Tom Hanks said Toy Story 5 highlights children's addiction to screens, striking "terror in the heart" as it portrays a new tablet villain called Lilypad that captivates children [1, 2]. The film features returning characters Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie, with Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack reprising their roles. Greta Lee voices Lilypad, the technological antagonist unlike previous villains Lotso, Sid, Al, and Gabby Gabby [1, 2].
Hanks described the cultural impact, saying, "This is a generational thing, where one generation has this thing that defines them technologically in society, and they pour everything into it." He added, "...we look out on the cityscape and we see that blue glow of a phone in bedrooms and whatnot, and it does strike terror into the heart" [1].
Tim Allen commented on how children’s attention spans have shifted. He said his teenage daughter struggles to focus on longer films because "...children are so used to seven-second movies on Instagram." Allen noted, "She actually looked at a motion picture and went, 'I get it! He's going to be the villain and they're going to do this.'" He explained, "...young people are so used to a beginning, middle and end arc in seven seconds that they struggle with a two-hour movie, other than Avatar." [1]
Taylor Swift wrote and performs a new song, "I Knew It, I Knew You," for the Toy Story 5 soundtrack [1, 2]. The film is scheduled for release later in August 2026 [1, 2].
