Toy Story has long been regarded as one of the best animated films ever made, with its original release worldwide box office gross exceeding the film’s production budget by 800% (via Box Office Mojo). The Toy Story franchise benefited from Pixar’s focus on sequels in the coming years, with three additional and equally successful Toy Story films being made between 1999 and 2019, and a Toy Story 5 release on the way in 2026. This animated franchise features the voices of Tom Hanks as Woody, the pull-string toy cowboy, and Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, the superhero space ranger action figure.
The popularity of the Toy Story franchise stems from many different factors, including its all-star cast, its status as the first-ever computer animated feature film, and its brilliant use of slapstick, wordplay, and situational humor. Yet the clever Toy Story Easter eggs, however, are perhaps the franchise’s most successful running gag, with each Toy Story film sneaking in clever references to popular movies, ranging from The Lion King to Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo.
10
Jurassic Park
Toys In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear
Jurassic Park (1993) is one of the most well-loved sci-fi films of all time, and its franchise has achieved great success with five additional films released between 1997 and 2022 and another on its way in July 2025. Steven Spielberg’s dinosaur masterpiece heralded groundbreaking advancements in the use of CGI, and the original Toy Story sequel’s reference to this a few years later is perhaps a nod to Toy Story‘s own status as the first computer-animated movie.
|
Film |
Release Year |
Budget |
Domestic Gross (Original Release) |
Worldwide Gross (Original Release) |
IMDB Score |
Rotten Tomatoes “Tomatometer” |
SR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Toy Story |
1995 |
$30,000,000 |
$191,796,233 |
$244,660,876 |
8.3/10 |
100% |
10/10 |
|
Toy Story 2 |
1999 |
$90,000,000 |
$245,852,179 |
$487,059,677 |
7.9/10 |
100% |
10/10 |
|
Toy Story 3 |
2010 |
$200,000,000 |
$415,004,880 |
$1,066,969,703 |
8.3/10 |
98% |
9/10 |
|
Toy Story 4 |
2019 |
$200,000,000 |
$434,038,008 |
$1,073,394,593 |
7.6/10 |
97% |
8/10 |
Toy Story 2 had just the right opportunity to sneak in a Jurassic Park Easter egg given the character of Rex (Wallace Michael Shawn), a green dinosaur. As an epic chase occurs in a toy car, Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles) looks into the rearview mirror to see Rex in hot pursuit. This Toy Story scene is a direct reference to the moment in Jurassic Park when Ellie Sattler and Iam Malcom spot the T-Rex in the Jeep’s mirror, which chillingly reads: “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.”
9
The Shining
Sid’s Overlook Hotel Carpet, Room 237, Mr. Tony The Janitor, & “Here’s Benson!”
The Shining (1980), directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, has been cited as one of the best psychological horror films ever made. As such, it has been referenced heavily in pop culture at large, and the Toy Story franchise is no exception. The original film, Toy Story 3, and Toy Story 4 all make nods to this horror classic, and not just with the infamous “Here’s Johnny!” reference.
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In the 1995 film, the carpet in Sid’s (Erik Von Detten) house is the same as that from The Shining‘s Overlook Hotel. Later, the Toy Story 3 janitor at Sunnyside is named after Danny Torrance’s imaginary friend, Mr. Tony, and the number 237 appears multiple times in reference to Room 237 at the Overlook, where Danny is attacked by an old woman. The Toy Story 4 ventriloquist dummies, the Bensons (Steve Purcell), are also a visual reference to Lloyd the Bartender, and the closing song from The Shining plays as a Benson pushes the pram.
8
The Wizard Of Oz
We Need More (Flying) Monkeys
The 1939 fantasy musical The Wizard of Oz is, unsurprisingly, yet another film referenced by the Toy Story franchise to have a major “first,” to be made in technicolor. The movie famously features the Wicked Witch and her flying monkeys. While they don’t fly like the ones employed by the Wicked Witch of the West, the plastic monkeys act as evil minions throughout the Toy Story franchise, and occasionally as a way for the toys to climb out of windows. Such a scene contains one of the most memorable Toy Story quotes:
Slinky: “We need more monkeys!”
Rex: “There aren’t anymore — that’s the whole barrel!”
— Toy Story (1995)
The barrel of monkeys is seen in the opening of Toy Story 3 in an epic showdown between Woody and the Evil Dr. Porkchop (the alter ego of piggy bank Hamm, voiced by Jon Ratzenberger). Later in the film, Slinky Dog (Jim Varney) and the gang use the chain of linked monkeys to try to rescue Buzz from Andy’s bedroom window, leading to the famous shortage. Also in the original Toy Story, Woody references The Wizard of Oz when he repeatedly says “There’s no place like home,” thinking he has found an escape from Sid’s house.
