A Warhammer 40k miniatures painter turns Space Marines and Genestealer Cultists into the colourful characters from Pixar’s Toy Story

Łukasz Grzyb (35), a full-time mini painter from Cracow, Poland, has spent the last two-and-a-bit years creating Toy Story characters from Warhammer 40k minis. From March 2020, Grzyb has created 14 Toy Story kitbashes. This unexpected crossover includes stars like Genestealer Cults’ Kelermorph as Sheriff Woody, a Space Marines Primaris Inceptor as Buzz Lightyear, and a Nurgle Beast as Mr Potato Head.

When you think of Warhammer 40k and the children’s playthings that star in Pixar’s Toy Story, you’d think they couldn’t be further apart. One is a grimdark world of constant, hellish war, and the other is a vibrant film stuffed with family fun. Sure, they both involve toys in some way, but the similarities stop there. Or, at least, they did until Grzyb got involved.

“The idea for this project came at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic”, Grzyb tells Wargamer. Starting with the Space Marines Buzz Lightyear, Grzyb gradually began to create more and more Toy Story kitbashes. “If there’s a Buzz, there must be a Woody, et cetera – it escalated pretty fast.”

While the main characters from the Pixar films are all present, some of Grzyb’s most creative work is on the film series’ less pivotal cast members. A Tau Great Knarlock mini from Forge World makes an excellent Rex, and an Orks Shokkjump Dragsta has been converted into an RC car with sweet googly eyes. One of our favourites is the Spaces Wolves Fenrisian Wolf Pack mini, which has been given a coiled middle to look like Slinky Dog.

Grzyb says the project was largely fuelled by fans on his Facebook page, Fantasygames. “Ideas for the next characters came partially from my Facebook fanpage, where people were asking for the next guys in the theme”, he adds. “Fans reacted very positively, and they wanted more of these kinds of minis.”

“I wanted to make these guys with limited use of greenstuff, and with no greenstuff involved if possible”, Grzyb tells Wargamer, “just clean minis and change their original appearance by paint job”. “In some cases, it was not possible – Slinky got halved, and I put a little spring to make it look more Toy Story related.” “I have enjoyed the process of sketching ideas for characters and looking for minis that will fit”, Grzyb adds. “Usually the process of creating a new character is very satisfying.”

For more cool kitbashes, check out the results of the Warhammer paint pot character challenge, or the Ork Stompa made from kids’ toys. We also have a guide to painting miniatures, in case you planned to do some custom work of your own.

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Mollie's DnD characters often seem more at home in her favourite board game, Betrayal at House on the Hill. Spook and storyteller, she loves poetry as much as MTG drafting and horror tabletop RPGs. (She/her)