D23 was packed with Disneytastic news, and updates on one project in particular have me very excited.
Now, we've known about Toy Story 5 for some time, and I'll admit to feeling some trepidation about the fivequel. After all, both Toy Story 3 and Toy Story 4 had perfect send-offs for the gang, with the fourth movie even splitting up dynamic duo Buzz and Woody. How could a fifth installment possibly make sense, especially after Lightyear was a bit of a misfire?
Well, at D23, it was revealed that the film will be directed by Andrew Stanton, one of Pixar's best creatives. He's lent his writing talents to the likes of WALL-E, Finding Nemo, and Monsters Inc. – as well as all the previous Toy Story movies. He's also Pixar's vice president of creativity, meaning he oversees the studio's output. In short, the fivequel is in the safest pair of hands.
Plus, the first plot details were unveiled at the convention, and the film will see the toys we know and love go up against their toughest foe yet: technology. In the first look at the film, which you can see above, concept art shows youngster Bonnie under the covers, enraptured by a tablet, while the toys look on in confused dismay. Tackling childhood's shift away from traditional toys to the digital world is something fresh for the franchise, and it's certainly timely, too.
Intriguingly, Woody is also back, after he bid farewell to the gang in the last film. How he has come to return is something I'm very curious about, particularly since it could end up undermining Toy Story 4's tearjerker of an ending. But, I have faith that the filmmakers will craft another stellar entry in one of animation's finest sagas, and I couldn't imagine another Toy Story movie without Woody, anyway.
Toy Story 5 will release this June 19, 2026. While you wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming Disney movies for everything else the House of Mouse has on the way. We also have a guide to the best Pixar movies too.
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