Toy Story 5 Brings Buzz, Woody, and Jessie Back to the Big Screen
Almost three decades after we first met Buzz and Woody, the beloved Toy Story characters are set to return in a new adventure. During Disney’s D23 Expo, Pixar announced the much-anticipated Toy Story 5, directed by Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton, who has worked on every Toy Story film. This time, the classic toy characters face an all-new challenge: the rise of technology.
Toy Meets Tech: The New Threat to Playtime
#ToyStory5 will be toys vs Electronics pic.twitter.com/KxRnAS1grm
— Emmanuel (E-Man) Noisette (@EmansReviews) August 10, 2024
Pixar boss Pete Docter took the stage at D23 to unveil the film’s concept and confirm Stanton as the director. The story will explore the growing obsession kids have with technology, highlighting how traditional toys like Buzz, Woody, and Jessie struggle to compete with screens. The concept art shown during the panel depicted a melancholic scene: Woody and his friends sit unnoticed at the end of a child’s bed, overshadowed by the glow of a tablet screen. Fans speculate that the child in the image might be Bonnie, but this has yet to be confirmed.
Stanton explained that Toy Story 5 will delve into the challenges that modern technology poses for toys, emphasizing the evolving relationship between children and their playthings. The film’s tagline could easily be, “You’ve got a friend in screens,” a twist on the classic line, “You’ve got a friend in me.” As kids today become increasingly captivated by electronics, the toys will have to navigate this new reality, making their jobs as playtime companions exponentially harder.
A New Toy Story Adventure
Co-directed by McKenna Harris and produced by Jessica Choi, Toy Story 5 is slated for release on June 19, 2026. While details are still scarce, it was teased at D23 that the film will feature a formidable new enemy: an army of programmable Buzz Lightyear toys. How Woody has reunited with his old friends after the emotional ending of Toy Story 4—where he chose a new life with Bo Peep—remains a mystery, adding another layer of intrigue to the upcoming film.
Stanton, known for directing Pixar classics like Finding Nemo and Wall-E, has a reputation for crafting emotionally resonant stories that connect with audiences of all ages. His vision for Toy Story 5 promises to tackle modern themes about the impact of technology on childhood, exploring how the love for traditional toys can endure in a digital age.
As fans eagerly await the return of Buzz, Woody, and Jessie, one thing is clear: Toy Story 5 will bring a fresh and relevant narrative to the franchise, blending nostalgia with contemporary issues. We’ll discover how Pixar handles this delicate balance when the film hits theaters in summer 2026.
D23 2024 Recap:
Be sure to follow E-Man’s Movie Reviews on Facebook, Subscribe on YouTube, or follow me on Twitter/IG @EmansReviews for even more movie news and reviews!
