10 Greatest Non-Disney Movies To Watch If You Love Toy Story

The Toy Story movies are arguably among the most influential and beloved kids' movies of all time. The franchise began in 1995 and is still going strong today, putting the films in a unique position where they appeal to a broad, multigenerational audience.

It's not entirely nostalgia that attracts adults to Toy Story, either. Many of the movies cover mature themes, such as abandonment or coming of age. Kids appreciate the fast pace, lovable characters, and straightforward stories, and Pixar ensures its films work for adults too.

It's easy to find similarities to Toy Story in other Disney movies, though they do appear elsewhere if you know where to look. The idea of toys coming to life away from prying eyes is magical, and many other studios have explored similar concepts with their own spin.

Those stories about toys aren't strictly for children either. Some movies even take that idea into the horror genre, exploring what a toy 'could' do if it suddenly came to life with its own agenda.

The idea of toys or inanimate objects coming to life is ripe for expansion, and there are even movies that predate Toy Story that explore similar themes. If you're in the mood for more movies like Toy Story or want to see the concept portrayed in inventive ways, here's a selection of movies you may enjoy as a fan of Pixar's beloved masterpiece.

10 The Lego Movie (2014)

The Lego Movie has many similarities with Toy Story, and many of those are obvious from the moment you start the film. It's an exceptionally well-animated kids' movie with themes adults will find relatable. The movie also features toys that come to life, though they are specifically inside a child's imagination as he plays with the real-world blocks.

Chris Pratt stars as Emmett, a Lego construction worker. He stumbles across a group of rebels and is unwillingly recruited by them to stand against Lord Business (Will Ferrell). He loves order and wants to use a super weapon called Kragle to permanently glue blocks in place.

The Lego Movie tells an exciting story in the Lego world, but also tells a much more grounded, heartfelt tale between father and son in real life. It's a memorable combination, suitable for audiences of all ages.

9 Child's Play (1988)

Despite the name, 1988's Child's Play is not a kids' movie, and even sports an R rating. Still, audiences who fell in love with the original Toy Story in 1995 are adults now and may appreciate the horror spin on toys coming to life.

A serial killer is mortally wounded as he flees from the cops at the start of the movie and takes refuge in a toy shop. The killer knows voodoo magic, so he transfers his soul into a doll that an unsuspecting mom later buys for her son. The possessed doll wreaks havoc almost immediately, as the parents blame their children for its antics.

It's a ridiculous premise, but it's still fun to watch. The doll, Chucky, has a sharp tongue, and there are plenty of dark-comedy moments alongside bloody slasher horror.

8 Ted (2012)

Ted is tonally very different from Toy Story and aimed at an adult audience. The film stars Mark Wahlberg as John Bennett, a lonely young boy with no friends who made a unique wish on Christmas Eve.

John wished that his stuffed teddy bear, Ted, would come to life, and it miraculously happened. Ted (Seth MacFarlane) was briefly a celebrity before everyone became comfortable with the idea of talking bears and stopped caring. The movie focuses on John's adult life and relationships, and how he never really grew up.

Ted is an adult comedy full of swearing and pop culture references. The movie is laugh-out-loud funny at times, and it makes the list because it presents a world where people are oddly fine with the existence of a walking, talking teddy bear.

7 Welcome To Marwen (2018)

Welcome to Marwen is a touching movie with a bleak premise, starring Steve Carell in a more grounded role than he's often known for. Carell plays Mark Hogancamp, a survivor of a brutal attack that left him in a coma with severe brain injuries.

The movie focuses on how Mark deals with his trauma. He creates an expansive miniature village and creates stories with it through photographs. Welcome to Marwen feels similar to Toy Story because many scenes take place inside the village Mark has created. We see his tales come to life, complete with doll-like versions of Mark and people he knows.

Some audiences found the dramatic tonal shifts in Welcome to Marwen jarring, given the many comedic moments. Still, the movie has a good message about dealing with trauma and is loosely based on a true story.

6 Prehysteria! (1993)

Prehysteria! is somewhat similar to Toy Story, but with a prehistoric twist. The Taylor family unwittingly brings home a cooler full of dinosaur eggs. They hatch shortly after, and chaos ensues as the family is left to care for a motley assortment of ancient baby reptiles.

