Pixar paused Toy Story 5 two weeks to rework Jessie story
Co-director McKenna Harris said the original plot had Jessie and the toys competing with a tablet named Lilypad for Bonnie's attention.
Pixar halted production on Toy Story 5 for two weeks to fix a story it considered not good enough, co-director McKenna Harris said at the View Conference in Italy, according to Cartoon Brew.
Harris said the team spent one week identifying the problems and another rewriting the script. In the original version, Jessie and the other toys competed with a tablet called Lilypad for the attention of their owner, Bonnie.
The revised story shifts that premise: Jessie now helps Bonnie make a friend rather than fighting to win back playtime. Harris said the new version drew more positive reactions at internal screenings and turned an okay movie into a good one.
Toy Story 5 was released in theaters on June 19, 2026, and grossed $1.15 billion worldwide.
Quick answers
Why did Pixar pause Toy Story 5?
Co-director McKenna Harris said the film had a story problem and was not good, so production stopped for two weeks to identify the issues and rewrite the script.
What changed in the Toy Story 5 story?
The original plot had Jessie and the other toys competing with a tablet named Lilypad for Bonnie's attention. The revised version focuses on Jessie helping Bonnie make a friend.