• Disney and Pixar have released the final trailer for Toy Story 5 alongside the launch of ticket sales; the film opens exclusively in theaters June 19, directed by Andrew Stanton (who helmed Finding Nemo and WALL-E) and co-directed by Kenna Harris
• Two new cast members have been officially confirmed: Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) and Alan Cumming join a returning ensemble that includes Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack as Woody, Buzz, and Jessie
• Andrew Stanton has confirmed that the story changed completely during development — the film went through a major reimagining from an earlier concept tied to an idea called “Lilypad” before landing on what’s now in theaters
• Stanton also officially confirmed an 84-year-old Disney Easter egg woven into the film: a reference to Bambi (1942), the studio’s earliest touchstone for emotional animated storytelling
• Promotional activity is in full swing: a Buzz Lightyear popcorn bucket is on sale at theaters, and concept art, sketches, and character maquettes from the film are on display at The Art of Pixar Gallery inside Disneyland’s Pixar Place Hotel

The toy box is almost open. With Toy Story 5 less than a month from its June 19 premiere, Disney and Pixar have released the final trailer, put tickets on sale, and confirmed two cast additions that should generate their own conversation: Bad Bunny and Alan Cumming are both joining the franchise.

Per 411Mania, the studio confirmed Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — professionally known as Bad Bunny — and Alan Cumming as new voices in the film alongside the returning core: Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, and Joan Cusack as Jessie. Greta Lee is also in the cast. Neither character’s role has been detailed yet.

The final trailer itself, per Hypebeast, is being read as a deliberate signal about the film’s emotional register — one that leans into the passage of time rather than away from it. “Pixar isn’t afraid to let Woody get old,” was how Hypebeast framed it, noting that the trailer doesn’t shy away from themes of aging and change that have run through the franchise since Toy Story 3 first sent Andy to college.

A Story That Changed Completely

Director Andrew Stanton — whose Pixar credits include Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and the first two Toy Story sequels — has revealed that the film’s story was significantly reimagined during development, per MovieWeb. An earlier iteration tied to an internal concept called “Lilypad” was abandoned in favor of what is now the film, a process Stanton has described as a complete overhaul rather than a course correction.

Stanton has also confirmed a piece of Pixar trivia that fans have been speculating about: the film contains a deliberate reference to Bambi (1942), confirming an 84-year-old Disney Easter egg embedded in the movie. It’s a nod that fits the franchise’s history — the original Toy Story, released in 1995, turned 30 last year, and the series has long traded in callbacks to Disney’s foundational work.

On the promotional side, a Buzz Lightyear popcorn bucket is now available at theater concessions, and Disneyland’s Pixar Place Hotel has opened The Art of Pixar Gallery, featuring concept art, character sketches, and maquettes created during production. Toy Story 5 is in theaters June 19.

The post Bad Bunny and Alan Cumming Are Joining ‘Toy Story 5’ — Plus: What the Final Trailer, Easter Eggs, and Story Changes Tell Us About June’s Biggest Pixar Film appeared first on Cream.

• Toy Story 5 had to cut an entire character backstory from the film, though Pixar says it may surface in another form later
• The film ventures into new animation territory with an imaginative playtime sequence unlike anything in the franchise before
• A classic Disney/Pixar character speaks on screen for the first time in Toy Story 5
• Tickets are now on sale ahead of the June 19 theatrical release
• Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack all return; Conan O’Brien joins as Smarty Pants

Pixar had more Toy Story 5 than could fit in Toy Story 5.

In a new exclusive with SlashFilm, the filmmakers revealed that one character’s full backstory had to be cut from the final film — though they were careful to add that it hasn’t disappeared entirely. “You’ll see some of it eventually,” they teased, suggesting the material may resurface in a short, a special, or a future project. No character was named.

The same creative team also spoke about a new animated playtime sequence in the film that pushes the franchise into visual territory it’s never explored before. Since 1995, each Toy Story film has found a way to stretch what Pixar’s animation can do — and by the sound of it, this one is no different.

