Toy Story Movies Ranked: Best to Worst, Including Toy Story 5

I ranked the Toy Story movies on four things: how well the story holds together, what each film does with the friendship between Woody and Buzz, how much it adds to the saga, and who it suits. Every placement is my opinion, built on story and character and not on anyone's percentages. Box office and official ratings appear only as context. The five main films are ranked together, and Lightyear (2022), the spinoff, comes last.

1. Toy Story 3 (2010), directed by Lee Unkrich. The third film takes the fear from the first one, toys who worry they will be replaced, and asks the grown up version: what happens when the child leaves? Andy is 17 and packing for college, and a mix-up with a garbage bag sends his toys to Sunnyside Daycare while Woody, who knows Andy's real plan, chases after them. Ned Beatty's Lotso, Michael Keaton's Ken and Timothy Dalton's Mr. Pricklepants give the ensemble more comedy than any earlier entry. It earned about $1.067 billion on a $200 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo. It is rated G in the US, though very small children may find the toys' fear of being thrown away heavy going. If you can only watch one on a weeknight, this is the one I would put on. You can read more about toy story 3 on its own page.

2. Toy Story (1995), directed by John Lasseter. Toy Story 1995 is the tightest film of the six at 81 minutes, and it was the first feature film made entirely with computer animation, according to D23. The jealousy between Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) drives everything, and it gives the series its template. Randy Newman's "You've Got a Friend in Me" has followed the saga ever since. Billy Crystal turned down Buzz and has called it his biggest regret, which makes Allen's casting feel even more settled. It ranks second only because Toy Story 3 goes deeper emotionally. It is a G in the US, and it is the safest first pick for young viewers.

3. Toy Story 2 (1999), directed by John Lasseter. The sequel began life as a straight to video project before Disney announced a theatrical release in 1998, according to Animation World Network, and it never plays like a leftover. Al McWhiggin steals Woody at a yard sale, which sends Buzz and the others on a rescue, and the film adds Joan Cusack's Jessie and Kelsey Grammer's Prospector. Sarah McLachlan's "When She Loved Me" gave the series its first real heartbreak. It made about $497 million on a $90 million budget. I rank it third because the two above it hold their focus a little more tightly, though it is the funniest of the lot and I would defend it against anyone. See toy story 2 for the full breakdown.

4. Toy Story 4 (2019), directed by Josh Cooley. The fourth film starts with a spork. Bonnie builds Forky (Tony Hale) before her first day of kindergarten, and Woody makes it his job to keep him safe on a family road trip. The new faces are a joy: Keanu Reeves as Duke Caboom, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele as Ducky and Bunny, Christina Hendricks as Gabby Gabby, and the return of Annie Potts as Bo Peep. It earned about $1.074 billion on a $200 million budget. It lands fourth because it feels like a separate story from the Andy years, which some viewers will love and some will miss. Read about toy story 4 here, and meet Forky and Bo Peep on their character pages.

5. Toy Story 5 (2026), directed by Andrew Stanton. The newest film is the series' biggest earner, at about $1.149 billion worldwide against a $250 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo and The Numbers. It centers on Lilypad (Greta Lee), a frog shaped tablet that wins Bonnie's attention, and on Jessie, who is billed first in the cast and sets out to win Bonnie back. It is rated PG in the US, the first main film in the series to move off a G there, and PG in the UK too, though it is still G in Australia. I rank it fifth because its worry about being replaced echoes the first film, and the first film did it with more surprise. In fairness, it is also the newest, and my view may shift on repeat viewing. Details are on the toy story 5 page.

6. Lightyear (2022), directed by Angus MacLane. Lightyear stars Chris Evans as Buzz, with Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi and Peter Sohn, and Michael Giacchino composed the score. Its best idea is time dilation: every test flight costs the crew years back on the planet, so Buzz's mistake keeps growing while his friends move on. It earned about $226 million worldwide on a $200 million budget, and it has no Woody and no toy box warmth. That is why it ranks last, as a spinoff and not as a failure. It is rated PG, so check it before showing it to younger children.

If you are choosing tonight's film, start with Toy Story 3, or follow toy story movies in order if you want the whole run. You can also check where to watch Toy Story before you settle in.