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Toy Story 5: New Directors Highlight Imagination Over Tablets

7/2/2026

50 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Stanton Directs ToyStory5

Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris direct Toy Story 5, the first Pixar sequel each has helmed.
The sequel arrives seven years after Toy Story 4 and follows eight-year-old Bonnie who plays with a tablet named Lily.
Jessie leads a quest to reunite with Woody and Buzz, showing Bonnie the value of imagination.
Test audiences praised the message that kids can choose freedom from tech and highlighted the shift from Woody to Jessie.

Summary

Disney Launches ToyStory

Disney+ launched a “Toy Story: 30 Years and Beyond – A Special Edition of 20/20” collection page.
Taylor Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You” video gave Disney its first No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hot 100.
Disney staged a Toy Story 5 red carpet launch event and a 24-hour Pixar stream during the opening weekend.
Toy Story titles regularly rank in Disney+’s top 20 most-watched titles each year.

History

Historical Context

Pixar’s 1986 founding and its 1988 Oscar-winning short Tin Toy convinced Disney to greenlight the first fully computer-animated feature, Toy Story, originally directed by John Lasseter, which premiered on November 22 1995 and earned $373 million worldwide. The film launched a seven-movie franchise that Disney now distributes; Andrew Stanton’s direction of Toy Story 5, slated for June 19 2026, continues that legacy.

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Stanton Directs ToyStory5

Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris direct Toy Story 5, the first Pixar sequel each has helmed.
The sequel arrives seven years after Toy Story 4 and follows eight-year-old Bonnie who plays with a tablet named Lily.
Jessie leads a quest to reunite with Woody and Buzz, showing Bonnie the value of imagination.
Test audiences praised the message that kids can choose freedom from tech and highlighted the shift from Woody to Jessie.

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