7
The Exorcist
Woody’s Head Creepily Spins Around
The supernatural horror film The Exorcist was initially met with mixed critical reviews but maintained its status as the highest-grossing horror movie for an impressive 44 years until the release of the Andy Muschietti remake of Stephen King’s It in 2017. Despite the critical response to the film, The Exorcist was followed by several sequel films between 1977 and 2023, as well as a two-season TV series in 2016.
While it may be an unexpected inclusion for a children’s film, The Exorcist does have an easily recognizable Easter egg in Toy Story, which occurs when the toys unite to scare away Sid. As this toy-abusing terror picks up Woody, the cowboy’s head spins in a circle in a direct reference to Regan’s famous The Exorcist head-spinning scene — and, as many have pointed out, potentially unfairly scarring Sid for life.
6
Monsters, Inc.
The Cleaner’s Handful Of Eyeballs & Jessie The Cowgirl Doll
The Pixar animated film Monsters, Inc. (2001), directed by Pete Docter, featured voices by such A-list actors as Billy Crystal and John Goodman. The movie was met with high praise and enjoyed a lucrative box office run. Taking up the torch of advancement in animation after Toy Story, Monsters, Inc. boasted cutting-edge animation for its time. Given the timeline, it is possible that Monsters, Inc. is referencing Toy Story with the following Easter eggs and not the other way around, but it is well-known that Pixar often uses Easter eggs to tease future films.
In a classic montage-style scene in Toy Story 2, an eccentric toy repairman fixes up Woody, bringing him back to mint condition. As the cleaner works out of his tool chest, one of the drawers he rummages through is seen to be full of false eyes. In Monsters, Inc., Scare Floor monster Theodore Paulley is seen taking a handful of identical eyeballs and pressing them into his (previously eye-less) face. Furthermore, “Boo” has a Jessie doll in her room — Andy himself also has a hat identical to Jessie’s in the first Toy Story, before the character’s introduction.
5
Cars 2
Lightning McQueen Shirt & Finn McMissile Poster
Cars 2, a Pixar film also directed by John Lassiter, is one of three films in the Cars franchise. The second film and overall series feature an all-star cast typical of Pixar, including greats like Michael Caine, Suzy Eddie Izzard, John Turturro, Tony Shalhoub, and, of course, Owen Wilson as the film’s main character, the race car Lightning McQueen. The original Cars movie was one of many films in Pixar’s long streak of blockbuster hits released in the early 2000s and contains many Easter eggs in its own right.
Cars 2 is directly referenced in Toy Story 3: the third film sees Andy from the original Toy Story preparing to head off to college, and as Woody surveys the teenager’s bedroom, a poster of the Cars 2 character Finn McMissile can be seen hanging over Andy’s bed. The blue 1965 Fautless GT is a British spy in the sophomore Cars installment. Another reference occurs when a Sunnyside Daycare child can be seen wearing a shirt with Lightning McQueen’s number/logo. Toy Story 3‘s 2010 and Cars 2‘s 2011 release dates mean these are more Easter eggs teasing upcoming Pixar productions.
4
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
The Iconic Boulder Scene
The 1981 Spielberg classic Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark kicked off another one of the most successful action franchises of all time, spanning 42 years and four sequel films. Raiders of the Lost Ark also won an impressive five Academy Awards and was the highest-grossing movie of 1981 at a cool domestic gross of $212 million — nearly as much as Toy Story 14 years later.
Shortly before Buzz Lightyear battles Emperor Zurg (Andrew Stanton) in the opening of Toy Story 2, there is a visual allusion to the boulder scene from the opening of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Buzz flees frantically down the hallway as metal spikes hurtle towards him. This is the second Indiana Jones boulder scene reference to be made in the Toy Story franchise, with the first involving a falling book toppling a world globe that rolls perilously after Buzz in the first installment.
3
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Famous Hallway Shot & Richard Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra”
2001: A Space Odyssey was released in 1968 by director Stanley Kubrick. The epic sci-fi was lauded for its groundbreaking visual and special effects, as well as its exploration of classic sci-fi themes like artificial intelligence, extraterrestrial life, and the advancement of the human race. The movie’s legendary status means that almost any new property with sci-fi elements references it at some point, and the lore surrounding Buzz Lightyear the space ranger is no exception.
Toy Story 2 references 2001: A Space Odyssey via the imagery of the stark hexagonal corridor through which Buzz flees the metal spikes. When he emerges from the corridor, he must leap from one hovering platform to the next to make his way to his confrontation with the Evil Emperor Zurg. This is one of the most brilliant musical moments in the Toy Story franchise: as Buzz lands on each of the hovering platforms, the opening notes of Richard Strauss’ “Also sprach Zarathustra” are picked out, the famous theme music for 2001: A Space Odyssey.
