Papa Johns Builds a Global Movie Moment With Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5

Papa Johns is making pizza a part of your movie night rituals again, this time with the help of Woody and Buzz Lightyear.

The pizza chain has teamed up with Disney and Pixar for a global campaign tied to Toy Story 5, marking the franchise’s first-ever collaboration with a pizza brand ahead of a theatrical release.

Launching before the film hits theaters on June 19, the campaign turns Papa Johns locations into a merchandise drop, an activation, and a full-fledged nostalgia machine.

It's an ode to the families who grew up with the franchise over the last three decades.

"This collaboration unites two iconic brands rooted in quality, creativity and bringing people together," said Jenna Bromberg, CMO at Papa Johns.

"The joy and imagination of Toy Story, combined with our commitment to great pizza is an authentic way for us to create something special – and delicious – for our fans."

The campaign also gives Papa Johns another large-scale entertainment brand partnership at a time when restaurant chains are increasingly competing through pop culture collaborations.

Chris Lyn-Sue, SVP and General Manager of International at Papa Johns, called it "one of our biggest international collaborations to date."

True enough, the campaign is set to launch across 42 international markets, including Los Angeles, London, Seoul, and Madrid.

A Deep Dive Into the Pizza 

The efforts are more than just logos slapped on a pizza box.

Papa Johns is introducing three themed personal pizzas inspired by characters and motifs from the film.

These include:

• Space Ranger Roni
• Sheriff’s Round Up
• Reach for the Pie

Additionally, U.S. customers will also receive a new "Rootin’ Tootin’ Ranch Dip" cup created specifically for the release.

Meanwhile, the limited-edition collectibles will feature Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie in select international markets, alongside immersive experiences and an in-app game to engage audiences.

Papa Johns and Disney will also support the campaign through a 360-degree global media push, including a custom-animated spot produced by Pixar Animation Studios itself.

Ultimately, the pizza giant is pulling all the strings to embed itself into the Toy Story universe through food, digital engagement, merchandise, and experiential activations that continue through July.

And it does all this while keeping pricing accessible, with the pizzas starting at $6.99 in the U.S. from June 1 through July 19.

Papa Johns’ Toy Story 5 Rollout

Papa Johns is showing marketers how to maximize entertainment partnerships with full customer experiences that keep them happy from pre-screening to post:

• Keep the experience connected. Movie tie-ins become more effective when food, collectibles, and digital moments push the same campaign idea from every angle.
• Experiences move people closer to buying. About 87% of consumers remember brand experiences over ads, showing how activations can directly influence consumer action.
• Accessibility matters. Entertainment collaborations become easier to scale when pricing stays affordable instead of feeling like premium merchandise.

The bigger challenge will be sustaining momentum after the film’s opening weeks, especially once the novelty factor fades.

Late last year, Papa Johns announced several restaurant closures in locations across the U.S. 

Despite this, it remains a fast food powerhouse, teaming up with major entertainment corporations like Disney to sustain its strong position in the growing food industry.

Our Take: Can Nostalgia Still Drive Orders?

Lucky for Papa Johns, pizza just slides naturally into the memory bank.

I can already picture families ordering this during opening weekend, kids arguing over who gets Buzz while parents quietly remember watching the original in the ‘90s.

A lot of entertainment tie-ins feel temporary because the product barely connects to the story itself.

Here, Papa Johns understands that pizza and movies do go hand-in-hand.

And because of this, the campaign doesn’t need to convince consumers that this is the best way to watch a movie franchise so ingrained in everyone's childhood. 

Recently, brands like Diet Coke have also been building full campaign ecosystems, teaming up with Devil Wears Prada 2 in time for its release. 

Check out our top experiential marketing agencies that design campaigns to spark joy among audiences.