It’s been 30 years since Woody and Buzz Lightyear first blasted onto movie screens in Toy Story.
Pixar’s 1995 classic launched one of cinema’s most beloved franchises, introducing audiences to a cast of toys that quickly became pop-culture icons.
Since then, fans have followed the characters through four movies — five if you include 2022’s Buzz-focused spin-off Lightyear — packed with adventure, heartbreak and unforgettable moments.
But the story isn’t over yet. Toy Story 5, which hits theaters on June 19, will reunite viewers with Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang for another chapter.
Struggling to recall what happened in the previous films? A full Toy Story marathon on Disney+ takes about six hours and 20 minutes. We’ve condensed it into one guide — here’s a recap of what happened in every Toy Story movie.
‘Toy Story’ (1995)
Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score: 100%
The first Toy Story movie takes viewers inside the secret lives of the toys owned by a boy named Andy. Whenever humans aren’t around, the toys come to life.
Woody, a cowboy doll and the leader of the toys, has long enjoyed life as Andy’s favorite — until a new Buzz Lightyear action figure arrives. Buzz believes he’s a real space ranger on a mission to save the galaxy, with dreams of heroism and the catchphrase “To infinity and beyond.”
A jealous Woody struggles to accept the flashy new arrival, who becomes an instant hit with the other toys. Trying to get Buzz out of the way, Woody accidentally knocks him out of Andy’s bedroom window, leaving him stranded.
Woody and Buzz eventually end up at the home of Sid, Andy’s toy-destroying neighbor. Unlike Andy, who loves and cares for his toys, Sid enjoys taking them apart and rebuilding them into bizarre new creations. Woody and Buzz quickly realize they need to escape.
The experience changes both toys. Buzz learns he’s actually a toy, while Woody begins to see him as a friend rather than a rival. The pair manage to flee the house, reunite with Andy and become best friends — setting up a bond that underpins the whole franchise.
‘Toy Story 2’ (1999)
Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score: 100%
In the sequel, Woody is stolen by a toy collector who plans to sell him to a museum, so Buzz and the rest of Andy’s toys set out to rescue him.
In the collector’s home, Woody discovers he wasn’t always just Andy’s toy — he was once the star of a western TV show called Woody’s Roundup. He meets his former costars: Jessie the cowgirl, Bullseye the horse and Stinky Pete the prospector.
Through Jessie’s heartbreaking story of being abandoned by her childhood owner, Woody glimpses what life can be like for a forgotten toy.
He is tempted by the idea of joining the group in a museum exhibit, where they can be admired forever rather than outgrown by a child. But he ultimately decides that being loved by a child is more important — even if it can’t last forever.
Buzz and the other toys rescue Woody despite Stinky Pete’s attempts to keep him from leaving. Jessie and Bullseye join Andy’s collection, ensuring the Woody’s Roundup gang won’t be separated after all.
‘Toy Story 3’ (2010)
Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score: 98%
By the third movie, Andy is preparing to leave for college, leaving the toys uncertain about their future. After spending years at the center of Andy’s world, they suddenly find themselves without a clear place to belong.
They are mistakenly donated to Sunnyside Daycare, which initially seems like the perfect new home. But they soon discover that Lotso, the teddy bear in charge, isn’t the kindhearted leader he pretends to be.
The toys are forced to hatch an escape plan while Woody tries to convince them to return home. After narrowly escaping an incinerator at a waste facility, in one of the franchise’s most emotional scenes, they make it back to Andy.
Instead of throwing the toys away, Andy decides to pass them on to a 4-year-old girl named Bonnie. After one final play session, he says goodbye to Woody, Buzz and the gang before heading off to college.
‘Toy Story 4’ (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score: 97%
By the fourth movie, Bonnie is in kindergarten, and Woody begins to feel he no longer has the same purpose he once did.
When Bonnie creates a new toy named Forky out of a spork and craft supplies, Woody takes it upon himself to keep him safe. But Forky is convinced he’s trash, not a toy, and repeatedly tries to throw himself away.
Woody reunites with Bo Peep, a former member of Andy’s toy collection who has spent years living on her own. Unlike Woody, she has embraced life without a permanent owner.
Their reunion forces Woody to question where he belongs. With Bonnie no longer relying on him the way Andy once did, the cowboy begins to imagine a different future for himself. For the first time, the idea of life beyond a child’s bedroom becomes appealing.
Woody decides to stay with Bo Peep rather than return home with his friends. It’s a bittersweet goodbye but one that allows him to begin a new chapter helping lost toys find loving homes.
‘Toy Story 5’ (2025)
Now you’re fully up to speed on three decades of Toy Story — but that’s not the end of the story.
The next chapter begins with Toy Story 5, which reunites Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the toys as they grapple with a new challenge: a world increasingly dominated by screens.
Bonnie is now 8, placing the sequel a few years after the previous movie. When she becomes enamored with a tablet named Lilypad, the gang begins to worry that traditional playtime is becoming a thing of the past.
The new movie also puts Jessie front and center, giving the fan-favorite cowgirl a larger role than in previous films.