A First for the Franchise

Perhaps the most intriguing detail: a classic Disney/Pixar character will speak on screen for the very first time in Toy Story 5. The franchise has always kept certain toys in the background — present but silent — and now, apparently, one of them finally has something to say. Casting for the role has been described as “perfect.”

Meanwhile, a beloved character is getting what ComicBook called a “weird update” — some kind of change or reveal that comes after three movies of consistency. Given that the film already features a visibly aged Woody with a bald spot and a red poncho, clearly nothing is off-limits.

What’s Coming June 19

The final trailer is out, advanced tickets are on sale, and the full cast is locked in: Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz, Joan Cusack as Jessie, and Conan O’Brien as Smarty Pants — a toilet training tech toy, because of course. Toy Story 5 opens June 19.

The post Toy Story 5 Cut a Character’s Full Backstory — But Pixar Says You’ll See It Eventually appeared first on Cream.

• The final trailer for Toy Story 5 dropped this week ahead of the June 19 theatrical release
• Woody is visibly aged — including a bald spot under his hat — after years of retirement
• The villain is Lilypad, a frog-shaped smart tablet voiced by Greta Lee that threatens to replace toys entirely
• Director Andrew Stanton says the film tackles toys vs. technology because it’s a problem that “wasn’t going away”
• Conan O’Brien joins the voice cast as Smarty Pants, a toilet training tech toy

Woody has a bald spot. Let that sink in.

The final trailer for Toy Story 5 dropped this week, and along with all the expected warmth of seeing Buzz, Jessie, Rex, and Forky back together, it delivered one genuinely shocking visual: Woody takes off his hat and reveals he’s lost some plush up top. He’s also gained a little weight. He’s wearing a red poncho now. The cowboy is retired, and he looks it.

“He has a new purpose of not being devoted to one kid. He’s out in the field and not worrying,” director Andrew Stanton explained at a press preview in Anaheim after screening the first 30 minutes. “The bald spot symbolizes that he’s just worn out from not trying to take care of himself so much anymore — just doing whatever dirty work needed to be done to save a toy.”

Toys vs. Tablets

The central threat in Toy Story 5 isn’t another toy. It’s a frog-shaped smart tablet named Lilypad, voiced by Greta Lee, whose very existence threatens to make Bonnie stop caring about physical toys altogether. It’s the first time the franchise has pitted its characters against technology directly — and Stanton told Variety the team recognized this was a fight that “wasn’t going away” any time soon.

“By rooting it in the real-world shift of children moving away from traditional play, it addresses one of the biggest parental dilemmas in the digital age,” Stanton said. Toys aren’t just competing with other toys anymore. They’re competing with screens.

That said, Stanton was clear that Lilypad isn’t simply a villain. The film apparently treats the tablet as a character with her own perspective — a device doing what she’s designed to do, not an evil force.

The Cast

Tom Hanks returns as Woody. Tim Allen is back as Buzz Lightyear. Joan Cusack saddles up again as Jessie. Ernie Hudson takes over as Combat Carl from the late Carl Weathers. Blake Clark returns as Slinky Dog, the role he inherited from Jim Varney. And in the most unexpected addition, Conan O’Brien voices Smarty Pants — a toilet training tech toy.

Toy Story 5 opens June 19. The trailer makes one thing clear: even a balding cowboy with a poncho and a weight gain can still make you feel something.

The post Woody Is Balding and We’re Not OK: Inside Toy Story 5 appeared first on Cream.

• Woody, Buzz, and Jessie are now wearing Toy Story 5-themed accessories at Disney Parks worldwide ahead of the June 19 release.
• Three new character posters pit the beloved toys against Lilypad, a frog-inspired smart tablet voiced by Greta Lee.
• The film is directed by Andrew Stanton and features a star-studded cast including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, and Keanu Reeves.
• Funko has unveiled an official Toy Story 5 Pop collection, including a blind box Mystery Mini series with 12 characters to collect.
• The movie’s central conflict pits classic toys against modern technology as Lilypad competes for Bonnie’s attention.

