Should you stay for Toy Story 5’s credits? Ending explained and what it sets up

If you were one of the people side-eyeing the very idea of Toy Story 5—wondering whether Pixar could possibly wring more juice out of a series that already wrapped up twice—you might want to put those doubts on ice. The film is out, and somehow, against all expectations, it’s gone down a treat with both critics and fans. Granted, it’s technically the 'worst reviewed' Toy Story (context: it’s got a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is still better than A Bug's Life or even Inside Out 2), so the decline is very much a first-class problem. Apparently, you can’t keep a good toy down.

Pixar Loves a Good Credit Sequence

Pixar’s always been up for having a laugh with their credits, years before Marvel made hanging around until the ushers chase you out the norm. Remember those animated outtakes? Those only lasted for three films back in the day, but they’ve never stopped using the credits to tack on epilogues or in-jokes—whether it’s extra scenes in Inside Out or a spot of fun in Luca. Toy Story 5 keeps up the tradition, and if you bounce from your seat before the lights come up, you’re missing extra stories, daft gags, and a couple of mid/post-credit bonuses.

The Epilogue: Still Frames, Not Full Scenes

Instead of the usual glossy CGI, the credits play out with hand-drawn still frames—think sketches on postcards—with a Taylor Swift original, 'I Knew It, I Knew You', plonking along in the background. The vibe is similar to Up’s end sequence, with little flashes of life after the final scene:

• Bonnie and Blaze, best mates through thick and thin, now with the bonus of their parents getting pally as well.
• Bo-Peep, ever resourceful, fixes Woody’s bald patch with a brown marker. Not subtle, but it does the job.

Unlike the last two films, which practically screamed 'curtain call' on these characters, Toy Story 5 leaves things wide open. It’s more 'stick around, we might do this again' than 'emotional farewell'. They could end it here, or keep popping back in whenever Pixar fancies it. If you’re wondering about Toy Story 6, no one’s announced it yet—and given the gaps between films, we’d be lucky to see it before 2033. There’s your early warning.

Mid-Credits: Buzz Lightyears vs. Zurg, Rebooted

Now, for those happy to sit through the animated title cards, there’s a proper update on the Buzz Lightyear action figures. These are the lot who spent the film thinking they were actual space rangers—yep, that old chestnut. The batch of Buzzes finally arrive at some random playground, swoop down in full drone mode, and get adopted by kids (plus a grown-up who’s probably a head teacher). Nice enough.

But their chest panels all light up ominous red, and—cue villain reveal—a shiny, souped-up Emperor Zurg toy gets whipped out of a backpack. This is the big return for Zurg proper, who hasn’t shown his face in the mainline films since a brief gag in Toy Story 3...back in 2010. Not counting the variant from that so-so Lightyear spin-off, Zurg’s basically been off the radar for 16 years.

This all calls back to the classic Toy Story 2: the confused Buzzes, the father reveal ('Zurg is your father!'), and the inevitable group scream—Pixar loves giving their own history a nod. The takeaway: the Buzz army's found new meaning, but there’s always some mini-drama round the corner. Classic Stuff.

Post-Credits: Toys, Tech, and a Lot of Silly

The film isn’t done with you yet, though. As the last credits roll, a stack of background favourites—Lilypad, Rex, Trixie, Mrs. Potato Head, Forky, Mr. Pricklepants, and Dolly—stroll across the screen for one last giddy musical number. They belt out a version of Lilypad’s rap from earlier, which was basically her pitch to impress Jessie (easily the weirdest subplot, if you ask me). They’re soon joined by Pizza with Sunglasses (yes, voiced by Bad Bunny), and Mr. Potato Head wraps it all up by yanking his own ear off and diving straight downwards as the credits cut out.

Bit silly? Absolutely. But it actually gives something back to the toys who didn’t get a look in during the main action, and, more importantly, wraps up the film’s point: Lilypad’s properly one of the gang now, and the whole 'toys meet tech' thing is no longer science fiction for these lot.