Pete Docter, Chief Creative Officer of Pixar, recently shared his thoughts on the upcoming “Toy Story 5” movie. In an interview, he explained how the film will take the beloved franchise in a new and unexpected direction. Docter touched on how today’s kids’ movies and shows feel more fast-paced compared to ones from 30-plus years ago.
“I think films have definitely sped up. Even Toy Story 1 to Toy Story 4, the level of visual sophistication, including the pacing, we’re just trying to keep in touch with the rhythms of the world, and it’s definitely faster,” he said. “So I will say Toy Story 5, I think [writer and director] Andrew [Stanton]’s done a really great job of letting moments breathe in unexpected ways.
Things that [make you think], ‘Wait, is this a Toy Story movie?’ with some of his choices, which I think we need at this point.
New direction for Toy Story
We’ve had four of ’em already.
We got to keep people surprised, so it’s going to be fun,” Docter added. Andrew Stanton, best known for writing and directing “Finding Nemo” (2003) and “Finding Dory” (2016), is attached as both writer and director of “Toy Story 5,” with McKenna Harris on board as a co-director. Stanton was also a writer on the first four “Toy Story” movies and is now part of the Pixar Senior Creative Team.
While plot details remain under wraps, Pixar has released a logline for the movie: “The toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5, and this time around, Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and the rest of the gang’s jobs get exponentially harder when they go head-to-head with this all-new threat to playtime.”
“Toy Story 5” is scheduled to hit theaters on June 19, 2026. Tim Allen, the voice of Buzz Lightyear, revealed in December 2024 that he had “just did the first five-hour session for Buzz.” The actor also shared that the sequel has a “very, very clever story” and wasn’t made as a quick cash grab. Fans will have to wait a bit longer to reunite with their favorite toys, but the wait promises to be worth it with the fresh, innovative direction hinted by Pixar’s creative heads.
