Toy Story 5: Everything We Know About Pixar’s Most Anticipated Movie of 2026
For more than 30 years, the Toy Story franchise has captured hearts around the world. From Woody’s leadership and Buzz Lightyear’s heroics to the bittersweet farewell of Toy Story 4 and welcomes Toy Story 5, Pixar has consistently delivered stories that resonate with children and adults alike. Now, the beloved toys are back — and this time, they’re up against something no villain has quite prepared them for: the modern screen.
In theaters: June 19, 2026
At a Glance
- Release Date: June 19, 2026
- Director: Andrew Stanton
- Co-Director: McKenna Harris
- Music: Randy Newman
- Runtime: 102 min
- Studio: Pixar / Disney
What Is Toy Story 5 About?
The central conflict of Toy Story 5 pits traditional toys against modern technology. As Bonnie spends more time with screens, Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the gang face an unsettling new reality: becoming irrelevant. Their challenge arrives in the form of Lilypad — a frog-shaped tablet device voiced by Greta Lee — who is genuinely engaging, endlessly patient, and always available in ways that analog toys simply cannot compete with.
Disney and Pixar have described the film’s theme as “Toy Meets Tech.” Unlike the franchise’s previous villains — misunderstood toys or obsessive collectors — Lilypad isn’t malicious. She’s something more uncomfortable: a better distraction. The toys must figure out not just how to survive, but whether survival on those terms is even worth it.
“Toy Meets Tech” — Pixar’s tagline for the film captures the stakes perfectly: it’s not a battle of good versus evil, but of imagination versus convenience.
Meanwhile, Woody is operating separately from the group following the events of Toy Story 4, staying in contact through walkie-talkies and continuing his mission of helping abandoned toys find homes. But in a world increasingly mediated by screens, even that mission is harder to execute than before.
Release Date
Toy Story 5 opens exclusively in theaters on June 19, 2026, making it the first main installment since Toy Story 4 in 2019. It is Pixar’s 31st feature film.
Directors & Creative Team
The film is directed by Academy Award winner Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, WALL·E) and co-directed by McKenna Harris. It is produced by Lindsey Collins and written by Stanton and Harris. Randy Newman returns to compose his fifth Toy Story score.
Returning Cast
The core ensemble is largely intact, with a few notable recasts due to the passing of beloved performers:
- Tom Hanks — Woody
- Tim Allen — Buzz Lightyear
- Joan Cusack — Jessie
- Annie Potts — Bo Peep
- Tony Hale — Forky
- Wallace Shawn — Rex
- John Ratzenberger — Hamm
- Blake Clark — Slinky Dog
- Kristen Schaal — Trixie
- Bonnie Hunt — Dolly
- Keanu Reeves — Duke Caboom
- Jeff Bergman — Mr. Potato Head *
- Anna Vocino — Mrs. Potato Head *
- Ernie Hudson — Combat Carl *
- Scarlett Spears — Bonnie *
* Recast roles: Jeff Bergman replaces the late Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head; Anna Vocino replaces the late Estelle Harris as Mrs. Potato Head; Ernie Hudson steps in as Combat Carl following the death of Carl Weathers; Scarlett Spears voices Bonnie.
New Characters
Greta Lee voices Lilypad, the frog-shaped tablet at the heart of the story. Conan O’Brien joins the cast as Smarty Pants, and Craig Robinson voices a character named Atlas. In a fun late addition, Latin music superstar Bad Bunny voices a new toy called Pizza with Sunglasses — described as “effortlessly cool and mysterious” and part of a community of forgotten toys living in an abandoned backyard shed. Alan Cumming also appears in a cameo as Evil Bullseye, Bullseye’s playtime alter ego.
Will Woody and Buzz Reunite?
Yes. After their separation at the end of Toy Story 4, the final trailer confirms the two iconic friends are back together — and their reunion is set against the most modern challenge the franchise has ever tackled. Their bond remains the emotional core of the series.
Taylor Swift’s Original Song
On June 1, 2026, it was officially confirmed that Taylor Swift has contributed an original song titled “I Knew It, I Knew You” to the film’s soundtrack. The country-leaning track was inspired by Jessie. Swift announced it online, sharing that she had long dreamed of writing for characters she has adored since childhood.
Why This One Matters
Every Toy Story film has carried a theme that hits differently depending on your age — abandonment, growing up, letting go. Toy Story 5 takes on something that affects families right now: the slow displacement of imagination by the convenience of screens. That Pixar is tackling it through toys — objects whose entire existence depends on a child’s willingness to play — makes it feel especially apt.
Whether you’ve followed Woody and Buzz since 1995 or are discovering the franchise for the first time, Toy Story 5 arrives with laughter, heart, and a question worth sitting with long after the credits roll.
Toy Story 5 is directed by Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris and opens exclusively in theaters on June 19, 2026. © 2026 Disney/Pixar.