“Toy Story” was the first 3D animated feature length film, released in 1995. It was a smash hit and led to its critically acclaimed sequels “Toy Story 2” and “Toy Story 3” releasing in 1999 and 2010 respectively. A fourth film was also released in 2019 to a groundbreaking $1.073 billion worldwide and even winning “Best Animated Feature” at the 2020 Academy Awards.
And now, seven years later, we are going to have yet another “Toy Story” movie. But most argue that the franchise should’ve ended with its third installment. Is there any weight to that argument? Does “Toy Story 5” need to exist? Is there anything redeeming to having the franchise continue? Let’s talk about it.
If you were to ask anyone at random about where the “Toy Story” franchise should’ve ended, most would probably say that it should’ve ended as a trilogy with “Toy Story 3.” This sentiment is completely valid and, for the most part, I agree completely. The film has this grand “finale” energy and was in my opinion, a nearly perfect film and a seemingly perfect ending, and from what it sounds like the general audience agrees with me. They agree with me so much in fact that most people write off the fourth film entirely.
A large majority of people have a really big hate for “Toy Story 4” and in a way I do understand it. Why would you continue the story when you already had the perfect ending? The Toys have moved on from Andy and can now start a new chapter with Bonnie, what could be more perfect than that?
Toy Story 4 is mainly all about Woody and his personal struggles resulting from Andy’s absence. He then meets his old flame Bo Peep and learns that there are ways to help more than one kid. The way I see it, it’s a character focused movie about Woody and not really about the toy gang as a whole.
Honestly, I don’t find the film to be bad at all, but I do understand the reputation it has as an unnecessary installment after a nearly perfect finale. However, the film ends in such a definitive “this is the end” way that I initially struggled to understand the idea of there being a fifth movie.
The trailer for “Toy Story 5” released on Feb. 19, 2026, and if we’re gonna be honest, it did inspire a tiny amount of hope in me for the film. The film follows Jessie and Buzz as they face off against a Tablet named “Lilypad.” The toys are worried about Bonnie’s ability to make friends and Lilypad is making that harder. And so, in desperate need for help, the gang calls in Woody for one last mission to help fight against this new enemy.
“Toy Story 5” existing in the first place is already a point of contention, but at this point, I feel like we may need to just see how the film is based off its own merits and the film honestly doesn’t look awful; if it pulls off its message of “don’t give your four year olds iPads,” then I think that may leave a positive impact for parents going forward.
Would I have preferred that Toy Story stayed a trilogy? Of course, but with that being said, I don’t think that the franchise has made a truly “bad” movie quite yet, so there’s still a tiny bit of hope in me that Toy Story 5 may not be an awful watching experience. We’ll just have to wait and see.
