Who directed the 2026 film Toy Story 5?

Andrew Stanton directed Toy Story 5. He also wrote the film with Kenna Harris, making the Pixar sequel a major return to the franchise for one of the filmmakers who helped shape its original storytelling.

Stanton co-wrote the first four Toy Story films and was involved in Pixar's early creative development. Before directing the fifth installment, he directed A Bug's Life with John Lasseter, followed by Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and Finding Dory. His background makes him closely connected to both Pixar's animation style and the Toy Story world.

Toy Story 5 is the fifth main feature in the series and follows Toy Story 4, which was released in 2019. Its story explores the toys' struggle to remain relevant as children increasingly turn toward electronic devices and screens for entertainment.

The director is easy to confuse with Josh Cooley, who directed Toy Story 4, or Lee Unkrich, who directed Toy Story 3. Pete Docter is another important Pixar creative leader, but he did not direct Toy Story 5.