Pixar Unveils First Footage of 'Toy Story 5' and Announces New Original 'Gatto' at Annecy

The showcase included early footage from Toy Story 5, a new original film titled Gatto, and extensive previews of the 2025 release Elio. Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter revealed behind-the-scenes details from Toy Story 5, confirming the return of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack. Directed by Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris, and produced by Jessica Choi, the film is set for release on June 19, 2026. The story will explore how toys face challenges in a digital age, with Woody, Buzz, and friends confronting a new tech toy called Lillypad that captivates children more with screens than play.

Docter premiered the opening scene, showing Buzz Lightyear stranded on a desert island trying to reconnect with “Star Command.” The film will also feature Ernie Hudson voicing Combat Carl, replacing Carl Weathers. To celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary, archival footage from the original Toy Story (1995) was shown.

Additionally, Pixar announced a new original feature titled Gatto, directed by Enrico Casarosa (Luca). It follows Nero, a water-hating black cat in Venice who befriends Maya, a street musician. The film will have a painterly style and is set to premiere in summer 2027.

The studio also previewed Hoppers, an original comedy about Mabel (Piper Curda), who uses a secret brain-swapping experiment to transfer her mind into a robot beaver to stop Mayor Jerry’s highway project threatening her woodland home.

The session included a first look at Elio, directed by Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi, which hits theaters June 20. The sci-fi adventure follows 11-year-old Elio (Yonas Kibreab), mistakenly identified as Earth’s ambassador after being abducted by aliens; the cast includes Zoe Saldaña and Brad Garrett. Attendees enjoyed 25 minutes of footage from this exciting lineup.