By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
Toymaker Mattel has gone all out in its newly unveiled toy line for Disney and Pixar’s upcoming film ‘Toy Story 5’.
One of Disney’s most popular franchises of all time, the Toy Story characters almost demand a major upgrade from toymakers, since the film is literally about toys coming to life.
Mattel has stepped up to the plate with new animatronic technology that achieves the goal of having their Toy Story action figures not only move in a life-like way, but also to interact with each other just they do in the films. Mattel says the animatronic figures represent the company’s most technologically advanced consumer products to date.
The line, developed in close collaboration with Disney and Pixar, centers on two flagship products; the ‘Ultimate Action’ Buzz and Woody figures that incorporate animatronic movement, clap and pose recognition, and the ability to interact with each other.
A second premium tier consists of five interactive figures at seven-inch scale, marketed as ‘Playscale Interactables’.
Tracy Thurman, vice president of product design for hard lines at Disney, credited the long-standing partnership as a factor in the line’s execution.
“People hold these characters in their memory so dear and close,” Thurman said. “Mattel has done a fantastic job with this line, because the main premise of the film is we’re seeing the old gang back together, but now we have tech being introduced, which is something that everybody can relate to in their households.
“We really wanted to make sure that we infused tech into these toys, and I think they did a great job pulling that innovation through so that it does tie directly to the film, to those core memories that people have, but in a very new way that feels appropriate for today and especially appropriate for this film.”
The rollout illustrates how major entertainment licensors and licensee toy companies are developing deeper product integration with film properties. In this case, Disney and Pixar gave Mattel early access to the film’s script and assets during development, allowing designers to align product concepts with the movie’s central themes before the film was finalized.
“We got the meta idea that the movie is about toys and tech,” said Nick Karamonos, senior vice president of action figures and entertainment partnerships at Mattel. “It was an iterative process of script reading and assets, back and forth, as our designers were conceptualizing that in the form of a toy, bringing those characters to life, sometimes in a different way than we have before.”
Mattel certainly knows the topic, as it has held the Toy Story license since the second film in the franchise. This new line really demonstrates Mattel’s depth as a toymaker, as it spans more than 20 products across multiple categories, including action figures, plush, role play accessories, a UNO edition, and a dedicated Hot Wheels sub-line featuring Buzz Lightyear and other characters.
Kristen Sanzari, product design manager at Mattel, noted that synchronizing voice with animatronic movement presented the line’s primary development challenge. “I was so happy those finally came to life,” said Sanzari. “Getting the voices to match the animatronics was probably the most time-consuming part.”
Most products launch this spring, with at least one item, a 12-inch Feature Bullseye, slated for fall 2026.
The breadth of the Toy Story 5 assortment is not just a reflection of Mattel’s depth in terms of toy design, but also how powerful Disney’s Toy Story franchise is at retail. With more than 20 products slated for release, the Mattel toy line is going to take up a lot of shelf space, and will do so in multiple categories.