It looks like Disney and Pixar could have another successful movie with Toy Story 5. The film, scheduled for release on June 19, 2026, brings back Woody and Buzz as Bonnie, now eight years old, starts to prefer playing with her new tablet, Lilypad, over her toys. Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton, known for directing hits like Finding Nemo and WALL-E and for his work on the first two Toy Story films, is directing.
The latest episode of Matt Belloni’s podcast, The Town, offered a potential first glimpse at reactions to Toy Story 5. According to Belloni, as reported by The Direct, sources who have seen the movie describe it as “excellent.” While Belloni didn’t share details about who these viewers were – whether from test screenings or within Disney and Pixar – this positive early feedback is encouraging news for the studios.
Will ‘Toy Story 5’ Be the Biggest Movie of Summer 2026?
The upcoming news is great for fans of the Toy Story movies. The series is incredibly popular and consistently receives high praise from both critics and audiences. Even the lowest-rated film, Toy Story 4, still boasts a remarkable 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes – compared to 100% for the first two films and 98% for Toy Story 3. Interestingly, Toy Story 4 became the most financially successful movie in the series, earning $434 million domestically and over $1 billion worldwide. Both Toy Story 4 and 3 rank among Pixar’s highest-grossing films, and a potential Toy Story 5 could join them.
The biggest weakness in the otherwise successful Toy Story series is undoubtedly Lightyear, the 2022 spin-off film that explored the fictional movie that inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy. While it was the first Pixar movie back in theaters after the pandemic, the complex idea didn’t resonate with either critics or viewers. It received a 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and underperformed financially, earning $226.4 million globally despite costing $200 million to make. This, combined with many fans believing the series should have ended with Toy Story 3, created a lot of doubt about Toy Story 5.
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Just like other successful Pixar sequels such as Inside Out 2 and The Incredibles 2, the long wait between Toy Story movies could actually benefit Toy Story 5. It’s expected to be a major blockbuster, one of the biggest films of the summer and the entire year. Looking ahead to 2026, with films like Toy Story 5, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Doomsday, and The Mandalorian & Grogu all planned, it feels like a continuation of the popular 2019 movie season that included Toy Story 4, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Avengers: Endgame, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Even though some of these sequels might be met with doubt, Toy Story has consistently proven it’s a franchise worth believing in.
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2026-01-18 22:21