After years of waiting, Pixar brings the most beloved protagonists of animation back to the big screen. Toy Story 5 will in fact arrive in Italian cinemas in June 2026, directed by Oscar winner Andrew Stanton, with co-direction by Kenna Harris. The film marks the return of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and the entire gang of toys that have accompanied the childhood of generations for thirty years.
In the new chapter, however, something shocking happens and could mark the end of the toy era. The story moves to Bonnie’s bedroom, where a mysterious package sparks the toys’ curiosity. Inside is hidden Lilypad, a frog-shaped tablet equipped with artificial intelligence, destined to upset the balance of the group.
A digital toy that questions everything
With Toy Story 5Pixar explores the relationship between fantasy and technology, asking what happens to toys when children prefer screens to invented stories. Lilypad, voiced in the original version by Greta Lee, is described as a smart tablet capable of speaking, lighting and reacting independently. He doesn’t need a child to move him: he decides when to play.
This new threat represents the challenge of the modern world, where constant connection risks stifling creativity. Traditional toys, a symbol of imagination and affection, will have to defend their place in children’s hearts and remind everyone that the best game still comes from the mind and not from an app.
Between nostalgia, comedy and new voices
The film also marks the return of the historical voices: Tom Hanks returns to play Woody, Tim Allen once again lends his voice to Buzz Lightyear, while Joan Cusack reprises her role as Jessie. Alongside them, Tony Hale returns as the homemade toy Forky, introduced in Toy Story 4.
Among the new additions to the voice cast, Conan O’Brien stands out, voicing Smarty Pants, a bizarre educational toy with an ironic and irreverent character. The Stanton-Harris duo declared that they wanted to balance humor and melancholy, taking up the spirit of the first Pixar films: a mix of emotion, reflection and laughter capable of speaking to all ages.
A return that celebrates thirty years of Pixar magic
Thirty years after the release of the first Toy Storythe new chapter celebrates the history of the saga and its ability to reinvent itself. If Toy Story 4 had closed with a touching farewell between Woody and Buzz, this film promises to rekindle hope, exploring the resilience of “old-fashioned” toys in a world dominated by screens.
Toy Story 5 It thus becomes much more than an animated film, but an invitation to rediscover your imagination, to remember that even in the digital age, the most beautiful dreams don’t need Wi-Fi. Pixar, once again, manages to make us believe that toys have a soul, even in the increasingly connected future.
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