Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and the rest of their pals reunite on the big screen on June 19 in Pixar’s Toy Story 5. The highly anticipated animated feature was helmed by two CalArtians, director Andrew Stanton (Film/Video BFA 87) and co-director Kenna Harris (Film/Video BFA 17), who together also wrote the screenplay. Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer and fellow CalArts alum Pete Docter (Film/Video BFA 90) is as an executive producer of the film.
This time around, the toys fight a timely and relatable foe: electronics. Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and Buzz (voiced by Tim Allen) find that their OG toy crew are no match for 8-year-old Bonnie’s obsession with a frog-shaped tablet device.
The latest release of the Toy Story franchise had its star-studded premiere in Hollywood (which included a Taylor Swift and Randy Newman performance) on June 9, and first reactions are overwhelmingly positive. Film critic Scott Menzel posted to X shortly after the premiere: “Toy Story 5 is a wonderfully heartfelt return to form for Pixar Animation Studios and a reminder of why the Toy Story franchise remains one of the greatest film series ever made. Toy Story 5 ranks right alongside the first three films, delivering a perfect blend of humor, heart, and that signature Pixar magic.”
The original Toy Story was released in 1995, directed by CalArts alum John Lasseter (Film/Video BFA 79), who returned to direct the sequel in 1999. The third and fourth films were directed, respectively, by Lee Unkrich in 2010 and Josh Cooley in 2019.
Toy Story 5 opens only in theaters on June 19.
