The first footage from "Toy Story 5," the latest installment in Disney and Pixar's animated "Toy Story" film series, has been released on YouTube. It shows Bonnie excitedly exclaiming, "Yay! I'm so happy! Thank you!" after a new toy, a tablet called Lilypad, is delivered to her child's room. Woody and Buzz Lightyear also appear, and there's a scene where the two are frightened by the cutting-edge technology known as the Lilypad and embrace each other trembling. A poster visual featuring Lilypad, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie has also been released, along with the tagline, "Is the era of toys...over?" The latest film is slated for release in the summer of 2026.
The latest film will be directed and written by Andrew Stanton, who has worked on all of the "Toy Story" films. Pete Docter, Chief Creative Officer of Pixar Animation Studios and who has been involved with the series since the first film, said of Stanton, "He's a genius who has written the scripts for all of the Toy Story films."
Stanton has spoken about the theme of "toys are for children" throughout the series, and while Woody and Buzz are often at odds in the film, they are portrayed as believing that "the most important thing for a toy is to be with children." Regarding the latest film, Stanton said, "In 'Toy Story 5,' the toys face a very difficult situation. Kids today are obsessed with electronic devices, and toys can't compete. In this age where technology is everywhere, toys have powerful rivals such as cell phones and tablets."
Docter said one of the themes of the latest film is "Toy Meets Tech," revealing, "Right now Woody is working with Bo to rescue lost toys, and Buzz and Jessie are the leaders of Bonnie's room and are in different places. But with the arrival of Lilypad, the toys are at odds over what kids really need. Woody comes back for help, but Woody and Buzz don't always agree. I don't want to spoil any more, so I won't say what happens from here!"
"Toy Story" was Disney and Pixar's first feature-length film, produced in 1995 and released in Japan in 1996. The story of young Andy's toys as they move around and go on great adventures when no one is looking, and the full CGI animation of toys like Woody and Buzz Lightyear coming to life, became a hot topic and became a huge hit worldwide. A second film was made in 1999, a third in 2010, and a fourth in 2019.
