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4K UHD Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and the beloved toys that have defined playtime for over 30 years-and revolutionized the CG animation industry-are back for an all-new adventure in Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 5.
Packed with comedy, heart, fun and friendship, the new chapter of the groundbreaking franchise reunites Woody and Buzz and explores how the toys react to the rise of technology now affecting contemporary childhoods-all while the rootin'-tootin' cowgirl Jessie is on her own journey discovering what it means to truly matter to her kid.
Directed by two-time Academy Award(r) winner Andrew Stanton (WALLE, Finding Nemo), co-directed by Kenna Harris (Ciao Alberto) and produced by Lindsey Collins (Turning Red), Toy Story 5 features a screenplay by Stanton and Harris and balances the legacy of its predecessors with a timely and relevant twist.
"I always figured they'd keep going with 'Toy Story,' the world is just so rich," says director and screenwriter Andrew Stanton. "The toys don't really age, but the world does. It's not every movie idea you come up with where time is part of the interesting aspect of a story about childhood, parenthood, growing up and moving on. The toys are the observers of everything."
With the world of "Toy Story" already well-established, entertainment was the number one guiding principle when it came to the filmmakers' approach.
"Andrew and I are on a similar wavelength about wanting every idea to be entertaining," explains co-director Kenna Harris. "If we had a story problem, the hurdle it needed to pass was whether it was entertaining and something an audience would clamour to see."
In addition to being genuinely entertaining, the filmmakers wanted the story to feel relevant. That meant introducing tech devices into the world of "Toy Story" to create an organic, nearly inevitable conflict.
"We wanted to build in all the fun, thrills and humour you expect from a 'Toy Story' film, but also focus on an aspect of childhood that we hadn't yet explored. We've noticed-or at least it feels this way to us-that toys have become less of a factor in a child's life. Having toys in a room without electronic devices dominating is almost antiquated now. How does that shift in dynamics affect the child, let alone the toys? This seemed like something worthy of tackling in a new 'Toy Story' film-something we could sink our teeth into and have fun with at the same time."
"Toy Story 5" is also shaped by music from renowned artists including Taylor Swift, who performs the all-new original song "I Knew It, I Knew You" for the upcoming film. The song draws inspiration from Jessie's ongoing journey and is written and produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff.
Returning for his fifth Toy Story feature is two-time Oscar(r) winner Randy Newman, whose iconic scores, themes and songs are as emblematic of the franchise as the toys themselves. The celebrated song "You've Got a Friend in Me" - written and performed by Newman for the original Toy Story - is featured in all five of the "Toy Story" films.
A Toy Box Of Legendary Voice Talent
With one of the most recognizable and celebrated voice casts-composed of both familiar voices and new additions - Toy Story 5 builds upon the franchise's legacy with an ensemble as timeless as the characters themselves.
The voice talent for the iconic returning traditional toys includes Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Joan Cusack (Jessie), Bonnie Hunt (Dolly), Kristen Schaal (Trixie), Tony Hale (Forky), John Hopkins (Mr. Pricklepants), Wallace Shawn (Rex), Ernie Hudson (Combat Carl), Jeff Bergman (Mr. Potato Head), Blake Clark (Slinky Dog), Anna Vocino (Mrs. Potato Head), Annie Potts (Bo Peep), John Ratzenberger (Hamm), Keanu Reeves (Duke Caboom), and Melissa Villaseñor (Karen Beverly).
Technology is personified in the film by a number of new tech device characters, including Lilypad (voice of Greta Lee), a feisty smart tablet with her own ideas about what is best for 8-year-old Bonnie, and 50 brand-new Hi-Tech Edition Buzz Lightyear action figures that are stuck in toy mode. A trio of more dated tech toys belonging to 9-and-a-half-year-old Blaze-Smarty Pants (voice of Conan O'Brien), a smart aleck toilet training tech toy; Atlas (voice of Craig Robinson), a talking toy hippo equipped with GPS; and Snappy (voice of Shelby Rabara), a peppy toy camera- round out the new tech characters.
There are number of notable voice cameos in the film as well, including Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio-the genre-defying, multi-platinum global recording artist and 6x GRAMMY(r) Award winner known professionally as Bad Bunny-who voices the new character Pizza with Sunglasses. Effortlessly cool and mysterious, Pizza with Sunglasses is a member of a small but mighty community of forgotten toys that live in an abandoned backyard shed.
