Toy Story 5 (2026)
There are few animated franchises that carry as much cultural weight as Toy Story. When Pixar released the original film in 1995, it did not merely launch a series, it reshaped the entire landscape of feature animation. The three films that followed (and the various shorts, such as Toy Story of Terror! and Toy Story That Time Forgot) have each tried, with varying degrees of success, to justify their own existence alongside what many considered a near-perfect trilogy. Toy Story 4 arrived in 2019 to some debate about whether Woody's story had been wrapped up too neatly, or indeed at all. So the announcement of a fifth instalment was always going to be met with a mixture of anticipation and scepticism in equal measure. The premise this time places the toys in direct competition with modern technology, specifically a tablet computer that pulls young Bonnie's attention away from the toy box entirely. It is a premise with obvious resonance for any parent who has watched a child disappear into a screen, and it gives the film a ready-made emotional hook that feels genuinely of its moment.
Andrew Stanton returns to the Pixar fold as director, a reassuring choice on paper. Stanton's credentials within the studio are formidable: he co-wrote the original Toy Story, directed Finding Nemo and its sequel Finding Dory, and made the ambitious, largely dialogue-free WALL·E, still one of the studio's most quietly confident films. His live-action detour with John Carter (2012) was a bruising commercial experience, but his return to animation has always felt like a natural fit. Toy Story 5 is a Pixar production through and through, which means the technical and artistic craft on screen is, as you would expect, of the highest order. Budgetary figures have not been officially confirmed, though the level of visual detail on display suggests no particular corners were cut. The returning cast is the heart of the thing, of course: Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are back as Woody and Buzz Lightyear, voices so familiar they land like old friends. Joan Cusack reprises Jessie, and this time her role is substantially expanded. New additions include Greta Lee and Conan O'Brien, the latter a somewhat unexpected piece of casting that will raise an eyebrow or two before the film begins.
To celebrate my son’s eighth birthday, I rented out a local cinema for him and twenty-nine of his mates to watch Andrew Stanton’s 2026 release Toy Story 5. When you’re dealing with a room full of hyperactive eight-year-olds, the stakes are incredibly high, but I can happily report that the film held them in absolute full attention. Not a single complaint from the kids, and frankly, the parents in the room were equally won over.
There was genuine, infectious laughter throughout, and I’ll admit, a few sniffles from the adults during the more emotional beats. It is, without a doubt, a massive crowd-pleaser.
However, once the birthday sugar rush wore off and I had time to properly reflect, a narrative issue emerged. While the animation and visuals are, as expected from Pixar, absolutely top-tier and gorgeous to behold, the character focus is bafflingly lopsided. This is a franchise that has spent decades meticulously building a sprawling, beloved ensemble, yet here, most of them are reduced to mere background furniture. Woody and Buzz Lightyear feel like absolute afterthoughts in their own movie. Beloved staples like Rex, Hamm the piggy bank, and the Potato Heads are relegated to such tiny, blink-and-you’ll-miss-them roles that it feels like a massive waste of established character equity.
The bulk of the runtime is instead dedicated to Jessie and a deep dive into her specific backstory. Now, Jessie is a brilliant character, and giving her the spotlight is a fine creative choice on paper. But let’s be real: this isn't a Jessie spin-off. It’s Toy Story 5.
By narrowing the lens so aggressively onto her singular arc, the film loses that essential, chaotic ensemble magic that made the earlier entries feel so rich, dynamic, and lived-in. It feels a bit like a missed opportunity to properly reunite the gang for one last, truly collaborative hurrah, opting instead for a narrower, more solitary character study.
So, where does that leave us? It’s certainly not a genre-defining masterpiece on the level of the original Toy Story or Toy Story 2, but it is also a long way from being the worst entry in the series.
It’s a highly polished, visually stunning, and undeniably entertaining film that does exactly what it needs to do for a family audience. Stanton has delivered a perfectly serviceable, emotionally resonant ride, even if it feels a bit too much like a solo vehicle masquerading as an ensemble piece. It’s a cracking good time for the kids, and a decent enough watch for the rest of us.
Toy Story 5 sits in a curious position within a franchise that has never quite known when to say goodbye. It is polished but uneven, warm but occasionally frustrating, the work of a studio operating at a high technical standard even when the storytelling choices give you pause. Whether it earns its place alongside the earlier films is a question each viewer will settle for themselves, though the answer probably depends on whether you arrive as a child or as the adult sitting next to one. Either way, you are unlikely to leave the cinema feeling cheated. Just, perhaps, a little wistful for the whole gang.
Rating: ★★★½ | Year: 2026 | Watched: 2026-07-13
Trailer
▶ Watch the official trailer for Toy Story 5 (2026) on YouTube
