Disney fans note huge 'plot hole' in Toy Story 5 trailer: 'How?'

The 50-second clip opens with a delivery arriving at Bonnie’s house, the young girl who inherited the toys in Toy Story 3 (2010).

As INXS’ Never Tear Us Apart plays, Bonnie’s mum calls out: “Bonnie, there’s a package for you.”

The toys watch nervously as she unwraps a frog-shaped tablet called Lilypad, which suddenly says: “Hi there, I’m Lilypad. Let’s play.”

Text across the screen reads: “In summer 2026, the age of toys is over?”, hinting at a tech-themed storyline.

But not all fans are impressed. Viewers quickly spotted what they believe is a glaring plot hole.

In Toy Story 4 (2019), Woody chose to stay behind with Bo Peep instead of returning home with Bonnie’s toys, an ending that served as an emotional farewell to his life as a child’s toy.

Now, in the Toy Story 5 teaser, Woody is once again seen alongside Buzz and the others, prompting confusion online.

“I thought Woody stayed behind in Part 4 with Bo Peep to start a new adventure? Someone please explain,” one viewer wrote on X.

Another added: “At the end of Toy Story 4, Woody literally leaves the rest of the toys. And now in Toy Story 5, he’s back with them?”

Some fans expressed frustration that the sequel appears to undo the previous film’s closure.

“If they wanted to make sequels so much, they could have made one in the same world with a different cast,” one user penned, while another said: “Toy Story doesn’t need Woody and Buzz, give us a new story with fresh toys.”

A fifth viewer warned Pixar: “You have ONE shot at making this a 10/10, if not, there’ll be backlash like never before.”

Still, excitement for the franchise remains sky-high. “When do I become too old to watch this?” one fan joked, while another wrote: “Fair play to Pixar for integrating technology into the story, it mirrors today’s world where toys are slowly being forgotten.”

The film’s theme of technology overtaking children’s playtime is timely, as the premise directly mirrors the widespread concern among parents and health professionals about children's increasing attachment to tablets and smartphones.

Erin O'Connor, Professor of Education at New York University, told Newsweek that making a tablet the villain could be a clever way to promote balance.

“It shows that while screens are captivating, too much time with them can crowd out imaginative play and real-life experiences,” she said.

“It personifies a modern problem in a way children can understand, showing the dangers of dependency without shame or blame.”

Dr. Larry D. Rosen, a professor emeritus at California State University, Dominguez Hills, added: "I’ve spent some time interacting with AI and following the news about the impact on children and have some serious concerns.

"Children are already used to their movies and games portraying good versus evil, but rarely as omniscient.

"The 'bad guys' can now be both evil and also smart, and developmentally this may create confusion to young minds."

One fan of the franchise wrote on X that they were glad the story’s villain was a tablet, though others noted the irony that many children will likely watch the film on a similar device.

The pioneering computer-animated series created by Pixar and distributed by Disney, made cinematic history in 1995 as the first feature-length film made entirely with computer-generated imagery.

The film became a global phenomenon, earning critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.

Since then, the series has expanded into shorts, TV specials, a spin-off (Lightyear), and countless pieces of merchandise.