Additionally, Emmy(r) and Tony(r) Award-winning actor Alan Cumming (The Traitors, The Good Wife) has a special cameo as Evil Bullseye - Bullseye's playtime alter ego in the new film. While Woody's trusty steed still lacks the power of speech in the world of Toy Story, Cumming provides Bullseye's voice during a funny playtime imagination sequence.
"We're just blessed. It truly is the best cast in the entire world," says Harris. "Everyone was so much fun."
"Tom and Tim are pros, they make it so easy," adds producer Lindsey Collins. "They know and love these characters so much, it's like they're as excited to get back to it as we are. I think there's real pride in the fact that we're still here bringing Woody and Buzz to life 30 years later."
For Tom Hanks, being a part of the "Toy Story" franchise has been an invaluable experience. "These films are part of an ongoing examination of youthfulness, the powers of imagination, creativity, and belonging to something bigger than yourself," he explains. "We are now five movies in, and they've yet to repeat themselves. These films are impressive works of art. Tim [Allen] and I, we're bound together by this-it's so much bigger than what we ever could have imagined."
Working with Joan Cusack was a huge delight for the team too. As Harris puts it, "Joan is a wonder, and so stinking funny. She's lived with this character for a long time and suggested some of the most chaotic and wonderful ideas. They were so true to Jessie and made it into the final film."
Early Development
Stanton-a major creative force at Pixar since 1990 when he became the second animator and ninth employee to join the company's elite group of computer animation pioneers-was a key player on all five of the Toy Story features. Toy Story 5 marks his first time in the director's chair for the franchise, and Stanton didn't anticipate being approached for the film.
"I was surprised to be asked!" Stanton explains with a laugh. "I had been working on television and live action for nearly a decade. I told them, 'I want to see it. I definitely want it to be done. I care about the world too much. So, I'll agree to write a script. If you like where I'm going, we can continue talking.'"
After turning in the initial script-which included the rise of electronic devices, Jessie as the core of the story, and 50 little lost Buzz Lightyears-Stanton agreed he'd stay on to direct. He partnered with co-director Kenna Harris (Ciao Alberto) early on in development after a brainstorming session for the film.
"Kenna brings a fresh perspective of what 'Toy Story' means to the next generation, and what Bonnie is going through," says Stanton. "Collaborating together really complemented my strengths and weaknesses. I can't imagine making this movie without Kenna-it was a perfect match."
"It takes a certain kind of pace to keep up with Andrew, and Kenna matches him," agrees Collins. "They're both able to write quickly, think quickly, push back on each other. It really was an instant fit for the two of them."
As story supervisor Jason Katz puts it, "The first question our filmmakers ask before deciding to make any sequel is, 'Does this movie deserve to exist in the world?' Andrew is one of the massive creative energies of the franchise, and he found a story that we felt needed to be told. And after almost four years of production, I can't imagine a world without this film. It feels like our story was always out there, waiting for us to find it...and that's a really good sign."
Designing Playtime
Toy Story 5 builds upon the established worldbuilding and visual design of the earlier films, and the filmmakers were excited to push style choices to tell the most vibrant, entertaining version of the film. While the entire feature is full of rich detail that would have been unthinkable due to the limited technology and computing power available over 30 years ago when the original "Toy Story" was released, the playtime sequences offer a clear example of that approach.
"Andrew and Kenna wanted to show the audience what Bonnie's imagination looks like, because Bonnie is different than Andy," explains visual effects supervisor Thomas Jordan. "The idea was, 'What if all kids have their own unique way of imagining playtime?'"
Since audiences don't see inside of Bonnie's imagination in Toy Story 4, the team had freedom to explore new character designs, costumes, textures and more to create playtime scenes that are unique to her.
Jordan continues: "We started to narrow in on what we eventually landed on for Bonnie's imagination-it's this very imaginative handmade style that looks like how a child would make arts and crafts. We used a pastel chalk drawing technique. It's very melodramatic, and there's an absurdity and a sort of tactile handmade quality to it that we all fell in love with."
"The things that look like they should be the simplest are often the most difficult," adds Collins. "The goal was to show what it might feel like to be inside Bonnie's imagination. It had to feel fantastical and draw you in, but still be grounded enough in the real world of the film that we could move in and out of her imagination without it feeling jarring. It was a tricky balance."
Original Song "I Knew It, I Knew You" By Taylor Swift
Following the history-making success of her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, 14-time GRAMMY(r) Award-winning artist Taylor Swift signed on to write and perform a brand-new original song, "I Knew It, I Knew You," for Toy Story 5.
