Did you catch the Pizza Planet truck during the roadside sequence in Toy Story 5, the Andrew Stanton directed sequel released on June 17, 2026? The film slips in callbacks to Buzz Lightyear’s Star Command, Toy Story 2-era scars for Jessie, and even a salamander nod to Pixar’s shelved Newt alongside Lilypad’s on-screen hidden gags.

The toys’ latest adventure has barely begun when familiar shapes start slipping into the background, the kind you only catch on a second glance. As Woody, Buzz and Jessie deal with Lilypad, an educational tablet that disrupts Bonnie’s world, Pixar keeps planting winks for longtime viewers in roadside cameos, screen details and throwback gags. The Pizza Planet truck rolls by again, Star Command nostalgia bubbles up, and even a salamander hints at Newt, the Pixar project that never made it to theaters. It is a busy little treasure hunt that rewards anyone watching with their eyes as much as their heart.

A triumphant return for Woody and friends

There’s a particular comfort in seeing old friends show up right on time. With Toy Story 5 in theaters as of June 17, 2026, Pixar opens the bedroom door again, and it feels like catching up after a long stretch apart. The details come fast, but the heart stays familiar, even when the story nudges the toys into new territory.

Directed by Andrew Stanton, the film brings back the core trio with voices from Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, while shifting more of the emotional weight onto Jessie. In its first week, it has already pulled in $352 million worldwide, and it does so with a brisk 102-minute runtime that keeps the adventure moving.

Lilypad, the tablet that challenges a toy’s purpose

The new problem arrives in the shape of Lilypad, a high-tech educational tablet with a frog-like design and a very firm sense of what “helping” a kid should look like. This is the case where the toys’ old mission, be present and be loved, starts to collide with a device built to optimize childhood.

Jessie, now central to the plot, tries to help Bonnie build real-world friendships instead of defaulting to screens. It’s not presented as a lecture. Indeed, the movie plays it as a lived-in household tension, with the toys scrambling to stay relevant while still being themselves.

Easter eggs that reward the truly attentive

Pixar keeps up its tradition of background surprises, and the easiest crowd-pleaser is the quick sighting of the Pizza Planet truck along the road. It’s the sort of blink-and-you-miss-it moment that makes repeat viewings feel justified, for example when the frame is busy with travel chaos.

Buzz’s history gets folded in, too, through references to Star Command and a post-credits beat that nods to past rivalry. The film also revisits Jessie’s deeper backstory with visual callbacks that echo her earlier heartbreak, while Woody’s resurfacing “hair” mishap lands as a small, oddly human reminder that time passes for toys as well.

A new Combat Carl, and a wider Pixar memory lane

One of the most noticeable changes is Combat Carl’s return, now voiced by Ernie Hudson following the death of Carl Weathers in 2024. It’s a brief appearance, but it carries real weight, partly because the character has quietly grown from a throwaway gag into someone fans listen for.

Elsewhere, Lilypad’s on-screen imagery slips in quick nods to Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., and A Bug’s Life. The film also tips its hat to Pixar’s unrealized past with a salamander that many viewers read as a wink toward the canceled “Newt,” while Woody’s poncho look lightly recalls Clint Eastwood’s “Man with No Name” persona.