Toy Story Movies In Order & IMDb Scores
For animation fans, the name ‘Pixar’ is practically a guarantee of premium quality animated entertainment. Innovative, dynamic, and never compromising a good story over visual entertainment, Pixar has been at the forefront of animated films for decades. The Toy Story franchise is one of their crowning achievements, demonstrating just how far animation has come in the last three decades.
In 1995, Woody, Buzz, and the gang made their first appearance with a charming story of friendship, diversity, and a healthy dose of humour. It was an instant hit, spawning a franchise that is still popular today. Let’s take an in-depth look at the Toy Story movies in order and what makes them so special for generations of kids and adults alike.
Toy Story Movies in Release Order
The Toy Story saga started in 1995 with the original Toy Story. This instant smash hit got three Oscar nominations and a clutch of other awards.
1999 saw Toy Story 2 hit the screens. Its success demonstrates just how far Pixar's animation techniques had developed, and how popular the story was.
There was then a brief gap while Pixar worked on other major projects, with Toy Story 3 not released until 2010. It was well worth the wait, though, and Toy Story 3 reignited the franchise's massive interest.
2011 and 2012 saw a little cluster of short animations, including Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation, Toy Story Toons: Small Fry, and Toy Story Toons: Partysaurous Rex, expanding the Toy Story universe and focusing on other characters within the canon.
The next big movie, Toy Story 4, was released in 2019. The formula, which Pixar realised was a winning one, didn’t change too dramatically. The most recent spin-off film set within the Toy Story universe (not counting the TV shorts and specials featuring supporting characters) was the 2022 release, Lightyear.
Toy Story Movies Cast
The original Toy Story focused on the relationship between Woody the cowboy, voiced by Tom Hanks, and Buzz Lightyear, voiced by comedian Tim Allen. The chemistry was an instant hit, forming a solid foundation for a true ensemble movie format where each cast member had their own distinct character.
Other leading actors who added their voices to the original movie included Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, Wallace Shawn as Rex, Annie Potts as Bo Peep, Jim Varney as Slinky Dog, and John Morris as the voice of Andy, the young boy whose toys come to life every night. Evil next-door kid Sid was voiced with wonderful child-like menace by Erik von Detten, adding a gloriously sinister twist to the tale.
The cast was joined by Joan Cusack as Jessie in Toy Story 2, as well as Kelsey Grammer as Stinky Pete the Prospector. Michael Keaton and Jodi Benson joined the roll-call as Ken and Barbie in Toy Story 3, along with Ned Beatty as Lotso. Toy Story 4 saw Tony Hale occupy the character of Forky, while A-lister Keanu Reeves voiced Duke Caboom, demonstrating just how attractive to the industry a Toy Story credit is.
Toy Story (1995): The Beginning of an Iconic Franchise
Let’s take a closer look at the very start of this incredible franchise – Toy Story. The story focused on the relationship between cowboy Woody, Andy’s favourite toy, and the perceived usurper, astronaut Buzz Lightyear. Overcoming their initial dislike of each other, they realise they have to work together to survive a series of trials, with help from their friends and fellow toys.
What made it such a huge success wasn’t just the fact that the quality of the animation demonstrated Pixar’s incredible and ground-breaking techniques. It was a visual feast combined with a heartwarming story populated with instantly relatable, likeable characters. From the first second you saw the toys spring to life, you could truly believe in them and the relationships they had with one another.
Toy Story received three Academy Award nominations, and the Academy Board of Governors presented a Special Achievement Award to John Lasseter for developing techniques that made possible the first feature-length animation generated on a computer.
Toy Story 2 (1999): A Sequel That Surpassed Expectations
Sequels are often a bit of a letdown after the initial brilliance of the first film. This was not the case with Toy Story 2, which surpassed expectations with both critics and at the box office. This hit follow-up sees Woody stolen by a toy collector to take his place in a museum collection. Buzz and the rest of the toys have to mount a dangerous and daring rescue mission to bring Woody (and his new love Jessie) home again.
Another Oscar nomination and record-breaking box-office takings made Toy Story 2 a sequel that bucked the trend for franchises.
Toy Story 3 (2010): A Powerful and Emotional Finale
Toy Story 3 was originally intended to be the conclusion of the Toy Story trilogy, a bittersweet tale of growing up and how our lives change as we transition from childhood to adulthood. Mistakenly given to a day-care centre instead of taking up residence in Andy’s attic, the toys feel abandoned. It’s up to Woody to convince them that Andy still cares about them, and they have to try to get back home.
The film exceeded all expectations and was widely lauded by the critics and audiences, winning two Oscars, including Best Animated Feature Film, and getting numerous award nominations. It was clear that the team behind Woody, Buzz, and the toys couldn’t leave it there, despite the original intention for the franchise to end at three, so Toy Story 4 went into pre-production and was released in 2019.
Toy Story 4 (2019): A New Chapter for Woody and Friends
Toy Story 4 sees a whole new raft of characters join the gang, and a new human to take Andy’s place – Bonnie. The focus of events this time is the latest addition to the toy team – Forky, a hand-crafted spork created and loved by Bonnie. With sharp humour, cracking storylines, and razor-sharp delivery by the voice artists (including Keanu Reeves as stunt motorcycle toy Duke Caboom), Toy Story 4 kept the same formula that had worked so well before, earning another Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film along the way.
IMDb Scores of All Toy Story Movies Ranked
All of the Toy Story movies have consistently scored highly with IMDb. Toy Story achieved a high rating of 8.3, while Toy Story 2 registered 7.9. Toy Story 3 also scored 8.3, and Toy Story 4 received an IMDb rating of 7.6.
Do You Need to Watch Toy Story Movies in Order?
You don’t need to watch them in order, but it certainly helps to understand the introduction of characters like Jessie and the progression from the toys being associated with Andy to transitioning into Bonnie’s world. Each film can be watched as a stand-alone, but to get the full picture and really appreciate many of the ‘in-jokes’ that develop over the story arc, it’s best to watch them in order.
Toy Story – The Future
The question is, where next for Woody, Buzz, and the whole family of toys? Toy Story has not lost its popularity, as the number of spin-offs and the addition of Toy Story 4 to what was originally designed as a trilogy demonstrate. We suspect the Pixar creations will be back at some point. And when they do come bursting back onto our screens, you’ll be able to see them in glorious IMAX high-definition at a VOX Cinema near you.
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