Early Reactions Call Toy Story 5 'Excellent' Ahead of June 19, 2026 Release

Movieweb reports early word of mouth suggests Disney and Pixar might have another hit with Toy Story 5, which opens in theaters on June 19, 2026 and reunites Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) as Bonnie, now eight, favors a frog-like tablet called Lilypad (Greta Lee).

On the latest episode of The Town podcast, host Matt Belloni — via The Direct — said, "I've talked to people who have seen Toy Story 5 and they say it's excellent." Belloni did not specify who those people were or whether they saw a test screening or were insiders at Disney and Pixar; this is the first word of mouth about the sequel and its positivity is noted as encouraging. The film is directed by Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton.

The article places the reaction in franchise context, noting the Toy Story films' strong Rotten Tomatoes records (Toy Story and Toy Story 2 at 100%, Toy Story 3 at 98%, Toy Story 4 at 96%) and that Toy Story 4 became the franchise's highest-grossing entry with $434 million domestic and $1.07 billion worldwide. It also recalls Lightyear's weaker reception (74% on Rotten Tomatoes and $226.4 million worldwide against a $200 million budget) and says Toy Story 5 is positioned to be one of the summer's and year's biggest releases alongside Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Doomsday, and The Mandalorian & Grogu.

Key Topics

Culture, Pixar, Disney, Andrew Stanton, Tom Hanks, Buzz Lightyear