The Toy Story 5 takeover has officially begun. With just weeks to go before the film hits theaters on June 19, Disney Parks are already deep in it — and if you’ve been to Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World or Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure lately, you’ve probably already noticed something different about your favorite cowboy and space ranger.

Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie are now sporting fresh new accessories at their meet-and-greet locations in honor of the upcoming Pixar sequel. Jessie is wearing her sheriff badge, Woody is rocking a bandana poncho, and Buzz has a shiny star sticker to show off. It’s a small touch, but for fans who’ve been counting down to this one, it hits different in person.

Meet Lilypad — Woody’s Toughest Opponent Yet

Disney and Pixar also just dropped three new character posters, and they do a lot of work setting up the film’s central tension. Each one pairs one of the classic trio with Lilypad — a bright green, frog-inspired tablet device with oversized animated eyes and small webbed feet at the corners of the screen. Think iPad, but make it Pixar.

In the first poster, Jessie looks genuinely caught off guard as Lilypad watches her from across the frame. Woody is shown cautiously reaching toward the device in his, while Lilypad gives him a slightly smug look back. And then there’s Buzz — facing Lilypad in full confrontation mode, jaw set, while the tablet stares back with narrowed eyes. Same layout, three very different emotional registers, and all of them tell you exactly where each character stands.

The posters had actually already appeared in Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios before the official social media rollout — a nice little Easter egg for park guests who spotted them early.

The official synopsis leans into the tech-versus-toys premise head-on: “The toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5, and this time it’s Toy meets Tech. Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and the rest of the gang’s jobs are challenged when they come face-to-face with Lilypad, a brand-new tablet device that arrives with her own disruptive ideas about what is best for their kid, Bonnie. Will playtime ever be the same?”

Greta Lee voices Lilypad. Scarlett Spears takes over as the voice of Bonnie. And the rest of the ensemble is stacked — Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack are all back as Woody, Buzz, and Jessie, joined by Tony Hale, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Blake Clark, Annie Potts, Bonnie Hunt, Melissa Villaseñor, Kristen Schaal, Krys Marshall, and Keanu Reeves.

The film is directed by Andrew Stanton — who has been a writer on the Toy Story franchise since the very beginning and directed both Finding Nemo and WALL-E — from a screenplay he co-wrote with Kenna Harris, who also co-directs. Lindsey Collins produces. It took nearly seven years to bring this one together, and Stanton has already hinted there’s more story where this came from.

The Merch Is Already Here

If you can’t make it to a park, the Toy Story 5 rollout is coming to your doorstep anyway. Funko has unveiled its official collection of Toy Story 5 Pop figures, featuring updated looks for Woody, Buzz, and Jessie, plus Lilypad herself. Each vinyl figure stands about 3.75 inches tall and comes in a numbered window-pane box — the kind that’s made for display as much as it is for play. They’re available to order on Amazon now ahead of a June 10 release date, getting them into fans’ hands a full nine days before the movie opens.

Bullseye also gets his own Pop, measuring roughly 3.75 inches tall and five inches wide — a nice nod to Jessie’s loyal horse, who’s confirmed to be back with the squad.

The more exciting pull for collectors, though, might be the Funko Mystery Mini blind boxes, which lean into the same surprise-unboxing energy that made Labubus such a phenomenon last year. Each pack contains one random figure from a pool of 12 characters. Among the rarer pulls: Sticky Hand and the pet pig belonging to Blaze, a new character described as a friend of Jessie’s. And for the truly lucky, there’s a super rare chase pull featuring Forky and Karen Beverly — a.k.a. Knifey — which is going to make a lot of Toy Story 4 fans very happy.

Tim Allen, for his part, has already hinted that this new chapter puts Jessie front and center in a bigger way than before — which, given Joan Cusack’s three-decade run with the character, feels very earned.

Toy Story 5 opens in theaters June 19.

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