Woody, Buzz, and the rest of Bonnie’s toys face a brand-new threat in Toy Story 5, as their owner discovers the wonders of technology. Lilypad throws Bonnie’s bedroom into chaos as the gang once again questions whether it still has a place in an ever-changing world. The idea that Toy Story‘s premise is not one that demands five separate films has been raised frequently over the years, but to Pixar’s credit, each of the existing sequels has retained the charm and quality of the original.
That’s a very good omen for Toy Story 5. In any other circumstance, it would be natural to feel skepticism over a franchise’s fifth entry, but Toy Story has earned the right to be trusted. Counting against Toy Story 5, however, is how it repeats the very worst thing about its predecessor.
Toy Story 4 Walked Back Toy Story 3’s Perfect Ending
Toy Story 4 was a great movie, but slipping back into Woody and Buzz’s world proved tricky after the emotional roller coaster that came before. Toy Story 3‘s beautiful ending contained not one but two devastating gut-punches. Firstly, the toys accepted their collective deaths by joining hands in an act of silent love. Then, after being narrowly saved, Woody said a final goodbye to Andy before continuing his mission to delight children.
It was the perfect wrap-up to the Toy Story saga, one that solidified both the toys’ bond with each other and the bond between Woody and Andy that kicked everything off in 1995. The sadness of separating from Andy wonderfully highlighted the importance of moving on, allowing the audience to cry while reminding them it’s okay for life to change and people to grow.
In making Toy Story 4, Pixar ensured that perfect finale wouldn’t serve as Woody’s last chapter after all. Good as it was, the fourth movie relegated Toy Story 3‘s powerful closing moments from the climax of the entire mythos to just one more step on the journey. Toy Story 4 couldn’t possibly come up with a finale scene as emotive or resonant.
In fairness, it came close. While not as satisfying as Woody’s farewell with Andy, breaking up the partnership between Woody and Buzz allowed Toy Story 4‘s ending to capture the same broad theme of finding new purpose when the world refuses to sit still. If Toy Story 3 gave Woody an optimistic and hopeful conclusion, Toy Story 4 gave him an outright happy one, and both satisfied in their own unique way. Nevertheless, the fourth movie couldn’t avoid dampening the third’s finale.
It’s Happening Again In Toy Story 5
Now, however, Toy Story 5 is doing it again. It was already obvious that the fifth entry would reunite Woody with his old friends. The Toy Story concept simply doesn’t work otherwise and, sure enough, Toy Story 5‘s teaser reveals Woody back with the gang at Bonnie’s house.
Pixar’s Pete Docter previously revealed that Jessie asks Woody for help after Lilypad’s arrival, hence the cowboy’s comeback. The fact Pixar isn’t even trying to hide Woody’s return suggests the explanation will be little more than a plot formality – a mechanic to get the gang back together before leaping into the action.
This negates Toy Story 4‘s ending in two different ways. Firstly, the fact that Woody can return to Bonnie’s house so easily undermines the drama of saying goodbye at the end of Toy Story 4. Pixar could get around this if Lilypad’s arrival just so happens to coincide with Woody’s carnival coming to town, but that would feel mightily convenient.
Secondly, Toy Story 5 has to figure out yet another ending. Does Woody simply say another farewell and return to Bo Peep, like a less hard-hitting version of what happened in Toy Story 4? Does something happen to make Woody stick around, thereby erasing the fourth movie’s conclusion entirely? The franchise has earned a degree of trust at this point, but there’s no doubting Toy Story 5 has a narrative mountain to climb after the previous two movies delivered endings that seemed to close the book on Woody and Buzz for good.
- Release Date
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June 19, 2026
- Director
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Andrew Stanton
- Writers
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Andrew Stanton
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Tim Allen
Buzz Lightyear (voice)
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Joan Cusack
Jessie (voice)
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Ernie Hudson
Combat Carl (voice)