The new song-written and produced by Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff-is inspired by the rootin' tootin' cowgirl Jessie's ongoing journey that began back in Toy Story 2. "I Knew It, I Knew You" also marks a return to Taylor Swift's country roots, blending styles that have defined her record-breaking career as a songwriter and artist.
Andrew Stanton said, "It's incredible just how meaningful it's been having Taylor write and perform this song. Her connection to Jessie and the immediate way she understood what the character was going through was undeniable. The song is so deeply connected to 'Toy Story.' So much so that on first listen, it instantly felt like it had always belonged there, like a long-lost family member. It was kismet."
Randy Newman Scores Again
Returning to score his fifth "Toy Story" feature is Academy Award(r)-winning composer Randy Newman, whose iconic compositions are one of the most recognizable and beloved elements of the franchise.
"Randy has been a part of this journey for 30 years," says Collins. "His music is part of the DNA of these films. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the story and these characters, and it makes all the difference because it allows you to lean into nostalgia and also break away from it and create something new. To have him back is huge."
For Randy Newman, it's a joy to still be such an integral part of the franchise. "It does me good to be able to write for these films," he explains. "It's a liberating feeling for me. It's amazing, Pixar's record. And this one was a pleasure. They've all been great and 'Toy Story 2' was especially enjoyable, but I think this was the most fun I've ever had doing one of these."
For director Andrew Stanton, Newman's contributions were invaluable and helped shape the film's narrative. "Randy is a writer and author through song and music," Stanton says. "It feels like working with another screenwriter. He understands the unconscious thing that you're trying to capture and has unparalleled narrative instincts."
Character Descriptions
Woody (Tom Hanks) is off with Bo Peep and her toy-rescue squad on another heroic mission when a surprise call leads the ever-loyal cowboy back to Bonnie's room. With a new adventurous air about him, Woody must partner with his best pal Buzz Lightyear to help defeat an all-new threat to playtime and find their missing friends, Jessie and Bullseye. There's never a dull moment rescuing toys!
Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is reporting for duty in one of his most important roles yet: Deputy to Sheriff Jessie. With his new deputy star at the ready, Buzz jumps at the chance to help Jessie save playtime. But when Jessie and Bullseye suddenly go missing, it's up to Buzz to return order to Bonnie's room. His old pal Woody shows up unexpectedly, and Buzz and Woody team up like old times to find Jessie and Bullseye and help their kid.
Jessie (Joan Cusack) - As the new Sheriff in town-or rather, in Bonnie's room-Jessie leads the gang on an important mission to help Bonnie make friends. But when a new kind of toy draws Bonnie's interest away and challenges the very idea of playtime, Jessie saddles up her trusty steed Bullseye to help keep Bonnie on track. When Jessie and Bullseye become separated from the gang, they must find their way back to Bonnie with the help of some unexpected new friends of their own. It may be a bumpy ride with some surprising discoveries along the way, but it's nothing this rootin'-tootin' cowgirl can't handle!
Bullseye - Ever the trusty steed, Bullseye is ready at Bonnie's side to help her navigate whatever this next chapter of life may bring. But when he and Sheriff Jessie find themselves suddenly separated from the gang, Bullseye must saddle up-with a real-life horse, no less-to find out what it means to really be there for your kid. It's time to ride like the wind!
Smarty Pants (Conan O'Brien) - Potty-mouthed Smarty Pants is a toilet-training tech toy with all the glamour of a roll of toilet paper and an attitude that lives up to his name. With his kid Blaze long past her potty-training days, Smarty has spent years stuck in sleep mode, forgotten in Blaze's old toy shed. But when he's unexpectedly recruited for an important mission, this smart aleck gets fresh batteries and a new opportunity to show what he can do...do.
Lilypad (Greta Lee) - To Bonnie's real toys' dismay, frog-shaped smart tablet Lilypad is Bonnie's new favourite. Completely unbothered that her presence is distressing Jessie and the other toys, Lilypad is always multiple steps ahead of the traditional toys and has her very own solution to help Bonnie connect with friends-chatting with them on "The Pond." While high-tech Lilypad and timeless Jessie appear to be polar opposites, they have one big thing in common: They'll do anything to help their kid.
Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) - 8-year-old Bonnie is growing up fast, but she's still the same sweet, shy kid who loves her toys. As she struggles to connect with friends, her new smart tablet Lilypad intervenes to help and encourages Bonnie to chat with her friends from dance class on "The Pond." Bonnie's peers don't seem interested in toys anymore and prefer to spend their free time glued to their screens, which makes her question if she's too old for playtime altogether.
