Disney has given audiences the first look at Toy Story 5, and there is a lot to say about this release. In terms of animated films, the Toy Story series is one of the most beloved and iconic. I mean, being the first computer-animated film and defining the legacy of early Pixar does mean that there is still a lot of respect for these movies. However, this also raises the discourse about the state of both Toy Story as a franchise and Pixar in general, and how divisive it all is.
Many people still feel that the Toy Story series should have ended at 3. Or, at the very least, the focus should have shifted away from films and to other projects, such as TV specials and shorts. This was the case for the first half of the 2010s, but a 4th installment ended up happening anyway, and while successful, it has probably become the most polarizing movie in Pixar’s catalog. Some still feel it was up to the standards of the first 3 or, at the very least, was a very well-made coda of sorts to the themes and character arcs of the trilogy. However, many others vehemently dislike 4 both for continuing after what seemed like the perfect conclusion in Toy Story 3 and for feeling counter to a lot of the elements of the other films. This is especially the case with the ending, where Woody decides to leave with Bo Peep to help lost toys. I personally feel 4 is a solid movie that has great themes and ideas, and is only held back by not being as well-crafted as its predecessors. I attribute its flaws to the messy production and how 3 simply was made to be so conclusive and rich that any continuing effort would feel lacking, regardless of the merits. I do understand the pushback, especially in an age where every franchise is basically put on IV drips to be milked until the end of time. Even so, 4’s ending arguably placed an even more definitive conclusion for the series, so surely Pixar wouldn’t push to make another, right?
Well, we are getting another Toy Story film, and I honestly feel more apprehensive than anything. This doesn’t really have anything to do with continuing the series even longer (though it doesn’t help), but more with the state of Pixar at the moment. Pixar is in a real rut. Disney has seemingly watered down whatever made the studio bloom in the 2000s through a continuous run of sequel production and a lack of confidence in developing new voices. Consider how Luca and Turning Red, both original Pixar films that were different but still interesting compared to other films made at the studio, were tossed into the streaming bin. Meanwhile, Lightyear, a bland spinoff with a questionable premise, was given a full theatrical release. Both ended up being detrimental since this created a hole for public engagement with original Pixar films by aligning them as streaming material, while Lightyear was one of the biggest bombs in the studio’s history and contributed to further fatigue with Pixar as a brand, both in general and with their focus on franchises.
All of these elements compound the release of Toy Story 5, which feels less like a genuine effort to continue the legacy of the franchise and more like Disney desperately going back for leftovers because it’s all they know how to do these days. Even so, some elements of 5 are intriguing. The pitch is pitting toys against tech, which is a relevant idea. Considering how many kids are basically raised by smartphones, having the series directly confront this idea is a smart one, given the concerns and issues both with the amount of screen time kids have at that age, what it does to development, and how internet content has devolved into slop to attract them. Also, the lead of the movie will be Jessie, which is a very good choice given that she is the new leader of the toys with Woody’s departure and that she was sidelined hard in 4. Focusing on her in terms of having to adapt as a leader while also contending with the rise of technology taking over playtime is a great pitch. People have complained about Woody showing up in the trailer having left previously, but I know it’s probably just trailer footage, and his likely just returning for a bit to help his friends out. Even the creative team involved does pique my interest. The director and writer this time around is Andrew Stanton, director of the Finding Nemo films and WALL-E. Being one of the initial founders and biggest voices in Pixar’s initial creative force, he has also had a big hand in all 4 previous Toy Story movies, so having him helm here is a good idea. This is helped by the fact that this film didn’t seem to go through production chaos and creative overturn like 4 did. He also seems to be taking a more nuanced approach by recently stating that the film will explore how technology has changed general life and that it won’t simply be a “tech bad” film.
However, while the ideas and prospects of 5 are promising, my issue is that something is missing from Pixar as of late. I’m not blaming the culture shift inside the studio on John Lasseter’s departure since he clearly lost his way creatively (the man thought Cars 2 was ok), became a poor leader due to his misconduct and being ok with the poor workplace culture in the studio, and did oversee the shift of turning the studio into a sequel factory. People say that he needs to come back, but the studio did get to this point under his watch, and his half-baked work at Skydance indicates a creative who has lost touch with his strengths and is simply coasting on the prestige of his past work. Even outside of that, though, Disney’s grip on Pixar has resulted in the studio feeling limited. The output of the studio has mostly consisted of sequels that can’t quite match the original due to the mentality up top that fine-tuning is not necessary since it will make billions anyway. When the new blood at the studio has the opportunity to make an original film that either is compromised like crazy (see Elio’s production history) or is barely marketed, given how brand-focused the company is, rather than cultivating new ideas. All of this puts Pixar in a spot where they are in a transitional space, but are still expected to produce hits and can’t really develop new ones since Disney doesn’t really know how to shepherd them to success, which defaults back to asking for more sequels. There’s a reason we’re getting another Incredibles and even another Coco, even if the latter feels bafflingly tasteless because Pixar isn’t the creative powerhouse they were in the 2000s. The past decade or so has felt like a continual log jam in the cogs of the larger Disney machine.
All of that makes the announcement of a 5th Toy Story feel more like a cash grab than even 4, despite the insistence of the studio that they only make sequels out of passion rather than obligation. Pixar’s current creative track record is mixed, and I just feel the creative spark isn’t as prevalent as it used to be, and the studio isn’t getting the support from Disney to properly develop said spark back. The fact that most of the Pixar sequels of the 2010s have mostly been sort of forgotten or are seen as ok at best by many is disconcerting, and I feel that going back to that over and over will result in diminishing returns. I genuinely feel that the solution to Pixar’s woes is to do a hard reset on how things are done, but that won’t happen. Plus, given how theaters have had a sharp decline in attendance and most families choosing to wait until movies are on streaming, making new films in general is harder than ever, even if Pixar were still in the shape it was years ago. I could end up being wrong since Pixar is still able to make good movies. Even with their sequel output, Inside Out 2 was really good and insightful, and I still contend that Toy Story 4 was very good as well. However, given the way Disney operates these days, I simply want to remain cautious with my expectations. We just got the trailer for a live-action remake of Moana coming out less than 10 years after the original came out, that’s basically overshadowed the trailer for Pixar’s new original movie coming out next year. Can you blame me for my mixed feelings here?