2
Forrest Gump
“I May Not Be A Smart Man”
The Robert Zemeckis film Forrest Gump was released in 1994 to great critical acclaim, winning six Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Tom Hanks, and generally rising to become one of the best motion pictures of all time. As Tom Hanks also stars in all the Toy Story films, their Forrest Gump Easter eggs are all the more meta and expected. First, Toy Story 2 briefly references the opening scenes of Forrest Gump with the falling of a feather, as Buzz chases after a car to rescue Woody.
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Later, though it is a brief and subtle reference, the film also riffs off on a touching Forrest Gump quote as the main Toy Story characters prepare to cross a busy street. In this scene, Slinky Dog protests Buzz’s proposed plan, turning to him to say: “I’m not a smart dog, but I know what roadkill is.” This is a variation of Forrest’s heartbreaking confrontation with Jenny, in which he says: “I’m not a smart man, but I know what love is.“
1
Star Wars
Buzz Lightyear In Carbonite, “I Am Your Father,” & Other Star Wars Quotes & Imagery
The legendary George Lucas film Star Wars: A New Hope was released in 1977, leading to many references, influences, and Easter eggs throughout pop culture. Of the many Easter eggs within the Toy Story franchise, Star Wars is easily the most heavily referenced, as it becomes clear that the Buzz Lightyear-Zurg-space ranger canon is something of a spoof on Star Wars in this world. For example, in the first movie, Buzz reveals that he believes he is carrying vital information to combat a weapon that can destroy entire planets.
3:01
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More notably, one of Buzz Lightyear’s best scenes quotes The Empire Strikes Back when Zurg says: “I am your father.” In Toy Story, Sid also asks Woody, “Where are your rebel friends now?“, stealing Grand Moff Tarkin’s line from A New Hope. While these Star Wars Easter eggs may be common knowledge, one in particular is especially ironic. When Buzz battles Emperor Zurg in the opening of Toy Story 2, Zurg’s energy gun blasts the space ranger in half, mimicking the injury Darth Maul sustains in The Phantom Menace, which came out the same year as the Toy Story sequel.
Source: boxofficemojo.com, the-numbers.com
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Pixar’s first feature film release sees Woody (Tom Hanks), a cowboy doll, confronted by the nightmare of being replaced as his owner Andy’s favorite toy jeopardized when his parents buy him a Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) action figure. Stricken by anxiety, Woody hatches a plan to remain the favorite, kicking off a race against time for the toys to be reunited with their owner before his house move makes them permanently Lost Toys.
- Release Date
-
November 22, 1995
- Runtime
-
81 minutes
- Director
-
John Lasseter
- Writers
-
Joss Whedon
, Alec Sokolow
, Joel Cohen
, Andrew Stanton
-
The sequel to Pixar’s critically-acclaimed Toy Story, Toy Story 2 picks up the story of Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) when the cowboy doll is stolen by a toy collector. Learning that he’s actually a rare collectible, Woody considers joining the collection along with cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack) and Stinky Pete the Prospector (Kelsey Grammer) until his friends mount a daring rescue mission.
- Release Date
-
November 24, 1999
- Runtime
-
92 minutes
- Director
-
Lee Unkrich
, Ash Brannon
, John Lasseter - Writers
-
Rita Hsiao
, Andrew Stanton
, Chris Webb
, Doug Chamberlin
-
The third installment in the Toy Story franchise, Toy Story 3, continues the story of Woody and Buzz as they come to terms with the inevitable. With their owner, Andy, growing older and no longer playing with his toys, Woody, Buzz, and co. are given a new lease on life when they end up in a local daycare center. However, things there aren’t as they seem, and the toys must work together to find their way home.
- Release Date
-
June 18, 2010
- Runtime
-
103 minutes
- Cast
-
Jodi Benson
, Ned Beatty
, Tim Allen
, Tom Hanks
, Joan Cusack - Director
-
Lee Unkrich
- Writers
-
Michael Arndt
-
Josh Cooley directed the fourth installment in the Toy Story series and the direct sequel to 2010’s Toy Story 3. Once again starring the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Annie Potts, 2019’s Toy Story 4 sees Woody struggling to adapt to his new life as one of Bonnie’s toys, as Andy heads off to college.
- Release Date
-
June 21, 2019
- Runtime
-
100 Minutes
- Cast
-
Patricia Arquette
, Tim Allen
, Kristen Schaal
, Estelle Harris
, Jodi Benson
, Tony Hale
, Blake Clark
, Jeff Pidgeon
, Joan Cusack
, Laurie Metcalf
, Tom Hanks
, Annie Potts
, Jeff Garlin
, Bonnie Hunt
, Wallace Shawn - Director
-
Josh Cooley
- Writers
-
Stephany Folsom
, Andrew Stanton
