Why Toy Story 5’s PG Rating Breaks Franchise Customs

The MPA rated the film PG for “thematic elements and rude humor.” Since 1995, the only prior exception to the G ratings in the broader Toy Story universe has been Lightyear, the 2022 spinoff focused on the in-universe film that inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy, but that film exists outside the core Woody-and-Buzz storyline, which is why Toy Story 5 is being described as the first true break in the main series’ rating history.

The shift in tone tracks with the film’s subject matter. Toy Story 5 follows a "Toy meets Tech" premise - Bonnie, now an eight-year-old, becomes increasingly enchanted with Lilypad, a frog-shaped smart tablet voiced by Greta Lee, at the expense of her traditional toys. The toys, led by their new captain Jessie (taking over last film from a now aging Woody), must face off against a rival that represents something the franchise has never had to contend with before: a child's attention being captured by technology rather than imagination.

Toy Story 5 Cast And Plot: What To Know

Tom Hanks returns as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, and Joan Cusack as Jessie, alongside the franchise’s deep returning bench including Annie Potts as Bo Peep, Wallace Shawn as Rex, Tony Hale as Forky, John Ratzenberger as Hamm, and Blake Clark as Slinky Dog. New additions include Conan O’Brien as Smarty Pants, Craig Robinson as Atlas and Scarlett Spears as Bonnie.

Other franchise firsts include director Andrew Stanton (Kenna Harris is co-director), who was co-writer behind every prior Toy Story film and the director of Finding Nemo and WALL-E. The film also marks the first in the main franchise made without any involvement from co-creator John Lasseter, who departed Pixar in late 2018.

The film features an original song titled "I Knew It, I Knew You," performed by Taylor Swift and written and produced by Swift alongside Jack Antonoff, marking Swift’s return to a more country-inflected register. Although she’s been writing songs for films starting with the Hannah Montana movie way back in 2009, this song is her first outing in an animated movie. Swift made a surprise red carpet appearance at the film’s Hollywood premiere at the Dolby Theatre. The film also features a returning score from five-time Toy Story composer Randy Newman.

What Critics Are Saying About Toy Story 5

Reviews have been largely positive, though the film carries a notable distinction of its own: at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, it is currently the lowest-rated film in the main Toy Story series, a position previously held by Toy Story 4’s 97%. However, it also set an audience score record for the franchise — currently the highest rated at 95%. Critics have nonetheless praised its emotional register; RogerEbert.com’s Robert Daniels wrote that few films have captured "the anxiety of a wary older generation looking at a seemingly lost youngest generation with comparable perceptiveness".

Toy Story 5 is in theaters now.