more entertaining and a better plot than Toy Story 4.

Overall, Toy Story 5’s story is well done, placing Jessie as the main character and goofy sidekicks like Smarty Pants, along with the army of Buzz Lightyears, make it a fun, entertaining film for the whole family. I don’t see how a Toy Story 6 could happen or what ideas are left to make it happen, but it’ll be a challenge to overcome Toy Story 5.

Artistic Sequence

© 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

It’s not a surprise Toy Story 5 is animated beautifully. Pixar has led the 3D animation era for years, and this film and its predecessor, Hoppers, are both excellent. Toy Story 5 features more realistic human scenes, unlike the “jelly bean mouth” design seen in Ellio and Turning Red. The amount of details is wild the Pixar team put in. From the pixellated eyes on Smarty Pants versus Lilypad and the textures on the other doll figures are fantastic.

Scenes where Bonnie plays with her toys in her imagination are very creative. These selected moments use craft-style drawings and textures that represent a playful and vibrant quality. While the characters are in 3D, the design makes them feel like 2D figures in a children’s storybook. It’s like watching a child’s handmade story come to life.

Randy Newman returns to compose the Toy Story 5 soundtrack with new original cores. They capture the moments. Songs like “You’ll Always Have a Friend in Me” by Tina Jae reprise the classic Toy Story song, “You Have a Friend in Me.” Taylor Swift joins with the original song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” for the movie. All vocal tracks are excellent, though I do miss some of the old tunes from previous Toy Story films.

The Final Toy

Toy Story 5 passes the star to Jessie, delivering another heartfelt story filled with humor, imagination, and facing issues with technology in childhood. Some familiar toys take a backseat, but Pixar crafts another entertaining adventure that feels more rewarding than its predecessor.

An early screening was provided for this review. Toy Story 5 arrives in theaters on June 19, 2026. Fans can visit the official website for more information and ticket purchasing.