
‘Toy Story' is returning to theaters this year. Here's when and why.
Pixar, an animation studio owned by Disney, announced the film's theatrical return in an X post on Thursday, July 17.
"Mark your calendars! Disney & Pixar's Toy Story returns to the BIG SCREEN September 12," the X post reads.
Originally released in theaters on Nov. 22, 1995, the first-ever fully computer-animated feature film will return to theaters to celebrate its 30th anniversary, according to Pixar.
What is 'Toy Story' about?
"Toy Story" follows a group of toys belonging to Andy Davis. When Andy is away from his toys, they come alive, including the film's central characters, Buzz Lightyear( Tim Allen) and Woody (Tom Hanks).
Woody, who is a cowboy doll, is "profoundly jealous" when Buzz Lightyear, a spaceman action figure, "supplants him as the top toy in (Andy's) bedroom," IMDB's synopsis for the film reads. The two toys have to eventually "put aside their differences" once they are separated from Andy in the movie.
Directed by John Lasseter, "Toy Story" became one of the highest-grossing films of 1995. According to a June 2022 newsletter from the Oscars, when the movie was released, "animation was changed forever."
"The genre, known for transporting audiences to new worlds, was up until that point mostly hand-drawn, using techniques made popular by Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros," the newsletter says. "But when Disney joined forces with Pixar — a then-up-and-coming computer animation studio chaired by Steve Jobs — for 'Toy Story,' the first computer-animated feature film was born, and a new world of film was unlocked."
More news: Disneyland turns 70: See photos of the magic from then to now
'Toy Story' was just the beginning
"Toy Story" was not a one-off, as several sequels came after the film's initial release, including "Toy Story 2," "Toy Story 3," "Toy Story 4," and the upcoming "Toy Story 5," which is expected to hit theaters in 2026.
"Buzz, Woody, Jessie are challenged after being introduced to what kids are obsessed with today: electronics," IMDB's synopsis for "Toy Story 5" reads.
What inspired 'Toy Story'?
According to the Academy Awards' newsletter, Lasseter's Oscar-winning short film "Tin Toy" inspired the then-new Disney-Pixar partnership to "explore a movie from a small toy's perspective."
While the script for "Toy Story" underwent rewrites, computer scientists were working on building the software that would eventually make computer animation possible.
"We were not filmmakers at the time," she recalled. "We did not understand film language. We were simply doing whatever we were told to get graphic images on the screen by programming as quickly as we could to get the pictures made… and we were learning along the way.'
"Toy Story" paved the way for animated films, even leading to the Academy Awards creating an Oscar category for Best Animated Feature. Its success also led to the creation of Toy Story Land, a themed area at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
"It was a movie. It was lit, it was dimensional, we had cameras moving around through things. We had Steadicam kind of shots, all that stuff, and it felt like a movie," Lasseter said of the film, per the newsletter. "Yet, they were cartoony, and they were moving like cartoons, and yet I could touch them. They were plastic. It was all that uniqueness — understanding the limitations of what the medium was at that time, and creating the characters and the storytelling."
Watch 'Toy Story' trailer
Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@gannett.com.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


UPI
5 minutes ago
- UPI
TV review: 'King of the Hill' revival true to original in modern times
1 of 5 | From left, Hank's soccer enthusiasm upsets Boomhauer, Bill and Dale in "King of the Hill," premiering Aug. 4 on Hulu. Photo courtesy of Disney LOS ANGELES, July 25 (UPI) -- Mike Judge previously brought Beavis and Butt-Head back to a world that made the pair's idiocy seem like genius. Now, the King of the Hill revival, on Hulu Aug. 4, uses the Hill family to show the world need not be as divided as it is. The new episodes see Hank (voice of MIke Judge) and Peggy Hill (Kathy Najimy) return to Arlen, Texas, after living in Saudi Arabia as Hank worked on a propane project. Now retired, they plan to spend quality time with their 21-year-old son, Bobby (Pamela Adlon). Bobby owns his own restaurant and the staff includes some endearing new characters. Meanwhile, Hank's neighbors Bill (Stephen Root), Dale (the late Johnny Hardwick and then Toby Huss) and Boomhauer (Judge) have evolved since the Fox series, but still hang out in the yard. The humor of King of the Hill was always rooted in Hank's conservative values coming up against the already evolving society of the '90s. It laughed with Hank and his friends at their confusion at new developments, not at them. That's an even trickier balance to strike in 2025, and creators Judge, Greg Daniels and new showrunner Saladin K. Patterson have ensured the series enjoys watching its characters struggle to learn. Hank is more bewildered than upset by rideshare or all gender bathrooms. The Hills don't complain about the world being "woke" but Hank is aware of the potential to be canceled. King of the Hill presents a loving take on folks who might be outdated, but never quite mocks them. The Hills never championed conservative values to belittle or hurt anyone else. It's just every time they learn that old ways might be harmful, it's an education. Hank accepts renaming Samoa cookies as long as the flavor remains. King of the Hill also depicts a friendly environment, as in strangers who share with their neighbors instead of ganging up on minorities. Task apps appear to be a boon to Hank's handyman skills, but he struggles with the expectation to make small talk with the customers. When he does, then he is aghast to realize this generation puts everything online. Hank can be the agent of change too, as seen in an episode in which he shares he actually learned to like soccer while in Saudi Arabia. Seeing Bobby at 21 raises new issues with young adult dating, when it comes to texting protocols and modern relationship norms. Some of his love interests recur in multiple episodes too. It also evolves Bobby's relationship with his father. There are still things Hank wants to teach his son but he can't order a 21-year-old around like a teenager. Bobby has affection for his father but recognizes his shortcomings. Peggy is even more needy now that Bobby needs her less, a common empty nest phenomenon. The series incorporates the show's catch phrases effectively, but not all at once. It's not until Episode 3 that Hank makes his famous reference to Bobby. Boomhauer's gibberish is still funny. An episode handles cultural appropriation, neither condemning attempts at sensitivity nor calling out appropriation. A Black restaurateur challenges Bobby running a Japanese fusion restaurant, but the characters have sincere interest in other cultures and protecting theirs. The modern era has only enabled Dale's conspiracy theories further. His anti-mask stance extends to gas masks and catcher's masks, and he even considers his own election to mayor a conspiracy. Pandemic isolation and delivery services have enabled Bill to become even more antisocial. The new opening titles cover the years between the Fox series and the Hulu revival, as characters grow up and wear masks during a brief period covering the COVID-19 pandemic. The animation uses simple alterations to acknowledge the time passed. A line or two added to Boomhauer's face makes him look older, as does Hank's graying hair. There is still some plain old cartoon absurdity, such as an episode in which Bobby must care for a horse. Aging up the King of the Hill characters proves to be the right choice. Showing how characters adjust to changing times while remaining true to themselves is a continuing source of humor. Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001, and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012 and the Critics Choice Association since 2023. Read more of his work in Entertainment.


