Toy Story is a 1995 American animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It is the first installment in Pixar's Toy Story franchise, the first entirely computer-animated feature film, as well as the first feature film from Pixar, it was directed by John Lasseter and written by Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, and Alec Sokolow. The film features the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, John Ratzenberger, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, and Jim Varney. Taking place in a world where toys come to life when humans are not present, Toy Story follows an old-fashioned pullstring cowboy doll named Woody (Hanks), and a modern space cadet action figure, Buzz Lightyear (Allen), as Woody develops jealousy towards Buzz when he becomes their owner Andy's favorite toy.

Following the success of the 1988 short film Tin Toy, Pixar was approached by Disney to produce a computer-animated feature film that was told from a small toy's perspective. Lasseter, Stanton, and Docter wrote early story treatments, which were rejected by Disney, who wanted the film's tone to be "edgier". After several disastrous story reels, production was halted and the script was rewritten to better reflect the tone and theme Pixar desired: "toys deeply want children to play with them, and ... this desire drives their hopes, fears, and actions". The studio, then consisting of a relatively small number of employees, produced Toy Story under minor financial constraints.

Toy Story premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on November 19, 1995, and was released in theaters in North America three days later on November 22. It was the highest-grossing film during its opening weekend,[2] eventually grossing over $363 million worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing film of 1995. The film received critical acclaim, with praise directed towards the technical innovation of the animation, screenplay, Randy Newman's score, appeal to all age groups, and voice performances (particularly Hanks and Allen), and holds a 100% approval rating on film aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes.

The film is frequently lauded as one of the best animated films ever made and, due to its status as the first computer-animated film, one of the most important films in the medium's history and film at large.[4] The film received three Academy Award nominations—Best Original Screenplay (the first animated film to be nominated for the award), Best Original Song for "You've Got a Friend in Me", and Best Original Score—in addition to being honored with a non-competitive Special Achievement Academy Award.[5]

In 2005, Toy Story was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant", one of nine films designated in its first year of eligibility. The success of Toy Story launched a multimedia franchise, spawning four sequels beginning with Toy Story 2 (1999); a spin-off film Lightyear (2022); and numerous short films. The film has had several theatrical re-releases, including a 3D re-release in 2009 as part of a double feature with the second film and a 30th anniversary re-release in 2025.

Plot

A group of sentient toys, who pretend to be lifeless when humans are around, are preparing to move into a new house with their young owner, Andy Davis, his infant sister, Molly, and their single mother, Mrs. Davis. Learning that Andy's sixth birthday party has been unexpectedly moved to an earlier date, several toys – including Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, Rex the tyrannosaur, Hamm the piggy bank, and Bo Peep the porcelain doll – become concerned that Andy might receive something that will replace them. To calm them, Sheriff Woody, Andy's favorite toy and their de facto leader, sends Sarge and his green army men to spy on Andy's birthday party with a baby monitor. Andy receives a Buzz Lightyear action figure, who believes he is an actual Space Ranger and does not know he is really a toy. Buzz impresses the others with his electronic features and becomes Andy's new favorite toy, provoking Woody's jealousy.

Two days before the move, Andy's family plans for a dinner at a restaurant called Pizza Planet. To ensure Andy brings him along and not Buzz, Woody tries knocking Buzz behind the desk with RC, Andy's radio-controlled car. However, Buzz is accidentally knocked out of the window instead, and most of the other toys believe Woody has deliberately killed Buzz. Andy takes Woody with him, but Buzz furiously confronts him in the car. The two fight, fall out of the car, and are left behind; after a further argument, they hitch a ride to the restaurant on a Pizza Planet delivery truck.

At Pizza Planet, Buzz mistakes a claw crane full of rubber toy aliens for a rocket, and climbs in, pursued by Woody. Sid Phillips, Andy's sadistic next-door neighbor, takes the two from the crane to his house, where they encounter his Bull Terrier Scud and his "mutant" toys, made from parts of other toys Sid has destroyed.

Buzz witnesses a television commercial promoting him and suffers an existential crisis, finally realizing he is a toy after all. He attempts to fly but falls and breaks his arm. After Sid's toys repair Buzz, Sid tapes Buzz to a firework rocket, planning to destroy him the following day. Overnight, Woody helps Buzz realize that his purpose is to make Andy happy, restoring Buzz's resolve. Sid takes Buzz out to blow him up, but Woody rallies the mutant toys to come to life in front of Sid and frighten him into never harming toys again.

Now freed, Woody and Buzz pursue the Davis's moving truck, but Scud attacks Woody. Buzz stays behind to fight off the dog; Woody climbs into the truck, and pushes RC out to rescue Buzz. Thinking Woody has killed another toy, the others also throw him off the truck. Upon witnessing Woody and Buzz pursue the truck on RC, the toys realize their mistake. RC's batteries run out, forcing Woody to ignite the rocket strapped to Buzz. As the two are propelled into the air, Woody tosses RC back into the truck. Buzz opens his wings to sever the tape just before the rocket explodes; he and Woody glide through the sunroof of Mrs. Davis' car, landing safely inside.

As the toys listen in on the Christmas gift opening in the new house, Mr. Potato Head is delighted when Molly gets a Mrs. Potato Head. Woody and Buzz jokingly ponder what gift could be "worse" than Buzz, only to nervously smile at each other when Andy gets a dachshund puppy.