Toy Story 5’s strange opening scene is a huge start for the series

What is Pixar’s future? With an experience as extensive as theirs, this question tends to find a greater frequency than everywhere else. However, the highly respected animation giant seems to have resisted the various Hollywood stops and begins in recent years better than most. When the pandemic raised its ugly head, the studio was forced to sail in the new reality of the outings directly to the distribution for the Lespoles originally intended for theaters. When Disney led the subsequent charge in the digital space, Pixar played ball and made its very first foray into streaming television with the Disney + “Win or Lose” series. And when their parent company suddenly reversed the course and repeated the theatrical experience, the studio again put its superhero cape and transformed “elementary” into a sneaky box office, just when exhibitors everywhere needed.

However, that did not do anything to appease endless debates on Pixar losing his mojo or becoming exaggerated on suites instead of the innovative originals which were once his bread and his butter – and therefore the biggest test can still be on the horizon. Take “Toy Story 5”, for example, which could as well be the child of the poster for current IP trends and the inability to allow things to end. What makes this story deserve to be told after the third film brought such a satisfactory closure to the series in 2010 and the fourth miraculously was not terrible in 2019? How are Pixar leaders tightening the various films currently underway and determining the right mixture of originals compared to more franchise extensions? And, more importantly, can we expect new innovations from such a leader in prospective industry?

Recently, / film attended a special Pixar presentation in New York presenting the next list of the company, where the creative director Pete Docter tackled these pressing concerns (and more) with a fairly convincing demonstration of confidence, the organization of an early projection of the opening sequence of the “Toy Story” opening sequence to reveal it “Toy Story” To-Story “. Above all” Gatto “, a project never revealed that could well be our choice of sleeper for the most exciting title of Pixar currently underway.

After the original “Toy Story” arrived on the stage in 1995 and changed the animation landscape for good, here we are on the point of its 30th anniversary – watching the cannon of a fifth film which must somehow keep this property as vital and creative as ever. This helps that the pillar of the Andrew Stanton franchise returns as a co-series and co-director with the veteran of Pixar McKenna Harris, alongside a large part of the original distribution, including Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz, Joan Cusack that Jessie, and more. We also knew that “Toy Story 5” would focus on the idea that children dealt with the prevalence of electronics with touch screen rather than playing with physical toys, with Pete Doctor summarizing him as “Toys Meet Tech”. But is it enough to help justify your existence this time?

This is where the unexpected opening of “Toy Story 5” arrives. The images start on a deliberately disorienting note: a Lightyear buzz toy wakes up on a beach, fresh out of its packaging, without any idea how it happened or why. Guided only by a disturbing score and no real dialogue, we found ourselves to collect the pieces ourselves. This buzz was part of an entire expedition container for many other buzz toys, having apparently fallen from a loading ship and stranded on this small island far from her house. The group resigns itself in discourage in their fate … until the first buzz looks at the dark sky and, like these monkeys in “2001: an odyssey of space” learning to use tools for the first time, gradually remembers their orders, “go with the star command”. Pakes an end assembly of all the buzzing that builds makeshift rafts and sailing in the ocean outdoors with a new passion. Destination? Unknown!

For those who expect a hackneed scene on children and their sacred mobile phones these days, it is just to wonder how a real army of fresh and resets in the factory bush leads to a film on existential fears on technology. What is certain is that this big tonal swing was sufficient to get my curiosity and my attention. “Toy Story 5” arrived in theaters on June 19, 2026.

What comes then should give Pixar fans even more reasons to believe. As important as “Toy Story 5”, Pete Doctor clearly indicated that he was optimistic about the range of original productions in the coming years. He can better, after all, have directed “Monsters, Inc.,” “up”, “inside out” and “soul”. After “Elio” this month, which looks like a delicious surprise in the production, the following two films in the file are both fresh and exciting … in more than one way.

Doctor prepared the way with the “Hoppers” of 2026 (directed by Daniel Chong), revealing several prolonged scenes for us and describing the basic premise as “” avatar “mission: Impossible ” Meets’ Planet Earth. ” Singer / Former Star Piper Piper Piper Curda Voices Planet Planet Earth. Local Jerry (Jon Hamm). All kinds of world construction wrinkles in the mixture.

However, the most passionate about everyone was our first official overview of “Gatto”. Directed by the filmmaker “Luca” Enrico Casarosa, the adventure of Venice-Set follows a black cat named Nero and a human street musician named Maya who shares a deep and lasting love of music. Although the light on the details of history and always a lot of work in progress, the concept art and the animatics which were shown to us have been put in four to highlight the artistic talent inherent in Venice. This will be reflected in such a large gap in the “House style” of Pixar animation as we have never seen. Each visual retains the appearance of the notable brush strokes, adding a feeling of depth, dimension and “pictorial texture” (in Doctor’s own words) unlike any front pixar film. Keep an eye on “Gatto”, released in the summer of 2027.