Since the “Toy Story” franchise was launched in 1995 with the initial Toy Story, the series – which includes three sequels and a spinoff entitled Lightyear (2022) – has generated over $16 billion in total revenue across the last three decades. The films have grossed $1.4 billion domestically and just over $3.2 billion globally. Now, Disney and Pixar aim to increase those numbers exponentially with the latest film in the series – Toy Story 5.
This time around, the toys are focused on trying to help Bonnie transition into adolescence without losing her completely to young adulthood. As the film begins, they find themselves faced with the presence of technology in the form of a new toy called Lilypad (voice of Greta Lee) that is supposedly designed to help Bonnie learn and grow. However, Buzz Lightyear (voice of Tim Allen) and the rest of the gang see Lilypad as a disruptive element to the natural order of things and embark on an attempt to rid themselves of the new technologically advanced toy.
Veteran Pixar director Andrew Stanton returns to helm this installment of the franchise, assisted by co-director, newcomer McKenna Harris. Both directors also serve as co-writers of the film and the devotion to logical plot and character development is evident in their work throughout the film.
Once again, Pixar manages to produce a film that seems as authentic and real as anything could be while simultaneously looking like one of finest animated films you may ever see. The cinematography of Matt Aspbury and Jean-Claude Kalache continues to showcase the beauty of the toys within the world of the franchise while continually providing a visual feats from scene to scene. There is never a shortage of anything to be amazed by onscreen from one moment to the next.
Joan Cusack in “Toy Story 5.” Photo by Pixar – © 2025 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
As is often the case with the movies in this series, music provided by Jack Antonoff (who provides most of the film’s soundtrack) accentuates the songs from Randy Newman and Taylor Swift that define many of the film’s themes and characters.
While all of the voice work in the film is superlative, it is the characterizations provided by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen that bind the whole of the film together. As it has been throughout the series, these two characters (and actors) work so well together because there seems to be a genuine connection between the two in the first place. Whether it is between the actors themselves or the characters they embody might be inconsequential as the result is the same.
Although same may feel that Toy Story 5 falls a little short of the best of the series, it is a far cry from being a blemish to the series as a whole and even succeeds to furthering the growth of several of the beloved series characters along the way.
| Producer: | Lindsey Collins |
| Release Date: | June 19, 2025 |
| Running Time: | 102 minutes |
| Starring: | Tom Hanks, Keanu Reeves, Alan Cumming, Joan Cusack, Annie Potts, Wallace Shawn, Tim Allen, Greta Lee, Tony Hale, John Ratzenberger, Kristen Schaal, Ernie Hudson, Melissa Villaseñor, Craig Robinson, Blake Clark, Bad Bunny |
| Writer: | Andrew Stanton, McKenna Harris |
| MPAA Rating: | PG (for some thematic elements and rude humor) |
| Director: | Andrew Stanton; co-director: McKenna Harris |
| Distributor: | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| External Info: | Official Website |
