Disney+’s Dark Toy Story Predecessor Is Still One Of The Best Animated Movies Of All Time

While the world of Toy Story prepares to continue its expansion with Toy Story 5, the franchise’s dark predecessor is trending on Disney+, and it’s still one of the best animated movies of all time. In 1995, Toy Story arrived to change the world of animation and make Pixar one of the most important animation studios. Toy Story was the first entirely computer-animated feature film, and it was a huge success with critics and general audiences.

Toy Story was the beginning of Pixar’s unbelievable run in the field of animation, which continues to this day, and it went on to become the studio’s biggest and most representative franchise. After what was supposed to be the final Toy Story movie in 2019, the franchise is coming back on June 19, 2026, with Toy Story 5. As the release date fast approaches, Toy Story’s dark predecessor is gaining attention on Disney+: The Brave Little Toaster.

Directed by Jerry Rees and based on Thomas M. Disch’s 1980 novella of the same name, The Brave Little Toaster is an animated musical fantasy movie released in 1987. The Brave Little Toaster was a critical success and has now become a cult classic, and despite being a predecessor to Toy Story in its own way, it stands out for its complexity and darkness, which make it one of the best animated movies of all time.

The Brave Little Toaster Is One Of The Best & Darkest Children’s Movies Ever

The Brave Little Toaster follows five anthropomorphic domestic appliances: Toaster, Radio, Lampy (a desk lamp), Blanky, and Kirby (a vacuum cleaner), who live in a small wooden cabin. The group is waiting for the return of Rob, the boy who used to vacation in the cabin with his family, and who hasn’t visited in years. When the cabin is about to be sold, Toaster and the rest decide to go find Rob. Of course, whenever humans are present, Toaster and company pretend to be lifeless, just like Woody and the toys do.

Toy Story director John Lasseter originally wanted The Brave Little Toaster to be a computer-animated movie, but the idea was turned down, and Lasseter was fired.

The Brave Little Toaster is a fun blend of adventure, fantasy, and unique characters, but it also has some darkness that has contributed to its cult classic status. Despite being a children’s movie, and it certainly works as such thanks to its whimsical elements, it’s also a deep, complex, and dark movie. The Brave Little Toaster addresses topics like abandonment, grief, death, fear of being replaced, and more, and each main character has a personal struggle that gives a twist to their functionality (like Blanky, a security blanket, being insecure).

The Brave Little Toaster brings together elements that appeal to children as well as themes that will connect with mature audiences, making it a perfect movie for viewers of all ages. The Brave Little Toaster spawned a franchise, but none of the subsequent movies could match the success and impact of the first movie.

The Brave Little Toaster Franchise Couldn’t Match Toy Story’s Success

The Brave Little Toaster was followed by two sequels: The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue in 1997 and The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars the following year. The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue was a new story, while the following movie was based on the sequel to Disch’s novella, but unfortunately, neither could match the first movie’s quality and success.

Both were direct-to-video releases, and though a fourth movie was teased in 2006 and later in 2010, it still hasn’t been produced. The Brave Little Toaster failed to launch a successful franchise, and in that regard, Toy Story greatly succeeded. Although Toy Story does have some movies weaker than the rest, it’s not a franchise that anyone can say has a bad movie. Pixar has known how to keep the Toy Story franchise fresh, exciting, and relevant, and it might not be nearing its end just yet.

Still, the failure of the sequels to The Brave Little Toaster doesn’t make the original movie any less great and impactful, nor does it change its legacy as one of the best animated movies of all time. The Brave Little Toaster remains a cult classic, and the return of Toy Story has proven to be a great excuse to revisit it.