Just when you think Toy Story is over, our favorite toys come back with emotional moments and at least one existential crisis. For example, I feel like basically everyone got teary-eyed when the toys were holding hands in the furnace during the third film. Now, with the fifth movie on the 2026 movie schedule, it’s made me want to dive down the rabbit hole of previous films. However, I wasn’t expecting to find a story that involved a very dark car crash.
This trivia I learned is probably the most shocking BTS thing I’ve heard about this franchise. The Easter egg was discovered on the DVD bonus features for arguably the best Toy Story movie, Toy Story 2 (via Todd Spence on X). This is how I found out about Toy Story 2’s deep cut car crash scene, and I’m shocked by how dark it is. While it may not be Watership Down dark, for this toy-centered franchise, it’s pretty bleak.
A hidden easter egg on the TOY STORY 2 dvd was an animation clip depicting Emily getting into an awful car accident after leaving Jessie at the donation center 😂 yes this is real pic.twitter.com/QQNW3DuYJ6June 23, 2026
The Jessie-centric car crash clip comes just in time for the arrival of the fifth film, which fans are saying is a story that every Jessie fan needs. But I don’t think anyone will expect to see a car attempting to fly over the hill, or the crash sounds that followed. ‘90s kids may want to cover their eyes.
I was relieved to see that I wasn’t the only one stunned by the “little something special” thrown in by animator Stephen Barnes. Todd Spence, who posted the clip, called the scene “National Lampoon’s Toy Story.” And I think he’s onto something. Maybe Jessie’s former kid was related to the Griswolds. Overall, many fans have responded with laughter at the dark humor, such as Abhinav, who wrote:
I would have laughed so much if it was in the final cut. Unnecessarily mean and over the top.
However, one fan points out that dark humor is a staple of Disney, which is notorious for killing off parents. I think we all remember how we felt during that moment in The Lion King or during the first few minutes of Finding Nemo.
Anyway, Toy Story never fails to strike an emotional chord, even with this dark BTS clip. Though it’ll always be the third movie that hits the hardest for me. When Andy gives the toys up to Bonnie, especially when he hands over Woody, and plays with them for the last time, there may have been a few tears. So it should come as no surprise that Toy Story 5 has some teary-eyed moments, too, particularly thanks to one last-minute addition to the film.
The franchise has a way of reminding us of childhood and growing up. Even if you’re an adult, these characters take you back. And now new generations are finding themselves in these characters. The newest movie even features technology, as Bonnie gets a tablet called Lilypad.
I’ll admit, I didn’t know what to think when another Toy Story was announced, especially learning that it almost didn’t include Woody, but the franchise never fails to bring me on board. There’s a reason that these movies keep smashing records at the box office.
Overall, my love and interest in these movies won’t fade. However, I do have to admit, I was shocked to learn about this BTS moment from Toy Story 2 that’s far darker than anything actually featured in these movies. However, it’s always fun to discover new lore, and now I can’t wait to rewatch the Toy Story sequel with a Disney+ subscription so I can be thankful that no car crash was involved.
