We’ve seen countless versions of Woody and Buzz Lightyear in the years since toy story It first came to the big screen in 1995. I remember having a ragdoll like Woody and a plastic Buzz growing up. Aside from a few voice lines and some lights on the Space Ranger suit, it was all left to my imagination.
However, we are now in 2026 and toys have come a long way. And Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the whole team toy story They are preparing to hit the big screen with movie number five: toy story 5 – and you will face a new friend, enemy or some kind of mix of both: technology.
This time around, similar to the leaps and bounds we’ve seen in the animatronics of fan-favorite animated movie characters at Disney Parks, Mattel and Disney have created a slew of toys, including two that stand head and shoulders above the rest.
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Ultimate Action Woody and Buzz each have more than 70 phrases and have two modes: Alive either Toy –, with a lot of technology under the hood, including a chip that controls the experience and, more importantly, an accelerometer and an infrared sensor. But leave all that aside. What Mattel has done is create Woody and Buzz that will interact and react as you play with them.
Whether dancing 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 of the figures will react with classic lines. In an early demo at Mattel’s headquarters in El Segundo, California, I saw how both characters reacted to these gameplay moments.
But what really impressed me is how they can interact with each other. It’s as if Woody jumped off the screen and, while pacing around the room, saw Buzz and struck up a conversation.
Like a Lego Smart Brick, part of the brick-building brand’s Smart Play system, Mattel’s focus 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 top-notch additive experience, one that still lets the imagination flourish and ultimately uses technology to achieve something that Disney and Mattel executives have been wondering about. “Can we do that?” said Tracy Thurman, vice president of product design for Hardlines at Disney.
With over 70 phrases for each, it also doesn’t use AI to create responses on the fly, something that stays within the theme of like they’re jumping off the screen, but also in the sense that the movie’s voice actors (well, Jim Hanks for Woody instead of Tom Hanks) actually recorded voice lines for the toys. Both toys are 16 inches tall and can stand on their own.
What is a faceless voice?
Now, we’ve seen toy faces move before, but it really feels like Mattel turned those best Disney park animatronics into a toy. And it’s all controlled by a single motor, which the design team shared helps ensure operability and keeps costs down.
With Buzz and Woody, you’ll discover that their heads can articulate, their mouths move, and their eyes open and close. From a programming and design perspective, designers Kristen Sanzari and Baxter Crane shared that a lot of time was spent ensuring that the eyes opened and closed enough depending on the phrase and, most importantly, that the mouth opened at the right time and in unison with how a character might speak.
It all comes together to deliver 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, leaving room for possible future releases.
While they are Ultimate Action Buzz and Ultimate Action Woody for now, they both know what to do if Ultimate Action Jessie approaches either of them. It’s a smart toy! And it gives hope that Mattel will continue with this toy line.
I remember watching Walking, Talking Buzz many years ago; It was really cool, but it also focused on two aspects of the character. Essentially adding more movement and the ability to walk on his own, mixed with the classic phrases we’d like the Space Ranger to have. Here, however, it’s really about raising the level of play and letting the toys come to life a little. I also promise it’s a lot less creepy than a Furby.
Beyond the face articulation here, you’ll also find with Buzz that the arms can move and the wings can pop out; after all, it needs to fly (with style). You can press the button on his right arm (stage left) to activate the laser with two sounds and open his communication panel on the other side. As you play with these, he will react with his voice. It’s very well thought out and I think it will encourage play.
I also got a look at the design process, and Mattel has been working on Ultimate Action Buzz and Woody for over three years; I was originally asked to save it for the 30th anniversary and ultimately for release around toy story 5. It also shows the development of a toy, starting with sketches (lots of these), then quick 3D models to see how it all comes together, and the ability to test things like articulation. At this stage it may not be the right color, but toy designers are also focused on ensuring they use the right color palette to match the right characters and materials.
With Woody, it’s a return to ragdoll form, but he’s also malleable in the sense that this sheriff can stand on his own. They both feel quite luxurious and Mattel uses a unique combination of materials; Both sides are made of plastic that is a little softer than the rest of the body.
At $79.99 each, Ultimate Action Woody and Ultimate Action Buzz are certainly in the upper echelon of toy story figures. But for that price, you get a very accurate toy that measures a similar height to what Andy was as a child, and is packed with elements 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 already created Toy Story figures, including Buzz and Woody, with interactive elements. Check out the Toy Story collection, where Buzz made flying and even landing sounds. Mattel’s level is impressive, though, with the sheer number of potential phrases, better sensors to detect when they’re close to each other, and, perhaps most impressive, motor-driven facial movements.
I also got to spend some time with the rest of Mattel. toy story 5 programming, so check back for more clips from an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of where the 80-plus-year-old toy giant creates these delightful toys.
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