This time, the toys face their toughest enemy yet: screen time.
Get ready, because summer in the UAE is about to bring a wave of nostalgia straight from Andy’s old toy box — with a surprise twist involving Taylor Swift.
The gang is officially back, with Toy Story 5 set to hit theatres in the UAE on Thursday, June 18.
Here’s why your inner child — and your inner Swiftie — should already be lining up for popcorn.
The story, as we know it
The first trailer for Toy Story 5, released on February 19, 2026, reunites Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the beloved gang as they face a very modern rival for Bonnie’s attention: a sleek new smart tablet called Lily Pad.
The two-minute preview shows Bonnie becoming increasingly absorbed in the device, leaving her toys watching from the sidelines. The shift doesn’t go unnoticed — the toys are quickly losing ground to screens and are ready to fight back.
Elsewhere, Woody continues travelling the world helping abandoned toys find new homes. During a walkie-talkie call with Jessie, he reflects on the challenge ahead: “Toys are for play… but tech is for everything.”
Jessie puts it even more directly: “I’m losing Bonnie to this device.”
With playtime on the line, Woody heads back to Bonnie’s room, determined to reunite the gang and remind her why toys still matter.
The cast and crew
Not only are Tom Hanks and Tim Allen returning as Woody and Buzz, but the film’s soundtrack is getting a Swiftie upgrade. Taylor Swift is contributing a brand-new original track titled “Knew It, I Knew You.”
Swift shared the news on Instagram after an early screening, writing: “I’ve always dreamed of getting to write for these characters I’ve adored since I was a 5-year-old kid watching the first Toy Story movie.”
Several familiar voices are also returning for Toy Story 5. Joan Cusack reprises her role as Jessie, Blake Clark returns as Slinky Dog, Tony Hale is back as the ever-anxious Forky, Wallace Shawn once again voices Rex, and John Ratzenberger returns as Hamm.
The film also introduces new voice actors for two long-standing characters. Following the passing of Don Rickles in 2017, Jeff Bergman has taken over as Mr. Potato Head, while Anna Vocino steps in as Mrs. Potato Head after the passing of Estelle Harris in 2022.
Bonnie will also sound slightly different this time around, with Scarlett Spears taking over the role — succeeding Madeleine McGraw, who voiced Bonnie in Toy Story 4, and Emily Hahn from Toy Story 3.
Among the franchise’s newest additions are Greta Lee as Lily Pad, the screen-obsessed tablet competing for Bonnie’s attention, and Alan Cumming as the villainous Evil Bullseye.
Adding even more star power, Disney announced in May 2026 that Bad Bunny has joined the cast as a character described as an “effortlessly cool and mysterious” Pizza with Sunglasses.
What happened in the previous Toy Story film
If it’s been a while since Toy Story 4, here’s where we last left our favourite plastic heroes:
The great divide: The last film ended on an emotional curveball. Woody chose to become a “lost toy,” staying behind with Bo Peep to live a life free from belonging to a single child.
The new crew: Buzz gave Woody his blessing and returned to Bonnie’s room to look after the remaining gang — including Jessie, Rex, Hamm, and the chaotic, existential spork icon, Forky.
So, if you’re ready for a mix of nostalgia and new drama, Toy Story 5 arrives in UAE theatres on June 18.
