Special Feature - Disney

A toy story for the ages

This year, Disney is celebrating the 30th anniversary of one of its most illustrious franchises: Toy Story. In those 30 years, it has built a powerful bond with fans through four films, with a fifth major motion picture on the horizon. Nigel Cook, vice president, Brand Commercialisation and Retail, Disney Consumer Products, tells Toy World readers about the film’s legacy and its impact in toy licensing.

The original Toy Story movie came out 30 years ago and remains one of the most popular animated films (and franchises) of all time. What does this level of success mean to Disney?

Toy Story was first released in November 1995 and built a powerful bond with fans who went on to grow up alongside the films, as the beloved characters and stories developed and evolved. Over the past 30 years, Toy Story content has spanned across three sequel movies, plus several short series and animations. This enduring affinity has meant that those who first met Woody, Jessie, Buzz and the gang as kids are now introducing their own children to the Toy Story franchise - which gives us a way of continuing that connection with fans and families.

Toy Story’s popularity has expanded beyond products, to music and of course experiences. I think the fact that fans can visit Toy Story Land at Disney Parks from Florida to Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong and California, speaks for itself.

Arguably, there’s never been a film so well suited to toy licensing, and even today, licensees are still finding ways to bring the movies to life in toys and games. How does Disney, as licensor, support this ongoing product development?

As you can imagine, Toy Story is a joy to work on from a toy licensing perspective and provides incredibly rich inspiration. Key to us, of course, is staying true to the characters and stories. This is reflected in the success of toys that honour the original premise of the film, drawing on the toy collective and themes of teamwork and storytelling. This is clear in the enduring popularity of ranges such as Mattel’s multipacks, core 12” figures and Rocket Rescue Buzz, and Simba’s core plush range, which delivers a fantastic first physical touchpoint.

As new technology becomes more accessible, we have even more ways to bring characters to life. This is particularly good for drawing out different characteristics and elements of fun. A great example is Robosen’s Toy Story Buzz Lightyear Robot, which has just expanded with a miniature model.

The announcement of Toy Story 5, arriving in 2026, thrilled fans of the franchise. What does this movie mean for fans, and what kinds of CP opportunities will it offer licensees?

In 2024, across the globe, over 50 Toy Story toys were sold every minute, so we’re starting from a strong base. Of course, a new film means new storylines and characters, more ways to deepen that connection with existing fansand chances to establish that sense of familiarity among kids in today’s world. Excitement is high and we are already working with key licensees such as Mattel (as announced in March), on exciting new lines marking the fifth instalment, from action figures to Uno editions and beyond.

How will Disney be supporting its licensees and the new Toy Story ranges, both ahead of launch and once they’re in the marketplace?

Toy Story is an evergreen success story and forms a crucial part of our incredible 2026 slate of films. Everything starts with supporting licensees to deliver best in class product appealing to kids, families and fans. To support, we will be leveraging existing fan affinity and growing excitement with robust marketing support, ensuring we’re connecting with every demographic; as we know, Toy Story is not just for kids. Our ambition is to reach the levels of excitement seen around the release of Lilo & Stitch in May 2025 and to continue to raise the bar with incredible marketing and retail activations.

Beyond retail, the anniversary this year will boost the run-up to Toy Story 5. Disney and Pixar launched a new YouTube series in March, consisting of over 160 pieces of Toy Story content including shorts, character profiles and games across Disney Kids and Pixar YouTube channels. Another activation driving peak fan engagement and keeping Toy Story front of mind for consumers is the Mundo Pixar Experience. This touring exhibition brings a world of thrilling Pixar adventures to life. In Andy’s Room, guests are inspired to feel like one of the beloved toys whilst interacting with their favourite Toy Story characters.

To what extent do you think consumer demand for both nostalgia and newstalgia are driving ranges based on existing franchises?

There is no doubt that the Toy Story franchise has achieved incredible success both commercially and culturally. Nostalgia has certainly played a part in keeping that older audience connected and invested. Like the Stitch phenomenon, we see a high proportion of Millennials in particular who discovered the Toy Story franchise as kids, have been able to stay connected via product and are now introducing their own families to the franchise. Globally, Toy Story remains the most-watched film franchise on Disney+, and the four Toy Story films have grossed over £200m+ in the UK and Ireland.

The fact that Toy Story continues to drive excitement, new product and fandom after 30 years is testament to the strength of the IP, its storytelling and the characters at the heart of it all.