Pixar's Toy Story 5 trailer hints at 2D animation style revival
The newly released full trailer for Toy Story 5 showcases 3D computer animation that emulates a 2D style, depicting the imaginative fantasies of Bonnie. Since its groundbreaking CGI debut with Toy Story in 1995, Pixar has yet to create a fully 2D film. Following Disney's acquisition of Pixar in 2005, the last entirely 2D feature was Winnie the Pooh in 2011. Since then, the studio has explored hybrid animation techniques, beginning with the 2012 short Paperman. Due to the underperformance of recent films like Soul, Luca, Red, and Elio, there is a push for innovative success. Enrico Casarosa's upcoming film Gatto, set in Venice, will mark Pixar's first venture into a 2D aesthetic. Analysts link this shift to audience fatigue and the acclaim of Sony's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Key facts
- Toy Story 5 trailer includes sequences that appear hand-drawn but are 3D CGI mimicking 2D.
- These scenes represent fantasy moments imagined by Bonnie.
- Pixar has never made a 2D or hand-drawn film; it pioneered CGI with Toy Story in 1995.
- Disney acquired Pixar in 2005; last fully 2D film was Winnie the Pooh in 2011.
- Disney's short Paperman (2012) first combined CGI with hand-drawn overlays.
- Disney's Wish (2023) used a variation of the hybrid technique.
- Pixar's upcoming film Gatto, directed by Enrico Casarosa, will be set in Venice and have a 2D look.
- Recent Pixar non-sequels (Soul, Luca, Red, Elio, Lightyear) underperformed.
- Audience fatigue with Pixar's uniform style and success of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) influenced the change.
- Other studios (DreamWorks, Sony) have used 2D hand-drawn effects since 2021-2022.
Entities
Artists
- Enrico Casarosa
- Pete Docter
- John Lasseter
Institutions
- Pixar
- Disney
- Sony Animation
- DreamWorks Animation
Locations
- Venice
- Italy