Snappy (Shelby Rabara) - Say cheese! Snappy, a peppy little toy camera, is an excitable team player eager to help solve any problem. Understandably a bit nostalgic, Snappy cherishes her picture-perfect memories of time spent with friends and her kid, Blaze. And picture this: Snappy is finally out of the junk drawer she's lived in for years.
Atlas (Craig Robinson) - Cheerful talking toy hippo Atlas knows the way and will stick by your side until you get there- he is equipped with GPS, after all. Long forgotten in Blaze's tech junk drawer, all this digital map toy needs is a fresh set of batteries, and he's ready and willing to map the way to adventure.
Blaze (Mykal-Michelle Harris) - Blaze is an independent, tech-savvy 9-and-a-half-year-old who absolutely loves animals and a good dance party. Growing up on a ranch on the outskirts of town with her horse Daffodil and her beloved family pig, Jimmy Dean, Blaze never hesitates to jump in to help her animals and friends alike. Blaze proudly displays her collection of model horses in her room and still enjoys playtime from time to time.
Forky (Tony Hale) - There's about to be a newly pronounced spork and knife duo in Bonnie's room now that Forky and Karen Beverly are getting hitched! Forky loves being a toy and teaching his betrothed, Karen Beverly, what he's learned so far about trash, life and being trash. Forky may need a few crafty fixes now and again, but luckily for him, Bonnie loves to craft.
Karen Beverly (Melissa Villaseñor) - It's a big day for bedazzled plastic-knife-turned-toy Karen Beverly and toy spork Forky-they're getting married, and the crew couldn't be happier for the newlyweds. Karen Beverly is still learning a lot about the world, trash and what it means to be a toy, but she does know she loves her new wedding outfit-and Forky, of course!
Hi-Tech Edition Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) - 50 shiny, brand-new Hi-Tech Edition Buzz Lightyear action figures have unexpectedly washed ashore. Stuck in space ranger mode, these incredibly dedicated action figures must navigate the real world with the understanding that they must work together to return to Star Command. But...who or what is Star Command?
Pizza With Sunglasses (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio-Bad Bunny) - Pizza with Sunglasses is part of a small but mighty community of forgotten toys who live in an abandoned toy shed in their kid's backyard. Even though the shed toys can't remember the last time Blaze played with them, they set up teatime every day, anxiously awaiting her return. Like the others, Pizza with Sunglasses is eternally optimistic and believes that Blaze will join them at any moment to pick up where they left off. He is the effortlessly cool and mysterious member of the squad who loves teatime and listening to all of Blaze's tea party secrets.
Dr. Nutcase (Matty Matheson) - Dr. Nutcase (don't call him Mr.) is a tiny plastic wrestler-peanut with a lucha libre mask and a major fear of modern technology. When Woody, Bo Peep and the toy-rescue squad discover the imperilled peanut taped to an abandoned kite stuck in a tree, they witness firsthand what the impending rise of technology might mean for a toy.
Garden Gnome (Jerome Ranft) - Garden Gnome is another of Blaze's eclectic toys still living in her abandoned backyard shed. He's fiercely protective of teatime and his kid, watching over Blaze's favourite seat in the shed like a hawk and eagerly ensuring it's saved for Blaze whenever she finally returns for playtime.
Inflatable Flamingo - A former pool floaty may make for an unconventional toy, but Inflatable Flamingo fully embraces her role as a member of Blaze's eccentric shed posse. While some of the air may have left her wings over the years, Inflatable Flamingo never lets the dream of resuming a tea party with her kid Blaze escape her.
Filmmaker Bios
Andrew Stanton (Directed by, Story by, Screenplay by) has been a major creative force at Pixar Animation Studios since 1990 when he became the second animator and ninth employee to join the company's elite group of computer animation pioneers. As vice president, creative, he currently oversees all feature and streaming projects at the studio. Stanton co-wrote and directed the Academy Award(r)-winning feature films Finding Nemo and WALLE, as well as Finding Dory. He also co-wrote and co-directed A Bug's Life. He has been nominated for an Academy Award four other times for best original screenplay (Toy Story, Finding Nemo, WALLE and Toy Story 3), and was executive producer of "Monsters, Inc.," "Monsters University," and the Academy Award-winning films "Ratatouille," "Brave" and "Inside Out." More recently, Stanton co-wrote and was an executive producer on the Academy Award-winning "Toy Story 4."