The kids try to keep the dinosaurs a secret from their parents, but they aren't the only adults they must be wary of. A sinister museum curator is also looking for the infant dinosaurs and will stop at nothing to find them.

Prehysteria! is as wild as it sounds with a nostalgic 90s appeal. Many of the special effects are dated by today's standards, but the movie is still fun and watchable.

5 The Christmas Toy (1986)

The Christmas Toy shares many themes with Toy Story, though it predates the Pixar movie by almost a decade. It's an unusual film as it's a straight-to-TV musical made by Jim Henson.

As the name implies, The Christmas Toy is a seasonal movie that tells a charming story about toys coming to life when humans are not around. Toys must also abide by an oddly dark rule. If a human ever spots them moving, they will become a regular, inanimate toy forever.

The 1986 movie explores themes of jealousy, much like Toy Story, and fans will immediately notice many parallels between the two. Rugby the Tiger is used to being the favorite and is less than impressed when a new toy enters the spotlight.

4 Night At The Museum (2006)

One of Toy Story's most alluring concepts is that toys lead a secret life behind closed doors. Night at the Museum puts its own spin on that idea, as figures and displays come to life as the lights go out.

Ben Stiller stars as Larry. He's the new nighttime security guard at a historical museum and makes a wild discovery on his first night. Exhibits, big and small, come to life each night at the behest of an ancient Egyptian artifact.

Larry quickly realizes he's working at no ordinary museum and struggles to keep order in the building, surrounded by everything from living dinosaur skeletons to diorama miniatures. If you enjoy Larry's adventures, Night at the Museum is the first movie in a trilogy, though many would agree the original remains the best.

3 The Brave Little Toaster (1987)

The Brave Little Toaster is an animated movie about sentient household appliances who believe their owner has abandoned them in a cabin. It's a premise that wouldn't be out of place in a Pixar movie, but the 1987 film contains several particularly shocking scenes for a movie aimed at kids.

The Toaster is one of a group of appliances that includes a lamp, an electric blanket, a vacuum cleaner, and a radio. They leave the safety of the cabin and venture into the unforgiving outdoors in search of their owner. The journey is fraught with danger, and audiences see how the situation affects every appliance differently.

The Brave Little Toaster is a surprisingly intense animated title, far more so than the cover art or premise would suggest. Many children who saw the film in the 80s will remember a few particularly traumatizing scenes, and the movie is still worth watching almost forty years later.

2 The Indian In The Cupboard (1995)

The Indian in the Cupboard deserves a special mention, as it was released the same year as Toy Story. Omri (Hal Scardino) is a nine-year-old boy in Brooklyn and has just received some strange presents for his birthday.

Those presents include a wooden cupboard from his brother and a plastic Indian figurine from a friend. Curiously, his mom gives him a key that fits the box, and he locks the figurine inside. Omri gets the surprise of his life when he opens the door the next day and discovers the figurine has become a miniature person named Little Bear (Litefoot).

The Indian in the Cupboard is quite different from Toy Story in that Little Bear and his friends are living beings rather than inanimate objects. The movie explores themes of growing up and responsibility, and it has a touching ending that fans remember fondly.

1 Small Soldiers (1998)

Small Soldiers is similar to Toy Story in many ways and was released three years later. The movie was marketed for children, complete with a toy line and even a board game, though some scenes may be quite scary for a young audience.

A toy company is desperate for its next line of figurines to be a hit. They make the Commando Elite, which look like regular soldiers, and the Gorgonites, which are peaceful aliens. The catch is that they installed military chips in the toys, which bring them to life so they will fight for real.

A battle between the Commando Elite and the Gorgonites ensues, with Alan (Gregory Smith) and Christy (Kirsten Dunst) caught in the crossfire.

Small Soldiers has many funny moments, but it's also surprisingly violent at times, especially for a kids' movie. Regardless, the title is an easy recommendation thanks to its similarities to Toy Story, and it also captures the 90s vibe of the original movie that you simply cannot find in newer films.