We’ve seen countless versions of Woody and Buzz Lightyear in the years since Toy Story first hit the big screen in 1995 – I remember having a rag doll like Woody and a plastic Buzz growing up. Apart from a few voice lines and some lights on the Space Ranger’s suit, it was all left to my imagination.
Now, however, it is 2026, and toys have come a long way. And Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the whole crew from Toy Story getting ready to hit the big screen with movie number five — Toy Story 5 – and will welcome a new friend, foe, or some sort of mix of both: tech.
This time around, similar to the leaps and bounds we’ve seen from animatronics of fan-favorite characters from animated films at Disney Parks, Mattel and Disney have created a wide variety of toys, including two that stand out above the rest.
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Ultimate Action Woody and Buzz each boast 70+ sentences and have two modes — Alive or Toy —, with plenty of tech under the hood, including a chip that controls the experience and, more importantly, an accelerometer and IR sensor. Push all that aside though. What Mattel has done is create a Woody and Buzz that will interact and react as you play with them.
Whether you’re dancing around in a circle with Woody – a move taught to you by Andy or Bonnie – or flying Buzz through an asteroid field in your room, each character will respond with classic lines. In an early demo at Mattel’s headquarters in El Segundo, California, I saw how both characters reacted to these moments of play.
But what has really impressed me is how they can interact with each other. It’s as if Woody jumped out of the screen, and as he strolls through the room, he spots Buzz and strikes up a conversation.
Much like a Lego Smart brick—part of the brick-building brand’s Smart Play system—Mattel’s approach here isn’t to throw another screen or app-connected experience in front of your kids or you (hey, toys are for adults, too). It’s very much about being a cherry-on-the-top additive experience, one that still lets your imagination run wild and ultimately uses technology to achieve something that executives at Disney and Mattel had wondered about. “Can we do it?” said Tracy Thurman, VP of Product Design for Hardlines at Disney.
With more than 70 sentences for each, it also doesn’t use AI to create reactions on the fly – something that stays within the theme of these jumping off the screen, but also in that voice actors from the film – yes, Jim Hanks for Woody instead of Tom Hanks – actually recorded voice lines for the toy. Both toys stand 16 inches tall and can stand alone.
What is a voice without a face
Now, we’ve seen toy faces move before, but it really feels like Mattel trickled down the best animatronics from a Disney Park into a toy. And it’s all controlled by a single motor, which the design team shared helps ensure operation and keeps costs down.
With Buzz and Woody, you’ll discover that their heads can articulate, their mouths will move, and their eyes will open and close. From a programming and design perspective, designers Kristen Sanzari and Baxter Crane shared that a lot of time was spent making sure the eyes open and close the right amount depending on the phrase, and most importantly, that the mouth opens at the right time and in sync with how a character might speak.
It all comes together for an interactive experience that looks and sounds really good in game. The team also worked hard to prototype how the two characters interact with each other while leaving room for potential future launches.
Although it’s Ultimate Action Buzz and Ultimate Action Woody so far, both know what to do if an Ultimate Action Jessie approaches one of them. It’s a smart toy! And it gives hope that Mattel will continue with this line of toys.
I remember watching Walking, Talking Buzz many years back; it was really neat, but also focused on two aspects of the character. Basically adding more movement and the ability to walk on your own, mixed with the classic phrases we want the Space Ranger to have. Here, however, it is really about creating a level for the play and letting the toy come to life a little. I also promise it’s a lot less creepy than a Furby.
As well as the facial articulation here, you’ll also find with Buzz that arms can move and wings can pop out – after all, he needs to fly (in style). You can press the button on his right arm (scene left) to trigger the laser with two sounds and open his comms panel on the other side. When you play with these, he will respond with his voice. It’s really well thought out and will encourage play I think.
I also got a sneak peek into the design process – and Mattel has been working on Ultimate Action Buzz and Woody for over three years, initially being asked to save it for the 30th anniversary and ultimately for release around Toy Story 5. It also shows the pipeline for a toy – starting with sketches (lots of these), then quick 3D models to see how it all fits together, and the ability to test things like articulation. At this stage, it might not be the right color, but the toy designers are also focused on making sure they use the right color palette to match the characters and the right materials.
With Woody, it’s a return to ragdoll form, but he’s also malleable in that this sheriff can stand on his own. Both feel quite high-end, and Mattel uses a unique mix of materials; both faces are a bit softer plastic than the rest of the body.
At $79.99 each, Ultimate Action Woody and Ultimate Action Buzz are definitely in the top tier of Toy Story number. But for that price, you get a very accurate toy that measures the same height as the one Andy got way back when he was a kid, and they’re packed with elements that are ready to surprise and delight you to infinity and beyond. And after all, isn’t that what toys are supposed to do?
Now, Mattel and others have probably made Toy Story figures – including Buzz and Woody – with interactive elements before. Look at the Toy Story Collection where Buzz made flying sounds and even landing sounds. However, Mattel’s level is impressive, with the large number of potential sentences, better sensors to detect when they are near each other and, perhaps most impressively, the facial movements powered by one engine.
I also got to spend some time with the rest of the Mattels Toy Story 5 lineup, so check back for more pieces from an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the place where the 80+ year-old toy giant creates these enchanting toys.
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