Toy Story (franchise)

Toy Story is an American media franchise created by Pixar Animation Studios and owned by The Walt Disney Company. It centers on toys that, unknown to humans, are secretly living. It began in 1995 with the release of the animated feature film of the same name, which focuses on a diverse group of toys featuring a classic cowboy doll named Sheriff Woody and a modern spaceman action figure named Buzz Lightyear.

The Toy Story franchise consists mainly of seven animated feature films: Toy Story (1995), Toy Story 2 (1999), Toy Story 3 (2010), Toy Story 4 (2019), Toy Story 5 (2026) and the spin-off film within a film Lightyear (2022). It also includes the 2D-animated direct-to-video spin-off film within a film Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000) and the animated television series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000–01) which followed the film. The first Toy Story was the first feature-length film to be made entirely using computer-generated imagery. The first two films were directed by John Lasseter, the third film by Lee Unkrich (who acted as co-director of the second film alongside Ash Brannon), the fourth film by Josh Cooley, the fifth film by Andrew Stanton (who co-wrote all five films) and Lightyear by Angus MacLane.

Produced on a total budget of $720 million, the Toy Story films have grossed more than $3.3 billion worldwide, becoming the 18th highest-grossing film franchise worldwide, the second highest-grossing animated franchise, and one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. Each film of the main series set box office records, with the third and fourth included in the top 50 all-time worldwide films. The franchise has received acclaim from critics and audiences. The first two films were re-released in theaters as a Disney Digital 3-D "double feature" for at least two weeks in October 2009 as a promotion for the then-upcoming third film.