Against the odds and widespread skepticism, Toy Story 5 (2026) not only justifies its own existence but also reminds us why these iconic characters will last forever. Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, WALL·E) and co-director Kenna Harris craft a tale that feels both extremely relevant for families today and utterly timeless. Following 2019’s Toy Story 4, which had to prove its own worth after the powerful ending of Toy Story 3 (2010), the fact that this latest sequel is as moving as it is almost feels miraculous. Although the sense of finality that 3 and 4 individually had obviously doesn’t hit the same anymore, 5 makes a very strong case for why that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Years after Woody (Tom Hanks) left Buzz (Tim Allen) and the gang to pursue a life helping abandoned toys on the road with his partner Bo Peep (Annie Potts), cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack) has assumed leadership over Bonnie’s room. The whimsical Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) is now in her middle childhood years, but still plays with toys. That might seem pretty normal for a kid her age, except that she hasn’t been able to make any friends. Children everywhere have succumbed to technology, creating an apocalyptic scenario for toy-kind. Once tech invades a home, toys are rendered useless. Thus, many toys have either left the comfort of their homes or made peace with living a somber life without any play.
A Battle for Bonnie’s Future
The optimistic Jessie doesn’t let the threat of tech shake her unwavering faith in Bonnie, at least not until Lilypad (Greta Lee) steps in. Bonnie’s parents gift her a Lilypad, which acts like a cross between a LeapFrog-inspired learning device and an iPad with what are supposed to be child-friendly group chats and games, in an effort to help her socialize. If every kid in town also has one, then she’s bound to make a friend, right? Jessie doesn’t think so, as making friends requires in-person play — far from a digital screen. A struggle for control over Bonnie’s development forms between the stubborn cowgirl and sassy Lilypad, who, in fairness, is only doing what she was made for.
Jessie’s quest to block Lilypad’s influence and help Bonnie make a real-life friend finds her leaving the house with Bullseye and, ultimately, getting lost and sidetracked. She soon ends up stranded at the countryside home where her story began, where she made her first bond with her original owner, Emily. Meanwhile, Woody and Buzz reunite in an effort to find Jessie, which leads to their own comical power struggle as they fight over who’s capable of being the true “deputy” of the gang. Oh, and elsewhere, a group of 50 high-tech Buzz Lightyear toys (also voiced by Tim Allen) gains consciousness after their international shipping crate crashed off a tropical island. Their mission? Rendezvous with Star Command.
The Complex Juggling Act of ‘Toy Story 5’
That last subplot with the army of Buzzes sounds super random, but it does serve a thematic purpose. Writer-director Andrew Stanton has claimed the idea as his own, having pondered the implications of that scenario in the Toy Story universe for years. Still, much of Toy Story 5 feels rather disconnected in the first half, with the narrative jumping back and forth between the three aforementioned groups. Lilypad herself, who has been heavily marketed as the main villain, is neither truly evil nor the only major electronic device in the film. Jessie’s adventure also introduces a trio of dated, obsolete devices — Smarty Pants (Conan O’Brien), Snappy (Shelby Rabara), and Atlas (Craig Robinson) — who play a significant role.
All of this to say that there’s a lot going on in Toy Story 5, more so than in previous installments. These plotlines, on their own, are really entertaining and bring unique comedic flavors that make this sequel stand out further within the franchise. However, they don’t all flow together smoothly. It’s definitely not a clean juggling act. Thankfully, each piece of the puzzle in Toy Story 5 is key to the bigger picture, even if some are squeezed in too easily. The movie has one clear goal with its central “toys vs, tech” conflict, and it achieves it so eloquently by the end that it makes the slightly messy journey to get there easier to forgive.
A Remarkably Worthy Pixar Sequel
Toy Story 5 is beautifully complex; it doesn’t boil down to a simple argument about policing children’s screen time or whether giving them access to technology is a bad decision altogether. It’s not a misguided compromise with living with tech either, as many fans were dreading upon learning that Lilypad isn’t a traditional villain. Toy Story 5 wrestles with the notion that as tech becomes increasingly accessible to kids during their social development, that accessibility shouldn’t turn into codependency. Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris’ script takes a hard stance: in-person human connection always triumphs over relationships that rely solely on digital interactions. Tech is useful, sure, but it’s just a tool for connecting with others — not an alternative.
The dichotomy between traditional child development (like playing with toys) and modern practices (such as relying on devices) is explored through Jessie and Lilypad’s rivalry. While Lilypad is an obvious antagonistic force, it quickly becomes clear that her software is well-intentioned. Of course, most parents give their kids phones and tablets out of love and to make them fit in with others. Leaving children to their own devices (pun intended) often has unforeseen ramifications, though. Toy Story 5 showcases this as Bonnie starts to use Lilypad as a social crutch. Past Lives (2023) and Tron: Ares (2025) star Greta Lee captures great nuance in her vocal performance as Lilypad sadly comes to learn of her flawed, formulaic programming.
Joan Cusack as the True Star of ‘Toy Story 5’
Unsurprisingly, the real star of the film is Joan Cusack, who delivers her most heartfelt performance as Jessie here. Jessie’s fear of being replaced and ultimately forgotten by yet another kid is the driving force of Toy Story 5, and her arc towards accepting Bonnie’s maturing growth pulls at the heartstrings. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are having just as much fun as ever. Yet, this is Jessie’s show through and through. Her many scenes with the always-hilarious Conan O’Brien, who plays a silly potty-training device with a huge attitude and endless toilet humor, help make Woody and Buzz’s secondary roles feel natural to this story. Toy Story 5’s infectious energy is mainly thanks to Jessie herself.
The collaboration between an animation veteran like Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris, a rising creative force within Pixar from a younger generation, is deeply felt. Toy Story 5 excels at capturing that classic Pixar magic with a multi-layered, modern perspective. This even translates visually, as Stanton and Harris create a gorgeous motif of switching to a pastel-colored, painterly animation style for Bonnie’s playtime sequences. The end result is an incredibly touching tale of human connection that resonates across different generations. Moreover, Toy Story 5 reinforces the idea that, no matter how long or short-lived, every relationship we form shapes us in some way, and that alone is always worth the effort of making a connection with someone else.
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2
‘Toy Story 5’ hits theaters on June 19!
Release Date: June 19, 2026.
Directed by Andrew Stanton & Kenna Harris.
Screenplay by Andrew Stanton & Kenna Harris.
Story by Andrew Stanton.
Produced by Lindsey Collins.
Executive Producers: Pete Docter & Jonas Rivera.
Main Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Greta Lee, Conan O’Brien, Tony Hale, Craig Robinson, Shelby Rabara, Scarlett Spears, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Matty Matheson, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Blake Clark, Jeff Bergman, Anna Vocino, Annie Potts, Bonnie Hunt, Melissa Villaseñor, John Hopkins, Kristen Schaal, Ernie Hudson, Krys Marshall, Keanu Reeves, Ally Maki, Lori Alan, Jay Hernandez, Jerome Ranft, Alan Cumming, Bad Bunny, & Jeff Pidgeon.
Cinematographers: Matt Aspbury & JC Kalache.
Composer: Randy Newman.
Editor: Jennifer Neysa Jew.
Production Company: Pixar Animation Studios.
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Runtime: 102 minutes.
Rated PG.
