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Credit: Inside the Magic
Pixar made headlines earlier today at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival with a major announcement, with Toy Story fans buzzing. During a presentation by Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter, the studio confirmed that Toy Story 5 will feature a new character: a sleek, interactive tablet, LilyPad.
But LilyPad isn’t just another toy; she’s Bonnie’s new favorite, and more importantly, the film’s main antagonist.
LilyPad: A Villain for the Digital Age
LilyPad is a high-tech tablet with endless entertainment at her digital fingertips, games, videos, learning apps, and more. Unlike the handmade toys Bonnie once cherished, LilyPad offers instant engagement with no need for imagination, friends, or storytelling. It’s a toy that doesn’t require other toys at all.
This sets up the film’s central conflict: the classic toys, led by Woody and Buzz Lightyear, are cast aside as Bonnie becomes increasingly absorbed in screen time. What begins as jealousy and confusion among the toys soon reveals a larger concern: Bonnie is growing more distant, less creative, and isolated.
Pixar is using this new character to tap into a very real modern challenge: the effects of excessive screen time on children’s development and relationships. With LilyPad positioned as the villain, the film will likely explore how even the most well-intentioned technology can become harmful when it replaces real-world interaction, imagination, and emotional connection.
Redemption on the Horizon?
While LilyPad will be the main antagonist in Toy Story 5, Pixar’s storytelling tradition often embraces emotional complexity and unexpected character growth. It’s easy to imagine a scenario where LilyPad’s arc evolves beyond simple villainy.
The character’s obsession with attention and screen-based interaction could ultimately set the stage for a deeper message: one about the need for balance between technology and real-world connection. Could LilyPad learn to interact with Bonnie and the other toys more healthily? Might she understand that technology and imagination don’t have to be at odds?
After all, technology is a reality we can’t escape from. It plays a growing role in children’s learning, communication, and play. It can enhance creativity, foster connection, and support development when used correctly. The challenge, and potential lesson, is learning how to use it thoughtfully, without letting it overshadow the value of personal interaction and hands-on imagination.
If Toy Story 5 follows this path, it may not only deliver another entertaining adventure, but it could also offer a timely and meaningful reflection on how we live, learn, and play in a digital world. In the hands of Pixar’s storytellers, even a tablet can become a symbol of empathy, growth, and balance.
A Look at Pixar’s Expanding Future
In addition to Toy Story 5, Pete Docter announced a brand-new Pixar original titled Gatto, set to premiere in summer 2027. Few details were shared, but early concept art teased a visually rich world and an all-new cast of characters.
The packed presentation left audiences at Annecy thrilled and reminded fans everywhere that Pixar continues to evolve, challenge, and tell stories that resonate far beyond the screen.