‘Toy Story 5’ Brings Back Cereal Box Prizes As Kellogg’s Partners With Pixar

With Pixar’s Toy Story 5 fast approaching its theatrical June debut, cereal boxes will once again hold the promise of more than just a milk-sogged morning meal.

For the first time in over a decade, Kellogg’s is bringing playable prizes back to the breakfast table with special edition boxes (namely Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes, Corn Pops, Apple Jacks, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, and Cocoa Loops) slated to hit shelves nationwide Sunday, April 26.

The goodies inside range from spoons modeled after iconic Toy Story characters (Woody, Buzz, Jessie), to collectable trading cards, to movie ticket promotions.

If you’re starting to feel a little nostalgic…well, that’s the entire point.

Similar to the great Dunkaroos resurrection of 2020 (one of the few bright spots in an otherwise miserable year), Kellogg’s hopes to bring back warm memories for millennial parents who grew up with Toy Story and cereal box surprises.

That yearning for simpler times packs a powerful punch in the world of consumer products. Indeed, a UserTesing survey of 2,000 people conducted by Talker Research last year found that the average adult was willing to pay 32% more for defunct products from their favorite brands. Over half of that sample (55%) stated that certain discontinued products meant more to them than anything offered on the market today.

“At Kellogg’s, there’s a real sense of childhood nostalgia tied to the moments families remember most—and breakfast is a big part of that,” Laura Newman, VP Brand Marketing at WK Kellogg Co said in a statement. “Bringing toys back inside the box reintroduces that sense of discovery through a simple, screen-free moment of play that parents can now share with their own kids. Collaborating with Toy Story 5, which explores the role of toys in a tech-driven world, made this moment even more meaningful.”

Added Lylle Breier, Executive Vice President, Partnerships, Promotions, Synergy & Events, The Walt Disney Studios: “At the heart of Toy Story 5 is the idea that toys inspire creativity, friendship and play. We are delighted to collaborate with Kellogg’s on their ‘Toys Back in the Box’ campaign that gives families a fun way to explore the playful world of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and the gang.”

Toy Story 5 sparks return of cereal box prizes

Directed by Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, WALL-E), the fifth entry in the animated franchise that made Pixar a household name brings the gang face-to-face with their biggest foe yet: an amphibious smart tablet named Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee).

“Honestly, it’s not even really about a battle so much as the realization of an existential problem: that nobody’s really playing with toys anymore,” Stanton explained to Empire magazine last year. “Technology has changed everybody’s lives, but we’re asking what that means for us—and to our kids. We can’t just get away with making tech the villain.”

Returning cast members include Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Joan Cusack (Jessie), Annie Potts (Bo Peep), Blake Clark (Slinky), John Ratzenberger (Hamm), Wallace Shawn (Rex), Bonnie Hunt (Dolly), Kristen Schaal (Trixie), Forky (Tony Hale), and Keanu Reeves (Duke Caboom).

Following the deaths of several longtime cast members Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, and Carl Weathers, Mr. Potato Head, Mrs. Potato Head, and Combat Carl are now voiced by Jeff Bergman, Anna Vocino, and Ernie Hudson, respectively.

John Hopkins replaces Timothy Dalton as Mr. Pricklepants (it’s unclear why Dalton declined to return), while Scarlett Spears takes on the role of Bonnie (previously voiced by Emily Hahn and Madeleine McGraw).

In addition to Greta Lee, newcomers to the series are Melissa Villaseñor (Karen Beverly, Forky’s plastic knife wife), Craig Robinson (Atlas, a GPS hippo toy), Shelby Rabara (Snappy, an excitable camera toy), Mykal-Michelle Harris (Blaze, an 8-year-old girl with an affinity for animals), Matty Matheson (Dr. Nutcase, a tech-phobic toy), and Conan O’Brien (Smarty Pants, a toilet-training toy).

The sequel was produced by Lindsey Collins, (Turning Red) and co-directed by Kenna Harris (known for the Luca-inspired short Ciao Alberto).

Toy Story 5 is in theaters Friday, June 19.