In addition to his animation work, Stanton made his live-action writing and directorial debut with Disney's John Carter, released in March 2012. Since then, he has delved into the world of television, directing for two Emmy Award(r)-winning series, Stranger Things and Better Call Saul, helped develop the Showtime/Blumhouse series The Loudest Voice, and most recently directed episodes for the FX series Legion, the Amazon series Tales from the Loop, and two seasons of the Apple TV series For All Mankind.
Kenna Harris (Co-Directed by, Screenplay by) joined Pixar Animation Studios in September 2018 as a story artist. Harris then went on to work as a story lead on Pixar's feature film Luca, which released on Disney+ on June 18, 2021. Harris then went on to direct their first Pixar short film, Ciao Alberto, which was released on Disney+ in November 2021. More recently, Harris served as the story supervisor on Inside Out 2, Pixar's highest-grossing film of all time.
Prior to Pixar, Harris worked at Walt Disney Animation Studios as a story apprentice. Prior to WDAS, they briefly worked as a character designer for Cartoon Network on Daniel Chong's We Bare Bears and as an intern at Sony Pictures Animation.
Harris grew up in Yucaipa, CA, and following high school, studied on and off at the California Institute of the Arts. They currently reside in Berkeley, CA.
Lindsey Collins (Produced by) joined Pixar Animation Studios in May 1997. She has since worked in various capacities on a number of Pixar's feature films. Collins' film credits include A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2 and the Academy Award(r)-winning Finding Nemo and Ratatouille. Collins also provided the voice of the character Mia in Pixar's 2006 release, Cars. Collins co-produced the Golden Globe(r) and Oscar(r)-winning feature WALLE with producer Jim Morris and director Andrew Stanton and was a producer on the Walt Disney Studios feature John Carter. Collins was also the producer of Finding Dory in 2016, after which she assumed the role of Pixar's vice president of development.
In her development role, Collins pioneered Pixar's SparkShorts program, created to discover new storytellers, explore new storytelling techniques, and experiment with new production workflows. More recently, Collins was the producer of Pixar's feature film Turning Red, which was nominated for an Academy Award(r). Collins went on to executive produce Elio.
In April 2022 Collins was promoted to senior vice president of development. In this new role, Collins leads the development group at Pixar for features and streaming, where current and upcoming filmmakers originate story ideas and shape them into projects for production. She is a part of the creative leadership team, which supports chief creative officer Pete Docter in guiding the studio's creative direction.
Prior to joining Pixar, Collins worked at Disney Feature Animation for three years, managing creative teams on the films Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Hercules.
Collins earned a Bachelor of Arts in diplomacy and world affairs at Occidental College in Los Angeles.
Randy Newman (Composer) With songs that run the gamut from heartbreaking to satirical, and a host of unforgettable film scores, Randy Newman has used his many talents to create musical masterpieces widely recognised by generations of audiences.
After starting his songwriting career as a teenager, Newman launched into recording as a singer and pianist in 1968 with his self-titled album Randy Newman. Throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s he released several acclaimed albums, such as: 12 Songs, Sail Away, Good Old Boys, Little Criminals, Born Again, Trouble in Paradise, Land of Dreams and Bad Love. Since 2003 Nonesuch Records has released three Randy Newman Songbook volumes, the Randy Newman: Live in London CD/DVD, Harps and Angels and Dark Matter.
His 1995 album Randy Newman's Faust, a modern interpretation of the nineteenth century Goethe play, featured performances by Newman as well as James Taylor, Don Henley, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt and Linda Ronstadt. A musical theatre production of Faust was performed at San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse in 1995 and at Chicago's Goodman Theatre in 1996, and a concert version was part of the Encores! series at New York City Centre in 2014.
In addition to his solo recordings and regular international touring, Newman began composing and scoring for films in the 1980s. The list of movies he has worked on includes The Natural, Awakenings, Ragtime, all five Toy Story pictures, Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University, Seabiscuit, James and the Giant Peach, A Bug's Life, The Meyerowitz Stories and Marriage Story.
Newman's many honours include seven GRAMMYs(r), three Emmys(r), and two Academy Awards(r), as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is in both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and has been awarded an Ivor Novello PRS for Music Special International Award as well as a PEN New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award.
Newman was the subject of a recent biography by former Los Angeles Times journalist Robert Hilburn, "A Few Words in Defense of Our Country." He also joined Jon Batiste on his most recent album, Big Money, performing the Doc Pomus classic Lonely Avenue, made famous by Ray Charles; the duo was nominated for a best American roots performance GRAMMY(r) Award.