Cosmopolitan
3 hours ago
- Cosmopolitan
Did Carrie and Aidan Break Up on 'And Just Like That'? Here's What Producers Say
[Major spoilers ahead for this week's episode of And Just Like That.] Okay, the And Just Like That... writers room must be reading the commentary online, because after bringing Aidan back last season only to put he and Carrie in a long distance relationship this season, they have decided to break them up after all. In this week's episode, Aidan becomes wary of Carrie's relationship with Duncan, and that starts a whole discussion about how he still doesn't trust her after all these years. It's a devastating argument to watch, and at the end of it, they decide to break up because Carrie admits that she's no longer "100 percent" in the relationship. Executive producer Elisa Zuritsky told TVLine that the decision to break them up was actually made pretty early in the crafting of the season. 'It wasn't a fiery debate in the room. I think it really came down to the way the previous season ended, with Aidan's family proving to be such an obstacle,' she said. She also said the team 'really did want to play it out in the real world and think of [Carrie and Aidan] as real people, and take them out of the fantasy Disney prince and princess happy ending that we were kind of playing with in season 2. It did feel like too much to ask of those two people, especially with their baggage.' Fellow executive producer Julie Rottenberg agreed, saying that it was not realistic for their relationship to move forward considering everything that's happened. 'I think we all knew their problems were systemic enough that they would not survive,' Rottenberg says. As devastating as this is, does this finally mean we'll get to see single Carrie dating around? A girl can dream!!


Screen Geek
3 hours ago
- Screen Geek
Disney Reportedly Rebooting Classic Movie Franchise
It looks like Disney is apparently eager to reboot a classic movie franchise that's been part of their library for quite some time. While nothing is confirmed at this time, it would certainly make sense, especially since the franchise is one of the biggest cinematic properties of all-time. Details regarding the report at this time are currently scarce, though a new report noted that we could hear some actual concrete information going into next year. For now, the studio's plan is to let the franchise rest for some time given their recent attempt at a sequel, and then they'll allegedly prepare a full-on reboot. Here's what the DisInsider shared: 'Lucasfilm is letting the franchise rest for a bit before they do a full reboot of the franchise,' referring to the Indiana Jones brand. 'I would expect the studio to announce something next year at the D23 Expo because even though the last film tanked at the box office, Indiana Jones is still an iconic IP and Disney/Lucasfilm do not want to waste that.' Obviously this should be taken with a grain of salt, especially until Disney does announce something concrete, but it does make sense they'd like to dust off the Indiana Jones property at some point for something new. Franchise star Harrison Ford is only getting older and if they want to keep the series moving forward, they'll have to cast someone younger to play the part. Of course, there are many routes that strategy could go. They could completely remake Raiders of the Lost Ark with a new actor playing Indy, they could do some kind of prequel film series similar to The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles , or they could simply focus on the younger Dial of Destiny character Helena Shaw played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. They could also go in a completely unknown direction as well. Ultimately, it's their intellectual property now, so anything can happen with Indiana Jones moving into the future. Hopefully, however, whatever decisions Disney makes for the Indiana Jones franchise will be respectful of the IP and keep fans happy with the results.