Next year marks the 30th anniversary of Toy Story, the first fully CGI animated film that put Pixar on the map. And at D23, the next chapter of the franchise was officially unveiled. Toy Story 5 is coming to theaters in 2026, and Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton will be the director.
Stanton has been with Pixar since the first Toy Story, and he co-wrote all four of the previous films. He also co-directed A Bug’s Life before going solo as the director on Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and Finding Dory.
After coming out on stage at D23, Stanton revealed the first promo artwork from Toy Story 5, which also teased the new threat facing the toys: Technology.
That’s Bonnie under the covers of her bed with her tablet, as the toys look on in despair. For some reason, Woody is apparently back with the gang despite leaving them behind in Toy Story 4 to start a new life with Bo Peep.
According to Stanton, the toys are facing an existential threat because Bonnie, like all kids her age, is obsessed with electronics. And suddenly, her old-fashioned toys just don’t have the appeal that they used to. Stanton described it as “toys meets tech,” and hinted that 50 Buzz Lightyears stuck in toy mode will cause trouble during the film.
Toy Story 5 will hit theaters in summer 2026. Additionally, the D23 presentation included a look at Avatar 3, and revealed the name of the film.
