A Toy Story 5 never needed to happen. This is the most straightforward place to start when reviewing it. Toy Story 3 brought to a close perhaps the most satisfying set of stories ever told in animation history. The fourth installment of Toy Story was a story that pleased some but disappointed others only because of its unnecessary nature. It was with this backdrop that the announcement of another movie came along, with much to prove.
And proves much of it.
Released in theaters on June 19, 2026, and directed by Andrew Stanton with co-direction from McKenna Harris, Toy Story 5 has so far earned 353 million dollars at the box office and been met with the kind of critical praise that Pixar hasn’t seen in years. The question to ask then, is how a movie that should not exist turns out to be so good.
THE SETUP
This film happens two years after Toy Story 4. Jessie, who is wearing the sheriff badge Woody gave to her, is leading the toys in Bonnie’s room. Woody has gone on his own and is doing what he has always been doing, namely trying to find abandoned toys and giving them to children via walkie-talkies.
Bonnie gets a gift from her parents: the toy is a frog-themed tablet called Lilypad, performed by Greta Lee with such an inviting voice that she makes a very scary character. Lilypad is not the villain of this story. She just knows how to do her job well – entertain children, and she does it much better than the toys can. That is exactly what makes this film so interesting.
The setup is very powerful because it takes a very realistic fear and gives it a shape that will be understandable for children but also has something to offer to adults. The question of why a child prefers screen to toys is actually also a question about what happens with things that fail to evolve and keep up with changes around them.
CAST LIST
As is the case with many sequels, Woody once again gets to be played by Tom Hanks, although his role becomes more limited in scope than previously seen in the franchise’s earlier movies due to his vast screen history. Buzz Lightyear, played by Tim Allen, is Jessie’s right-hand man.
In the movie, Joan Cusack plays Jessie as a character who gives the film its emotional core in a manner which hasn’t been seen since the release of Toy Story 2. Deciding to have Jessie take the lead role, instead of Woody, turns out to be one of the best decisions regarding the plot.
O’Brien’s portrayal ofSmarty Pants, the quiz toy who’s associated with Lilypad, makes the character funnier than his character deserves to be based on paper. The character is designed to be a foil, but O’Brien has the timing that makes the character funny.
Pizza with Sunglasses is voiced by Bad Bunny. The name of the character alone is enough to make it evident that the film can get away with the comedic angle while still remaining serious.
An original song for the film was created by Taylor Swift entitled “I Knew It, I Knew You”. It came out on June 5 and got to number one on theBillboard Hot 100.
WHAT TOY STORY 5 GETS RIGHT
The film appreciates the fact that the emotional appeal of the series has always come from specificity and not breadth. What makes the best Toy Story movies are those that revolve around the connection between toys and a certain child. Toy Story 5 has not deviated from this idea. Bonnie is eight years old and dealing with social anxiety issues, and Lilypad’s suggestion of forming connections via screen is the story in small form of how children relate to their sense of belongingness in 2026.
The strength of Pixar lies in the fact that the comedic nature of the movie and the underlying emotions of it are telling the same story albeit differently. Toy Story 5 pulls it off brilliantly. The fifty commemorative Buzz Lightyear toys who crash land on an isolated island and embark on the journey of finding Star Command are funny. And at the same time, they are telling the secondary story of purpose and belongingness.
The visuals are impeccable just as one would expect from Pixar.
WHAT DOESN’T WORK ALTOGETHER
The speed with which the last third of the film works feels more like a compressed effort to resolve issues than actual resolution. There is one particular moment where an emotional shift takes place that should have taken more time, but seems rushed and uncertain in execution.
The part with the evil voice of Alan Cumming’s character of Bullseye is only a short episode and not a sub-story in any way. It’s quite funny alone, but looks like a plotline that the film decided to develop, and then dropped.
There were some reviews where critics wondered if the film even needed to exist outside of mere nostalgia. And the answer for them can be that this movie has managed to say something genuine about screen time and childhood belonging. It’s a valid reason for it to exist or not – depending on one’s attitude towards sequels in general.
A FILM WORTH WATCHING?
Yes. Toy Story 5 is a better movie than it had to be and a much better sequel than it appeared when it was first announced. It is not Toy Story 3, which will remain the pinnacle of this series, but it is an intelligent, amusing, and even touching film that believes in its idea.
If you need to catch up on the latest movies to watch in cinemas and online during summer, we have you covered with our list of the Best Shows to Watch Right Now in June 2026.
As for the Marvel side of the summer blockbuster season, read our article about Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- IS TOY STORY 5 APPROPRIATE FOR YOUNG KIDS?
The movie has a PG rating. Themes such as obsolescence and social anxiety make this movie potentially more challenging to younger audiences compared to the previous Toy Story movies. Most kids who are at least five years old will be able to connect to the story but the emotional beats will be sharper than in previous films. - IS TOY STORY 5 BETTER THAN TOY STORY 4?
Yes, according to most reviews. Toy Story 4 split the audience which loved the way the franchise ended in the third movie. The core concept of Toy Story 5 tells a better story from an emotional perspective. - WHEN WILL TOY STORY 5 STREAM ON DISNEY PLUS?
So far, there have been no official details on when it will stream on Disney Plus as of June 2026. However, based on past experiences with Disney movies, it is safe to assume that within four to six months after its theatrical debut, it will stream on Disney Plus.
Leave A Comment