Papa Johns launches Pizza Planet pop-ups for Toy Story 5 campaign

Rival pizza chains are still chasing the family meal occasion with nostalgia, and Papa Johns is betting that a Toy Story tie-in can do more than raise awareness. It can give families a reason to pick one brand over another on a high-intent dinner night.

Papa Johns has rolled out Pizza Planet pop-ups in select markets across June, including London, Seoul, Madrid and Los Angeles. The experience pairs a retro-style pizza arcade with prizes, merch, themed menu items and a custom spot produced by Pixar Animation Studios, pushing the promotion beyond a simple movie logo on a box and into something closer to an outing.

The campaign is tied to Toy Story 5, which opens in theaters on June 19. Pixar says the film is directed by Andrew Stanton, co-directed by Kenna Harris and produced by Lindsey Collins, with Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the gang facing a “Toy meets Tech” storyline as toys are challenged by electronics. Papa Johns says the collaboration is the first pizza-brand tie-in for a Toy Story film release, and it is packaging that nostalgia around a global 360 campaign built on connection and pizza.

The traffic angle matters for restaurant operators because Papa Johns is not stopping at pop-ups. The chain’s Toy Story 5 personal pizzas are available nationwide in the United States at $6.99 from June 1 through July 19, 2026, and in 42 international markets for a limited time. The lineup includes names like Space Ranger Roni, Sheriff’s Roundup and Reach for the Pie, while U.S. Papa Rewards members can play an in-app game called Operation Pizza. That mix of menu, app and entertainment is designed to keep the brand in the customer’s mind before a dinner decision is made.

For Pizza Hut managers, the lesson is not that every campaign needs a movie license. It is that nostalgia still works when it feels visit-worthy, not gimmicky. Pizza Hut has already leaned into that idea with its own “Newstalgia” playbook, pointing back to Book It! pins, arcade games, red cups and Tiffany-style lamps, while its classic locations revive the retro red-roof era that helped define family pizza night for generations. With more than 6,000 locations on its store locator, Pizza Hut has the footprint to turn that heritage into real dinner traffic if the experience gives families a clear reason to walk in, not just scroll past.