Animation studio Pixar presented an exclusive first look at its most anticipated upcoming films, including Hoppers and Toy Story 5, and announced an all-new original production, "Gatto," during a studio presentation at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, as part of a broader presentation that also included extensive footage from Pixar's "Elio," scheduled for release in 2025.

Pixar creative director Pete Docter took the stage to present behind-the-scenes footage from Toy Story 5, revealing early footage and confirming the return of series veterans Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cussack. Directed by Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris and produced by Jessica Choi, the fifth film in Pixar's flagship series is set to premiere on June 19, 2026.

Doctor said the new film will explore the challenges toys face in a world where digital technology reigns supreme. "It's a meeting between toys and technology," he said, outlining the plot of the film, in which the team of toys from the original films will face the challenge presented by the new favorite toy of their 8-year-old owner Bonnie Anderson: a high-tech tablet called "Lilypad." Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang will face off against a new generation of kids who are more captivated by screens than toys.

Docter showed the world premiere of the opening scene from the film, in which a container full of Buzz Lightyear toys wakes up on an isolated desert island and struggles to reconnect with the "star command center."

Toy Story 5 will also feature Ernie Hudson, who will voice Combat Carl, taking over the role of the late Carl Weathers. In honor of the series' 30th anniversary, the audience in Annecy had the opportunity to see archival footage from the creation of the original Toy Story from 1995, Pixar's first feature film.

Docter also announced a new animated film, the original Gato. The film, which will be directed by Luca director Enrico Casarosa, tells the story of Nero, a black cat who hates water and lives in the picturesque city of Venice, Italy, and befriends Maya, a lonely street musician. Dr. showed the first animation tests and drawings of the characters from the film, which will have a much more picturesque design than is typical for Pixar. "Gatto" will premiere in the summer of 2027.

The studio also presented the first clip from "Hoppers," an original Pixar comedy about Mabel (Piper Curda), a young woman who loves nature and tries to stop Mayor Jerry (Jon Hamm) from building a highway that will destroy the local forests. Thanks to a secret brain-swapping experiment, Mabel manages to transfer her consciousness into a robot beaver and goes to a lake where refugees from the advancing industrialization have gathered. There, she tries to convince the animals, led by the majestic beaver king George (Bobby Moynihan), to join her and stop the highway.

The Annecy session also included the premiere of "Elio," directed by Madeline Sharaffian and Domi Shi and produced by Mary Alice Drum. The sci-fi adventure, which hits theaters on June 20, follows 11-year-old Elio Solis (voiced by Yonas Kibreab), who is mistakenly identified as an ambassador to Earth after being abducted by aliens. The film also stars Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil and Shirley Henderson. "Elio" premiered earlier this week in Los Angeles. The audience in Annecy had the pleasure of seeing 25 minutes of the film. |BGNES