Toy Story 5 first footage and Tom Hanks Tim Allen reunion stun CinemaCon crowd

Woody is back — and he’s had a rough few years

The first clip shown at CinemaCon centres on Bonnie, the toys’ young owner, becoming captivated by a new frog-shaped AI tablet called Lilypad, voiced by Greta Lee. The device lets Bonnie build chat groups and play interactive games for hours, leaving Rex, Hamm, and Bo Peep effectively redundant.

Jessie confronts Lilypad directly in the scene, telling the device: “Our kid needs to make friends and your screen isn’t helping.” The tablet responds by playing back the cowgirl’s complaint — first in Spanish, then in rap — a comedic beat that reportedly drew huge laughs from exhibitors inside Caesars Palace.

The second clip reunites audiences with a noticeably different Tom Hanks‘s Woody. He arrives at Bonnie’s room paunchier, balder, and dressed in a poncho reminiscent of Clint Eastwood’s Dollars Trilogy. His reappearance immediately sparks a rivalry with Buzz Lightyear — now serving as Jessie’s deputy — over who is authorised to save the day.

A landmark stage reunion for Hanks and Allen

Hanks and Allen appeared on stage together at CinemaCon for the first time in the franchise’s three-decade history. According to Deadline, the pair were warmly received by exhibitors and reflected openly on how much time has passed since 1995.

Hanks said looking at behind-the-scenes footage from the original made him feel as though he was “in junior high school.” Allen, meanwhile, described Toy Story 5 as “a very, very clever story,” pushing back against any suggestion the fifth instalment is purely commercial.

The audience response to both clips was described as enormous — a strong signal that the film’s contemporary premise has landed without alienating the franchise’s emotional core.

Technology as the new villain — or is it?

Rather than framing Lilypad as a straightforward antagonist, the film positions screen time as an existential reckoning for toys confronting obsolescence. That nuance sets it apart from simpler “technology bad” narratives and gives the story emotional resonance for parents watching alongside their children.

Andrew Stanton, who directed WALL-E and Finding Nemo, leads the film. His track record with emotionally complex animation makes him a natural fit for a story fundamentally about being left behind.

What this means for Pixar’s big summer

Disney closed out CinemaCon 2026 as the convention’s grand finale with a star-studded showcase spanning Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. Toy Story 5 was widely considered one of the standout moments of the entire event.

For more from the same event, read our full recap of the Avengers: Doomsday CinemaCon footage and our report on the Sony Jumanji announcement from earlier in the week.

With a June 19 release date, Toy Story 5 enters one of the busiest summer windows in recent memory. Early exhibitor reaction is strong, and the nostalgic draw of Hanks and Allen’s first-ever joint stage appearance will only amplify family-audience interest in the weeks ahead.