The first trailer for Toy Story 5 has provided a brief glimpse at the highly anticipated animated sequel out next summer.
The teaser introduces a new arrival and “all-new threat to playtime” with the tagline “the age of toys is over”. The latest character is a smart tablet called Lilypad, voiced by Past Lives and Tron: Ares star Greta Lee, bringing new tech to the old toys.
Co-directors Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris have promised a “playfully antagonistic tone”. Stanton’s credits as director include Finding Nemo and Wall-E, while the film will mark Harris’s directorial debut after having worked on Pixar projects in the past in other roles.
“It’s been a hilarious and poignant journey exploring how our favorite team of legacy toys might respond to today’s world of technology, and we’re thrilled to share this first glimpse with audiences,” they said in a statement.
Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack are among the returning voice cast while Conan O’Brien will also join as a toilet training tech assistant called Smarty Pants. After the death of Carl Weathers last year, Ernie Hudson will also take over the role of Combat Carl.
The fifth film was confirmed in early 2023, continuing on a franchise that has so far made $3.3bn worldwide. Toy Story 5 will be the first of the series to not involve John Lasseter, who left Pixar in 2018 after allegations of sexual misconduct.
The release next summer comes after a disappointing year for Pixar with its most recent release, sci-fi adventure Elio, suffering the worst box office opening in the company’s history. That film was also plagued by reports of reshoots and the alleged removal of any queer themes.
Toy Story 5 also follows on from spin-off attempt Lightyear, which was a box office disappointment in the summer of 2022, losing Disney a reported $106m.
Toy Story 5 will be released next summer in a season that will also see the premieres of other sequels such as The Devil Wears Prada 2, Mortal Kombat II, Scary Movie 6, Minions 3 and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
