Toy Story 5 Shakes Up Franchise Lore and Dominates Box Office Previews

Disney and Pixar's highly anticipated animated sequel, "Toy Story 5," is poised to dominate the box office, marking one of the year's biggest openings. The film generated an impressive $17.5 million in previews, setting a new record for 2026 and ranking as the second-highest preview performance ever, just behind 2018's "Incredibles 2" ($18.5 million). Projections for its opening weekend range from $145 million to $150 million, with some estimates reaching $160 million to $175 million, fueled by glowing reviews from film critics. This performance is expected to surpass "Toy Story 4" ($120 million opening) to become the franchise's largest debut and also outpace Universal and Illumination’s "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" ($131.7 million) as the biggest launch of the year. Globally, "Toy Story 5" is anticipated to open with $135 million internationally, pushing its total worldwide haul to over $275 million against a $250 million budget, plus marketing costs, ensuring significant profitability for Disney.

In "Toy Story 5," the beloved characters Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and the rest of the gang face a modern existential crisis as technology emerges as the new villain. Their world is turned upside-down when Bonnie, their kid, receives a smart tablet named Lily Pad (voiced by Greta Lee), who attempts to monopolize Bonnie's free time. This influx of digital devices triggers a deeply emotional crisis for Jessie, who grapples with her past trauma of abandonment by her first kid, Emily. As a result of Lily Pad's manipulation, Jessie and Bullseye are separated from Bonnie, eventually landing back at Jessie's first home, where Emily used to live. Meanwhile, Woody and Buzz bicker over leadership roles while attempting to navigate the challenges posed by Lily Pad back at Bonnie's home.

At Emily's old home, Jessie encounters the young and imaginative Blaze (Mykal-Michelle Harris), whom Jessie believes would be the perfect friend for Bonnie. However, Jessie's initial plan to unite Blaze and Bonnie is thwarted by Lily Pad's intervention, leading to Bonnie being heartbroken after her group chat makes fun of her missing toys. Feeling utterly useless, Jessie retreats to an old tire swing, where she discovers an old lunchbox buried by Emily's daughter, also named Jessie. This poignant revelation helps Jessie realize that Emily named her daughter after her favorite toy, restoring her resolve to help Bonnie and Blaze. With the assistance of Blaze’s old, neglected digital devices – the potty trainer Smarty Pants (Conan O’Brien), the GPS Atlas (Craig Robinson), and the digital camera Snappy (Shelby Rabara) – the toys embark on one last big adventure to reunite.

The toys, including a now-guilt-ridden Lily Pad, ultimately come together. Jessie and Lily Pad make amends during a daring rescue of the tablet from a donation truck. Lily Pad then downloads a crucial update for a group of Hi-Tech Edition Buzz Lightyear action figures, granting them the ability to fly. These advanced Lightyears, believing Jessie to be their Star Command leader, transport the entire gang back to Blaze and Bonnie's homes for a final attempt to bring the kids together. This second attempt proves successful, culminating in a heartfelt and emotionally resonant playtime session where Blaze and Bonnie enact a hilariously poignant wedding between Buzz and Jessie. Their mission accomplished, Woody once again departs from the main group of toys, reuniting with Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and Duke Kaboom (Keanu Reeves) to continue their toy rescue efforts. Jessie's faith in toys is fully restored, as she learns that while toys cannot control how fast their kids grow up, playing a part in their upbringing is sufficient. She also realizes that digital devices aren't inherently bad and ultimately befriends Lily Pad, who expresses a desire to start dating Bonnie's family Roomba bot. The film concludes with Buzz and Jessie finally together after Buzz confesses his feelings, marking "Toy Story 5" as the best and most emotional installment in the franchise to date.

Fans are encouraged to stay through the closing credits for multiple extra scenes. Following a delightful animated credits sequence set to a new Taylor Swift single, "I Knew It, I Knew You," the first bonus scene features the Hi-Tech Buzz Lightyears at an elementary school playground, bringing joy to children, only to be interrupted by the evil Hi-Tech Edition Emperor Zurg in a hilarious callback to "Toy Story 2." A final tag scene after the credits sees Lily Pad creating a cute rap song, providing a delightful burst of energy to close out the movie and complete the high-quality Pixar experience. Featuring a voice cast including Tom Hanks (Woody) and Tim Allen (Buzz), alongside Joan Cusack (Jessie) and new additions like Conan O’Brien and Greta Lee, "Toy Story 5" is rated PG, categorized as Animation Adventure Family Comedy, has a runtime of 102 minutes, and is directed by Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris. It was released on June 19, 2026, and is widely praised for setting a new standard for sequels in long-running franchises.