All Pixar movies in release order — your complete guide

When Toy Story showed up in 1995, everyone was impressed by shiny toys. Ever since then, Pixar has been running the show. Nearly three decades later, they’ve churned out 29 movies, and their trophy shelf includes 23 Oscars, 10 Golden Globes, and 11 Grammys.

Scroll through their movies, and it’s wild how far they’ve come. You start with stuff like A Bug’s Life and Monsters, Inc., which are total candy-colored chaos and jokes flying everywhere. Then, WALL-E drops, and you’re sitting there questioning your life choices because a trash robot is trying to save humanity. Or Inside Out, where your emotions have emotions.

Pixar didn’t just make movies; they rewired the system. No one else can yank your heartstrings and then have you snort-laughing in the same scene. And props to them for not playing it safe. They’ll hit you with Toy Story 4 but then turn around and drop something like Coco or Soul. It’s like their sixth sense for knowing when to give you comfort food and when to serve up something you’ve never tasted before.

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Pixar films by release order: A detailed list

Here is the Pixar lineup, just like they dropped in theaters.

Toy Story (1995): The first full-length feature film released by Pixar Animation Studios is set in a world where toys are alive, but not in a creepy horror movie way. Woody, this old-school cowboy doll, gets his spot as top toy threatened by Buzz Lightyear, who thinks he’s the main character. There is jealousy, chaos, and a ton of heart, and eventually, Woody and Buzz have to team up and survive a rescue. This movie didn’t just shake up animation; it changed the whole game with new CGI and gave everyone feelings about plastic toys.

A Bug’s Life (1998): Flik, an inventive and somewhat clumsy ant, gets the bright idea to save his colony from some way-too-intense grasshoppers. Only, he hires circus bugs instead of actual warriors. It’s a mess, but somehow those goofy bugs and the ants pull it together, put on some courage, and take on the bad guys. This Pixar flick is all about underdogs, clever ideas, and sticking together even when things look ridiculous.

Toy Story 2 (1999): Woody gets snatched by a toy collector who is obsessed with building his own toy museum empire. Buzz and the rest of the gang scramble to rescue him. While Woody is stuck, he meets Jessie and Bullseye. Now, he has got a choice to make: live the posh, untouched life behind glass or roll the dice and go back to Andy, who may or may not even want him anymore. And for a sequel, it hits way harder than you’d expect. Pixar goes for the jugular with “Where Do I Belong” energy and the absolute gut-punch of being forgotten.

Monsters, Inc. (2001): Imagine a city where monsters use kids’ screams for electricity. Sulley (giant blue fluffball) and Mike (walking eyeball) get their world flipped when a human kid, Boo, shows up. Turns out, laughter is way more powerful than screaming. These two change their whole society by protecting Boo and not being bad guys. Pixar teaches us to face our fears, make friends, and realize that maybe scaring kids for energy is not great.

Finding Nemo (2003): Marlin is the king of helicopter parents. Then Nemo gets nabbed by a diver, and Marlin has to swim halfway across the planet. He links up with Dory, who couldn’t remember breakfast if you paid her, and they end up dodging sharks, surfing with sea turtles, and bumping into all kinds of ocean critters. You’ll laugh, you’ll probably ugly cry, and by the end, you’ll realize it’s all about learning to trust your kid, and maybe admit that the world is equal parts nightmare fuel and total magic.

The Incredibles (2004): This Pixar film features the Parr family trying to chill and blend in after their powers are banned. However, Mr. Incredible can’t resist the hero life. There is family drama, crazy villains, and a lot of spandex. The movie has jokes, big action, and a solid look at what it means to be a family of weirdos in a world that just wants you to be “normal.”

Cars (2006): Lightning McQueen accidentally ends up in Radiator Springs, a dusty town off Route 66. At first, he is all about the fame and the finish line, but these quirky townsfolk teach him there is more to life than trophies and sponsors. The Pixar movie has old-school Americana vibes and a big old heart under the hood.

Ratatouille (2007): A rat who wants to be a chef in Paris may sound crazy, but Remy has taste and big dreams. He teams up with Linguini, a kitchen newbie, and together they start making magic in the kitchen, even if everyone else is losing their minds about a rodent in the restaurant. It’s a love letter from Pixar to food, chasing your passion, and not letting anyone tell you what you can or can’t do.

WALL-E (2008): Earth is trashed, humans bailed, and WALL-E is the last robot left cleaning up the mess. He is lonely, curious, and somehow adorable. Then Eve shows up with a mission, and there’s hope for humanity. It’s a love story but also a profound commentary by Pixar on environmentalism and consumerism.

Up (2009): Carl is a grumpy old man who ties a zillion balloons to his house to finally go on the adventure he promised his late wife. The problem is, a hyperactive kid named Russell ends up along for the ride. There is a giant bird, a talking dog, and a journey that’s hilarious and heartbreakingly sweet. It’s about grief, letting go, and finding new reasons to live.

Toy Story 3 (2010): Andy has grown up, and the toys are headed for the attic, but they end up at a daycare that’s a toy gulag. Woody has to get everyone out before they’re chewed up by toddlers or worse. It’s seriously emotional, like grown men openly weeping in theaters emotional. The film is about growing up, saying goodbye, and being there for your friends even when everything changes.

