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Toy Story 5 Recasts Jessie as Lead in a Tech‑Versus‑Play Story

Opening June 19, the film uses a frog‑shaped smart tablet to probe screen time and early critics praise Jessie’s emotional leadership while urging balance between devices and imaginative play.

Overview

  • The film opens Friday, June 19, with Pixar and Disney promoting wide theatrical and premium‑format bookings alongside park tie‑ins and a prominent end‑credits marketing moment.
  • Joan Cusack’s Jessie is the central character as she confronts her past and leads Bonnie’s toys against Lilypad, a frog‑shaped smart tablet voiced by Greta Lee.
  • Many legacy voices return, including Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear and Tony Hale as Forky, while new characters such as Smarty Pants, Snappy, Atlas, Blaze and a pack of Hi‑Tech Buzz figures expand the cast.
  • Early reviews published June 16 are broadly positive about the Jessie focus and the franchise’s treatment of technology, though some critics call the message heavy‑handed and note the film is crowded with characters.
  • Across the coverage, reviewers say the movie stops short of technophobia by arguing for a balance between devices and play, a theme that ties into wider debates about screen time and childhood social development.