Toy Story 5's release isn't far away, and Disney and Pixar both seem confident in the movie they have on deck. The Toy Story sequel brings back all the regular characters to face a new threat to Bonnie's playtime: technology in the form of the Lilypad (Greta Lee). Toy Story is Pixar's original animated franchise, and even 30 years later, the IP is still one of its biggest hits.
Toy Story 5's theatrical release is set for June 19, but there are already promising signs that Pixart has another winner on its hands. It's been confirmed by @EmbargoLiftsFor on X that the embargo on social reactions to Toy Story 5 will lift on June 9, a full 10 days ahead of the movie's release. Additionally, the review embargo will be lifted on June 16, 3 days before release.
• Social embargo: June 9 at 9pm PT/June 10 at 12am ET
• Review embargo: June 16 at 9am PT/12pm ET
• Release date: June 19 (US)
While embargoes don't determine a movie's success, having the social embargo lift so far ahead of Toy Story 5's official release is a very promising sign that Disney believes critics will respond positively to the movie. Positive word of mouth translates into more interest in the movie and more ticket sales, so having these reactions circulate 1.5 weeks before the movie's release is not just a tactical move but a show of the studio's confidence in Toy Story 5. If a studio was nervous about the reaction to a film, the embargo date would typically be closer to the film's release date to mitigate bad press.
That said, there have been instances where a studio may seem confident in a project by setting the embargo well ahead of release, only for the reactions not to go as hoped. One recent example of this was 2026's Michael movie, which had its social media embargo lifted 2 weeks before release but still received many negative and mixed reactions.
Toy Story 5 is directed by Andrew Stanton and is a direct sequel in the Toy Story franchise. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack reprise their roles as Woody, Buzz, and Jessie in the movie.
Is Toy Story 5 A Slam Dunk For Disney and Pixar?
While there's still some time before the official reactions to Toy Story 5 drop, the early press for the new Pixar film has already been positive. Toy Story films have traditionally done very well for the studio, with all four mainline films earning 97% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes.
Reactions to Toy Story 5 emerged as early as October 2025, with test screenings reportedly loving the film and calling it "another heartfelt film in this franchise." Hollywood industry reporter Matt Belloni then reported earlier in 2026 that his sources said the new Toy Story movie was "excellent."
Not to mention, the film has already had a premiere event in London on May 28, and the cast is engaging in early red carpet and press events to promote the movie, with detailed press tours often another sign of a studio's confidence in the film's ability to perform.
While neither of these is an official report out of embargo, the industry hearsay is already overwhelmingly in Toy Story 5's favor, and it could go on to be one of the biggest movies in 2026.
