Toy Story 5 Gets Strong First Reaction Ahead of Critic Reviews

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A first reaction to Toy Story 5 has surfaced months before its release, giving an early indication of how critics might respond. The fifth installment in Pixar’s popular Toy Story series is scheduled to arrive in theaters this June. However, some viewers are wondering if there are now too many Toy Story movies.

Expectations for Toy Story 5 are similar to those surrounding Toy Story 4, but early signs suggest it will also be a critical success, continuing the high quality the series is known for. Although the film isn’t out for several months, it looks like it will live up to the standards set by previous installments.

On a recent episode of the podcast The Town, host Matthew Belloni shared an initial reaction to the upcoming Toy Story 5. He and guest Lucas Shaw discussed animated movies planned for 2026, and Toy Story 5 came up in the conversation.

Belloni suggested a more relevant question is how Universal can outperform Disney this year. He also mentioned hearing positive things about Toy Story 5 from people who have seen it, describing it as excellent.

I believe the real question isn’t if Universal can beat Disney this year, but what would need to happen for them to do so, and frankly, quite a bit needs to change.

Shaw: “‘Mario’ would have to be bigger than ‘Toy Story 5.'”

Belloni admitted he hasn’t seen ‘Toy Story 5’ himself, but he’s heard from others who have, and they all say it’s fantastic.

Belloni’s comments likely refer to an early cut of the film, but suggest that Toy Story 5 will be another well-received installment in the popular Toy Story series. Previous films in the franchise have consistently earned high praise, averaging a 98.5% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Even Toy Story 4, the lowest-rated film so far, still received a very positive 96% score on the site.

Fans are hearing positive things again about the upcoming 2026 film. The host of The Town recently shared that early reactions are very good, following similar reports from test screenings back in October, where viewers reportedly “loved it.”

The fifth Toy Story movie is coming to theaters on June 19th. Directed by Andrew Stanton, who also directed Finding Nemo, the film will follow the toys as they navigate a world where kids are increasingly focused on technology instead of playing with them.

Will Toy Story 5 Continue the Franchise’s Stellar Track Record?

Predicting Toy Story 5 will be enjoyable is easy, but matching the high quality of previous films in the series is a much bigger challenge. The Toy Story franchise is one of Pixar’s biggest successes, both in terms of popularity with audiences and critical acclaim.

All four Toy Story movies have received incredibly positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with each film scoring between 96% and 100%. The series has also earned over $3.3 billion worldwide. Because of the high quality of the previous installments, Toy Story 5 won’t just need to be good – it will need to be exceptional to live up to expectations.

Early indications are promising for the film’s success, and the involvement of director Andrew Stanton could be a huge boost. While he hasn’t directed a Toy Story movie before, Stanton has been a key creative force behind other Pixar hits like Finding Nemo and WALL-E.

Andrew Stanton has contributed to every Toy Story film so far, but this is the first time he’s directed one. Giving the project to an experienced storyteller like Stanton is a smart move if Pixar wants the new film to be a success.

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2026-01-17 08:35