Taylor Swift releases new song for ‘Toy Story 5’ and declares: ‘It’s my favorite film in the franchise’

A promotional video was made available with excerpts from Disney and Pixar’s latest feature film, “Toy Story 5”, which is scheduled to premiere on July 3, featuring the song “I Knew It, I Knew You”, written especially for the production by Taylor Swift. The artist, who is a longtime fan of the saga, expressed a deep appreciation for the film.

Toy Story 5 grosses break global box office records

The film opened in the United States on June 19, reaching an impressive gross of approximately US$160 million (equivalent to approximately 25.76 billion yen, considering the current exchange rate of 1 dollar = 161 yen) in its first three days in theaters. Its arrival in theaters was not just limited to the USA, but extended to the United Kingdom, Spain, Mexico, South Korea, China and other markets, achieving the highest-grossing debut in the history of the “Toy Story” series. In its second week, worldwide grosses already exceeded US$585 million (approximately 94.185 billion yen as of June 30, according to Box Office Mojo), indicating a potential to surpass the global totals of “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2”. This early financial success underscores the franchise’s enduring appeal, even in the face of an increasingly digitized entertainment landscape.

The never-before-seen scenes show Bonnie, who continues to love her toys like Jessie, Buzz and Forky. However, she notices that other children are engrossed in tablets and finds it difficult to connect and make new friends. At one point, Bonnie’s parents, concerned about her isolation, gift her a modern tablet, the LilyPad.

At first, Bonnie surrenders to the digital universe, just like the other young people, but gradually her smile disappears. Jessie, observing her friend’s change, returns in search of help, which causes the reunion of Woody, Buzz and other iconic toys from the saga. The narrative becomes exciting when Buzz questions the function of toys with the line: “Our mission on this planet is to make children happy.”

Deepening into Jessie’s story and role in the new chapter

As director Andrew Stanton revealed, the initial decision was to center the narrative on Jessie, and her past, already explored in “Toy Story 2”, becomes a crucial point for the plot. Jessie, once Emily’s favorite toy, faced abandonment when Emily grew older and stopped playing with her, a painful memory that led to her being given away.

Having experienced the joy of being loved, Jessie now fears being left out again, but the film promises a definitive answer about the bond between a child and their toy. Jessie’s story, with its attachment conflict and fear of replacement, resonates deeply with the transition from childhood into the digital age.

Taylor Swift’s inspiration and emotional connection to the franchise

Taylor Swift, who gave voice to the song “I Knew It, I Knew You”, is a self-confessed admirer of the “Toy Story” series, having followed the films since childhood. Recently, during the world premiere, she was photographed on a red carpet, happy to get autographs from voice actors like Tom Hanks and Tim Allen on her old “Toy Story” VHS tape.

After watching the latest production, “Toy Story 5”, Taylor told the American press: “I was completely captivated. It’s my favorite film in the ‘Toy Story’ franchise”, visibly moved. She shared that she wrote the song the same day she got access to the initial version of the film, explaining, “Jessie’s story, which had never been fully told, is finally revealed, and she has a particular ‘discovery.’ After seeing this, I knew exactly the kind of song I wanted to write for Jessie.”

The singer added a reflection on the inspiration behind the lyrics: “In life, we have many memories of meeting friends and people with whom we have built irreplaceable bonds, but sometimes we go our separate ways… Still, occasionally, when you meet someone again and think ‘It’s been so long’, you realize that no matter how much time passes, that person hasn’t changed, and is still the same person we were when we shared memories. I wanted to value and express that feeling in this song.”

In the contemporary scenario, where smartphones and tablets are ubiquitous, the film invites us to reflect on the true role that toys can still play in children’s lives. It remains to be seen whether Woody, Buzz and Jessie will be able to restore Bonnie’s joy, revealing a new perspective for the long-lasting series.