Film Review: Toy Story 5

Toy Story 5
Directors: Andrew Stanton, Kenna Harris
Pixar Animation Studios
In Theaters: 06.19.2026

It’s hard to let go of something you love, whether it’s a person parting with a favorite toy or Disney and Pixar letting the crown jewel of their studio reach a conclusion. Toy Story 5 is the third “final entry” in this series in a row, though this time they aren’t communicating as emphatically to that. It’s true that keeping the franchise going runs the risk of spoiling the magic of it all. On the other hand, when you’re making great memories with your toys, no one else should get to tell you that you have to stop.

After Woody (Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan) chose to stay behind with Bo Peep (Annie Potts, Ghostbusters, Designing Women) to help lost toys find new homes, Jessie (Joan Cusack, Working Girl, School of Rock) steps up as the leader of Bonnie’s room, with Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen, The Santa Claus, Galaxy Quest) serving as her deputy. But Bonnie is now eight years old and is having trouble making friends. When her parents decide to see if interacting with her dance classmates in a group chat might help her break the ice, they buy Bonnie a new beginner tablet, a frog-like tablet called Lilypad (Greta Lee, Past Lives, Tron: Ares). After Jessie reaches out to Woody for advice, he rushes to Bonnie’s room just as Jessie heads with Bonnie to her first sleepover.

While there’s a vocal contingent who feel a fourth film unnecessarily compromised a perfect trilogy — and I can’t entirely dismiss that argument — I still enjoyed Toy Story 4. It justifies its existence with sharp humor and a fitting sense of closure for Woody. Toy Story 5 doesn’t need justification because it proves to be an essential and brilliant work that tackles ideas the franchise hasn’t really confronted before: children’s relationship with screen time, the internet as a potentially harmful space and how the pressure to impress peers can reshape how kids relate to their toys.

The latter especially resonated with me, recalling how embarrassed I once was to be seen with my stuffed gorilla, so much so that I’d hand it off to my younger sister so people would think it was hers at the theater. Eventually, of course, you outgrow that dependence on childhood objects — for me it happened when I was about 42. The film frames that transition not as something to be rushed or shamed and asserts that continued attachment to playtime can be a strength. The film also handles kids and screens with a light touch, balancing humor with insight without tipping into preachiness or alarmism. And the tech-based toys themselves are genuinely strong character additions, rather than just thematic devices.

Despite the return of Woody, the focal character this time is Jessie, who has the strongest connection with Bonnie yet is still haunted by past trauma. Cusack, who returns to acting after a sabbatical, does stellar work, which gives Jessie the feeling of closure she’s long deserved for so long. Conan O’Brien is a hoot as the film’s new breakout character, an electronic potty training toy named Smarty Pants. Lee brings her trademark nuanced and thoughtful presence to Lilypad, and Hanks and Allen make the most out of getting to play off each other as a duo again.

Ultimately, Toy Story 5 understands the paradox at the heart of this franchise better than most legacy sequels: that endings are both necessary and impossible. It acknowledges the fear that stretching the story “to infinity and beyond” might dilute what made it special, while also arguing — gently but firmly — that imagination and joy don’t have to end. If there’s a final takeaway, it’s that letting go and holding on don’t have to be mutually exclusive. —Patrick Gibbs

Read more from Patrick Gibbs:
Film Review: Disclosure Day
Gavin Brivik and Andrew Bird Both Needed Someone

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