Toy Story – History, Toy Story 5 & Collectibles
A franchise that earns over a billion dollars a year in merchandise alone – and a fifth film that broke its own records in June 2026. Here is what happened, and what is worth owning.
Techbox, Thessaloniki
Toy Story 5 – released June 2026
The fifth film arrived in cinemas on 19 June 2026, directed by Andrew Stanton – the director of Finding Nemo and WALL-E.
- $160 million opening in North America – a franchise record, and the biggest domestic debut of 2026.
- $312 million worldwide in its opening weekend – the largest opening in Disney and Pixar's animated history.
- A 93% audience score, in line with the best-received entries in the series.
The premise is unusually pointed: the toys now compete with technology. Children would rather play with tablets. The new arrival is Lilypad – a frog-shaped smart tablet voiced by Greta Lee – and the toys are divided over what children actually need.
Tom Hanks and Tim Allen return as Woody and Buzz, with Joan Cusack as Jessie and Conan O'Brien as a new character. Randy Newman scored it once again, and Taylor Swift performed an original song for the film.
The film that changed animation
Toy Story was released in 1995. It was the first feature film animated entirely by computer – nothing like it had existed before.
Everything that followed in animated cinema, from Shrek to Frozen, traces back to what Pixar proved was possible that year.
Thirty-one years later, five films in, the series is still the studio's longest-running and most profitable franchise.
The characters
The cowboy with the yellow shirt and the pull-string. The emotional centre of the series.
The space ranger in white and green. The most commercial design in the franchise.
The cowgirl with red hair and a yellow hat, from Toy Story 2 onwards.
The spork made in a classroom, plus Rex, Slinky, Mr Potato Head and the little green aliens.
The three-eyed aliens are worth noting separately: they work as a design entirely on their own, with no reference to the films.
A billion dollars a year – without a film
Here is the figure that explains this category better than any other.
Toy Story generates more than one billion dollars annually in worldwide retail sales across merchandise, games and publishing – even in years with no new film.
The reason is simple and worth remembering: these are toys about toys. A Buzz Lightyear figure is not merchandise derived from the film – it is the thing the film is about. Few franchises have that alignment.
What to choose
- Figures: Woody, Buzz and the rest – from play figures to collector pieces.
- Funko POP: the whole cast, including rarer editions.
- Plush: soft versions for younger children.
- Apparel & school gear: t-shirts, backpacks, pencil cases.
- Homeware & gifts: mugs, keyrings, posters and puzzles.
Gift guide
Buzz Lightyear – the most recognisable design in the series.
A plush – no small parts, and instantly familiar.
A collector figure – anyone who was a child in the nineties grew up with this.
Keyrings, mugs, small figures, the green aliens.
Frequently asked questions
- When did Toy Story 5 come out?
- On 19 June 2026, directed by Andrew Stanton. It opened to $160 million in North America – a franchise record – and $312 million worldwide, the largest opening weekend in Disney and Pixar's animated history.
- What is Toy Story 5 about?
- The toys now compete with technology – children would rather play with tablets. A new character, Lilypad, is a frog-shaped smart tablet, and the toys are divided over what children actually need.
- Why was the first film important?
- The 1995 original was the first feature film animated entirely by computer. Everything that followed in animated cinema builds on what it proved was possible.
- What age are the products for?
- Toy Story works across a very wide range. Plush suit toddlers, play figures suit around 3 and up, and collector pieces are bought by adults who grew up with the first films.
- Where can I find Toy Story products in Thessaloniki?
- At the Techbox store (Al. Papanastasiou 100) and online at techbox.com.gr. You can order online and collect from the store with no shipping cost.
