First details of ‘Toy Story 5’ released
In recent years Pixar has relied increasingly on sequels, and the results can’t be argued with looking at the box office returns. As the flagship franchise that helped put the studio on the map in the first place, excitement and anticipation are already riding high ahead of Toy Story 5.
Even though 2010’s third instalment was intended to tie a bow around the saga of Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang, a sequel was announced, presumably because it cleared a billion dollars at the box office. Nine years later, Toy Story 4 also cleared a billion dollars at the box office, which is presumably why Pixar felt the need for a fifth chapter.
While many would prefer Pixar to focus on the sort of original stories that made it such a transformative presence in animated cinema, Inside Out 2 recently becoming the highest-grossing animated movie in history is evidence enough that there’s no chance Disney will stop mining one of its most lucrative veins.
As arguably the biggest property at its disposal, Toy Story 5 is going to earn an awful lot of money, even if it’s going to be a while before the film makes its way to cinemas. At the D23 Expo, the Mouse House confirmed the director and release date of the follow-up and revealed the first plot details.
Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton – of Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and Finding Dory – will be making his Toy Story debut as a director, although he’s been involved with the franchise since the very beginning. The filmmaker has received writing credits on every single one, as well as serving as an executive producer on the fourth movie, in addition to working as a character designer on the first.
This time around, the toys will be facing their greatest existential threat yet, trying to retain their place in the world and importance to their kid in a world where plastic playthings are becoming a thing of the past. That’s right; in Toy Story 5, the technology-obsessed youth will be the focal point.
There isn’t much reason for the film to exist beyond making money, but by confronting the voluminous amount of time the younger generations spend with their nose pressed up against a screen, Toy Story 5 does at least appear to be taking on a decidedly modern issue.
Specifics beyond that remain shrouded in mystery, though, but there’s plenty of time for more details to emerge considering Toy Story 5 won’t be landing on the big screen until June 19, 2026.
