The Secret's Out: How Taylor Swift's 'Toy Story 5' Song Was Kept Under Wraps
The highly anticipated 'Toy Story 5' held a major secret: a new song by pop superstar Taylor Swift. Learn how a 'decoy version' of the film and a tight-lipped crew ensured her involvement remained a surprise until the very last moment.
The world of animation and pop music recently collided with a revelation that kept fans on the edge of their seats: Taylor Swift secretly penned a song for Toy Story 5. The depth of this secrecy was unveiled by VFX supervisor Thomas Jordan at a recent SXSW London panel, detailing an elaborate plan to keep Swift’s involvement a surprise.
According to Jordan, only a select few within the production team were aware of Swift recording “I Knew It, I Knew You” for the animated blockbuster. To maintain this extraordinary level of confidentiality, a “decoy version” of Toy Story 5 was reportedly shown to press and even many Disney/Pixar staffers, completely omitting Swift's track.
“The crew that made Toy Story 5 did not know about this secret until last week,” Jordan revealed, highlighting the sheer scale of the operation. He further elaborated on Swift’s personal connection, stating, “Turns out, Taylor Swift is a huge Toy Story fan like many of us.”
Swift’s journey to contributing to the film began when she saw an early cut of Toy Story 5. Deeply moved by the characters and story, she wrote “I Knew It, I Knew You” and offered it to the filmmakers. “And we said, ‘Uh, yes! Yes we do.’ That was in February, so we’ve had to keep it a secret ever since then,” Jordan recounted.
The song, which reportedly sees Swift returning to her country music roots, was officially announced on June 1st and released on June 5th. Swift herself expressed her long-standing admiration for the franchise: “I’ve always dreamed of getting to write for these characters who I’ve adored since I was a 5 year old kid watching the first Toy Story movie.” She added, “I fell instantly in love with Toy Story 5 when I was lucky enough to see it in its early stages, and I wrote this song as soon as I got home from the screening. Sometimes you just know, right?”
“I Knew It, I Knew You” was co-written and produced by Swift alongside her frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff, marking their first joint effort since 2024’s The Tortured Poets Department.
Andrew Stanton, director of Toy Story 5, praised Swift’s contribution, emphasizing how seamlessly the song integrated into the film. “Her connection to Jessie and the immediate way she understood what the character was going through was undeniable,” Stanton stated. “The song is so deeply connected to Toy Story. So much so that on first listen, it instantly felt like it had always belonged there, like a long-lost family member. It was kismet.”
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