30 years ago, the world changed forever.
In November 1995, Pixar’s feature debut “Toy Story” was released, shattering conventions for how animated films were produced. Woody and Buzz’s moving story about friendship and the adventure of life won over young and old hearts worldwide, paving the way for dozens of other films that have become classics in their own right.
With yet another sequel set to arrive in 2026, I decided to highlight the most notable films from the past 30 years that Pixar’s first phenomenon influenced.
Toy Story 2, 3, and 4:
While the original film’s conflict might seem quaint compared to its sequels, it’s important to remember the franchise wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for its success.
Before there was the moving incinerator climax of “Toy Story 3,” there was Buzz’s soul-crushing realization that he’s just a toy. Before there was Woody’s emotional farewell in “Toy Story 4,” there was a quiet moment of acceptance as he learned to be more than just Andy’s favorite. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and a great film series isn’t built without a strong foundation.
Wreck-It Ralph:
Virtually every Disney movie released after 1995 owes one thing or another to “Toy Story,” but this film, in particular, shares with it a lot of DNA.
Where “Toy Story” imagined a world in which toys have lives of their own while their owners are away, Rich Moore’s 2012 hit imagines the after-hours lives of video game characters in an arcade, using this canvas as a metaphor for self-acceptance. Thanks to these two films being a massive part of my childhood, I can now recognize that no matter who I am, I am enough.
The Lego Movie:
What “Toy Story” and “Wreck-It-Ralph” did for the fields of toys and video games, “The Lego Movie” continues to do for the ever-expansive world of Lego.
None of these films rely on utilizing familiar icons like Mr. Potato Head, Sonic the Hedgehog, or Batman, but rather use these characters as ancillary players in the larger stories of new faces like Woody, Ralph, and Emmet, respectively. It’s a winning formula that standardized how to use intellectual property in animated blockbusters.
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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse:
Speaking of animated blockbusters, it’s hard to imagine a more groundbreaking entry from the last decade than Sony Pictures Animation’s 2018 smash hit.
After almost 20 years of Spider-Man stories being adapted to film to various degrees of success, this fresh take brilliantly utilized the medium of animation to bring Miles Morales’ story to the big screen, all while staying true to the heart of Spider-Man. If you were to argue that “Spider-Verse” did in 2018 what “Toy Story” did in 1995, I wouldn’t disagree.
The Secret Life of Pets:
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but has that phrase ever been used to justify something good?
The release of “The Secret Life of Pets” in 2016 solidified Illumination Entertainment as a studio that prioritizes catering to young masses over producing meaningful art, and nowhere is that clearer than in this film’s synopsis.
Swap out toys for pets, and it’s beat-for-beat the same movie as the original “Toy Story.” The double-edged sword of success all but ensures that copycats are soon to follow, but at least “The Secret Life of Pets” serves as a reminder of what we already knew: Even after all these years, nothing can replace “Toy Story.”