Taylor Swift's 'Toy Story 5' song kept secret until release, Tom Hanks reveals
Synopsis
Even Tom Hanks didn’t know Taylor Swift had recorded an original song for Toy Story 5 until hours before it dropped. The cast was ushered into a soundproof room and told at the last minute — a level of Hollywood secrecy Hanks compared to learning Judy Garland was singing ‘Over the Rainbow.’
Key Takeaways
Tom Hanks revealed at the Los Angeles premiere that the Toy Story 5 cast was not told about Taylor Swift ’s song until hours before its release.
Swift’s end-credits track, ‘ I Knew It, I Knew You ,’ was officially unveiled on 1 June .
The cast reportedly watched the film with a ‘dummy’ placeholder song before learning the real one.
Toy Story 5 features returning cast members Tom Hanks , Tim Allen , and Joan Cusack , plus new additions including Keanu Reeves , Bad Bunny , and Conan O’Brien .
The film follows Woody , Jessie , and Buzz facing a new technological threat to their time with child Bonnie .
Tom Hanks has revealed that even the lead voice cast of Toy Story 5 was kept in the dark about Taylor Swift's original end-credits song until hours before it was publicly released — a level of secrecy that surprised even the franchise's most recognisable star.
What Tom Hanks Said
Speaking at the Los Angeles premiere of Toy Story 5, Hanks described how the news was delivered: “They ushered us into a soundproof room and said, ‘Tonight at 9 p.m., the true end titles song is going to drop, and it’s by Taylor Swift.’”
Hanks said he was stunned the production team had managed to keep it from the cast entirely. “And I was like, ‘You guys kept this from us all?’ And we saw the movie without (the song), we had some dummy thing in there,” he added.
The actor called it a “delight” to have Swift involved, comparing the moment to a classic Hollywood revelation: “That’s like saying, ‘By the way, Judy Garland is singing ‘Over the Rainbow’ at the beginning of this.’ That kind of thing.”
Swift's Song and Disney's Secrecy
Although Disney had dropped hints about Swift’s involvement in Toy Story 5, her track ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’ was not officially unveiled until 1 June. The song plays over the film’s end credits and had been guarded under strict non-disclosure even from the principal cast.
Notably, this level of last-minute secrecy around a major musical contribution is rare even by Hollywood standards, underscoring both Swift’s commercial weight and Disney’s marketing strategy of drip-feeding reveals to sustain audience anticipation.
What the Film Covers
In Toy Story 5, beloved characters Woody, Jessie, and Buzz confront a new technological threat to their playtime with their child, Bonnie. The film opens with Woody away from his companions, rescuing toys discarded by their owners — a journey that has left him with a bald spot beneath his iconic cowboy hat.
Hanks addressed Woody’s wear-and-tear with characteristic humour: “A little of the right color Sharpie will make that bald spot go away. And the stuffing seems to need to be pushed up every now and again, but it is an organic material in there. It’s physics, man, it’s physics.”
Returning and New Cast
Joan Cusack and Tim Allen return alongside Hanks in the voice cast. New additions include Greta Lee, Keanu Reeves, Craig Robinson, Alan Cumming, Conan O’Brien, and Bad Bunny, marking one of the franchise’s largest cast expansions.
With Swift’s global fanbase and a stacked voice ensemble, Toy Story 5 arrives as one of the most anticipated animated releases of the year.
Point of View
Now in its fifth instalment, needs more than nostalgia to compete in a crowded streaming era; attaching Swift’s name to the end credits is a calculated bet on her fanbase converting to ticket sales. What’s worth watching is whether the song’s reception translates into opening-weekend numbers or remains a promotional footnote — the history of franchise tie-in songs is littered with both outcomes.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Taylor Swift’s song in Toy Story 5?
Taylor Swift’s song in Toy Story 5 is titled ‘I Knew It, I Knew You,’ and it plays over the film’s end credits. It was officially released on 1 June, despite Disney having hinted at her involvement earlier.
Did Tom Hanks know about Taylor Swift’s involvement in Toy Story 5?
No. Tom Hanks revealed at the Los Angeles premiere that even the principal cast was kept in the dark until hours before the song dropped publicly. They were brought into a soundproof room and told the news that evening.
Who are the new cast members in Toy Story 5?
Toy Story 5 adds Greta Lee, Keanu Reeves, Craig Robinson, Alan Cumming, Conan O’Brien, and Bad Bunny to the voice cast. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack return from previous instalments.
What is the plot of Toy Story 5?
Toy Story 5 follows Woody, Jessie, and Buzz as they face a new technological threat to their playtime with their child Bonnie. The film opens with Woody away from the group, rescuing toys that have been discarded by their owners.
Why was Taylor Swift’s Toy Story 5 song kept secret?
According to Tom Hanks, the song was described as ‘top secret’ by the production. Disney appears to have deliberately withheld the information — even from the cast — as part of its marketing strategy, maximising the surprise announcement’s impact ahead of the film’s release.