Cars 2 (2011): Lightning McQueen goes global with some fancy international races, but suddenly Mater, the tow truck, gets involved in espionage against a sinister plot. There are gadgets, explosions, and not much character depth. It’s fun if you’re into action and car chases, but don’t expect the same feelings as the first one.

Brave (2012): Medieval Scotland, flaming red hair, archery skills for days. Merida is not about that arranged marriage life. So, she makes a wish that turns her mom into a bear. Now she has to fix her mistake and figure out what bravery and family really mean. It has magic, wild landscapes, and plenty of heart.

Monsters University (2013): Prequel time! Mike and Sulley start as total frenemies at college, both dreaming of becoming top Scarers. The movie is pretty much Animal House, but with monsters. Eventually, they realize teamwork beats rivalry, and friendship is what counts. Also, college is weird; monsters are weirder.

Inside Out (2015): Imagine being 11 and your brain throws in Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust to see who comes out on top. That’s Riley’s life after moving to a new city. The movie dives deep into why we need to feel all the feels, especially the messy ones. Turns out, being sad kind of helps you heal and grow up.

The Good Dinosaur (2015): In this Pixar film, dinosaurs never went extinct, and one of them, Arlo, a giant green scaredy-cat, ends up hanging with a human kid named Spot. They stumble through a bunch of adventures, face their fears, and figure out what family and guts are all about.

Finding Dory (2016): Dory is back, and she still can’t remember anything. But she is on a mission to track down her long-lost family. Along the way, the movie hits some real stuff: memory, who you are, not giving up, and why your weird friends are lifesavers.

Cars 3 (2017): Lightning McQueen ain’t the shiny new thing anymore in Pixar. There are many hotshot rookies on the track, and he is trying to keep up. With help from Cruz, a tech-savvy newbie, he learns maybe it’s not about being the fastest, it’s about passing the torch and finding a new groove.

Coco (2017): Miguel is obsessed with music, but his family’s ban on music drives him to the Land of the Dead. He uncovers family secrets, jams with skeletons, and figures out why remembering your roots, literally, matters. Plus, the Pixar movie is just dripping with Mexican culture and color.

Incredibles 2 (2018): It picks up right where the first one left off. Elastigirl gets the superhero spotlight while Mr. Incredible is stuck at home trying to survive math homework and baby chaos. It’s got big stuff about gender roles, working together as a fam, and how society sees people who are different.

Toy Story 4 (2019): Woody meets Forky, a spork with serious existential issues. They’re off on a road trip with the regular gang, but Woody is kind of having a midlife crisis. This one from Pixar is about figuring out who you are, when to let go, and what it means to belong.

Onward (2020): Two elf bros, Ian and Barley, go on a magic-filled road trip to bring their dad back for one last day. They screw up, fight monsters, and find out family is more than just magic spells. The whole thing is set in suburbia, but with unicorns in the trash.

Soul (2020): Joe Gardner, a jazz nerd and middle-school band teacher, has a near-death mishap and ends up in a soul world. He learns maybe life is about savoring pizza and sunlight, not just chasing big dreams.

Luca (2021): So, Luca is this adorable little sea monster who turns into a regular kid whenever he hits dry land. He and his bestie, Alberto, spend the summer in Italy stuffing their faces with pasta and constantly trying not to get caught by the super-suspicious locals. It is a classic Pixar, big on the “just be yourself” message, but sometimes you have to hide who you are so people don’t freak out.

Turning Red (2022): Mei Lee is crushing it as a confident teen until she gets too excited or stressed and morphs into a massive, fluffy red panda. It’s a hilarious (and accurate) take on puberty, awkward family drama, and trying to survive a mom who is a little too up in her business.

Lightyear (2022): Okay, so this one from Pixar is all about Buzz Lightyear before he became Andy’s favorite toy. It’s a sci-fi ride featuring laser blasts, time travel mishaps, and saving the galaxy. Buzz is out here wrestling with high-tech chaos, but he is just trying to figure out how not to mess things up and what being a “real” hero even means.

Elemental (2023): Imagine a city where fire, water, earth, and air all kinda hang out like it’s normal. Ember (she’s fire) meets Wade (he’s water), and even though you’d think they’d cancel each other out, they end up connecting in unexpected ways. Pixar probably wants us not to judge people just because they’re different, you know, accidentally vaporize them.

Inside Out 2 (2024): Pixar brings Riley back, and she is a teenager now. She is off to hockey camp, and her brain is a mosh pit of chaos. Joy, Sadness, the whole OG crew are still hanging around, but there’s this new squad: Anxiety, Embarrassment, and a few other emotional troublemakers. The movie dives deeper into the identity crisis, showing just how tangled your head gets when growing up. It’s funny, awkward, and stings a little, but there’s a lot of heart underneath all the emotional meltdowns.

Elio (2025): Elio is an 11-year-old who doesn’t fit in. Then, out of nowhere, some aliens zap him up and make him Earth's intergalactic ambassador. Transported to the Communiverse, Elio makes friends, dodges trouble, and saves the world. This latest Pixar movie is a trippy ride through identity, courage, and figuring out where you belong, even if that place is light-years from home.