I went behind the scenes at Mattel and its new Woody and Buzz feel like they stepped out of Toy Story

Date:
Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Description:
Ultimate Action Woody and Buzz each boast 70+ phrases and have two modes Alive or Toy , with lots of tech under the hood.

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Weve seen countless versions of Woody and Buzz Lightyear in the years since Toy Story first hit the big screen in 1995 I remember having a rag doll like Woody and a plastic Buzz growing up. Aside from a few voice lines and some lights on the Space Rangers suit, it was all left to my imagination, though.

Now, though, its 2026, and toys have come a long way. And Woody, Buzz,
Jessie, and the whole crew from Toy Story are getting ready to hit the big screen with film number five Toy Story 5 and will take on a new friend,
foe, or some kind of mixture of both: tech. This time around, akin to the leaps and bounds weve seen from animatronics of fan-favorite characters from animated films at Disney Parks, Mattel and Disney have created a whole host
of toys, including two that punch above the rest. Article continues below You may like 'Toys are for play, but tech is for everything': Woody in Toy Story
5 trailer shares the awful truth Stickerbox is my latest fixation here's how I got on trying it for the first time Lego's 5 new Smart Play sets are more affordable, but lack a crucial brick The Ultimate Action Woody and Ultimate Action Buzz aim to be the most immersive figures for their respective main characters ever produced. And unlike the impressive Robosen Buzz, these wont cost an arm and a leg, making them a much more affordable option. (Image credit: Mattel) Ultimate Action Woody and Buzz each boast 70+ phrases and
have two modes Alive or Toy , with lots of tech under the hood, including a chip controlling the experience and, more importantly, an accelerometer and
IR sensor. Push all that aside, though. What Mattels done is create a Woody and Buzz that will interact and react as you play with them.

Be it you dancing around 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 back with classic lines. In an early demo at Mattels headquarters in El Segundo, California, I watched as both characters reacted to these play moments.

But whats really impressed me is how they can interact with each other. It's likeWoody hopped off the screen, and as hes strolling through the room, he spots Buzz and strikes up a conversation. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Much like a Lego Smart Brick part of the Smart Play system from the brick-building brand Mattels approach here isnt to toss another screen or app-connected experience in front of your kids, or you (hey, toys are for adults too). Its very much about being a cherry-on-the-top additive experience, one that still lets your imagination flourish, and ultimately
uses tech to achieve something that executives at Disney and Mattel had been wondering about. Can we do that? said Tracy Thurman, VP of Product Design for Hardlines at Disney. (Image credit: Mattel) With 70+ phrases for each, its also not using AI to create responses on the fly something that keeps within the theme of as if these hopped off the screen, but also in that voice actors from the film well, Jim Hanks for Woody in place of Tom Hanks actually recorded voice lines for the toys. Both toys stand at 16 inches in height,
and can stand on their own. Whats a voice without a face (Image credit: Mattel) Now, weve seen faces of toys move before, but it really feels like Mattel trickled down those best-in-class animatronics from a Disney Park into a toy. And its all being controlled by a single motor, which the design team shared helps ensure operability and keeps costs down. What to read next 'I'm going to play this with my granddaughter' Mark Hamill on Lego Star Wars Make lasers blast and X-Wings whoosh with LEGO's amazing Star Wars sets Disney built a walking Olaf robot in just four months and its just the start

With Buzz and Woody, youll find that their heads can articulate, mouths will move, and eyes will open and close. From a programming and design
perspective, designers Kristen Sanzari and Baxter Crane shared that a lot of time was spent on ensuring the eyes open and close the right amount depending on the phrase, and most importantly, that the mouth opens at the right time and in unison with how a character might speak.

It all comes together for an interactive experience that looks and sounds really good in play. The team also worked hard to prototype how the two characters interact with one another, while leaving room for potential future launches.

While its Ultimate Action Buzz and Ultimate Action Woody for now, both know what to do if an Ultimate Action Jessie approaches either of them. Thats a smart toy! And it gives hope that Mattel will continue with this line of
toys. I remember seeing the Walking, Talking Buzz many years back; it was really neat, but also focused on two aspects of the character. Essentially, adding more motion and the ability to walk on its own, mixed with the classic phrases wed want the Space Ranger to have. Here, though, its really about leveling up play and letting the toys come to life a bit. I also promise its much less creepy than a Furby.

Beyond the face articulation here, youll also find with Buzz that arms can move, and wings can pop out after all, he needs to take flight (with style). You can hit the button on his right arm (stage left) to trigger the laser
with two sounds and flip open his communication panel on the other side. As you play with these, hell react with voice. Its really well thought out and will encourage play, I believe.

I also got a sneak peek into the design process and Mattels been working on the Ultimate Action Buzz and Woody for over three years, originally being asked to save it for the 30th anniversary and ultimately for release around Toy Story 5 . It also shows the pipeline for a toy starting with sketches (lots of these), then fast 3D models to see how it all comes together, and
the ability to test things like articulation. In this stage, it might not be the right color, but the toy designers are also focused on ensuring they use the right color palette to match the characters and the right materials.

With Woody, its a return to rag-doll form, but hes also malleable in that
this sheriff can stand on his own. Both feel pretty high-end, and Mattels using a unique mix of materials; both faces are a bit softer plastic than the rest of the body.

At $79.99 each, the Ultimate Action Woody and Ultimate Action Buzz are certainly in the upper echelon of Toy Story figures. But for that price,
youre getting a highly accurate toy that measures in at a similar height to what Andy got way back as a kid, and theyre filled with elements all set to surprise and delight you to infinity and beyond. And after all, isnt that
what toys are supposed to do?

Now, sure, Mattel and others have made Toy Story figures including Buzz and Woody with interactive elements before. Look at the Toy Story Collection, in which Buzz made flying sounds and even landing ones. However, Mattel's level is impressive, with the sheer number of potential phrases, better sensors for detecting when they're near each other, and, maybe most impressive, the
facial movements powered by one motor.

I also got to spend some time with the rest of Mattels Toy Story 5 lineup, so check back for more bits from an exclusive tour behind the scenes at the
place where the 80+ year-old toy giant creates these enchanting toys. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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